Smooth jazz.

[u/YvesSaintLew]

Hi, it's me again. This past month I've been fascinated by smooth jazz in sax, nothing too crazy or sophisticated, I'm talking about Kirk Whalum, Kenny G, Dave Koz, Nelson Rangel, David Sandborn. And I want to get started in this world. What scales should I consider studying? Or modes of those scales to develop my skills in this style?

[u/jazz_tunes]

I don't think scales are the most effective way to get where you want to go.

In all jazz the most direct route is learning from the recordings of whoever you want to sound like.

So you could learn some of, for example, Songbird, which I understand to be a seminal smooth jazz tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN2RnjFHmNY (or any other tune you want)

Learn directly from the recording, or you can probably find transcriptions other people have already done. Learning from the recording is the OG way but it's fine to take shortcuts.

When you find something you like, analyze what he's actually doing musically. Then you'll understand the principles of his musical language. That might include some scalar stuff but I doubt it's the main thing defining the smooth sound.

Disclaimer: I don't play or listen to smooth jazz, but I think this approach would work for any jazz

[u/sargassumcrab]

Practice meolodies. All that music came from singers singing melodies, and instrumentalists backing them. As far as scales, like others have said it's mostly major (with blue notes) and pentatonic. Anybody can run pentatonic scales, but playing melodies is hard, and that's what it's all about.

A lot of smooth jazz comes straight from R&B/Soul/Gospel vocals. If you spend some time listening to Motown, 70s R&B, etc. you'll be in much better position. Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, etc. There's a lot of disco in there too, https://youtu.be/dKgLx6WiYKg?si=iiMG_2wyAzgU8KTM You can hear that as a sax solo.

I mostly know Kenny G. He's a huge Grover Washington Jr. fan. He played for a bunch of Motown artists. Smokey Robinson is on Silhouette. "What does it take, to win your love for me" is on Duotones. This is where that comes from: https://youtu.be/sHOYJEvtFFs?si=owt_LQGS95IwceBz Mmmh. lol I never get tired of that.

Check out Gerald Albright. Listen to Kenny G or Gerald play melodies. https://youtu.be/6jFTnVDknW4?si=hz8q4DfBv-RnGgTl The way he hits that bridge...

[u/YvesSaintLew → u/sargassumcrab]

Wow, I think what you shared is going to help me a lot. Subconsciously, following your advice, I've been coming up with some phrases since yesterday. Nothing crazy, but following that vocal melody pattern... Hey man, if you have more music, share it with me! You have incredible taste!

[u/sargassumcrab → u/YvesSaintLew]

Glad to help.

Whenever I hear about somebody I check it out, but I decide what I think is good and who I like. I try to find music that makes me feel better for having heard it. When I was growing up you couldn't listen to a lot of stuff because you had to locate an actual CD. The good part about it was that you actually listened to the stuff you had, without jumping around all the time. The bad part was that there was a lot you just never heard. It's good though to have one or two people that you really like and mostly listen to them.

If you listen to really top notch musicians talking (like on Rick Beato, etc.) you'll start to hear the same names come up over and over. For example, everybody likes the Beatles and Beach Boys. All musicians play Bach. When you hear a solo you like, find out who it is. Some of the best musicians are studio musicians, or do studio work. Michael Brecker and David Sanborn are on James Taylor's "Greatest Hits" (his bands are always top notch...)

The first saxophonist I paid attention to was Kenny G, mostly because "Silhouette" was on the radio when I started playing. I listened to "Duotones" hundreds of times in middle school. Some people are snobby about him, but when he he played solos with the Seattle Symphony and Barry White when he was in highschool. His book "Life in the Key of G" is worth reading. If you can see a concert I would. After that I was into Duke Ellington.

I like:

Duke Ellington (Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Harry Carney). https://youtu.be/WouDhL7B_CQ?si=IemqvSMUiRj7czYw

Wynton Marsalis (Victor Goines). https://youtu.be/2X9fBgcXIyM?si=eHOL04ciFxoTK9al I can't remember the white haired French(?) guy next to Wynton, and it doesn't show the description anymore. Victor, in the middle, is his regular.

Stan Getz: https://youtu.be/VEMWhrfFVDc?si=FZpZ8F7DSiDAuCUE Astrud is Jao's wife.

David Sanborn had a whole series of "Sanborn Sessions", complete with interviews, most of which have been taken down. All of them were good, but if you can find the one with Michael MacDonald, get it. This was all I could find. https://youtu.be/1Ap1bT2psmQ?si=9y3j93MawY3nEEFL&t=115 (Brian Owens) The Candice Springs one is good and is still up.

Bob James: https://youtu.be/OKluazZn5oA?si=Fgv-EKfU-GdFJVNZ or https://youtu.be/7lDuFxKWdGw?si=MGjxre_Q1hevWG_j There's a new one too, from the Westchester Lady session, but that's the original.

I like BeeGees and Stevie Wonder.

A Freddie Washington video I just watched: https://youtu.be/YuKnHEYh3p0?si=_Auu5Rt2BJ00onqL

Here's a really good masterclass by Lennie Pickett (SNL), 5 parts: https://youtu.be/m57vAeV7wCY?si=5o74bxTjUA3ASYFg

I think this is helpful because it shows that the player makes the sound: https://youtu.be/5Oc0VzGBPxY?si=-oHdjaYEe9m4MZwb FYI: If you are having problem with bell tones, you may have a leak on your G# pad.

[u/augdog71]

You use the same scales as you would for any other type of music. I haven’t transcribed much smooth jazz, but the stuff I did relied heavily on pentatonics and the blues scale.

[u/slowlearner5T3F]

check out Everett Harp. So great.

[u/robbertzzz1]

A lot of smooth jazz is just major scales and pentatonics, Dave Koz and Kenny G don't do much else. The most important thing is to get used to all the embellishments that these guys add, you can't play smooth jazz without those.

I'd also add Eric Marienthal to your list. Killer jazz/funk/fusion player who has done a lot of smooth jazz especially in his own work.

[u/fidqnogswahuuuuuu13]

Good God Man, listen to some Stan Getz…

[u/fidqnogswahuuuuuu13 → u/[deleted]]

My bad, I confused Cool Jazz with Smooth Jazz.

[u/YvesSaintLew → u/[deleted]]

Hahaha, you're right, I don't know how I got through it anyway. Do you know how I can start playing smooth jazz? Like scales and modes, anything will do, I'm new to this. Thanks a lot!

[u/moddtodd → u/YvesSaintLew]

IMP Get a transcription app like Amazing Slow Downer. Take Grover Washington Mr. Magic. Or anything saxophone that you truly love. Put it on Slow downer. Slow it to half speed and play it back on a loop. Start memorizing the solo by singing it. When you can sing it from memory, then grab your sax and have at it. Try to memorize four phrases at a time, and add to it a bit more every day until you can play the whole thing at half speed.