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From: "PM"
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 18:11:46 -0500
Subject: Take 5

Barry writes that sax players love Eb. That's because the
alto sax is an Eb-tuned instrument. For an alto guy(I've been
one), playing in Eb is equivalent to a piano player playing in the
key of C(no sharps or flats).

I play Take 5 in dorian(third position-or the third mode of the
circle of 5ths if we want to see it that way-either way is fine
with me). The bends aren't that bad Barry, you should try it.

Actually, the 6th hole bend(the bV/V) is one of my favorite
sounds-it's really fluid and expressive, and very much the
reason why I "love" what the diatonic can offer. That's really
one of the coolest things about playing 3rd position-the
sweet 6th hole bend becomes the fifth!

The thing is, you have to over-blow the sixth hole, and overdraw
the 7th hole on the bridge-but it really isn't that daunting if you've
worked on those embouchures some. It would be a good tune
to "try" some of that technique out or try to develop it, because
once you've got it on that tune-it really swings.

I believe that Mike Curtis said he plays it in 4th-because of the
"chord" it gives you. Could you be more specific Mike?
I suppose I could look for it-but I just love it when
you "talk" like that . . .

(BTW, Howard Levy prefers third position to 4th, precisely
because of the 6th hole bend(playing the flat-fifth). You need
to overblow the 4th hole(in 4th position)to get the flat fifth, and
while that's no big deal-he considers it sort of vanilla sounding).

I "do" like 4th position for high-note minor-Stevie stuff/trills etc


Best regards-Paul Messinger/Chapel Hill NC