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Dear Peter,
It is a while since I corresponded but the source of the information regarding the sax being held in place with the left thumb and the top teeth on the mouthpiece was eluding me and I have finally rediscovered it. It is in the Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone, page 84 by Kyle Horch, HOLDING THE SAXOPHONE:.... 'Once the sling has been adjusted....., the left thumb pushing against its thumb rest and the contact between the upper teeth and mouthpiece anchor the instrument in a stable position.' He probably knows exactly what he means. However I was chewing my way through two or three mouth patches a week! And just try biting down to anchor the sax with your top teeth and preventing your bottom teeth biting into your lower lip!
Since following your technique and easing off with my top teeth I have had the same mouthpiece patch for 4 months now and it is still in a fairly good condition, certainly still usable. And my bottom lip is in excellent condition.
Good news is I passed Grade1 Tenor Sax Jazz with a Merit. It is only grade 1 but it is a good start to my further studies and practice.
Best Regards, Gordon.
From: gordon best
To: Peter
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2010 12:32 PM
Subject: RE: Help with embouchure for Tenor Sax
Dear Peter,
It is longer than I thought since we last corresponded. It's time I let you know how I'm doing. I have your Reed Doctor, Saxophone Technique and Advanced Technique and your book on Practice Tunes.
I practised daily for about a month with the embouchure exercises' until I could do about fifteen minutes. It was as you said, there seems to be no improvement then one day voila, there it is, a bit like learning to swim or ride a bike. No more hissing or bacon frying. I have much more control now and have the confidence to know when a reed is not right.
That is what brought me to reply to you. Yesterday I was using a Vandoren 21/2 which squeaked and shrieked like having a Mynah bird in each ear. Consulting your Reed Doctor I checked and double checked my embouchure, then checked the balance of the reed at the tip. Way out of balance, a few light scrapes as directed by your book and I had a fantastic, responsive sweet playing reed. I have also moved onto using Marca Jazz #3 which I have found to be very responsive and of excellent quality.
Thinking back to when I first started to play I can see more clearly how I was misled. Many people play the Sax as if they are wrestling an Anaconda and trying to inflate it at the same time. One piece I read, and I can't remember where, went `the saxophone is held in position with the left thumb and the upper teeth clamped to the mouthpiece, the right hand thumb rest is there solely for the purpose of resting the right thumb and plays no part in anchoring the instrument.' Ah the benefit of hind sight.
Another good friend of mine took up the sax about fifteen years ago and so that he would be able to blow it properly took up jogging to increase his lung power, he's 6 feet 2 tall and was learning the Alto.
Well all that is behind me now. On my practice exercises I have written in Large capitols BREATHE into the INSTRUMENT. NEVER EVER BLOW!
So once again many thanks for your excellent publications, and your helpful advice.
Best Regards,
Gordon.
----- Original Message -----
From: gordon best
To: help@drdowningmusic.com
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 1:13 PM
Subject: Help with embouchure for Tenor Sax
Dear Peter,
Thank you for your kind invitation to visit you to help sort out my embouchure (your letter 10th Feb 2010).
I have your books on Saxophonist's Technique, Advanced Technique, Reed Doctor and I've just received your Saxophone Tone Ups Book 1.
I'll give these a try out and if there is no improvement in a couple of months I may just take you up on your offer.
Best wishes,
Gordon Best
To: "Sandra Downing" <sjd13@drdowningmusic.com>
Subject: Re: Dr Downing Music order 2513971_209
Date: 28 March 2010 17:00
Dear Ms Downing,
The books arrived a couple of weeks ago. For the experienced amateur with very specific technical gaps in need of a solution, the advice and information in these books are the most useful I have come across in a very long time!
Thank you very much. I wlll visit the website again and see what other treasures are in store.
Best regards
Susan Vaillant
28th August 2009
Good morning!
My book "Tenor Clef is Easy" has arrived and it's amazing. Like magic, what a great way to learn the tenor clef. I'm playing the cello. Still on Shenandoah though but already seeing the light! Thanks.
Music made to measure: our group is CELLO, VIOLIN AND DOUBLE BASS. I live in a small country town, so that's it, and would like to enter the local eisteddfod next year, so can you help with music for a trio like that. Any Mozart arrangements possible but WIll be interested in anything at this stage.
With thanks.
Valerie C Murphy, Australia
14 July 2009
The order was received on Monday 7-13-09. Very speedy delivery! I was disappointed at first to see the small size of the book and booklet but once I peeked inside, I realized both are jam packed with excellent and very valuable information! I have played the flute for about 35 years and have decided to learn to play the clarinet. I will be a self-learner and I can tell that I will learn some excellent techniques by following your instructions. The pictures are very useful and so are the short videos that are linked in the book. Thank you for providing these learning tools. I know I will be a much better player with your help!
Kamela Morgan
---- Sandra Downing wrote:
Dear Kamela,
Thank you for your order for a Clarinet Fingering chart and "Playing the Clarinet is Easy" plus free Technique Doctor. Your order was despatched by airmail today (8th July) and it should reach you in 10-14 days, hopefully sooner. Please contact us if your order has not arrived by 8th August.
Best wishes,
Sandra Downing
15 April 2009
Dear Peter,
I have indeed received all of the materials now, thank you.
I think I discovered your books just in time! I haven't been playing long enough for the "bad habits" to be so
ingrained that learning the correct techniques is overly arduous. In fact, I'm enjoying playing my clarinet more and more!
Among the many good things that have come from your books is a greater appreciation for what is special about the clarinet. I have played alto saxophone since my youth, so when I first picked up a clarinet a couple of years ago, I made the mistake of trying to play it like a smaller saxophone.
You've helped me to understand and better appreciate the clarinet for its own unique qualities, your love of your subject really comes through in your books!
Thank you,
Duncan McElroy
USA
04 March 2009
Hi there,
Am interested in ordering the Key Signature fingering chart but it is
not on the online ordering facility.
Have purchased all the clarinet range of drdowning releases and find them to be the best to base all my teaching, I believe its the best
product around that I have found so far.
Please contact me with details of how to purchase this key signature
fingering chart.
Kindest Regards,
Ashley Baker
***********************
Western Australia 6050
Peter & Sandra,
Wonderful! It is great news that you’re planning to produce a “Sax is Easy” book in the near future, I can’t wait.
I’m more than happy to purchase some sax guides and will be doing so directly I’ve finished this mail (oh, and completed some much overdue paper work). Absolutely, I’m willing to provide feedback on the Sax Doctors and hope that my comments will be of value. Thank you for your kind offer of receiving a first edition of the new guide free but, in truth, I’ve found the clarinet books so refreshingly different to the repetitive mass-produced advice that I’ve read for the saxophone (which is easy to copy and churn out) that I’d see it as a small price to pay for your valuable alternative tuition.
I will comment on the clarinet doctors too in a separate email but I have an initial testimonial to send:
I’d guess most of your customers have tried and failed in other methods and then decided to go searching for a new angle. The words “playing the clarinet is easy” reel them (us) in and the guides deliver because: 1) They don’t aim to get you to a song as quick as they can (in the easy notes). In so doing, other guides lack the build up technically across all registers and embouchure that provide a platform to progress beyond “when the saints” and 2) they’re written in a language that mature students can relate to when learning a new difficult discipline; Don’t do that…do this…this is why…patience! etc
Thank you for opening the door to me and being open to receiving and responding to any further queries; your responses will be worth its network traffic in gold! Now you’ve done it! – no, really, I’ll try not to badger you too much. Anyway, better get on with some jobs so I can get an order in to you.
Have a great snowy week!
Best wishes,
Brian
01/02/2009
Dear Mr. Moore,
Thank you for writing the fine material for the clarinet. I purchased your basic book and after seeing it, ordered all of your clarinet materials.
I am a trained musician. I am 53 and have played both classical guitar and trumpet. I have played trumpet for over 40 years. I was lucky to have wonderful teachers on the trumpet.
Well, at age 53 I decided I wanted to try the clarinet. Why? Because I have always loved it. In fact, as I recall, it was my 1st choice as a child, but advice from a dentist to my parents suggested a brass instrument would help my (then) overbite.....oh my.
Well, I decided to have a go at it. I purchsed a couple of DVDs and started in early August. They got me through the 1st few notes. I then saw your page and started using the tips in your books. I can - at just under two months - play a chromatic scale from low E to alt G in tune! Ok, it is slow as my fingers are old learners, but the sound and tone is there.
Your photos have really helped me understand your basic tips.
Today I have been working on your work "Reverie." It is lovely and I am enjoying it. have you ever considered piano parts for these?
Anyway, as I played, I felt I really wished to thank you for help with my new adventure in the wonderful world of music. This is a quick note to do that. I look forward to any new materials you publish. You and Dr. Downing are to be commended.
Thank You
Alan Wallace
USA
Email = btdmartin@xxxxxxxx.com
Shipping Method = United Kingdom
Comments = Thanks for the quick delivery on my last order, as a new clarinet player im finding all of your products really great. Its nice to be able to learn the correct way from the start. Keep up the good work!
Order Number: 2670168_18854
Email = philp@xxxxxxxcollege.ac.uk
Shipping Method = United Kingdom
Comments = awesome products - thank you!
Order Number: 6491911_1268
Dear Ms. Downing, We received the charts and could not be happier. I am teaching my daughter and grandson music. With your help, they can carry these charts around and practice fingering all the time. Learning the notes should go much faster now. Thankyou again.
Yours,
Angel Hughes
----- Original Message -----
From: Sandra Downing
To: ********@***.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 11:50 AM
Subject: Dr Downing Music Order #122********
Dear Ms Hughes,
Thank you for your order for a Flute Fingering Chart and a 3-valve Brass Fingering Chart. Your order was despatched by airmail today (2nd January) and it should reach you in 10-14 days, hopefully sooner. Please contact us if you have not received your order by 2nd February.
Best wishes,
Sandra Downing
Dear Mrs. Downing,
I just received the book and the chart I ordered couple weeks ago,and I'm very happy to have acquired them. Easy reading with sense of humour, great!!. The book is simple but very informative, answering some important questions and the most interesting, it makes you think in terms of how to explore the instrument in a concious way. Many flute teachers are not aware, or don't know how to explain to the students the best way to achieve their aims.
Congratulations!!! this is a very concise and affordable literature. good Job!!! If you can recommend another flute instruction book it will greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Marcos Cunha
Dear Mrs Downing!
I would just like to thank you for your books on playing the Clarinet.
They have already been most helpful!
I started to play the Clarinet only a few weeks ago, and my teacher is
Polish, so we have a great deal of trouble communicating. He is really
good at playing, but it can be very hard to understand the basic
principles of playing. It seems that a lot of good musicians have
forgotten, or even don't know how to explain the most fundamental things.
That is where the "Technique Doctor" comes in. So thank you VERY much!
Best regards
Thomas B. Gravdahl
Dear Dr. Sandra Downing,
I received my order of your Bassoon reed doctor, bassoon technique and bassoon professional fingering chart today. Thank you very much they are superb. I can get a wonderful Eb now!!!! And your suggestion to totally soak the whole reed for 5 minutes worked an absolute treat. Two reeds I thought were far too hard are real beauties.
I read on John Schroder's website that he has his reeds permanently in a colman's mustard jar full of vodka. They only come out when he plays them. Is this a good idea? Though I would be worried about being breathalysed.
Anyway, thank you again. I can't get over how lovely that Eb sounds.
Very best wishes,
Claire Pullinger.
Time seems to go fast when you are having fun. The clarinet section is amazing everyone including me. Your help has been instrumental in their progress.
Next year Santaluces High School is going to be magnet school for concert band, jazz band, marching band, etc.
George Seamans, Santaluces High School
Dear Peter,
Received your attractive fingering chart. Although, I haven't tried it yet I am looking forward to doing that.
I would like to order a couple of dozen for my students..Please send them and tell me the price, and I will pay for them.
George. Santaluces High School
We thought the Bassoon Reed Doctor was great - nice job!!!
Kim L Wangler, Belcanto Reeds
Potsdam, New York
Hello,
Yesterday I received my copy of Saxophonist's Technique Doctor. All I can say is a big THANKS.
I play the guitar and have always wanted to play sax and at last I have bought one, a tenor sax. Then I proceeded to attempt to play and was met by some music but a fair amount of squeaks and squawks. After receiving your book yesterday, what a difference, not jazz band (yet) but I am a lot happier. I was able to understand technique a lot better, things that books don't cover. Again thanks.
I am just starting a small business repairing and refurbishing woodwinds and I would like your permission to add you to my website as a recommended link. As I would recommend your books to all players that I know.
Please let me know how you feel about this.
Regards
Chris Cox
Dear Sirs/Madam, ..............I am so impressed with the books that they are worthy every penny (or pence ?). Thanks, let me know about your next issues.
Greetings, Mike
From Mike Nahas, New York