[Dixielandjazz] Re: Thanks, & question on range

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Meg,
I forwarded your query (included below for those who missed it) to my dear
friend and musical colleague, Trevor Rippingale.
Trevor, as you may know, is leader and reedman/vocalist of the New Wolverine
Jazz Orchestra. A 'Bix-influenced, band, very popular in Australia for many
years and which has toured the US on numerous occasions, to enthusiastic
acclaim.
Trevor is a very fine exponent of the bass sax and his erudite reply is provided
below.
Very kind regards,
Bill.

Meg asked:
I have a question about range, for reed-playing listmates.  A friend recently
told me that Adrian Rollini had a 4-octave range on the bass sax.
Is such a thing possible on the sax, any sax, and most especially bass sax?  
If so, how?
As a self-taught  player,  there are many techniques  I have not discovered yet,
but even with alternate fingerings and the best mouthpiece and reed extant, I
cannot imagine achieving such range.
If this can be accomplished, how is it done?
Thanks in advance,
Meg [wondering if he was pulling my proverbial leg] and Big George.

Trevor's reply:
Bill,
  What a good question , and one which I'm happy to answer. I take it that Meg
is a sax player ? Who is this very intelligent lady?
  As to saxophones in general, her informant is quite correct.
  By using a complicated series of fingerings and different embouchure
(mouthing) adjustments, plus horrendous amounts of practice, any member of the
saxophone family of any type is capable of going beyond the "normal" two and a
quarter octaves, to the "altissimo" register up to  at least four octaves,
perhaps even more in the hands of some expert players,
the upper limit probably depending only on the player's skill and perseverance.
  Needless to say I, and most players of my generation either can't, or don't
see the need to go beyond the normal range. (Isn't that what the 8-member
saxophone family is for anyway, sopranino to contrabass?).
  A key text on how to play "altissimo" is Sigurd Rascher's "Top-Tones For The
Saxophone"(Third edition 1977, first published in 1941!! by the Carl Fischer
Co.), I've fiddled with this text from time to time just for "kicks' but can't
spare the time to acquire the skill : also I don't have any compelling need to
use it in the music I love.
  The best equipped modern teachers have for many years taught the "altissimo"
register as a matter of course for many years.
Conservatorium-trained classical and "contemporary jazz" saxists have been
fluent in its use : thus the horrific screaming of many of Sydney's younger
saxophonists.
  But I'm not sure about Adrian Rollini's use of it. On records he sometimes
plays one, and sometimes two semi-tones above the bass sax's "normal" top note
(concert D next to concert C on the piano :  i.e. the bass sax's E). So he knew
at least how to finger a few "altissimo" notes, and might well have been fluent
over a greater range. I've not heard him do it, nor read of him doing it, but as
he was an inventor and all-round innovator, experimenter genius, particularly of
musical instruments ( e.g. the goofus and hot fountain pen), I guess he'd have
known all about altissimo, but given his wonderful musical taste and economy,
probably saw no reason to use it much. (If that's so, I agree with him).
  Adrian did experiment with "multi-phonics" i.e., producing more than one tone
at a time on a single fingering : its on some of his recordings ( I can't
remember which).
  I hope this helps, Bill. 
  See you Sunday. 
Trevor.
(That last bit refers to Trevor depping with our little pub band next Sunday.
And the one after.)