Listening to This Counts as Practice: Recent Episodes
Erik Steighner
Erik puts an ending tag on the show. Thanks for listening for the past six (!) years!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com/
You can find the complete podcast archive here.
Erik tries out the new Légère French Cut reeds for alto and tenor saxophone and compares them to the Signature Cut and Vandoren/D'Addario cane examples. If you enjoy listening to the same measures of music played over and over and over and over, then this will be right up your alley!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik's mulls over the show's future. Please complete the very brief listener survey here:
https://forms.gle/2CzzwEZvroD6EHTq7
And attend or stream Erik's upcoming faculty recital, 3 p.m. PST on Sept. 10 at PLU!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik's subconscious ordered another episode.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik records a spur-of-the-moment episode comparing the Selmer Concept and S90-180 tenor mouthpieces against his S90-170.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik tries out the new(ish) D'Addario Venn G2 synthetic reed and compares it against the first generation.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Now with almost 100 percent fewer tips!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik checks in again after a symphony gig and plugs some stuff:
Volatility Index for solo alto saxophone is now available for purchase from Alea Publishing.
Catch the South Sound Saxophone Ensemble on Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. PDT on 98.1 KING-FM or on Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. PDT at PLU (livestream).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik tests the new Backun Vocalise TM2 against his current Selmer Claude Delangle (and older Selmer S90-180) mouthpieces.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik treats himself to a new mouthpiece and listens to John Corigliano's new saxophone concerto.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
A wild celebration followed by a little metronome talk.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik shares some brief updates and a recording of "Whither Must I Wander" by Vaughan Williams from his recital in February.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik plugs his upcoming recital with pianist Oksana Ejokina, to be held at 3 p.m. PST on Sunday, Feb. 20 at Pacific Lutheran University (streamed live via this link). The program includes works by Djupstrom, Maurice, Vaughan Williams, and Yoshimatsu.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Does the episode title describe the show itself or something profound? Listen and find out.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
The annual tradition continues.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik checks out The Richtmeyer Method for Saxophone Mastery (you should, too!) and reflects on how much emotion he conveys as a performer.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik discovered a site called "YouTube"! He watched:
-
Fantasia by Claude T.Smith [Rock Version by Siam Rock]
-
The Saxophone Standard, US Army Field Band
-
Steven Banks – Marcel Tabuteau’s Number System as an Approach to Phrase and Nuance
-
SIGURD RASCHER - THE SAXOPHONE | 1950's Buescher Promotional Video (original B&W version)
-
PLU Music Webcasts
Bonus link: Chops 3
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik recorded this instead of practicing.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
It's been a busy start to the school year, but Erik takes a little time to check in with an update.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik checks in during an extended vacation break to talk about scale practice approaches for the umpteenth time and plug a couple new books by Dan Graser and Robert Musser.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik reflects on his priorities as in-person lessons resume and plugs the Seattle Sax Institute Online Community Lesson Series.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik continue to read from the Avery Combs saxophone mystery series. It's time for Book 3, Chapter 9...this one gets tense!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik premieres a celebratory piece by Mark Steighner for solo alto saxophone.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik basks in the glow of accomplishment after finishing 100 episodes.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik shares a mental trick to make interval leaps feel easier and sound better.
Speaking of leaps, why don't YOU leap over to this anonymous listener survey and take two minutes to fill it out before episode #100 drops in two weeks?
https://forms.gle/AGP47RSJbBJhfMRNA
Three years of this stuff. Can you believe it?
Please take two minutes to fill out this anonymous listener survey!
https://forms.gle/AGP47RSJbBJhfMRNA
In an episode accomplishing very little, Erik ranks his beloved saxophone children.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik shares a recording of his new work for solo alto saxophone, Volatility Index (2021). Let him know if you're interested in obtaining a copy!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Holy moly, brace yourselves for a bonus episode! Erik decompresses a bit after finishing his first live recital in over a year.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik presents an encore performance of From Stillness (2021) for solo saxophone by Gregory Youtz, premiered last weekend at the NASA Region 1 Conference.
Hear the piece again at Erik's PLU faculty recital this Sunday, April 18 at 3 p.m. PDT. Livestream link.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
A few weeks prior to his next recital, Erik reviews rehearsal audio of Eugene Bozza's classic Improvisation and Caprice.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Bozza excerpts used by permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
The show continues flying in a holding pattern until we get closer to the NASA Region 1 Conference and Erik can release some episodes about those world premieres.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik gives a quick overview of how he structures his practice in the months prior to a solo recital.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
After spending hours frolicking in the snow, Erik uses his leftover energy to plug upcoming spring events and share a bonus tip from a masterclass he attended 17 years ago.
Visit the NASA Region 1 Conference website
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik shares his thoughts on an excellent new method book for saxophone.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik compares the D'Addario's relatively new VENN synthetic reed with other synthetic and cane options.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik kicks off 2021 with a masterclass on one of the most well-known works from the saxophone repertoire.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
More mouthpiece trials, this time on soprano. Erik pits his Selmer S90-170 and S80 C* against the Concept. Main playtests begin at 6'00".
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
It's a good old-fashioned alto mouthpiece shootout! Erik pits his Selmer S90-180 against the Concept and the new Claude Delangle. Main playtests begin at 11'38".
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik revisits another work from Made in Tacoma in this last-minute commentary on Deborah Anderson's As a Lily among Brambles for baritone saxophone and piano (available from Dorn Publications).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik washes away the stress of election week with C.P.E. Bach's Sonata for Solo Flute in A Minor, Wq. 132, H 562, arranged by Sunil Gadgil. Check him out at sunilgadgil.com!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
On the tenth anniversary of its premiere, Erik presents a live recording from 2010 of Jeff Tecca's work for solo alto saxophone, the Light is filled with birds. Interested in ordering it? Contact Jeff at jefftecca@protonmail.com.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
In a scattershot episode, Erik talks about temptation bundling to increase your motivation to practice, when it might be okay to skip your warm-ups, and plays a bonus game of "Who Said It: Saxophone Edition" with his father, Mark!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
While Erik is by no means a Baroque music specialist, he shares his general approach to playing Bach. Afterwards, he amps up the excitement and delves into the controversy over whether one must always approach Baroque and Classical trills from the upper neighbor. BRACE YOURSELF!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik follows up Part 1 with a shocker -- Part 2! This one covers general etudes and altissimo method books.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik begins a tremendously entertaining overview of instructional material for the saxophone, the first part of which focuses on method books and scale books.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Taking a little break from music-talkin' and doing some book-talkin' instead.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Could the mouthpiece pitch targets you've been taught be a LIE?! Enjoy the beauty of not one but four different mouthpieces (SATB) being played by themselves.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
A midsummer episode that's about as exciting as its title! Erik gives a brief overview of his favorite DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), MIDI controllers, etc.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik eases up on the high register a bit. (Stay until the end for some bonus advice from your favorite host!)
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik avoids using any consonants in an episode all about air attacks for fun and profit.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Featuring a very special guest host.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik unearths and records yet another arrangement. This time it's Absalon, fili mi by Josquin des Prez (or Pierre de la Rue), scored for either the traditional SATB quartet or the much more exciting TTBB.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik pits his "Slow-Medium-Fast" approach to learning a technical etude against the method described here:
https://youtu.be/5_g-VmEjF6o
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
In what will probably be the last arrangement-focused episode for a while, Erik positively shreds on the piano as he accompanies himself on another lyrical selection, Agathe’s Cavatina from Der Freischütz by Weber.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
In a mild bummer of an episode, Erik crunches some numbers for Jane Q. Springreed, who just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in saxophone performance. If you still want to major in music performance after listening to this, then perhaps you were meant to do so after all.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik features his arrangement of Mozart’s lovely “Abendempfindung,” clucking his tongue at an old recording and then giving it another go-round.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik makes it home from sun-soaked Arizona and checks in with a super quick episode, just in case all those people from NASA desperately miss him already (who is he, again?).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik gets ready for the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference at Arizona State University. He also gets a hearing test, goes to a concert, deletes his Facebook account, and rambles about who knows what else.
The episode concludes with the first movement from the Concerto for Baritone Saxophone, Small Orchestra, and Electronics by Joseph Bozich. You can listen to the other movements on this YouTube playlist.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
NASA schedule:
March 7, 9:20 a.m. -- Performance of "Recitation and Improvisation" from the Concerto for Baritone Saxophone, Small Orchestra, and Electronics by Joseph Bozich and the world premiere of Les voyageurs qui errent dans la nuit III by Sachie Kobayashi.
March 8, 9:40 a.m. -- World premiere of Magenta by Evan C. Paul for saxophone quartet and piano.
Erik discusses Fantaisie sur un théme original by Jules Demersseman and unearths a performance from four years ago that probably contradicts most of what he just said.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik performs his arrangements of The Silver Swan by Orlando Gibbons and Weep, O Mine Eyes by John Bennet. Email the show with the subject line "Downloads" for free access to these quartet/quintet arrangements in multiple instrumentation options.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik rambles about tuning and attempts to put it into practice by playing through several duets from Rami El-Farrah's new three-volume series, Dynamic Duos for Saxophone.
From now until Feb. 21, 2020, receive 15% off your sheet music orders with promo code DISCOUNT15 at ramielfarrah.com
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Another year, another Very Important Episode full of Serious Advice.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik (all eight of him, yikes) performs his arrangement of the J.S. Bach motet Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, BWV 226. Email the show with the subject line "Downloads" for free access to this arrangement (in multiple versions for either SATB/SATB octet or AATB/AATB octet).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
An episode in which Apple has the last laugh.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
There's more to taking care of a saxophone than not dropping it! You'll basically be a certified repair tech after hearing this one.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Don't sell all your music and fire your teacher...but maybe there's a middle path.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik plays and discusses the Fernande Decruck Sonata in C#. Check out Joren Cain's dissertation on the piece or Erik's live performance at PLU last October.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Audio excerpts used by permission of Gérard Billaudot Éditeur.
This one goes out to anyone who's cracked a low note attack in the last week (i.e., all of us).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
In an attempt to answer a straightforward question, Erik goes deep into the weeds this week, touching on Cal Newport's Deep Work, the search for creative balance, artistic legacy, and more.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik plays and discusses the Robert Muczynski Sonata (with a bonus example from yesteryear).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Audio excerpts used by permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
Yes, you're allowed to play pieces more than once. But HOW? (This episode also features a brief digression about Hemke reeds.)
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
The summer of equipment trials comes to a close with D'Addario Select Jazz alto saxophone mouthpieces (DM5, DM6, DM7) tested against a Meyer 6M.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
MOAR GEAR! This episode features the D'Addario Reserve alto saxophone mouthpieces (D145, D150, D155) tested against a Selmer S90-180.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik plays and discusses Aria by Eugene Bozza, touching on its history, breathing suggestions, practice techniques, dynamic inconsistencies, and more.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Audio excerpts used by permission of G. Schirmer, Inc.
In a blingtastic episode, Erik tries out Selmer gold plated and solid sterling silver necks as well as a solid silver Series III alto, followed by a solid silver 33mm lefreQue.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik agonizes over how to ensure that his students learn their scales.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik's 12-week "Slow-Medium-Fast" scale progression:
Week 1: Work assigned (work at remedial speeds if needed)
Week 2: 50%
Week 3: 60%
Week 4: 50% (test at 50%)
Week 5: 70%
Week 6: 50%
Week 7: 80%
Week 8: 50% (test at 75%)
Week 9: 90%
Week 10: 50%
Week 11: 100%
Week 12: 50% (test at 100%)
Erik's nine-week "Slow-Medium-Fast" scale progression:
Week 1: Work assigned, 50%
Week 2: 60%
Week 3: 50% (test 50%)
Week 4: 70%
Week 5: 80%
Week 6: 50% (test at 75%)
Week 7: 90%
Week 8: 100%
Week 9: 50% (test at 100%)
Erik performs his own composition Before Two and the Prelude from Cello Suite No. 2 by J.S. Bach in honor of the Steighner family Boston terrier, Lulu (Oct. 10, 2006 - July 9, 2019).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
If you're starting to learn the Glazunov Concerto for solo and ensemble contest or an audition, Erik offers you some initial observations.
Here's a fun discussion of the Leduc versus Barenreiter editions.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Buh-buh-buh-BONUS episode in which Erik tries out the D'Addario Select Jazz D6M/D7M/D8M/D9M tenor saxophone mouthpieces and four strengths of Select Jazz filed reeds. Which combination was the winner? WAS there a winner? Can you withstand hearing the same excerpt 16 times? (If not, fast-forward to 14:24.)
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
It's sniff really pshhh not sniff that pshhh complicated.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik celebrates one year of podcasting! Can you help by doing two things?
-
Rate the show on Apple Podcasts
-
Fill out this two-minute feedback survey
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik follows up on his music decluttering episode and segues into lists of favorite works for saxophone, classical works in general, bands, and podcasts!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Bonus link to the Spotify playlist mentioned in the episode (or you could just listen to Shut Down the Streets instead)
This week Erik is replaced as host by a food-grade, non-toxic polymer. Can you tell the difference?
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik loves a good saxophone sound as much as anyone. Well, probably more than just about everyone...and that's the problem. After rambling for a while, Erik play tests a Meridian Winds Center Brace Resonance Weight.
Note: Speaking of tone, the first half of this episode uses audio recovered from a backup, so you will hear an improvement in audio quality around halfway through.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Sparkin' joy and takin' names.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Well, new-ish, at least. It's time for a little book report on The Saxophone by John Harle and From the Inside Out by Mark Watkins.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Talkin' about butterflies in your tum-tum today!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Even if you don't need to slap or double tongue that often, working on them helps develop your single tonguing...at least, Erik thinks so.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik travels back in time 20 years, sits backwards in a chair, and keeps it real with his younger self.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik discusses young students and unearths a recording of himself from sixth grade.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Welcome to a Very Important Episode full of Serious Advice.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Sorry, students, this title doesn't mean you don't have to practice for juries.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
If Erik records an episode about an iPad Pro, does that count as a tax write-off?
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Swan diving into the murky waters of the embouchure.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
NOTE grouping is awesome.
Note GROUPING is awesome.
Note grouping IS awesome.
Note grouping is AWESOME.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik give props to some of his favorite books related to the saxophone and music performance. Among those mentioned...
- Larry Teal, The Art of Saxophone Playing; 2. David McGill, Sound in Motion; 3. Michael Hester, Saxophone Master Classes; 4. James Umble, Jean-Marie Londeix: Master of the Modern Saxophone; 5. William Westney, The Perfect Wrong Note
...and many more!
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik comments on his performance of Calypso (2008)by Greg Youtz.
Made in Tacoma: New Chamber Music for Saxophone is available from Alea Publishing and various music streaming services. Calypso is also available from Alea Publishing.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Well, are you? Are you really practicing slow enough? Huh? Huh?
Also, Erik describes a scale routine that didn't really work, so that's one less thing you'll need to try.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Erik shares the compositional process behind his Rondo à la Banjo for saxophone trio, featuring both studio and live recordings. Also includes a performance of Erik's Altissimo Etude No. 6 (all 14 etudes are available as a free download from The University of Texas at Austin).
Made in Tacoma: New Chamber Music for Saxophone is available from Alea Publishing and various music streaming services. Rondo à la Banjo is available from Dorn Publications.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Took it a little too easy this summer? Then listen to this one.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
A smattering of thoughts about altissimo, including an impromptu performance of Altissimo Etude No. 1. All 14 etudes are available as part of Erik's doctoral treatise, available as a free download from eriksteighner.com/publications
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
This episode is about...uh...what was it, again?
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Random reeds tips (and vamps...and hearts...and heels).
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Just in case the last episode's "secret" wasn't enough to get the job done.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
What could the secret be?! Also, now that the 14 warm-up routine episodes are done, the show is moving to an every-other-Tuesday release schedule.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
And now your reward for making it through the previous 13 episodes: scales. shrug
Download the free Progressive Warm-Ups for Saxophone, which includes novice, intermediate, and advanced versions of the exercises discussed in the show.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
This is it for overtones, promise.
Download the free Progressive Warm-Ups for Saxophone, which includes novice, intermediate, and advanced versions of the exercises discussed in the show.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
More exercises to make anyone within earshot love you.
Download the free Progressive Warm-Ups for Saxophone, which includes novice, intermediate, and advanced versions of the exercises discussed in the show.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com
Oh no, we're not done with the bends just yet.
Download the free Progressive Warm-Ups for Saxophone, which includes novice, intermediate, and advanced versions of the exercises discussed in the show.
Get in touch at lttcapshow@gmail.com or eriksteighner.com