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Hi! I am Steve Neff

I have been playing and teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation around the New England area for the last 30+ years. I love teaching and anything to do with the saxophone. I hope you find this website helpful in your musical journey. Thanks, Steve

LAW Buzzer, JVW Link, Kali Comparison

August 14, 2009 by Steve 9 Comments

I thought I would put up a comparison clip of my 3 favorite tenor mouthpieces  so we could hear the differences in their sounds. The three mouthpieces are a Theo Wanne Kali, a Jon Van Wie STM Link and a LAW Buzzer. All three  mouthpieces are around a .110 tip opening.  They were all done […]

Filed Under: Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Jon Van Wie, Kali mouthpiece, Law Buzzer, tenor mouthpiece, Theo Wanne

Dave Jary Customized Otto Link Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

I received this from a friend of mine to try.  It is an old metal link that Phil Barone worked on at one time.  It has the Barone engraving on it and the link ridge is gone as Phil does when he refaces a link.  You can’t tell it use to be a link except […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Dave Jary, otto link, Phil Barone, tenor mouthpiece

Greg Wier GW Slant 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 9 Comments

I received this on trial from another SOTW member.  There was a thread on it that has since been closed where there was quite a bit of disagreement about this mouthpiece.  I was intrigued and curious so when I saw one for sale I asked if I could try it. I have to say that […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: greg wier, GW Slant, tenor mouthpiece

Great Theo Wanne Florida Link Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 6 Comments

This is a florida link from the 60’s.  It was originally an 8 but was worked on by Theo Wanne who closed it down to .100.    I’m really loving it.  I bought this from Mark Sepinuck(10mfan).  He posted on SOTW that he had a Florida Link that was by far the best Florida Link […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: florida link, tenor mouthpiece, Theo Wanne

Berg Larsen 120/1 SMS Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 12 Comments

This is the first Berg Larsen I  have ever played.  It’s one of the stainless steel ones.  A friend of mine said he found this and it was a good mouthpiece so I scooped it up.  Although it has a high baffle it isn’t that bright sounding but has a big full loud sound. I […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Beg Larsen, tenor mouthpiece

Phil-Tone Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 4 Comments

I received my Phil-Tone tenor saxophone mouthpiece from Philip Engleman.   Phil is known as Sigmund451 on SOTW. (Sax on the Web)  I opened the package and put the reed I had been playing on my hard rubber Otto Link on it and it played great right from the start.  I was very impressed with […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Phil Engleman, Phil-tone, tenor mouthpiece

Saxscape NF .108 Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 3 Comments

I’ve been curious about these mouthpieces for awhile now.  They are made by Ken Barry in PA. His website is  www.Saxscape.com I appreciate Ken Barry because not only is he a craftsman but he is a great player also.  I find his website  very enjoyable to visit because Ken puts up real clips of his […]

Filed Under: Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Ken Barry, Saxscape NF, tenor mouthpiece

Peter Ponzol ML Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

About 7 years ago I had a Peter Ponzol ML .110 tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  It was my favorite mouthpiece at the time.  Big fat sound but when I pushed it it had loads of power. There was only one problem…..I could never find good reeds for it.  It would always fail the suction test and […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Peter Ponzol, Ponzol ML, tenor mouthpiece

Ralph Morgan 9M Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 5 Comments

This is a Ralph Morgan tenor saxophone mouthpiece that I won off ebay.  These are the best tenor mouthpieces for the price out there.  I’ve owned 3 of Mr. Morgans mouthpieces as well as 3 of his clarinet mouthpieces.  Very consistent work.  You know when you order a Morgan that you won’t get a dud. […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Morgan 9M, Ralph Morgan, tenor mouthpiece

Early Babbitt Otto Link .110 Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 3 Comments

This is the Early Babbitt Otto Link I have posted about before. The last SP  otto link I got that Brian Powell had worked on was a .110 and I loved it. I t just felt like the tip opening was where I felt the most comfortable.  I sent this Early Babbitt Otto Link (.105) […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Brian Powell, early babbitt, otto link, tenor mouthpiece

Mouthpiece Cafe Bergonzi Slant Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 12 Comments

Everything I’ve played of Brian Powell’s I’ve loved and this is no exception.  This is his new Bergonzi Slant model.  The Bergonzi Slant by Mouthpiece Cafe plays effortlessly and has a beautiful tone to it. I’ve never played a great slant but I’ve been told my Early Babbitt HR link plays like one.   I […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Bergonzi Slant, Brain Powell, mouthpiece Cafe, tenor mouthpiece

SP Otto Link Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 3 Comments

This is another SP otto link that Brian Powell refaced and brought the beak down on.  I love these mouthpieces.  They are not too dark, not too bright but can really blow when you lay into them.  This is a .110 and is a little darker than the .107 Otto Link I had.  I saw […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Brian Powell, SP Otto Link, tenor mouthpiece

Theo Wanne Amma 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

August 13, 2009 by Steve 13 Comments

This is the new AMMA mouthpiece being produced by Theo Wanne.  A friend on SOTW generously offered to let me borrow his and try it out.  When I opened the package the first thing I noticed was the quality of the mouthpiece.  The tip, rails and baffle were perfect as well as the outside of […]

Filed Under: Tenor High Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Amma, tenor mouthpiece, Theo Wanne

Theo Wanne NY Link Tenor Mouthpiece

August 13, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

This is a NY link that I won off ebay that was advertised as worked on by Theo Wanne.  When I received this piece it was a 7*.  It had a nice sound but I felt that when I pushed it hard it got too bright and harsh sounding.   It has a medium baffle […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: NY link, tenor mouthpiece, Theo Wanne

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Testimonials

Steve, just a note to say thanks.

I’ve been playing a long time, but your material, laid out in such a thoughtful way, helps me to understand concepts in a new and deeper way.

You are a true gift to the jazz community.

60 lessons and going strong,

Kevin Ledbetter

Kevin Ledbetter
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
Hey Steve, I’m a 22-year-old from Australia. I thought it would be worth saying. You’re an absolute legend. I can’t thank you enough. You have helped me rekindle my love for the saxophone and music as a whole. All the best for the future, your work doesn’t go unnoticed. PS. I am loving your devastating minor lines pdf.
Sapph
I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.   I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more  bite sized way.
Milton
I just joined Neff Music last month. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been to be able to pick back up on lessons. I’ve been in a rut and you got me out! I’ve especially appreciated the Lesson Path section. It was so clear I knew exactly where to jump in and start. Many many thanks!
Karin
Just a brief note to compliment you on your teaching skills and in particular for the honesty of your lessons.  I am a returning alto sax player in my 50’s and I was looking for a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of guidance. I had intended to email you with a few questions regarding the use of the bis key but then I noticed that there was a lesson on that specific topic and after viewing it,  all my questions were answered. I once took a group lesson with a well known professional sax … Read more
Patrick
Thank you so much for the great job you are doing to help further our jazz studies. Though I make my living as a repairer of musical instruments I am a student of jazz and have been fortunate enough to be involved with a big band and a combo for the last several years. As my children began to leave “the nest” I had decided to dedicate the next half of my life to a more serious study of the sax but I didn’t know exactly how I would go about doing this until a friend of mine turned me onto your si… Read more
Jon
For anyone living in remote areas away from live jazz sax teachers, Neff is the way to go. In fact this is a great resource for anyone seriously interested in mastering the sax. I’ve never been disappointed in a lesson.
Oliver

I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.  I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more bite sized way.

Milton
Your major diatonic patterns book is great. I”m studying the first twenty patterns (first twenty pages) each day with different articulation each day and slowly increasing the tempo each week or so.  There is a noticeable improvement in finger coordination across all keys and its amazing how much more secure I feel on the difficult keys when attempting to play pieces with 5+ flats/sharps. I’m able to sort out the fingerings for these pieces now much more quickly than before, often in one or two … Read more
Geoff
I want to say something about Steve Neff’s series of lessons, Beginner Jazz Improvisation. For a couple of years I tried many beginner lessons and my problem was that there was a gap between lessons that were fairly simple and ones that I was not quite ready for and my progress stalled out. That problem was solved with the series Beginner Jazz Improvisation. He guides you step by step along the way and builds a foundation for learning jazz and blues. He leaves no question about what to practice … Read more
Pete

Your material is great! I got your New Altissimo Lesson 6 months ago and I have learned more from that than in all my 44 years of playing! I appreciate your down to earth teaching method and I really appreciate the heart that you teach with. I have been a subscriber to your lessons for the past 6 months and I have learned a great deal. Over that period of time I have had some questions and you have never failed to respond. Thanks! I have already recommended your lessons to a number of players in… Read more

Michael Byington

After reading your story I will never feel quite right about complaining about any of my MINOR health issues!!    God bless Steve and I really hope that your health doesn’t stop you from fulfilling your calling.    These books have been such a help to open up my jazz vocabulary…   Thanks so much for sharing your story and for providing these great teaching tools…   John Leclerc   Saxophonist / composer/ EWI player and professional working musician of 35 years….

John Leclerc
Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for being you, your playing, your website and your desire to help others. I’m a professional musician in the US Army and I’ve visited your website almost every day since discovering it a couple of months ago. Your lessons are profound and easy to use. I’ve purchased most of your PDF books and now am starting to delve more into the video and audio lessons.  Thank you for being a great resource!
James
It is so refreshing to have a great player, who can provide lessons and examples in a manner which is understandable to most any enthusiastic saxophonist who is ready to improve. not just the, do this, do that, memorize this, memorize that… while all that is absolutely necessary, you go on to give reasons and examples to explain and validate why you have to do all of these things, the benefits, if you will… that is the key for me, you tell, explain, demonstrate, explain some more, you give perso… Read more
Cedric
I can see from your instructional videos that you are a fantastic teacher – one that can truly relate to all ages – humble yet very positive in approach – never coming across as superior and yet so totally capable of demonstrating the principles and techniques that you seek to impart to the students. I have gained so much confidence in my playing from “pouring over” time and again these invaluable lessons. Invaluable not only in musical content, but also in human interaction content. I am absolu… Read more
Ron
Steve’s monthly lessons are entirely valuable. Without brow beating, he tells you all the stuff you deep down know you really should be working on, instead of just relying on the same old patterns. In spite of the fact that you’re taking a video lesson, Steve’s presentation is comfortable and “real”. In a little more than a year, he’s developed a library of lessons that seem to offer any player a lifetime’s worth of practice material. I’m just glad I stumbled upon it.… Read more
Grant
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul
Just to say thanks for your advice and lessons.  I’ve just read your amazing story.  I really appreciate what you do in regards to teaching.  I have bought a couple of your lessons and frankly they’re undersold.   I’ve learned much more with these two lessons than with 2 years of sax teachers.   Thanks so much………..
Mike
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
I have been a member of Neffmusic for more than a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have not only been going thru the Dominant Bebop Scale lessons and book (OUTSTANDING!) but the mouthpiece reviews, solo clips and transcriptions are very interesting. Steve approach to beginning and intermediate improv have given me many new pathways to teach my high school jazz ensemble students. Congratulations Steve, great product!
Craig
Hey Steve, My name is Jason Freese and I play keyboards and sax in the band Green Day.  I grew up taking sax lessons from Eric Marienthal when I was a kid and got out of it for a long time. I ran into you on youtube while searching for sax stuff. I bought a whole bunch of your lessons and have been loving it! Thanks! Here is my wikipedia so you can see the albums I’ve played on….Thanks again. It’s sparked my interest in practicing again.   Jason
Jason Freese (sax player for Green Day)
I like so many other subscribers feel so encouraged by Steve’s learning techniques; you will enjoy reading the comments of praise others have left as you too will feel that you share a common view and path. I feel very lucky to have come across Neffmusic and that feeling will remain with you as you search through a treasure trove of learning materials on offer, you will quickly find the lessons that you are suited to. You will instantly recognize the unparalleled quality of Steve’s teaching … Read more
Stephen
Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin

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