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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

Sugal Super Gonz I 7*

February 9, 2009 by Steve Leave a Comment

Sugal Super Gonz 7* Here is a Sugal Super Gonz I tenor mouthpiece  that I bought off a friend of mine. This is from the mid 90’s and started out as a 8*.   I had Brian Powell bring it down to a 7* and clean up the facing quite a bit.  I played a Super […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Sugal Super Gonz, tenor mouthpiece

LAW LCD (Large Chamber Dark) .110

February 9, 2009 by Steve Leave a Comment

This is another LAW piece from Lawrence Waldron.  Every once in awhile he sends me a package in the mail with some pieces to try. These are as great as usual. This one is a LCD(Large Chamber Dark) and has a .110 tip opening. I really liked the sound of this piece. I actually didn’t […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: LAW mouthpiece, Lawrence Waldron, mouthpiece clip

Joshua Redman Transcription “Blues for Pat” Solo

January 11, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

Joshua Redman is one of my favorite tenor sax players out there. I especially love his early albums “Moodswing” and “Timeless Tales”. Here’s Joshua Redman transcription from the album “Live In San Francisco” with Pat Metheny.  This tune is called “Blues for Pat” and it’s a great solo on a blues form. Redman does a […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: blues for pat, joshua redman, tenor sax solo, transcription

Chris Potter: Transcription of Body and Soul

January 10, 2009 by Steve Leave a Comment

I received this Bb transcription from Kevin Jones who teaches at the University of South Carolina. This is from a version of Body and Soul that Chris played on for “Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis: Season 1 Vol. 3”. There are some great elements to check out in this solo. I haven’t played through […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Body and Soul, chris potter, transcription

No USA Florida Link

January 4, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

No USA Florida Link .105 This is a Florida Link I bought off ebay awhile ago.  I bought it because it was refaced and the seller didn’t know who had done it.  When I saw the pictures I  was pretty confident that it was Theo Wanne’s work. I can’t be 100% certain but I’ve had […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: florida link, no usa florida, Theo Wanne

Freddie Gregory Mark II 8* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

January 4, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

This is a clip of one of my favorite tenor saxophone mouthpieces that I really regret selling. It was made by Freddie Gregory over in Spain, and is a hard rubber Mark II model tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  This mouthpiece had one of the biggest sounds of any tenor saxophone mouthpiece I have ever played. It […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: freddie gregory, hard rubber, mark II, review, sax mouthpiece, tenor saxophone

Saxscape Hudson Model .113

January 3, 2009 by Steve Leave a Comment

Saxscape Hudson Model Refaced by Brian Powell to .113 I received this piece from a friend who wanted me to try it out. It was made by Ken Barry at Saxscape mouthpieces.  The person who owned it before me had Brian Powell reface it (I’m not sure why) It has berg like baffle in it […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: hudson model, saxscape mouthpieces

How Much Should My Child Practice?

November 8, 2008 by Steve Leave a Comment

I get asked this question quite often by concerned parents. What I usually recommend for fourth grade beginning students is 3 15-20 minute times a week. I find that if students do this they will make steady progress during the first year with no problems. Of course, if a student is really excited and wants […]

Filed Under: Jazz Education Tagged With: music student, Practice, student

Poll of 9 Tenor Mouthpieces

October 20, 2008 by Steve 6 Comments

I decided to run a poll for 9 sound clips I just made of my last 9 tenor mouthpieces.  I’m having a heck of a time deciding which ones to sell and I figured it would help me to play them side by side and record them.  On all 9 clips I’m just playing a […]

Filed Under: Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: blues, Brian Powell, mouthpiece poll, solo sax, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews

100 Top 40 Tunes Every Working Sax Player Should Know

September 23, 2008 by Steve 14 Comments

The other day one of my students said he wanted to get out of the house and start gigging and making some money. We’ve been working on standards and jazz improvisation over the last year or so. He asked me if I thought he was ready and we got into a discussion about playing out. […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: gigging sax player, saxophone repertoire, wedding gigs, working sax player

Sax Mouthpieces: The Length of the Facing Curve

August 16, 2008 by Steve 26 Comments

I’ve been doing a lot of experimentation into different facing curve lengths on my alto and tenor saxophone. On my alto sax, I have been using mouthpieces that were all refaced by Brian Powell to .080 tip openings but with different facing curve lengths. These are what I’ve been using: Florida Hard Rubber Link-20mm facing […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: alto sax, Brian Powell, facing curve, sax mouthpiece

NeffMusic Lessons: Learning How To Learn!

July 14, 2008 by Steve Leave a Comment

I’m writing this article to all my Neffmusic members to help them get the most out their lessons at Neffmusic. In order to really get the most out of my lessons there are some skills that you need to develop. These lessons are a bit different than going to a teacher and taking one on […]

Filed Under: Jazz Education, NeffMusic News Tagged With: jazz instruction, NeffMusic lesson, online lessons, steve neff, video lessons

Free Saxophone Intonation Tracking Graph

June 25, 2008 by Steve Leave a Comment

I made a video lesson on saxophone intonation where I taught about charting your intonation tendencies of your saxophone by using a tuner. What you do is play naturally for a few seconds and then end on the target note and while holding it turn and look at the tuner. You then put a mark […]

Filed Under: Saxophone Stuff Tagged With: intonation tendencies, sax intonation graph

Chris Potter on Standards Transcription Book

May 17, 2008 by Steve 1 Comment

While I was searching the internet a few weeks ago, I stumbled across this site. AJ Kluth has put out a transcription book of Chris Potter solos. Chris Potter is a phenomenal tenor saxophone player that is pretty popular on the jazz scene these days.  I’ve been working on transcribing a few Chris Potter solos […]

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: AJ Kluth, chris potter, jazz sax, jazz solos, solo, standards, tenor sax, tenor saxophone, transcription, transcription book

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Testimonials

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 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
I’m an experienced player in the pop/soul/funk areas of music and, previously, classical.  Over the decades I’ve been playing, I’ve always felt that I could do what I needed in those styles of music.  However, recently I began to feel limited by my use of the same old licks. When I discovered Steve Neff’s website, and heard the audio examples based on the exercises in his books, I realized they were what I needed.  I purchased all of them and have been working on them since.  It’s very hard work… Read more
Paul

Love your lessons!  I have been using your lesson packages for many months now, and am learning a lot.  It is so perfect for me with a very busy adult schedule and difficulty in taking jazz/improv music lessons from reputable instructors who live and hour or more away from me.

Lenore
I just wanted to write a thank you note to you for this website. I play and teach saxophone, but I have always been intimidated by the gear aspect. Your website has helped me become a lot more knowledgable. Your knowledge is staggering! I’m telling all my students about your website. Pierre
Pierre
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul

I want to thank you for your “Ultimate II-V-I Primer”  which has sent me off on a much better path to improvisation.  The primer and the four bound books I have will keep me busy for a long time.  I like your lessons for two reasons.  The lessons work and THEY ARE FUN.  Thanks again.

Robert

Robert
By the way, BIG COMPLIMENTS to you, Steve! Not only are you a great player, you are also a great teacher! I, too, am a woodwinds player/teacher. I have new inspiration to play and teach because of you. The concepts and “thinking” is similar to what I already learned in College, but hearing you explain and PLAY the concepts REALLY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! Also, your written patterns are more interesting than other books I have seen! Keep up the good work. I will be recommending your sit… Read more
I will be recommending your site to others!
Steve really changed my way of practicing: I got a whole lot of new ideas for my playing the tenor.  His lessons are really helpful, give a lot stuff to practice and give clear answers to complicated stuff.  Steve has a lot of humor and I wish I had laughed so much in my former days with the horn.  All topics, from Blues to Approach note are dealt with clearness that wet ones appetite to play and practice that great ideas.
Uwe
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
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
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
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
I am a music book junkie and I have to say that your books are the most clear, user friendly, and helpful books I own.  They are my absolute favorites and I only wish I had them years ago.  I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience I had in acquiring my degree at Berklee, but my playing has perhaps grown more in the time I’ve spent buried in your books and lessons.  Keep up the great work!!! Thanks, John
John
Thank you for all the educational information you provide.  I am a classically trained musician.  Professionally, I am a 4th and 5th grade band teacher.  I have played piano and sax for many years, but now I am starting to gig out more. I have always improvised by ear in the past. I have gotten by with my strong sense of pitch, rhythm and melodic contour. However, I want to go deeper. I want to play with a greater variety of melodic and rhythmic ideas to pull from.  I have studied to gain a … Read more
Ray

Hello Steve,

I have not received my alto yet but have already gone through 14 lessons. I love your approach, style, knowledge and competence. I now regret so much to have stayed away from playing the sax for the past 45-50 years…(I am 65).  But It is never too late to get back to your first love. After 23 years in compuer sciences and 22 years in finances…I am now back to music for the rest of my life.

Doing some research on the net, I found this:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?1… Read more

Claude
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
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
I would like to say that in the last year my sax playing has progressed loads from your lessons. I have had a sax for about 20 years and dabbled with lessons from a few teachers and have learnt very little from them. As you have said in your lessons many teachers tell you to use the blues scale and leave it there, not even showing you the resolution points!!. I am now believing I can in time become a good improviser.
Thanks again,
Shane
Shane

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 started looking at my lessons and I have to say, dude you are awesome.  I ABSOLUTELY will learn from you!  I started the tenor about 1 ½ yrs ago and have since picked up an alto, and more recently a soprano.  I spend most of the time on the tenor, followed by soprano, and have only gotten to the alto a few times.  I think I’ll be sticking with tenor.  I’m having a great time and hope one day to play well enough to get regular gigs.  I’ve been playing keys for about 35 years (… Read more
Wil
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
Hi Steve, I have been shedding your materials for quite a while now and I love them! They are extremely well organized and presented and there are tons of ’em! I really appreciate your methodical approach and find myself referring students to your resources often.  Thanks so much!  
Kenyon Carter
Hi Steve, I can’t express just how much I appreciate your teaching. My playing has improved so much over the past year since I have been studying and practicing with your lessons. It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, these lessons are proof! Thanks, Michael Byington
Michael Byington

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