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Benjamin Allen Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

August 11, 2015 by Steve 6 Comments

Today, I am reviewing another mouthpiece made by Benjamin Allen. I have reviewed a number of Benjamin Allen’s tenor mouthpieces which were all fabulous in my opinion.  I now have in front of me a Benjamin Allen prototype of an alto mouthpiece that he has been working on.  This is not the finished product but rather a “prototype” […]

Filed Under: Alto Medium Baffle Reviews Tagged With: Alto Saxophone, Benjamin Allen, review, sax mouthpiece

Benjamin Allen 10E .135 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

December 8, 2014 by Steve 6 Comments

Today, I am reviewing another hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece from Benjamin Allen. It is another 10E model but this one is at a huge .135 tip opening. I have to admit that I have never played a .135 tip opening before.  I usually start complaining that a tip opening is too wide when I hit […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: 10E+, Benjamin Allen, Doc Tenney, review, saxophone mouthpiece, tenor sax

Benjamin Allen Brighter 10E+ Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

December 6, 2014 by Steve 4 Comments

Today, I am reviewing another hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece from Benjamin Allen. It is the 10E model but it is a Ben’s brighter version of this model.  This model doesn’t have a name yet so for the sake of this review I will just call it the 10E+. Benjamin Allen mentored under “Doc” Tenney […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: 10E+, Benjamin Allen, Doc Tenney, hard rubber, jazz saxophone, tenor mouthpiece

Benjamin Allen 10E Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

December 5, 2014 by Steve 13 Comments

Today, I am reviewing a hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece from Benjamin Allen.  It is called the 10E model and if that sounds familiar it is because I reviewed a 10E years ago that was crafted by Paul “Doc” Tenney. Benjamin Allen mentored under “Doc” Tenney and after Doc’s death decided to carry on his […]

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews

Bejamin Allen Dagradi Model Tenor Mouthpiece Review

February 10, 2015 by Steve 10 Comments

Today, I am reviewing two more hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpieces from Benjamin Allen. These are the 20TD model (also known as the Dagradi model after the great sax player Tony Dagradi).  Benjamin Allen was nice enough to send me 3 Dagradi mouthpieces to try and today I am reviewing two of those for you. (The 3rd one […]

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: 20TD, Benjamin Allen, review, sax mouthpiece, tenor saxophone, Tony Dagradi

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

April 5, 2025 by Steve 13 Comments

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece released by Selmer Paris a few weeks ago.   Ryan Lillywhite, the woodwind category manager at Conn Selmer, reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing the new Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  After […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: jazz mouthpiece, Jazz Tribute, review, sax mouthpiece, Selmer Paris, tenor saxophone

Sax Mouthpiece Reviews and Morality

July 22, 2016 by Steve 80 Comments

Ok,  so this might seem like a strange title for a blog post but I have an issue that I need some insight and input on from my Neffmusic readers.  Here’s the issue and then I will pose some questions at the end. Mouthpiece Reviews and Morality:   Nine years ago I started what is […]

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: ethics, morality, opinion, reviews, saxophone mouthpieces

Tony Dagradi Tenor Saxophone Solo Transcription on Invitation

January 7, 2015 by Steve 1 Comment

So this week I wanted to keep to my transcription goal but things have been a bit hectic around here.  I was playing a Benjamin Allen Tony Dagradi model tenor mouthpiece most of today while I was practicing and it reminded me of a Tony Dagradi solo on Invitation that I had heard a while […]

Filed Under: Transcriptions Tagged With: Invitation, jazz sax, tenor saxophone, Tony Dagradi, transcription

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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 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
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
Hi Steve, I live in a gorgeous but rural area of Oregon-no music store within 80 miles. Your lessons are my lifeline!  Truly the best there are anywhere online. Love your playing. Love your teaching.  Thanks again. Ed
Ed Woodmansee
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
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
Thank you for the wealth of helpful lessons you’ve provided over the years.  I truly feel as though it has improved my playing more than the 4 years I spent at Berklee… and that’s not a slight on the school as I loved my experience there.
John
John
Steve- I joined your site this month and have downloaded 4 lessons and also purchased your new book and video on diatonic patterns. I just want to say I am very pleased with your approach and teaching techniques. I am getting back into playing after laying off for some time. The information you offer on your site is of great value and I am enjoying being a member. Thank you for what you are doing for the saxophone community.
Tony

Hello Steve, I’m getting so much out of your lessons and books, amazing how much one may think one knows, there is always a new frontier or new way to view something you think you had somewhat down. You have taken it all to a new level and am so grateful. Your lessons are so down to earth and understandable and clear!  Thanks so much Steve! Cheers, Eddie

Eddie Parente
I’ve been a member of Steve’s site for about six months now and the difference it has made to my playing is immeasurable. The (many) benefits of this membership are that you can have lessons at time convenient to you, they work out A LOT cheaper than face-to-face lessons with a teacher of the same calibre and you can replay them ad infinitum. I don’t know how many times have I had lessons in the past where I’ve ended up covering the same concepts when really a ‘replay’ of the last lesson would h… Read more
Nick
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!
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
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

I must say again how much I appreciate all your material. Including the video tutorials. It help keep me focused and knowing what to aim for. And your laid back teaching style appeals to me too. 

Thanks

P

P
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
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

Never really had lessons before just kinda worked things out on my own. Was in a rut but your lessons are really helpful in opening melodic possibilities. Ur an awesome resource to the saxophone community. Thanks for sharing. 

Anthony
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 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

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 have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry
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
Two years later I began a search for a sax teacher and happened to come across Steve Neff when I was searching YouTube for sax teachers.  I went to neffmusic.com and was very impressed with the lessons Steve Neff was offering.  The concept of selecting lessons was an approach that I thought was unique and purchased a few lessons.  I liked the lessons so much that I signed-up for a 6 month package. I was very happy with all the lessons I selected.  I also purchased Steve’s book Mastering the B… Read more
Michael
I can’t say enough about my membership at Neff Music. Steve has taken the mystery out of playing the saxophone well and improvising both jazz and rock music. Like most struggling players I have a load of all sorts of books on my shelf just gathering dust. Books that I didn’t understand or know how to put to use…or just have the time to go threw them. Steve’s lessons really simplify things and he puts it in a way that I can understand. They inspire me to keep pushing and having him as my guide or… Read more
Ken

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