Andy Snitzer has played with Billy Joel, Paul Simon, the Rolling Stones, and Sting.
This week Andy Snitzer joined us for an exclusive Sax School Guest Masterclass, sharing tips on playing, performing and more.
Andy’s Sax Career
You’ll have heard Andy’s playing on amazing recordings such as Paul Simon’s “Still Crazy” and Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.”
I love these guest sessions, because they give us a peek into the minds of world class sax players like Andy, and that can help make us better players too.
Here’s a taster of the great insights Andy shared into his playing.
Breathe Deeper
Many learner saxophone players breathe from high up in their shoulders, which can make the sound very shallow. The key to a broader, bigger sound is breathe deeper.
Andy described how he pushes his breath from low down in his torso, to create a really full saxophone sound. “It’s not about blowing,” says Andy, “it’s like a fire-hose full of air coming all at once.”
Try this:
Visualise filling the lower part of your torso with air. Expel the air from as low down in your body as you can.
Use Your Body
When Andy performs, he uses his whole body. This is how he described it. “My physicality is expressing my commitment to the music, and my relationship with rhythm…. – It’s like I have an internal rhythm section inside me.”
Andy even changes the way he holds the saxophone. “I’m taking on the character of the sound I want,” he says.
Watch the Whole Guest Masterclass
Andy also talked about his approach to transcribing and performing, and answered questions from our Sax School members.
You get access to the whole Andy Snitzer Masterclass with your Sax School membership. Plus, watch our other Masterclasses, with players like Fred Vignor from Average White Band, Jeff Kashiwa, and Nigel Hitchcock.