Essential Elements

   Teaching students to play in tune is a challenge for any instructor. The main problems they have are being aware of intonation as an essential element of music, deciding which direction a pitch is off, and understanding how to make the adjustment. Like any basic skill, intonation must be practiced. The ideas presented below are a few of the techniques I use in initial intonation training on the saxophone.
    Crucial for in-tune playing are a quality saxophone in good repair, a suitable mouthpiece and reed, and a saxophonist with proper air stream, embouchure, and an oral cavity placement. The elements seem obvious, but a student who lacks any of these will become very frustrated. The teacher must help the student prepare the equipment and learn the proper playing concepts before intonation training can begin.
    An electric tuner is very helpful in intonation training. There are numerous brands on the market in a variety of price ranges. A student who can afford it should be encouraged to purchase one, the same as a metronome. If this is not possible, most teachers have one available for use in school. I recommend a tuner that has both a meter and sound-generating capabilities. This allows the student to work both visually and aurally. If a tuner is unavailable, a well-tuned pianp or tuning fork can be used.
    The first step toward improved intonation is frequent tuning. This makes the student aware of intonation as a fundamental part of good musicianship. Have the student tune at the beginning of each practice session using a tuner. Even if the student has difficulty at first, the attempts build awareness. I suggest playing middle B, low F#, and middle F# as a three-note tuning pattern. The student begins on a comfortable middle note, plays a relaxed low note, and then slurs up to the standard tuning pitch of concert A. Those accustomed to tuning to concert Bb can use middle C, low G, and upper G.
    Have the student play the tuning pitch and then sound the tuner. The idea is for the student to play with a normal embouchure and hear how the pitch is different from that of the tuning device. If the pitch is out of tune, but the student doesn't know which way, tell the student to move the mouthpiece in or out about a sixteenth of an inch and try again. Is it better or worse? If it is worse, tell the student to go back to the original position and try again, this time in the opposite direction. If it is better, the student is obviously on the right track.
    Trial and error is not such a bad thing at first, since decision making requires the all-important element of awareness. Once the student becomes more consistant with the initial tuning process, the training of how to alter pitches may begin.