Subtone

Last updated

Subtone is an advanced technique of tone generation on woodwind instruments, particularly the saxophone and clarinet. [1] It is often described as a soft, breathy timbre that is usually produced in the lowest range of the instrument with low volume. [2]

Contents

Photo of Ben Webster, one of the early popularizers of the technique. (Portrait of Ben Webster, Famous Door, New York, N.Y., ca. Oct. 1947) (LOC) (4843148497).jpg
Photo of Ben Webster, one of the early popularizers of the technique.

The subtone is used predominantly in jazz, where it has been characteristic of saxophone and clarinet playing since the Swing era with players like Ben Webster and Benny Goodman. Other early practitioners from the 1930s and 1940s include Lester Young, Harry Carney, Woody Herman, Johnny Hodges and Coleman Hawkins. More modern examples of the 1950s, 1960s and beyond include Stan Getz, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, and Grover Washington Jr. Its unique timbre and quiet temperament lends itself well to jazz ballads, where it has been historically utilized. [4] However, the subtone is regularly employed in virtually every genre of jazz, whether the tempo be fast or slow. The diversity of the below list demonstrates this, as there is an example from the Swing era of the 1930s and 1940s, from cool jazz of the late 1950s, and from jazz bossa nova of the mid-1960s, to name a few.

Notable examples

Some notable examples include:

Notes

  1. ↑ "Definition of SUBTONE". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  2. ↑ Pete (2013-09-20). "Subtone on the Saxophone". Taming The Saxophone. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  3. ↑ Kernfeld, Barry (2003). "Subtone". Grove Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J433600. ISBN   978-1-56159-263-0 . Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  4. ↑ Kernfeld, Barry (2003). "Subtone". Grove Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J433600. ISBN   978-1-56159-263-0 . Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  5. ↑ 78 Record: Coleman Hawkins - Body And Soul (1939) , retrieved 2020-04-06
  6. ↑ "Duke Ellington - At Fargo 1940 Live". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
  7. ↑ 78 Record: Woody Herman - Early Autumn (1949) , retrieved 2020-04-06
  8. ↑ Vinyl Album: The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out (1959) , retrieved 2020-04-06
  9. ↑ Vinyl Album: Ben Webster / Oscar Peterson - Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson (2016) , retrieved 2020-04-06
  10. ↑ Vinyl Album: Dexter Gordon - Go (1962) , retrieved 2020-04-06
  11. ↑ Vinyl Album: Stan Getz And Joao Gilberto Featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim - Getz / Gilberto (1964) , retrieved 2020-04-06
  12. ↑ "Coltrane* - Live At Birdland". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  13. ↑ "Bob Brookmeyer - Bob Brookmeyer And Friends". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-04-06.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Getz</span> American jazz saxophonist (1927–1991)

Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott Yanow as "one of the all-time great tenor saxophonists". Getz performed in bebop and cool jazz groups. Influenced by João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim, he also helped popularize bossa nova in the United States with the hit 1964 single "The Girl from Ipanema".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Webster</span> American jazz saxophonist (1909–1973)

Benjamin Francis Webster was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roost Records</span> American record label

Roost Records was a jazz record label established in 1949 by music producer Teddy Reig in New York City. The label was named after a club in New York City. Saxophonist Stan Getz, early in his career, recorded for the label, as did guitarist Johnny Smith. Smith was the bestselling artist on the Roost label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Rowles</span> American jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer

James George Hunter, known professionally as Jimmy Rowles, was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer. As a bandleader and accompanist, he explored multiple styles including swing and cool jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo Jones</span> American drummer

Jonathan David Samuel Jones was an American jazz drummer. A band leader and pioneer in jazz percussion, Jones anchored the Count Basie Orchestra rhythm section from 1934 to 1948. He was sometimes known as Papa Jo Jones to distinguish him from younger drummer Philly Joe Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Bauer</span> American jazz guitarist, 1915–2005

Billy Bauer was an American jazz guitarist.

Daniel Richard Gottlieb is an American drummer. He was a founding member of the Pat Metheny Group and was co-founder of Elements with Mark Egan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manny Albam</span> American musician and composer

Manny Albam was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, record producer, and educator.

"It Never Entered My Mind" is a show tune from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Higher and Higher, where it was introduced by Shirley Ross.

<i>Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster</i> 1959 studio album by Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster

Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster is a studio album recorded on October 16, 1957, by Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster, accompanied by a rhythm section led by Oscar Peterson.

Samuel David Bailey is an American jazz drummer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Aless</span> American jazz pianist

Anthony Alessandrini, better known by his stage name Tony Aless was an American jazz pianist.

The recordings of American jazz saxophonist Stan Getz from 1944 to 1991.

<i>Bob Brookmeyer and Friends</i> 1965 studio album by Bob Brookmeyer

Bob Brookmeyer and Friends is a 1964 jazz album released on Columbia Records by valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and featuring tenor saxophonist Stan Getz.

This is the complete discography of the main 12-inch (8000) series of LPs issued by Verve Records, a label founded in 1956 by producer Norman Granz in Los Angeles, California. Alongside new sessions Granz re-released many of the recordings of his earlier labels Clef and Norgran on Verve.

John Thomas Williams was an American jazz pianist.

Mick Pyne was an English jazz pianist. His brother was jazz musician Chris Pyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Lubat</span>

Bernard Lubat is a French jazz drummer, pianist, singer, percussionist, vibraphonist, and accordionist.

<i>Horn to Horn</i> 1996 studio album by Teddy Edwards and Houston Person

Horn to Horn is an album by saxophonists Teddy Edwards and Houston Person which was recorded in 1994 and first released on the Muse label in 1996.

William Schiøpffe, was a Danish jazz drummer,

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.