Kenny G tickets are guaranteed to bring out a series of varied emotions in every audience member, and it’s been that way for 25 years. Kenny G has long been known as an innovator with his signature instrument, the soprano saxophone, and few have ever been able to create a mood with just one instrument. G has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft, and this artist is as dedicated to his vocation as anyone currently active on the music scene. A look at his life and career path will help explain why he’s reached the status of icon on the worldwide music scene.
Early Life
Kenneth Gorelick was born on June 5, 1956 in Seattle, Washington. He lived a largely “normal” childhood, and he got his start in music when his mother rented him his first saxophone. G learned the instrument almost entirely on his own, as he spent hours every day by himself learning to play by listening to jazz records and teaching himself to play along with the sounds he heard. His biggest influence was Grover Washington, Jr., and his ultimate style was and is a direct reflection of the “smooth” jazz that he had hear on his record player and on the radio.
G was not a complete recluse during his early years, however. He had a strong group of friends, and took part in several socially-driven activities during his teenage years. At Franklin High School, G was a top golfer for the high school team, and he continues to be a top-flight amateur golfer to this day, appearing in several pro-am events. G was also an active member of the high school band, and this experience allowed him to add some technical value to his musical approach.
Career
G got his career start when he was 20 and was signed to play as a saxophone soloist for Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1976. It was also at this time that he adopted his name, “Kenny G,” as it was more recognizable than his birth-given moniker. During this time, G also completed his college studies, and after establishing himself musically with the likes of Barry White, G signed his first record deal.
G’s albums were a mix of solo work and collaboration with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Toni Braxton and others. G also continued to perfect his on-stage act, and Kenny G tickets began to gain momentum on the musical market. His solo work was as recognizable as any non-singer’s in the world.
G’s records also began to sell in a big way, and his 1986 release, Duotones, was the cut that made him famous world-wide. Since then, G has simply become one of the top-selling artists of all-time, and his musical style, though panned by many who refuse to call his work “true” jazz, is not only recognizable but also influential.
If you want to experience all the emotion that G puts forth in his performances, Kenny G tickets are guaranteed to give you a night of melodic jazz to remember.
Playing your saxophone in tune with others in your band requires much more than simply playing a reference note into a tuner and adjusting the mouthpiece on the instrument. In order to really understand the tuning process and how best to tune your saxophone it helps to know the physics behind the sound that you produce while playing. When we are talking about physics and the saxophone we are dealing in the realm of invisible vibrations called sound waves.
To better understand these sound waves it helps to think about a guitar string. When you pluck a note on a guitar the string vibrates at a specific rate or “frequency.” The length of this string dictates what frequency the string will vibrate at. By moving your finger up and down the fretboard you can change the pitch to any of a dozen or so pitches. Now think about a fretless guitar. Instead of a dozen pitches you could potentially have hundreds of pitches, each very slightly different that the other. Saxphones behave in this same way but use a vibrating column of air instead of a vibrating string.
When you add or subtract fingers on the saxophone you are changing the overall length of the tube, creating shorter or longer sound waves in the process. Many things can affect this resultant wave. A key that is not adjusted properly can partially close over an open hole causing all notes above that key to be slightly flat. Likewise a key that is left open when it should be closed can make other notes out of tune or at the very least sound less focused.
Two saxophones that are not perfectly tuned to each other will always vibrate at different frequencies even when playing the same note. When two sound waves of the exact same frequency are played together they reinforce each other creating a stronger, more pleasing overall sound. When two pitches are slightly out of tune they occasionally collide with each other causing a disturbance in the combined wave form. This phenomena creates audible “beats” or bumps in what the listener hears. Each bump in the combined sound is literally the two sound waves slamming into each other. It is often easier to understand this process by seeing it visually. Take a look at the examples shown at http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/Physics.html.
As a saxophone player it should be your goal to learn how to play your instrument in perfect tune. Unfortunately this requires more than simply tuning your concert A or B-flat. Now that you know a little about the physics of sound however, you can begin to understand the inherent pitch problems of your saxophone and relate this to your overall performance and study routine.