INNER TUBING, OUTER TUBING: INTEGRATING THE ESTILL VOICE MODEL AND TITZE’S NONLINEAR SOURCE-FILTER COUPLING INTO SAXOPHONE VOICING INSTRUCTION

Abstract

This document discusses the limitations of existing saxophone voicing pedagogy and encourages an altered approach incorporating principles and research from the Estill Voice Model and Ingo Titze’s concept of nonlinear source-filter model. Through explanation and application of EVM and Titze’s concept, saxophonists will develop an anatomically-informed understanding of voicing, leading to more accurate self-diagnosis of oral cavity shape when encountering difficulties as well as improved control of tone, intonation, resonance, and altissimo register. This document uses an implicit-explicit framework by integrating EVM principles with Donald Sinta’s saxophone voicing exercises. First, this document outlines each of the 13 Compulsory Figures used in EVM. Next, it discusses which of the Figures are relevant to saxophone voicing, and how they influence aspects of sound production. Finally, this document provides voicing exercises incorporating principles from EVM. This approach integrates vocal tract mechanics, tone color control, and altissimo stability into a new method of saxophone voicing instruction.