Saxophone Podcast Special Episode: Mastering "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" on Alto Saxophone

Executive Summary

"I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" is one of my favorite songs of all time, and Sonicflood's 1999 version of the song is my favorite version. In this article/YouTube video, I'm going to detail my step-by-step method for mastering playing the song on alto saxophone in all 15 keys: 0 sharps/flats, 1-7 sharps, and 1-7 flats.

Keywords:
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever, alto saxophone, Sonicflood, Christian worship music, Martin Smith, sight-reading, playing by ear, transposing, MuseScore, 15 keys, music practice

I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

"I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" is a very popular Christian worship song written by Martin Smith, the frontman for the Christian rock band Delirious? The song first appeared on the 1994 Delirious? album "Cutting Edge 2." Since then, the song has been covered multiple times, but my favorite cover version is Sonicflood's 1999 version.

Sonicflood's 1999 Cover of I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

Sonicflood is an American contemporary worship band based in Nashville, Tennessee. The band has been active since 1997, and their 1999 version of "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" is one of their biggest hits.

The thing that most struck me about Sonicflood's version of the song is the beautiful female vocals. It turns out that the female vocalist was not a band member, but rather a special guest: Nashville, Tennessee-based vocalist Lisa Kimmey Winans.

The Sonicflood version of the song is in heavy rotation on Smile FM, a Michigan-based network of contemporary Christian radio stations. That's where I first heard the song, but it took me a while to figure out who the artist was.

Mastering I Could Sing of Your Love Forever on Alto Saxophone Step 1: Learn How to Sight-Read it in All 15 Keys

In the References section of this article, I'll provide a link to a fantastic MuseScore version of "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" on MuseScore.com. The MuseScore version is in F major concert for keyboard/synthesizer, so the first thing I did was to change the lead voice to alto saxophone, which changes the key to D major. When I learn to sight-read a new piece, I always start in C major or A minor: a key with no sharps/flats. So I did the following in MuseScore after changing the lead instrument to alto sax:

In MuseScore ⇒ Transpose → By Interval ⇒ Major Second ⇒ under Options make sure Transpose chord symbols is checked and select Single # and b only.

This lowers the alto saxophone key from D major to C major, and this will be the first key that I learn to sight-read the song in. I go to Add ⇒ Text ⇒ Subtitle then I add the subtitle text 00 (the 15 keys will be numbered from 00 to 14).

Next, I create a folder on my desktop computer where I'll keep all of the files associated with the MuseScore scores. On my desktop computer, I keep all of my music files in a folder called "06_songs_in_all_keys". In that folder, I have a subfolder for every letter of the alphabet: A-Z. So in the s subdirectory, I create the following structure:

s
|
--> smith_martin
    |
    --> i_could_sing_of_your_love_forever
        |
        --> musescore
        |
        --> ogg
            |
            --> 050%
            |
            --> 075%
            |
            --> 100%
        |
        --> pdf

The MuseScore folder will house the MuseScore files for all 15 keys. The ogg folder will house the Ogg Vorbis audio files for all 15 keys at 3 tempos: 50%, 75%, and 100%. The pdf folder will host the pdf files for the scores of all 15 keys. I use the MuseScore File ⇒ Export option to export all of the ogg vorbis and pdf files. Once I have exported all of the files to their appropriate folders, I sync all of the files to my portable mp3/ogg vorbis player: I'm ready to practice.

I start at 50% tempo in key 00. I listen to it several times to pick up on all of the rhythms, melodies, harmonies, articulations, and dynamics. Then, I sight-read it while listening to it via my portable player on repeat until I can play the whole thing perfectly. I then repeat this process at 75% and 100%.

I then repeat the process above in the remaining 14 keys: 1-7 sharps and 1-7 flats. Here is how I learn the remaining 14 keys: I think of them as key pairs:

  • I learn 1 sharp and 1 flat together (usually on the same day at 50%, 75%, and 100% tempos).
  • I learn 2 sharps and 2 flats together.
  • So on and so forth until I've learned all 7 key pairs.

Mastering I Could Sing of Your Love Forever on Alto Saxophone Step 2: Learn the Song By Ear in All 15 Keys

  1. I buy the song as an mp3 file on Amazon music.
  2. I use Audacity to transpose the song into all 12 sonic keys.
  3. I transfer the song in all 12 keys to my mp3/ogg vorbis player.
  4. I play along with the song by ear in one key until I can play it all the way through.
  5. I repeat the process in the remaining 11 keys.
  6. You've never completely mastered a song: I'll continue this process for the rest of my life, getting a little bit better each time I play the song.

Thank you for reading this article and for watching the associated video!

References

You should also read: