About Eric Fairfax
Eric Fairfax is a professional musician/recording artist/music producer/audio engineer from Berea, Ohio. Eric’s main instrument is the saxophone which he has played for twenty-two years.
His secondary instruments are flute, (15 years) clarinet, and piano (13 years). Eric started his musical journey in fifth grade with the recorder and then started playing the trumpet. He switched over to the saxophone in middle school and never looked back. Eric studied privately on the saxophone, flute and clarinet with Alex Demkowicz and Kevin Scally for many years. After getting introduced to Miles Davis and John Coltrane through his father in middle school Eric was so fascinated by the genre and decided to study jazz music after graduating from Berea High School.
Eric attended the prestigious University of North Texas (UNT) College of Music in Denton, Texas where he graduated with a bachelors degree in jazz studies performance with a minor in music theory. While at UNT Eric played with the 9 o’clock, 8 o’clock, and 5 o’clock lab bands.
Eric acquired his (Teaching English as a Second Language) TESL, (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) TEFL, (Teaching English as a Second or Other language) TESOL certifications while at UNT so he could go over seas. Eric is always learning and is currently back in school studying CISCO computer networking at Cuyahoga Community College to obtain a post degree certificate in computer networking.
After graduating from the college of music in 2015 Eric moved to Harbin, China in 2016 where he worked as a foreign English teacher for over four years teaching Chinese children ages 4-12. Living alone in such a foreign environment for so long totally changed Eric and made him a better person and musician. In 2019 while living in Harbin Eric was introduced to Skrillex’s music. Skrillex uses a DAW (digital audio work station), Ableton Live to make his music and that is when Eric found out that one can make his or her own music on the computer using DAWs.
Eric was hooked on learning the DAW and spend countless hours on the DAW learning the software and how to produce music on the computer. Since 2019 Eric has recorded, mixed, mastered and released one album So Unreal 2020, one EP (extra play) Cold Flavaugh 2021 and one single “Lil’ Prometheus” 2022 on his record label Krinzkolo Music. Eric moved back to the USA in late 2020 and is continuing to produce music, release music, and training his ears so he can create better mixes.
Beginner saxophone students studying with Eric Fairfax can expect to learn:
• The history of the saxophone
• Reading notes on the staff in treble clef
• Proper fingerings and alternate fingerings
• Beginner horn/mouthpiece/reed set up
• Proper breathing techniques
• Proper playing posture
• Proper post playing instrument care
• All 12 major & minor scales
• Self motivation techniques
• The Yellow Book (Universal’s Fundamental Method for the Saxophone by Henry Melnik)
• The Rubank Blue Book level 1 (Elementary Method Saxophone by N.W. Hovey)
Intermediate saxophone students studying with Eric Fairfax can expect to learn:
• Intro to music theory with solfège
• All major & minor scales full range of the horn
• All major & minor scales in 3rds full range of the horn to build dexterity
• Advanced reed care and maintenance techniques
• Basic sight reading techniques
• How to keep the horn in tune
• Help with school band music if the student is in school
• Rubank Blue Book level 2 ( Intermediate Method Saxophone by Joseph E. Skornicka)
• And much more
Advanced saxophone students studying with Eric Fairfax can expect to learn:
• All major & minor scales full range at 100 bpm
• All major & minor arpeggios full range at 100 bpm
• All major & minor scales in 3rds & 4ths
• W-1/2 & 1/2-W diminished scales
• All variations of the minor scale
• Greek modes
• Reading chord changes and cord symbols
• Standard classical Saxophone repertoire
• Daily scale patterns to continue to build dexterity in the fingers
• More advanced sight reading skills
• Overtones and harmonics of the saxophone
• The altissimo range of the saxophone
• Learning doubles ie: flute and clarinet
• Rubank Blue Book level 3 (Advanced Method Saxophone Vol. 1 by H. Voxman and WM.
Gower)
• And much more
When Eric Fairfax is not practicing his instruments or producing his original music on the DAW Eric’s hobbies include: jumping rope with his Cross Rope jump ropes, computer keyboard touch typing practice, playing TypeRacer.com, playing catch with the baseball and football, playing hacky sack, riding his 2006 Honda CBR600RR motorcycle, listening to music with high quality headphones, ice skating, rollerblading, ice hockey, studying Mandarin Chinese reading writing and speaking, staying off of social media, researching and staying up to date on the latest technology, sound design, ear training on Sound Gym, playing chess, watching Chinese dramas and cartoons to practice his listening skills, and speaking with his Chinese friends in China via WeChat.