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SchoolOrchestraHD

Lisa's sax solo, as seen in the new HD Opening Sequence from mid-Season 20 onwards

During the opening sequence, Lisa is often seen in her band class playing an improvised solo on her baritone saxophone much to Mr. Largo's annoyance. Mr. Largo sends her away, while still playing her saxophone. For a long time, Lisa's solos were provided by jazz baritone saxophonist Terry Harrington. As of late-Season 21, there has been 36 different sax solos used (a few are not played by a sax).

In "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" and "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs", the solo is heard without showing her, and has been reanimated in "Kill Gil, Volumes I & II", "The Burns and the Bees", "Treehouse of Horror XXIV", "White Christmas Blues" and "I Won't Be Home for Christmas". In "Boy Meets Curl", Lisa is seen playing solo 7 (Downward Blues 2) within the episode.

Since "Take My Life, Please", the opening has been redone in HD, and now Lisa is seen for more of the solo, and after she exits the music room, she peaks in and does a few more notes before leaving.

Below are the solo nicknames (which are unofficial and each solo is given one to distinguish it) and the description of it. Underneath that are each season with what sax solo each episode uses.

Sax Solos[]

Solo 1: Main Theme (High)[]

This solo follows the 12-note main melody tune. Only used in Season 1, with the exception of "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", "Bart the General" and "Life on the Fast Lane".

Solo 2: Main Theme[]

This solo follows the main melody tune, but is one octave lower. This is used mostly in Season 2 episodes with full, uncondensed openings. A few variants of this solo also appear.

Solo 3: Main Theme, Variant 1[]

This is almost an exact copy of Solo 2, except that it sounds more breathy and the 14th note is more aggressively played. This is used in Season 2 episodes with condensed openings.

Solo 4: Slow Downward Blues Scale[]

A deliberate downward and chromatic blues scale that ends with a quick downward trill.

Solo 5: Main Theme, Variant 2[]

A very plain no-frill variant of the theme, but not breathy like in Solos 2 and 3.

Solo 6: Downward Blues 1[]

Similar to Solo 4, but quicker. Starts at the top and ends with two "friendly sounding" notes.

Solo 7: Downward Blues 2[]

Similar to Solo 6, but there is a pause at the beginning, and then a slide to the top note. The ending is plain in comparison.

Solo 8: Main Theme, Variant 3[]

The last variant of the theme. It has a fancy triplet on the third note that wasn't used in the previous variants. This may be the most famous solo that Lisa has done.

Solo 9: Crazy Be-Bop[]

Possibly the funniest Lisa solo, and this one is a favorite of many. It starts with several atonal blasts, followed by a crazy attempt to get back on rhythm.

Solo 10: Melodic Figure 1[]

Optimistic and happy sounding, this solo is bright, thoughtful and not bluesy at all.

Solo 11: Melodic Figure 2[]

Similar to Solo 10, but there's only a hint of notes.

Solo 12: Break Out[]

Very melodic and thoughtful, this solo starts early, as if Lisa is breaking out of the pattern and taking over.

Solo 13: Funk 1[]

Another favorite of many, this solo is a James Brown influence, and the accent is on the "one" (downbeat).

Solo 14: Funk 2[]

Sounds like Solo 13 coming in late, ending with two low blasts.

Solo 15: Funk Groove[]

Groovy, backbeat driven funk that begins with three 3/4 (dotted 1/2 notes) notes, which descend with three 1/16th notes a piece.

Solo 16: Slow Soul[]

Simple, slow and sad, this solo only has two longing wails.

Solo 17: Hot Jazz[]

Bluesy riff that starts slow, moves up to the top, turns downward with two "hot" blasts, and ends low and quiet.

Solo 18: Three Blasts[]

Familiar sounding melodic riff, but brand new, which is distinguished by three deliberate blasts in the middle.

Solo 19: Mellow Yellow[]

The first bar sounds eerily like the chorus of "Mellow Yellow" by Donovan, and ends very bluesy and sad.

Solo 20: Wailing Horn[]

Dramatic, drawn-out blues notes that end on a non-blues tonal center note in major.

Solo 21: Counter Rhythm[]

Starts off funky, then slows down and breaks out of the main rhythm with a soulful blues climax.

Solo 22: Coffeehouse Improv 1[]

A simple and slow-paced bluesy melody, largely from a minor key that is defined by an obvious beat.

Solo 23: Fragments[]

Four distinct groups of 4-5 notes each, sounding like a few false starts, but not unintentionally. Overall, this solo is reminiscent of fragments of the theme, but only if viewers don't listen too closely.

Solo 24: Coffeehouse Improv 2[]

Similar to Solo 22, but is lower and has more of a melody, ending on a down note.

Solo 25: Sorcerer's Apprentice[]

Kind of march with discrete notes, and the first four notes sound very similar of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".

Solo 26: Wail and Bass[]

A sustained high note, followed by a few steps down to a low tone, which sounds a little uninspired.

Solo 27: Barn Dance 1[]

A rapidly-paced and knee-slapping piece that sounds like it belongs at a hoedown.

Solo 28: Funk 2.5[]

Starts like Solo 23, but sounds more like Solos 13 and 14 at the end.

Solo 29: Hot Jazz Minor 1[]

Starts a lot like Solo 17, but then hits a minor key and gradually works down in a jazzy way, finishing with the last four notes being repeated.

Solo 30: Hot Jazz Minor 2[]

Similar to Solo 29 (and sounds close to 17), but the trip down the scales is more playful and doesn't repeat.

Solo 31: Barn Dance 2[]

Similar to Solo 27, but is not as frenetic.

Solo 32: Up-Note Jazz[]

A jazzy finger-snapping tune with a sort of questioning up note near the end.

Solo 33: Deck the Halls[]

A syncopated, jazzy version of the first line to "Deck the Halls".

Solo 34: Staccato and Flourish[]

A few discrete and almost random notes, followed by a 6-note series of two alternating notes, ending with a final flourish.

Solo 35: 4 + 4 + More[]

Starts with two separate, somewhat similar groups of four notes, followed by what sounds like a third variant continues farther down a scale.

Solo 36: Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral[]

A thoughtful and drawn-out rendition of the first line of the song.

Season 1[]

SchoolBandRehearsalS1

Original High-Pitched Season 1 Version

# Solo Episode Name

Code

1 No solo Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire 7G08
2 Main Theme (High) Bart the Genius 7G02
3 Main Theme (High) Homer's Odyssey 7G03
4 Main Theme (High) There's No Disgrace Like Home 7G04
5 No solo Bart the General 7G05
6 Main Theme (High) Moaning Lisa 7G06
7 Main Theme (High) The Call of the Simpsons 7G09
8 Main Theme (High) The Telltale Head 7G07
9 No solo Life on the Fast Lane 7G11
10 Main Theme (High) Homer's Night Out 7G10
11 Main Theme (High) The Crepes of Wrath 7G13
12 Main Theme (High) Krusty Gets Busted 7G12
13 Main Theme (High) Some Enchanted Evening 7G01

Season 2[]

SchoolRehearsalEarlyS2

Early prototype version from "Bart Gets an "F""

SchoolBandRehearsalS2

Normal version from Seasons 2 to early 20.

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 Main Theme Bart Gets an "F" 7F03
2 Main Theme Simpson and Delilah 7F02
3 No solo Treehouse of Horror 7F04
4 Main Theme Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish 7F01
5 Main Theme Dancin' Homer 7F05
6 Main Theme Dead Putting Society 7F08
7 Main Theme Bart vs. Thanksgiving 7F07
8 Main Theme Bart the Daredevil 7F06
9 Main Theme Itchy & Scratchy & Marge 7F09
10 Main Theme Bart Gets Hit by a Car 7F10
11 Main Theme, Variant 1 One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish 7F11
12 Main Theme, Variant 1 The Way We Was 7F12
13 Main Theme Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment 7F13
14 Main Theme, Variant 1 Principal Charming 7F15
15 Main Theme, Variant 1 Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? 7F16
16 Main Theme Bart's Dog Gets an F 7F14
17 Main Theme Old Money 7F17
18 Main Theme, Variant 1 Brush with Greatness 7F18
19 No solo Lisa's Substitute 7F19
20 Main Theme The War of the Simpsons 7F20
21 Main Theme Three Men and a Comic Book 7F21
22 Main Theme Blood Feud 7F22

Season 3[]

SchoolRehearsalS3

Season 3 Sax Solo

LisaLeavingClassroom

Mr. Largo Pointing Lisa Out

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 Main Theme, Variant 2 Stark Raving Dad 7F24
2 Downward Blues 1 Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington 8F01
3 Main Theme When Flanders Failed 7F23
4 Slow Downward Blues Scale Bart the Murderer 8F03
5 Funk 1 Homer Defined 8F04
6 Downward Blues 2 Like Father, Like Clown 8F05
7 No solo Treehouse of Horror II 8F02
8 Main Theme, Variant 2 Lisa's Pony 8F06
9 Main Theme, Variant 3 Saturdays of Thunder 8F07
10 Downward Blues 1 Flaming Moe's 8F08
11 Crazy Be-Bop Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk 8F09
12 Melodic Figure 1 I Married Marge 8F10
13 Melodic Figure 2 Radio Bart 8F11
14 No solo Lisa the Greek 8F12
15 Break Out Homer Alone 8F14
16 No solo Bart the Lover 8F16
17 Slow Downward Blues Scale Homer at the Bat 8F13
18 Downward Blues 2 Separate Vocations 8F15
19 Crazy Be-Bop Dog of Death 8F17
20 Main Theme, Variant 3 Colonel Homer 8F19
21 Melodic Figure 1 Black Widower 8F20
22 Melodic Figure 2 The Otto Show 8F21
23 Break Out Bart's Friend Falls in Love 8F22
24 Main Theme, Variant 3 Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? 8F23

Season 4[]

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 Melodic Figure 2 Kamp Krusty 8F24
2 Melodic Figure 1 A Streetcar Named Marge 8F18
3 Break Out Homer the Heretic 9F01
4 Crazy Be-Bop Lisa the Beauty Queen 9F02
5 No solo Treehouse of Horror III 9F04
6 Main Theme, Variant 3 Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie 9F03
7 Melodic Figure 1 Marge Gets a Job 9F05
8 Downward Blues 1 New Kid on the Block 9F06
9 Crazy Be-Bop Mr. Plow 9F07
10 Melodic Figure 2 Lisa's First Word 9F08
11 Break Out Homer's Triple Bypass 9F09
12 Main Theme, Variant 3 Marge vs. the Monorail 9F10
13 Melodic Figure 1 Selma's Choice 9F11
14 Downward Blues 1 Brother from the Same Planet 9F12
15 Melodic Figure 2 I Love Lisa 9F13
16 Downward Blues 2 Duffless 9F14
17 Funk 1 Last Exit to Springfield 9F15
18 Main Theme, Variant 3 So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show 9F17
19 Melodic Figure 2 The Front 9F16
20 Slow Downward Blues Scale Whacking Day 9F18
21 Melodic Figure 1 Marge in Chains 9F20
22 Break Out Krusty Gets Kancelled 9F19

Season 5[]

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 Main Theme, Variant 3 Homer's Barbershop Quartet 9F21
2 Melodic Figure 2 Cape Feare 9F22
3 No solo Homer Goes to College 1F02
4 No solo Rosebud 1F01
5 No solo Treehouse of Horror IV 1F04
6 No solo Marge on the Lam 1F03
7 No solo Bart's Inner Child 1F05
8 No solo Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood 1F06
9 Crazy Be-Bop The Last Temptation of Homer 1F07
10 No solo $pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling) 1F08
11 Downward Blues 1 Homer the Vigilante 1F09
12 Downward Blues 2 Bart Gets Famous 1F11
13 Downward Blues 1 Homer and Apu 1F10
14 No solo Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy 1F12
15 No solo Deep Space Homer 1F13
16 No solo Homer Loves Flanders 1F14
17 No solo Bart Gets an Elephant 1F15
18 No solo Burns' Heir 1F16
19 No solo Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song 1F18
20 Downward Blues 2 The Boy Who Knew Too Much 1F19
21 No solo Lady Bouvier's Lover 1F21
22 No solo Secrets of a Successful Marriage 1F20

Season 6[]

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 No solo Bart of Darkness 1F22
2 No solo Lisa's Rival 1F17
3 No solo Another Simpsons Clip Show 2F33
4 No solo Itchy & Scratchy Land 2F01
5 No solo Sideshow Bob Roberts 2F02
6 No solo Treehouse of Horror V 2F03
7 No solo Bart's Girlfriend 2F04
8 No solo Lisa on Ice 2F05
9 No solo Homer Badman 2F06
10 No solo Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy 2F07
11 Melodic Figure 2 Fear of Flying 2F08
12 No solo Homer the Great 2F09
13 No solo And Maggie Makes Three 2F10
14 No solo Bart's Comet 2F11
15 No solo Homie the Clown 2F12
16 Main Theme, Variant 2 Bart vs. Australia 2F13
17 No solo Homer vs. Patty and Selma 2F14
18 No solo A Star is Burns 2F31
19 No solo Lisa's Wedding 2F15
20 No solo Two Dozen and One Greyhounds 2F18
21 No solo The PTA Disbands 2F19
22 Main Theme, Variant 3 'Round Springfield 2F32
23 No solo The Springfield Connection 2F21
24 No solo Lemon of Troy 2F22
25 No solo Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One) 2F16

Season 7[]

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 No solo Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two) 2F20
2 No solo Radioactive Man 2F17
3 No solo Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily 3F01
4 No solo Bart Sells His Soul 3F02
5 No solo Lisa the Vegetarian 3F03
6 No solo Treehouse of Horror VI 3F04
7 No solo King-Size Homer 3F05
8 No solo Mother Simpson 3F06
9 No solo Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming 3F08
10 Main Theme, Variant 3 The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular 3F31
11 No solo Marge Be Not Proud 3F07
12 No solo Team Homer 3F10
13 No solo Two Bad Neighbors 3F09
14 No solo Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield 3F11
15 No solo Bart the Fink 3F12
16 No solo Lisa the Iconoclast 3F13
17 No solo Homer the Smithers 3F14
18 No solo The Day the Violence Died 3F16
19 No solo A Fish Called Selma 3F15
20 No solo Bart on the Road 3F17
21 No solo 22 Short Films About Springfield 3F18
22 No solo Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish" 3F19
23 No solo Much Apu About Nothing 3F20
24 No solo Homerpalooza 3F21
25 No solo Summer of 4 Ft. 2 3F22

Season 8[]

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 No solo Treehouse of Horror VII 4F02
2 Funk 1 You Only Move Twice 3F23
3 No solo The Homer They Fall 4F03
4 No solo Burns, Baby Burns 4F05
5 No solo Bart After Dark 4F06
6 No solo A Milhouse Divided 4F04
7 No solo Lisa's Date with Density 4F01
8 No solo Hurricane Neddy 4F07
9 No solo El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer) 3F24
10 Crazy Be-Bop The Springfield Files 3G01
11 No solo The Twisted World of Marge Simpson 4F08
12 No solo Mountain of Madness 4F10
13 Melodic Figure 2 Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious 3G03
14 No solo The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show 4F12
15 No solo Homer's Phobia 4F11
16 No solo Brother from Another Series 4F14
17 No solo My Sister, My Sitter 4F13
18 No solo Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment 4F15
19 No solo Grade School Confidential 4F09
20 Break Out The Canine Mutiny 4F16
21 No solo The Old Man and the Lisa 4F17
22 No solo In Marge We Trust 4F18
23 No solo Homer's Enemy 4F19
24 No solo The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase 4F20
25 No solo The Secret War of Lisa Simpson 4F21

Season 9[]

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 No solo The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson 4F22
2 No solo The Principal and the Pauper 4F23
3 Break Out Lisa's Sax 3G02
4 No solo Treehouse of Horror VIII 5F02
5 Funk 1 The Cartridge Family 5F01
6 No solo Bart Star 5F03
7 No solo The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons 5F04
8 Downward Blues 2 Lisa the Skeptic 5F05
9 No solo Realty Bites 5F06
10 No solo Miracle on Evergreen Terrace 5F07
11 No solo All Singing, All Dancing 5F24
12 No solo Bart Carny 5F08
13 No solo The Joy of Sect 5F23
14 No solo Das Bus 5F11
15 No solo The Last Temptation of Krust 5F10
16 No solo Dumbbell Indemnity 5F12
17 No solo Lisa the Simpson 4F24
18 Downward Blues 1 This Little Wiggy 5F13
19 No solo Simpson Tide 3G04
20 No solo The Trouble with Trillions 5F14
21 No solo Girly Edition 5F15
22 No solo Trash of the Titans 5F09
23 No solo King of the Hill 5F16
24 Break Out Lost Our Lisa 5F17
25 Slow Downward Blues Scale Natural Born Kissers 5F18

Season 10[]

# Solo Episode Name Code
1 No solo Lard of the Dance 5F20
2 Slow Downward Blues Scale ​​​​​​The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace 5F21
3 No solo Bart the Mother 5F22
4 No solo Treehouse of Horror IX AABF01
5 Melodic Figure 1 When You Dish Upon a Star 5F19
6 Crazy Be-Bop D'oh-in' in the Wind AABF02
7 Main Theme, Variant 3 Lisa Gets an "A" AABF03
8 Slow Downward Blues Scale Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble" AABF04
9 Slow Downward Blues Scale Mayored to the Mob AABF05
10 Melodic Figure 2 Viva Ned Flanders AABF06
11 Melodic Figure 2 Wild Barts Can't Be Broken AABF07
12 Melodic Figure 1 Sunday, Cruddy Sunday AABF08
13 Funk 1 Homer to the Max AABF09
14 Funk 1 I'm with Cupid AABF11
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

Season 11[]

Season 12[]

Season 13[]

Season 14[]

Season 15[]

Season 16[]

Season 17[]

Season 18[]

SchoolRehearsalChristmas

Christmas Reshot Version

Season 19[]

Season 20[]

LisasSaxSoloLeavingS20HD

Lisa leaving the Classroom (Season 20 New HD Version)

Season 21[]

Season 22[]

Season 23[]

Season 24[]

Season 25[]

Season 26[]

Season 27[]

Season 28[]

Season 29[]

Season 30[]

Season 31[]

Season 32[]

Season 33[]

Season 34[]

External links[]

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