Editing John Coltrane (section)

==Artistry==
Coltrane started out on alto saxophone, but in 1947, when he joined [[King Kolax]]'s band, he switched to [[tenor saxophone]], the instrument he became known for playing.<ref name="Ruhlmann">{{cite web |last1=Ruhlmann |first1=William |title=John Coltrane |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-coltrane-mn0000175553/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 25, 2018 |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615113442/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-coltrane-mn0000175553/biography |url-status=live }}</ref> In the early 1960s, during his contract with [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], he also played [[soprano saxophone]].<ref name="Ruhlmann" /> 

Assistant music editor at ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' John Lewis assessed, "By 1962, Coltrane had developed a brand of [[modal jazz]] that invoked Indian and [[Arabic scale|Arabic scales]]{{dn|date=May 2025}} while maintaining an impassioned [[Spirituality|spiritual]] focus. As he [[Speaking in tongues|spoke in tongues]] on tenor and soprano saxophone, his now legendary Fab Four rumbled beneath him, playing [[hard bop]] that pushed towards [[Indian folk music|India]] and [[African folk music|Africa]], toward [[Soul music|soul]], [and] even toward [[Psychedelic music|psychedelia]]."<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=John |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |publisher=Universe Publishing |year=2005 |publication-date=January 1, 2005 |pages=78}}</ref>

His preference for playing melody higher on the range of the tenor saxophone is attributed to his training on alto horn and clarinet. His "sound concept", manipulated in one's vocal tract, of the tenor was set higher than the normal range of the instrument.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Secret of John Coltrane's high notes revealed
| author= Roger Highfield
| author-link= Roger Highfield
| date= 12 June 2011
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/3324621/Secret-of-John-Coltranes-high-notes-revealed.html|access-date=January 31, 2023|website=The Daily Telegraph|archive-date=June 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617072659/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/3324621/Secret-of-John-Coltranes-high-notes-revealed.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Coltrane observed how his experience playing the soprano saxophone gradually affected his style on the tenor, stating "the soprano, by being this small instrument, I found that playing the lowest note on it was like playing ... one of the middle notes in the tenor ... I found that I would play ''all over'' this instrument ... And on tenor, I hadn't always played all over it, because I was playing certain ideas which would just run in certain ranges ... By playing on the soprano and becoming accustomed to playing from that low B-flat on up, it soon got so when I went to tenor, I found myself doing the same thing ... And this caused ... the willingness to change and just try to play... as much of the instrument as possible."<ref>{{cite book |last=Kofsky |first=Frank |editor-last=DeVito |editor-first=Chris |title=Coltrane on Coltrane: The John Coltrane Interviews |publisher=A Cappella |date=2010 |pages=306 |chapter=Interview with John Coltrane }}</ref>

Toward the end of his career, he experimented with flute in his live performances and studio recordings (''[[Live at the Village Vanguard Again!]]'', ''[[Expression (album)|Expression]]''). After Eric Dolphy died in June 1964, his mother gave Coltrane his flute and bass clarinet.<ref name="Cole">{{cite book |last1=Cole |first1=Bill |title=John Coltrane |date=2001 |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York |isbn=030681062X |page=158 |edition=2nd}}</ref>

According to drummer Rashied Ali, Coltrane had an interest in the drums.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2009/08/rashied_ali_1935_-_2009_multi.html |title=Rashied Ali (1935–2009), multi-directional drummer, speaks |last=Mandel |first=Howard |date=August 13, 2009 |website=artsjournal.com |access-date=September 4, 2020 |quote=[Coltrane] was in a drummer thing. He just wanted to free himself from playing these strict changes. The bass player and the piano player would lay these chords down, you know, and he played just about everything he could play on these chords. He played 'em upside down. He'd turn 'em around. He played 'em sideways. He did just about everything he could to 'em. And playing with the drums he didn't have to deal with chord changes and keys and stuff like that. So he was free to play however he wanted to play. There were times I played with Trane, he had a battery of drummers, like about three conga players, guys playing batas, shakers and barrels and everything. On one of his records he did that. At the Village Vanguard, live, we had a whole bunch of drummers plus the traps. And then sometimes he would have double traps. Like in Chicago, I played double traps with a young drummer coming up there, named Jack DeJohnette. |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823014237/https://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2009/08/rashied_ali_1935_-_2009_multi.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He would often have a spare drum set on concert stages that he would play.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2009/08/rashied_ali_1935_-_2009_multi.html |title=Rashied Ali (1935–2009), multi-directional drummer, speaks |last=Mandel |first=Howard |date=August 13, 2009 |website=artsjournal.com |access-date=September 4, 2020 |quote=[Coltrane] loved drums so much, if we would have a second set of drums on the stage, sometimes he would come up there and play them. I mean, he would sit behind the drums and play with the band, you know. He really had something about drums that he loved. |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823014237/https://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2009/08/rashied_ali_1935_-_2009_multi.html |url-status=live }}</ref> His interest in the drums and his penchant for having solos with the drums resonated on tracks such as "Pursuance" and "The Drum Thing" from ''[[A Love Supreme]]'' and ''[[Crescent (John Coltrane album)|Crescent]]'', respectively. It resulted in the album ''[[Interstellar Space]]'' with Ali.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rashied-ali-rashied-ali-by-hank-shteamer.php |title=Rashied Ali |last=Jazz |first=All About |website=All About Jazz |date=March 31, 2003 |access-date=March 16, 2018 |archive-date=March 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316231059/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rashied-ali-rashied-ali-by-hank-shteamer.php |url-status=live }}</ref> In an interview with [[Nat Hentoff]] in late 1965 or early 1966, Coltrane stated: "I feel the need for more time, more rhythm all around me. And with more than one drummer, the rhythm can be more multi-directional."<ref name="meds_liner" /> In an August 1966 interview with [[Frank Kofsky]], Coltrane repeatedly emphasized his affinity for drums, saying "I feel so strongly about drums, I really do."<ref>{{cite book |last=Kofsky |first=Frank |editor-last=DeVito |editor-first=Chris |title=Coltrane on Coltrane: The John Coltrane Interviews |publisher=A Cappella |date=2010 |pages=294 |chapter=Interview with John Coltrane }}</ref> Later that year, Coltrane would record the music released posthumously on ''[[Offering: Live at Temple University]]'', which features [[Rashied Ali|Ali]] on drums supplemented by three percussionists.

Coltrane's tenor ([[Selmer Mark VI]], serial number 125571, dated 1965) and soprano (Selmer Mark VI, serial number 99626, dated 1962) saxophones were auctioned on February 20, 2005, to raise money for the John Coltrane Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://drrick.com/trane/trane.htm|publisher=drrick.com|title=John Coltrane's Saxophones|access-date=April 7, 2011|archive-date=January 31, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131055543/http://drrick.com/trane/trane.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although he rarely played alto, he owned a prototype Yamaha alto saxophone given to him by the company as an endorsement in 1966. He can be heard playing it on live albums recorded in Japan, such as ''Second Night in Tokyo'', and is pictured using it on the cover of the compilation ''[[Live in Japan (John Coltrane album)|Live in Japan]]''. He can also be heard playing the Yamaha alto on the album ''[[Stellar Regions]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Coltrane – Owned & Stage Played Alto Saxophone With Full Documentation |date=March 22, 2013 |url=https://recordmecca.com/item-archives/john-coltrane-owned-stage-played-alto-saxophone-with-full-documentation/ |publisher=Recordmecca |access-date=July 4, 2018 |archive-date=July 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729035929/http://recordmecca.com/item-archives/john-coltrane-owned-stage-played-alto-saxophone-with-full-documentation/ |url-status=live }}</ref>