Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted March 2, 2008 Members Share Posted March 2, 2008 I've never been able to figure out how to play any thing below concert D consistently and with good tone without forcing air through the mouthpiece, thus honking it out at full volume. I know that I need to have my mouthpiece farther into my mouth, and I finally figured out that I have to open my throat more, the way your throat opens up when you yawn. So it's a little more consistent but it's not quite there. Is there something I'm missing here? And another question I have (and this might be a strange question) is, does the quality of the notes also depend on the temperature of the air going into the mouthpiece, as well as the more obvious things like embouchure, and how fast the air moves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted March 3, 2008 Members Share Posted March 3, 2008 I don't think air temperature has too much affect. I remember a clinic that Patrick Sheridan gave; he said that many teachers will advise using warm air, but put your hand in front of your face and blow warm air and it doesn't go anywhere! He preferred using "fast" air, which tends to be cooler. He is a tubist, but I think it applies to other instruments as well (not just brass). I think opening up the throat and mouth is tantamount to letting low notes out. I really try to relax in the low register and have a very fat sound, so much so that my teacher asks ME how I do it! Your choice of mouthpiece/reed can also affect those notes, though I'll let one of the resident saxophobes wax on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jonathan_matos5 Posted March 3, 2008 Members Share Posted March 3, 2008 oddly enough slowing down the air stream will help for a softer tone in the lower range. think of fogging up a window during your exhale thru the sax and be sure to drop your jaw. fast and focused air (an exhale that would knock a paper off your music stand) will give you a louder honk that your are getting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimOBrien Posted March 3, 2008 Members Share Posted March 3, 2008 Your horn may need tweaking, but first try a softer reed and practice long notes slowly working your way down. Temperature means nothing. When I was in Ohio high school a long long long time ago, we played football games and parades in 20-degree weather in freezing rain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alan1123 Posted March 3, 2008 Members Share Posted March 3, 2008 Your horn may need tweaking, but first try a softer reed and practice long notes slowly working your way down. +1 Unless you're using a really hard reed/open mouthpiece combination - you should not be having trouble making the horn speak. In My Experience - this problem is indicative of a leak in the upper stack. Time to visit your favorite Sax tech!! (Finding "Favorite Sax Tech" is first priority of any saxophonist) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted March 4, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 4, 2008 Thanks for the help guys. I put down my saxophone for about 3 years or so and I'm just now picking it up again. I'm surprised I have even half of the chops that I used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tacitus Posted March 11, 2008 Members Share Posted March 11, 2008 A lot of jazz players use a hard reed and/or a very open lay on the mouthpiece, which will ultimately influence how easily you get the bottom notes. If it doesn't work easily with a softer reed, you may well have a leak somewhere - sax pads are generally pretty good nowadays but they're BIG, so it's quite possible one or more might not close properly. You shouldn't need to change your embouchure to get bottom notes. I always used to believe this until I went to a Sax workshop with Gerard McChrystal (fabulous classical sax player with genuine Irish wit) and he proved to us that one embouchure will get every note on the instrument. I'm not saying you never change your embouchure, but you don't need to just to get bottom notes. So check: 1 Reed - reasonably soft to start with2 Mouthpiece - not too open lay3 Instruments - no leaks (get it checked if necessary)4 Technique - relax and practice. One of the biggest problems I find with players is that they don't actually play the extreme notes, bottom or top, very often. They should be in your warm-up routine, because half the problem is that you mentally put some notes in a different category of 'harder to play' and that is fatal to fluent playing. One more thing - your sling should properly support your sax so that you're not using your mouth and hands to do anything but play. If your sax tilts across you, the mouthpiece needs to be moved so that the reed is level from side to side; the sling should allow the reed to swing straight into your mouth and your thumbs should do no more than gently stabilise the instrument. If your right thumb rest comes off, try taking it off - you should be able to manage just fine without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted March 11, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 11, 2008 1 Reed - reasonably soft to start with I'm playing 3's, should I maybe drop down to a 2 1/2 or 2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alan1123 Posted March 11, 2008 Members Share Posted March 11, 2008 ummm - yeah. Do not make the mistake of being "macho" by using a too hard reed. If you're playing full bore screamo sax - then a hard reed with an open MP might be what you want. You will need to experiment abit. Actually - anytime a new MouthPiece is used, a period of experimentation follows - finding the right hardness and brand of reed. See - if the MP tip is closed - you can use a harder reed (a soft one will just close down the opening). As the MP tip opens up - you need to go to progressively softer reeds (unless yer John Coltrane). Not knowing brand/size/style MP you have - I would say that a 2 or 2-1/2 would be a better place to start. Keep the 3's until after you get your chops back - or a trying to compete with that loud guitarist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2old4sax Posted March 11, 2008 Members Share Posted March 11, 2008 Good answers so far. Try a 2 or 2-1/2 reed, don't change pitch of bevel on mouthpiece (more open), and RELAX the jaw. The low notes will flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimOBrien Posted March 12, 2008 Members Share Posted March 12, 2008 Yup. Most players who do soft ballads will go with a 2 or 2.5 reed - even the pros.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eye_Of_The_Liger Posted March 12, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2008 ...Keep the 3's until after you get your chops back - or a trying to compete with that loud guitarist. I just joined a ska band, and I won't be playing in any small jazz quartets anytime soon, so I think I'll stick to the 3's for now. Thanks to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vibroluxman Posted March 17, 2008 Members Share Posted March 17, 2008 Also try profiling the reed - take the reed and score it with a razor blade, at the base of the reed so it looks like this Before you try this, also take a razor to the back of the reed and see if it is flat - if it isn't scrape along the back of the reed until it is. Both of these will help the notes speak from your horn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Saxman7 Posted April 12, 2008 Members Share Posted April 12, 2008 Also try profiling the reed - take the reed and score it with a razor blade, at the base of the reed so it looks like this Taylor, I don't get what the picture is supposed to be showing us.... Did you "score it" on the base of the playing part, or on the base, meaning the bottom of the entire reed? I often shave the playing part, then as I play it, I juggle clipping the tip & shaving the face, in order to both get the best sound, and lengthen playing life. If I didn't do this, I'd go broke, constantly buying new reeds (probably the worst value per dollar of any musical product, they are worse today, harder to find great playing ones, and at around $3 a pop, compared to the 25-50 cents each they used to be......(am I really THAT old?), it's a royal bite)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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