Saxophone technique
Embouchure refers to the way the mouth must be formed to play an instrument. Saxophones use a single reed and mouthpiece to produce a sound, much like a clarinet. The reed comes in different strengths (softer or harder), depending on the players skill and tone they wish to produce. Typically, beginning saxophonists will use a softer reed.
To produce a sound on any wind blown instrument, a vibration must occur. In this case it is the reed that vibrates and starts the sound.
The Tonal Concept
A player's tone - their "tonal concept" - is influenced by several factors:
- Player's chest cavity - the constant air stream is pressurized by the diaphragm
- Player's trachea
- Player's throat - the throat should be relaxed and open, as when saying the word "saw"
- Player's oral cavity - the tongue should be flat
- Player's embouchure - choose one of the four embrochure styles described in this article
- Saxophone neck strap - this takes the saxophone's weight off the player's lower lip
- Saxophone's mouthpiece and reed - consider the mouthpiece tip opening and reed strength
- Saxophone's body - check for air leaks around the pads of the instrument
This article discusses those factors that contribute to a successful saxophone embouchure. There are three considerations: mouth shape, embouchure style and blowing ...
Mouth Shape
Firstly, the mouth shape is formed roughly as follows:
- keep the chin in a relaxed and natural position
- form an "oo" shape with the mouth
- bring the corners of the mouth inwards (similar to a drawstring purse) to seal the mouth
- this forms a firm bottom lip to support the reed; keep the chin relaxed
- insert the mouthpiece into the mouth; use the following as a very rough guide:
- 5/8 inch (15 mm) for baritone sax
- 4/8 inch (12 mm) for tenor sax
- 3/8 inch (9 mm) for alto sax
- 2/8 inch (6 mm) for soprano sax
- keep the tongue flat and off the reed tip
- keep the throat open, as when saying the word "saw"
Embouchure Styles
Four styles of embouchure are possible; we shall describe each in turn. Every player adopts an embouchure style and adapts it to themselves.
Embouchure 1 ("New Saxophone")
Lower Lip: Do not draw the lower lip over the teeth. Instead, rest the lower lip against the teeth. Then rest the reed against the lower lip.
Upper Lip: Do not draw the upper lip over the teeth. Instead, place the upper teeth directly onto the mouthpiece with light pressure.
Notes: This is a is relaxed and natural clarinet embouchure. Used by generations of saxophone players. Taught by many current saxophone teachers, this is the preferred embouchure for beginners.
Embouchure 2 ("Old Saxophone")
Lower Lip: Draw the lower lip over the teeth. Rest the reed against the lower lip.
Upper Lip: Do not draw the upper lip over the teeth. Instead, place the upper teeth directly onto the mouthpiece with light pressure.
Notes: Can fatigue the face and cause lower lip biting. Taught by past generations of saxophone teachers, it is less popular now.
Embouchure 3 ("Single")
Lower Lip: Do not draw the lower lip over the teeth. Instead, rest the lower lip against the teeth. Then rest the reed against the lower lip.
Upper Lip: Draw the upper lip over the teeth. Lower the upper lip onto the mouthpiece with light pressure.
Notes: Can fatigue the face and cause upper lip biting. Difficult to see the advantages of this embouchure, however Sonny Rollins used it. No teachers recommend this for beginners.
Embouchure 4 ("Double")
Lower Lip: Draw the lower lip over the teeth. Rest the reed against the lower lip.
Upper Lip: Draw the upper lip over the teeth. Lower the upper lip onto the mouthpiece with light pressure.
Notes: This is an alternative clarinet embouchure. Can quickly fatigue the face and cause upper and lower lip biting. Difficult to see the advantages of this embouchure for the saxophone, however John Coltrane used it. No teachers recommend this for beginners.
Blowing
Blowing causes the reed to vibrate and a tone to be produced; the player breathes-in through the corners of the mouth (not the nose) and blows out in a controlled manner, using the muscles of the diaphragm to sustain a constant but forceful air pressure throughout the instrument. The cheeks are not allowed to puff out.
The tongue is used to start and stop each note as desired, however this is not considered a part of the embouchure - more a playing technique.
Embouchure Problems
- Biting Lip: your lip should not be sore or bleeding. Stop playing until your lips heal and then try using Embouchure 1.
- Lip Fatigue: if you can no longer sustain your embouchure then you have been playing for too long. "Too long" means about 20 minutes for beginners and about 1 hour for professionals. Take a rest for at least half an hour to allow your face muscles to recover. If your often suffer from lip fatigue then try switching to Embrochure 1.
- Chin Fatigue: If you have a tendency to tighten or scrunch-up your chin, work on keeping it relaxed. Keep the bottom lip flat against the bottom teeth; it can be useful to think of "pointing" the chin. When you touch the tip of the chin it should be hard because you are touching bone and not tensed muscle.
- Low Notes: difficulty getting low notes is caused by: low air pressure (insufficient diaphragm support), a closed throat (say "ah"), hard reed strength (use a softer reed), overtight ligature (can stifle the reed), too little mouthpiece in the mouth (take more in), neckstrap too loose (tighen it to raise the sax and take pressure off lower lip), applying too much lower lip pressure on the reed (slightly lower your chin for notes below low E) or saxophone air leaks (get the pads tested by a technician).
- High Notes: difficulty getting high notes is caused by: low air pressure (insufficient diaphragm support), a closed throat (say "ah"), overtight ligature (can cause harmonics), too much mouthpiece in the mouth (take less in) or applying too little lower lip pressure on the reed (slightly raise your chin for notes above high c#).
Saxophone tone and other problems are analysed well in Larry Teal's book.
References
- Teal, Larry, The Art of Saxophone Playing. Miami: Summy-Birchard, 1963. ISBN 0-87487-057-7. Source for "The Tonal Concept".
- Davis, Ben, The Saxophone: A Comprehensive Course. The Selmer Company, 1930. The source for "New" and "Old" embouchures.
- O'Neill, John, The Jazz Method for Saxophone. Schott & Co. Ltd, London. 1992. ISBN 0-946535-20-5. An example of the "New" embouchure school.
- Hemke, Dr. Frederick, The Teacher's Guide to the Saxophone: A Comprehensive Course. The Selmer Company, 1977. An example of the "Old" embouchure school.
- Raschèr, Sigurd, Top-Tones for the Saxophone. Carl Fischer. 1941.
- Rousseau, Eugene, Saxophone High Tones. Etoile Music. 1978.
- Luckey, Robert, Saxophone Altissimo. Advance Music, 1993.
- Fordham, John, Jazz. Dorling Kindersley, 1993. ISBN 0-7513-0050-0. The source for Coltrane's "Double" and Rollins's "Single" embouchures.
See also
External links
- "Correct embouchures" by Ben Davis excerpt from his book
