Puffing out the cheeks

[Lindsey]

Hi, I am an exchange student living in Norway and got talked into teaching saxophone lessons. I have played alto for four years but clarinet is my main instrument. I have a student who is puffing out their cheeks and I have tried everything I can think of put nothing seems to work. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for getting more sound out of the instrument that would be great too. Thank you for your help!

[saxusa]

Slap their cheeks the next time they do that. I do to my students. They stop puffing their cheeks pretty quick.

[Gary Markham]

Of course they may slap you back. That would be my immediate response.

Tell us what you have tried to correct the problem?

You may suggest they position there checks as if they were sucking on a straw in a thick milkshake.

[MS]

Might standing them in front of a mirror help? There is sometimes a physical disconnect between what kids think they are doing and reality.

PUffed cheeks often an indication that air is not going efficiently into the mps and faulty reed vbiration.

1) concentrate on embouchure formation
2) steady air supply
3) check reed, both condition and size (strength)
4) check mouthpiece for obvious damage,try a different mps
5) go to the main page of this forum and check out the articles by Paul Coats (the beginners corner). Lot of good appropriate information.

After you read the articles, begin with the mouthpiece A=880 (for alto) and a MIRROR. An interested student should see immediately that there must be a better way than puffed cheeks (assuming no physical muscle proble)

If all the above stuff checks out, might be a preference in sound problem. Some students don't like the sound when produced properly and will make unconscious changes to get a more agreeable sound to their liking. Have them play in a large room (like a concert hall) so the sound has a chance to open up.

Last resort would be to record the students speaking voice and compare with what they hear while speaking with the tone quality of the recording. So the same with the saxophone and compare the tone they hear while playing with the recorded saxophone.

You don't mention age of your students. I'm assuming they are teenagers or younger.

If they're playing properly, they will make a strong sound. Good Luck. :D