your golden rules for playing the saxaphone

[pepper]

thought it might be interesting if people posted what they see as indespensible tips to playing the saxaphone well.

i suppose the obvious ones are to practice, love the music, dedication etc

but how about some of a more technical nature ?

[singlereed]

Have the horn well up on the strap, so that as you move it towards you the mouthpiece enters your mouth level, without having to move your head. Many people sling their horn too low.

[colibri]

Do not carry around the saxophone by its neck.

You will never sound like John Coltrane.

[Ritchie]

Play with a loose embouchure and a strong airstream.

You will never sound like anyone else.

There is no perfect saxophone / mouthpiece / reed.

Buying new equipment will not improve your playing.


And for improvised solos:

The notes you do not play are at least as important as the notes you play.

Structure your solo (like a speach, a short story, or a novel).

[TenorReinier]

Never move your fingers to away far from the instrument. That way, you will never be able to play really fast.

Dry your axe after playing. Still don't see why so many players don't.

Have consideration with your neighbours when practicing. After an hour of altissimo and multiphonics, they're probably in for a nice tune.

TenorReinier 8)

[Riff]

As Dr. G would say, 'Go for the tone'

technique will take care of itself.

[colibri]

Do not drop your saxophone.

A squeak made by putting teeth on the reed is not considered altissimo.

Pulling out two of your front teeth will not make you sound like Stan Getz.

Getting a new mouthpiece will not make your fingers move faster.

A baritone saxophone does not feel like playing an alto with a reed that's too soft.

Insure your instrument.

[Bootman]

Stick the thing in ya Gob and Blow, don't just talk about it! 8)

Saxophones don't bounce!!

[mr00420]

making sure I play a saxophone and not a saxaphone.

[SaxyAcoustician]

AIR. With wind instruments it's ALL about how you use AIR.

[Bill Mecca]

have FUN!

[averageschmoe]

air and fingers meet. having a perfect understanding of open and closed so that your fingers can be in constant motion. the slower you practice the faster you can play. groupings groupings groupings, the circle defines time.

[Lowell]

Lots of good advice. I can only add two things:
1 Posture - whether you sit or stand, keep your spine as straight as possible and your head erect for maximum air capacity.
2 Play as much as possible. Do the scales and arpeggios. Play your favorite tunes. Make up tunes as the mood strikes you. Work through every book you have. PLAY.

[Mike Ruhl]

Anything less than a #4 reed or a #10 tip opening is unmanly.

[jazzbluescat]

Anything less than a #4 reed or a #10 tip opening is unmanly.

Dern tootin'!

[paulwl]

Breathe from the tummy. Big and easy. Don't gasp. If you feel cramped or winded, do what singers do - play standing up.

Technique is well to acquire, but first go for tone. Play every tone as beautifully as you know how.

Pick a good sounding note as you warm up. Blow a long, good tone on that note. Model your other notes on that good tone.

Play at least as much softly as you do loudly - in the upper and lower registers especially.

When frustration sets in, practice is over for the day. At least on that piece or that technique that's causing it. Try it tomorrow, back a notch, or two.

When there are teeth marks in your lower lip, practice is over too. Try to ease up on the pressure tomorrow.

Whatever your rules are, don't play too strictly "by" them. They're not much use until they're intuitive to you.

Reinforce positively. Mistakes are no fun already without you hanging up on them.

Perfection is a great quest, but a lousy goal. The journey is the joy.

[morgan]

Anything less than a #4 reed or a #10 tip opening is unmanly.

Another good rule: Never take anyone's advice about reed strength or tip opening.

[Gandalfe]

Buy a decent sax and keep it in good working order.

Every once in a while try to memorize a new sax solo off of CD. Use a DVD player for more control (backing up is easier) till you get it right. Go from Desmond to Getz to whoever--variety is the spice of sax.

Play public gigs as soon as possible. There is no better teacher than experience. If you aren't good enough to go pro, do the community band thang or start your own quartet.

Play well and play often.

[tyler_terlecki]

always put your full heart and soulinto any music you do, otherwise, its just noise

[colibri]

Anything less than a #4 reed or a #10 tip opening is unmanly.

Another good rule: Never take anyone's advice about reed strength or tip opening.

I agree with both of you.

[Mike Ruhl]

:lol: Hey! At least I didn't say a #4 reed AND a #10 tip!

[Bootman]

:lol: Hey! At least I didn't say a #4 reed AND a #10 tip!

This is akin to rent a hernia, try before you buy!! :roll:

[Bill Mecca]

most of all, Keep your sense of humor, and if you don't have one, cultivate it.
:roll:

[Anonymous]

Or at least rent one!

[MikeH]

Don't use a mpc that is too open for you.
How do you know if it is too open?
The reed becomes bent toward the tip.
You can't play in tune with a full sound.
you can't play comfortably for more than a short period of time.
you get pains in your jaw joints.
upper register is difficult to play in tune.
I have been around a lot of younger players and the single biggest source of playing problems that I have observed among young players is using mps'c that are too open.

[Razzy]

Or the related problem, reeds that are too hard. Never play reeds that make you feel as if you need to squeeze your guts out! An ample but not a ridiculous amount of breath support is necessary to play sax correctly.

[tenorman canada]

1. Be at the reed, that is, take your mind and put it inside your mouth and be aware of windstream, pressure on the reed, tongue, and vibrations. Instead of looking around the room, watching chicks, and all kinds of other stuff. Be at the reed.

2. Keep the gut full of air. That's your tone.

3. Sing and speak with the horn, but think before you speak. Don't just blow stuff.

4. Play with the band, not with yourself.

These are my swing thoughts.

[I. Fallon]

Brush teeth before play.

After about forty, don't wait more than a year between visits to the eye doctor.

Practice each day at least as long as you spend viewing this forum/eBay.

Never take lessons on tenor from someone that only plays alto. Never take lessons on alto from someone that only plays tenor. Bari players can take lessons from anyone they want since it is so much fun playing a Bari who care what you sound like!

[Gandalfe]

Ooh, I bet that struck a nerve for some of us.

Practice each day at least as long as you spend viewing this forum/eBay.

[GT]

Practice each day at least as long as you spend viewing this forum/eBay.

Man, I would be so much better.....

[GT]

Well, it didn't turn out exactly right, but it's the thought that counts!

[Razzy]

Hilarious! 8)

And to add, never forget to listen listen listen to players you want to sound like! If you want to sound better at softer volumes, then listen to players who are skilled at playing soft, and the like.

[morgan]

Wear ear protection if the other guys have amplifiers. You can buy a new sax any time you save up the money, but there is nowhere you can buy a new set of ears.

[hornstar]

if you play a wrong note, play it again, louder.

another sax player will move into your town or club. he will play better than you, and will be a really nice guy. you will hate him.

there must be something you haven't bought yet.

chicks think if you play sax you must have great oral abilities. flutter tongue often during your solos.

[Razzy]

if you play a wrong note, play it again, louder.



But only in improvisations!! In classical music that's absolutely distasteful :wink:

[jazzbluescat]

...forget all about "taste."

[hornstar]

with sax, less is more. you should play less more.

the only compliment you can believe is when another saxplayer won't open his case after hearing you play.

[Razzy]

I'd say never forget about taste. Some players are just awful to listen to, and they generally have followed that philosophy: forgotten about taste! Even the most avant-garde jazz player and the most conservative snobbish classical player, and hell, even David Sanborn and Kenny G! They all have one thing in common: musical taste in their respective styles (avant-garde, classical, pop/rock, and easy listening respectively). You can mix styles and stretch the rules but absolutely breaking them typically sounds bad unless you REALLY know what you're doing. And most of us don't :wink:

[saxplayer07]

1. Practice. A LOT!
2. Equipment makes you sound better to an extent
3. Don't drop your horn
4. don't drink a coke or eat anything sugary before you play or your pads will stick
5. Don't get a big head
6. Play loud until your band teacher tells you to back off

[guitarbob]

I posted a sax part on a guitar forum backing track.

One guy asked "How'd you do that?" (meaning how'd you make a guitar sound like a sax), I answered "you blow in the skinny end and noise comes out the fat end."

So my advise, blow in the skinny end and make noise come out the fat end. :roll:

[Billy The Fish]

So my advise, blow in the skinny end and make noise come out the fat end. :roll:

Dagnabbit, so that is why my tone has been poor. I have been playing my horn upside down :shock: ! Took a lot of breath control, I can tell ya !

Billy The Fish

[orions_belt27]

i think probably the most impt and crucial aspect of saxophone playing lies with the embouchure. screw dat up, and you'd screw up your saxophone playing.

therefore, take care of it. :)

[Perfect Pitch]

Love, care for and respect your horn
Practice for a consistent amount of time each day(at least 1/2 hour)
Include long tone and scale exercises
Play with other people whenever you can
Enjoy !

[JfW]

Some horns are inherently better than others, but there's no such thing as "THE best saxophone"

[Sebbe]

saxomaphone.... SAXOMAPHONE!!!!

[saxamaphonegirl]

NEVER let anyone who is not a repair tech touch your horn! This will save you trips to the aforementioned tech.

Don't play too techinically at the expense of emotion, and vice versa.

People change and so do our wants/needs in equipment. What was once a good mouthpiece, may not work for you anymore. It really never ends, but there are pauses in between, lasting minutes to years. :)

Oh, I almost forgot...
Don't be a pompous jerk! It gets you nowhere. (There was this guy in high school with his VI... need I say more.)

[BlueNote]

Clean it daily

Use common sense -- i.e. do not leave it unattended in public

Treat it as an extension of the human voice, not just an instrument.

Do not think that you will achieve a great sound by just changing equipment (mouthpieces, reeds, etc).

Make sure the mouthpiece is level to your mouth, so it allows the maximum amount of air to get out of your body and through your horn.

Learn how to spell saxophone before applying to any workshops, camps, and/or schools

If you need it repaired, take it to someone who knows what they're doing

Take the advice from others with a grain of salt in regards to buying a new saxophone. What may be a great sounding horn to one might not be for another. Always try out several horns of the same type just to see if they are consistant, and also, if you like it.

[58tenor]

If you get lost in a piece while soloing or reading, STOP and listen. You will get back on track much faster than tensing up and groping. The silence will seem interminable to you but it will sound better to everyone else. You will come right back in at the right spot,just like a pro. Even the pros stumble. They just know how to recover smoothly and not make it worse.

[hgiles]

Practice your licks in all 12 keys.

[aquatic]

i never thought of licking my sax.

best tip, keep it clean and keep it dry.

[Joey the Saint]

It's not enough to know what notes to play. You've got to know why you're playing them.

[Sassaphone]

If you aint playing with attitude take up the kazoo instead.

[Grumps]

When you're out gigging and packing up, always double-check before you shut your case that everything's inside.

[swede_peter]

thought it might be interesting if people posted what they see as indespensible tips to playing the saxaphone well.

i suppose the obvious ones are to practice, love the music, dedication etc

but how about some of a more technical nature ?

Many wise things have been said in this thread, but i think no one have mentioned that its REAL nice to have a stand (correct word? i mean a tripod thing were you can "rest" your horn) like for your horn. When you have to go to the loo, answer the phone, start up Band in a box, whatever. They are cheap, bought mine for about 20 dollars. Invest in that if you can. Its handy. In that way, you get much less scratches on your baby.:D
Record yourself every month or so to be able to see how you are improving. You will notice that you really do, how much depends on you.;)

My 2 cents.:notworth:
/Pete.

[jazzbluescat]

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

Always have a proved reed.

[Consider the Source]

Being a rank beginner, I don't refer to what I do as 'playing'. I practice.

My golden rule for practice is to finish strong.

What that means to me is to end with an exercise or a practice piece or a scale or a long tone that I know I can nail.

The reasoning is simply that I want to end my practice session with a positive feeling about my effort.

[cleger]

I've not been at this long enough to have my own golden rules, so my only rule is to listen to people like Tim (http://www.saxontheweb.net/Price/SaxophoneNecessities.html), and many others around here, who know a heck of lot more than I ever will.

[kavala]

thought it might be interesting if people posted what they see as indespensible tips to playing the saxaphone well.

i suppose the obvious ones are to practice, love the music, dedication etc

but how about some of a more technical nature ?

You've had plenty of good advice here.

But did anyone mention physical condition ?
The saxophone is a physical instrument, and so it is a good idea to
be in good shape to play it.
You just can't set the volume knob on stun, which is what a lot
of electric players do.
There is the obvious, you need a good set of lungs, so do plenty
of aerobic exercises.
You need to hold this lump of metal which can be quite heavy,
so do exercises that strengthen your back.
To control the air you need a good diaphragm.
So get those ab's happening. Plenty of situps etc.

[Saxproof]

NEVER let anyone who is not a repair tech touch your horn! This will save you trips to the aforementioned tech.

Don't play too techinically at the expense of emotion, and vice versa.

People change and so do our wants/needs in equipment. What was once a good mouthpiece, may not work for you anymore. It really never ends, but there are pauses in between, lasting minutes to years. :)

Oh, I almost forgot...
Don't be a pompous jerk! It gets you nowhere. (There was this guy in high school with his VI... need I say more.)

Haha when I was small my saxophone had a problem, the Eb key was screwed up. So my sister demanded me to had the sax over and she managed to fix it:? don't know how she does it but....
Here are my rules:
Get all the basics right, don't skip anything
practice ur scales, boring but they help
practice (at least 25 min a day)

[Alto Saxy]

Don't play because you want to be good or you have to; play because you love to

[kavala]

How To Play The Saxophone:

First things first: If you're a white guy, you'll need a stupid hat, the more stupid the better and preferably a beret.

Sunglasses are optional, but all the really, really good players wear them, especially indoors.
You'll also need some "gig shirts"-Hawaiians are good, but in a pinch anything with a loud floral pattern is acceptable, as are T-shirts from various jazz clubs and festivals. The good thing about the latter is that you can get them mail order so you don't have to go to all the trouble of actually seeing and hearing live music. And sandals are an absolute must, even in winter.

Once you've assembled the proper attire you can begin practicing. One of the most important things about playing is being able to convey emotion to the audience. This you do through various facial expressions.

The two emotions you'll need to convey are (1) rapture / ecstasy and (2) soul wrenching pain and sadness (i.e., the blues). You may find it useful in the beginning to borrow a page from the method acting school. So, for example, to convey rapture, try thinking of something nice-like puppy dogs or getting a rim job from Uma Thurman while Phil Barone feeds you Armour hot dogs with
truffle sauce.

To convey the "blues" try thinking of something really appalling-like ulcerative colitis or Alec Baldwin.

You should practice your facial expressions in front of a mirror at least two hours per day. You may feel a tad stupid at first, but you'll never get the chicks if you don't jump around on stage like a monkey-with your face screwed up like there's a rabid wolverine devouring your pancreas. And, bottom line, getting chicks is really what music's all about.

Next, you'll need the correct ligature.

Some people think that the ligature is just a stupid old piece of metal that holds the reed on the mouthpiece. Well, those people are idiots. Besides your beret, the ligature is the single most important piece of musical equipment you will ever buy.
Mine, for example, is 40% platinum and 60% titanium; one screw is rubidium and the other plutonium. It makes me sound exactly like Booker Ervin would if Booker Ervin wasn't (1) dead and/or (2) living on Mars.

You may have to spend years and years and thousands of dollars finding the proper ligature, but in the end it definitely will be worth it.
Now reeds. Optimally, you'll want to move to Cuba, grow and cure your own cane, and carve your own reeds by hand. If you're just a "weekend warrior" however, you can get by with store-bought.

First, buy ten boxes of reeds -100 in all. Next, open all the boxes and throw away 60 reeds.
Those were unplayable. Take the remaining reeds and soak them in a mixture of 27.8% rubbing alcohol and 72.2% pituitary gland extract for a period of 17 weeks.

Throw away 20 more reeds. Those were stuffy.

Take the remaining 20 reeds and sand each one for exactly 13 seconds with #1200 grade 3M sandpaper.

Throw away 14 reeds. Those squeaked.

Take the remaining 6 reeds and soak them for another 17 weeks, this time however in a mixture of 27.8% pituitary gland extract and 72.2% rubbing alcohol.
Sun dry the 6 remaining reeds for 3 weeks, optimally at an equatorial latitude, and throw away 3 more just on general principles.

You now have 3 reeds that will last you several months if you play each one only 20 minutes a day in strict rotation.
Now, you say you just bought a horn. Although you didn't say what kind it is I'd sell it immediately and get a different one.

The best one to get would be a Selmer Mark VI made at 4:27 PM on June 14, 1963, serial number 635543. If you can't get that one though, generally speaking the older and more expensive the better.

The following brands are good: Selmer Paris Mark VI. The following brands suck: any other Selmer, Yamaha, Conn, Beuscher, Yanigasawa, Cannonball, LA, Jupiter, Elkhart, King, Martin, Keilworth, Boosey and Hawkes, Couf, Silvertone, and Holton. On no
account should you play the horn before you buy it: go strictly on reputation and price.

You will also need some accoutrements: a flight case capable of withstanding atmospheric pressure of dP = - Dg dz where D
and g are, respectively, the density of air and the acceleration due to gravity at the altitude of the air layer and dz is a horizontal layer of air having unit surface area and infinitesimal thickness; a metronome; a tuner; a combination alto-tenor-baritone sax stand with pegs for an oboe, bass clarinet, flute, english horn and bassoon; Band in a Box; every Jamie Abersold play-along record ever created; a reed cutter; swabs, cleaners, pad savers, pad dope, pad clamps; a Sennheiser Digital 1092 Wireless Microphone; an effects rig with digital delay and parametric EQ; and a 200 watt (per channel, minimum) amplifier and 18" monitor.
It will be helpful if you listen to lots of sax players. Unfortunately, listening solely to players you like is absolutely the worst thing you can do.

To really understand the music and its traditions you have to go back to the beginning and listen to every bit of music ever recorded. I'd start with madrigals and work forward. Once you get to the 20th century, pay particular attention to players like Jimmy Dorsey, Sidney Bechet, and Al Gallodoro who are the foundations of the modern jazz saxophone.

In no time at all, or by 2034-whichever comes first-you'll be able to nderstand the unique be-bop stylings of players like Ace Cannon, Boots Randolph, and Sam Butera.

Finally, to play the sax itself, blow in the small end and move your fingers around.

[almaxx]

Bird himself once said " First,learn your instrument.Then forget about all that....and just play." Sainthood words.Before I end this reply I would like to say something to kavala. "Are you for real dude...?"

[SactoPete]

Kavala,

That is, without a doubt, the finest piece of saxophone instructional literature I've ever read.

Perhaps you could help me with a quandry that I have. I've been using green felt bumpers on my sax, and I was shocked to find out that Ben Webster used red felt bumpers. I think that switching over will obviously help my sound darken like his, but the color is a bit of a quandry... Of course, I'll be starting with my own hand-spun wool from a lamb I have raised specifically for this purpose, but to get the right red should I use the blood of twelfth-century sacrificed virgin llamas as would be my first inclination for pure tone, or should I lean towards some black-market red dye #5 for authenticity? It's such a difficult issue, and I really don't want to miss the mark.

Pete

[chitownjazz]

Always close your sax case before picking it up. Especially if your horn is inside.

[draper]

Always close your sax case before picking it up. Especially if your horn is inside.

And pick it up so that the lid opens toward your leg/body. If you forgot to close the case, you might save your sax.

[Stan]

If you play a wrong sequence of notes in a solo stop playing as soon you can, listen to the rithm section and start playing again.
It works fine!

Stan

[luther66]

Think of the most beautiful woman in the world, then blow.

[pat_27]

Know Your Scales......ALL OF THEM! Including Chromatics.
The best way (IMHO) to improve your ability and finger speed is practicing your scales.....this is also an excellent way to warm up.

Don't try to zoom through new music the first time. Don't feel ashamed to play the same measure over 13 times......Do what you have to do know what to play and how to play it properly.

Improv is not "Any old Note at random".....Once again, refer to scales, jazz Scales and Metric Scales....(ok, not metric scales, but you get the idea)

There is no "I" or "Me" in the word Band.

[bartone]

Wow, you just described my sax and acroutraments (sp?). However I never listen to players like me, because nobody'd ever record them. I >DO< however have a picture of myself with Sam Butera, who was my inspiration when I started playing in about 1958. It's a prized possession. I really love Sam. And someday, I'm gonna learn to play this thing.
bart

[usda]

I played a lot of wrong notes on classical numbers at the community band...I was told..."you sound like you play lots of jazz!"

On starting playing again...I tried to use a set up Paul Desmond used...including a 3 or 4 strength reed. That broke my butt. When I finally wised up and sanded down a 2 1/2 rico royal reed...I hit my stride and finally enjoyed playing.

[scottysax]

Listen to the tips from this discussion haha

[EurekaSaxMan]

NEVER try too hard, just let the notes come to you.

Its ok to skip a day of practice and give your mouth and fingers a rest.

When sight-reading, always go for rhythm the first time, notes the second time, and dynamics the third time through the song.

never hold your ties too long.

Never buy anything without trying it first.

Nobody is better or worse at playing than anyone else, they're only different.

Don't be afraid to experiment in front of a crowd of people, try new things. somethings wont work, and some will.

[ssleb]

Hear the note before you play it. Once it's out, it's out, so don't worry about it being 'wrong'.

[mpsax]

try and avoid stapling your tongue to the wall....it can impair your playing abilities...

[ssleb]

try and avoid stapling your tongue to the wall....it can impair your playing abilities...

And why exactly do you know this?:? :shock: :cry:

[mpsax]

self piercing that went horribly wrong...

[paulwl]

Your teacher is not a god.

It's you, not your setup. But you're entitled to a setup that doesn't hang you up.

Learn about voicing. Because the back half of you tongue is just as useful as the front half.

Modeling your favorite players is educational, but you won't ever sound "just like" anybody.

Don't be negative or judgmental about your playing or others'. There's more than enough of that to go around already. Instead think, "What can I learn from this person or experience?"

There will be other good reeds.

[kavala]

Kavala,

That is, without a doubt, the finest piece of saxophone instructional literature I've ever read.

Perhaps you could help me with a quandry that I have. I've been using green felt bumpers on my sax, and I was shocked to find out that Ben Webster used red felt bumpers. I think that switching over will obviously help my sound darken like his, but the color is a bit of a quandry... Of course, I'll be starting with my own hand-spun wool from a lamb I have raised specifically for this purpose, but to get the right red should I use the blood of twelfth-century sacrificed virgin llamas as would be my first inclination for pure tone, or should I lean towards some black-market red dye #5 for authenticity? It's such a difficult issue, and I really don't want to miss the mark.

Pete

I think you're on the right track.
But to be sure - check with Steve Goodson, the authority on such matters !

[dshack]

When something's not working out, get an outside perspective. You don't even always need another person for this; record yourself on a mic or with a camcorder, or just stand in front of a mirror. You'll catch embouchure problems, fingers flying too far from the keys, etc.

[dstack79]

Right on...This is great advice, Ritchie.

I'd add another item: Whatever it is you play (or dont play), always have a deliberate idea/concept that you're going for. I think Stan Getz once said, "I never played a note i didn't mean". Lastly, play what you think wld sound best in your mind's ear.


Play with a loose embouchure and a strong airstream.

You will never sound like anyone else.

There is no perfect saxophone / mouthpiece / reed.

Buying new equipment will not improve your playing.


And for improvised solos:

The notes you do not play are at least as important as the notes you play.

Structure your solo (like a speach, a short story, or a novel).

[brutlix]

Learn to spell it correctly.

[CircaRevival]

Be sure to spend more time on this forum then you practice.

[Txori]

In view of the current restrictions re hand luggage on flights leaving the UK, I suggest you don't let your sax go into the hold in a gig bag or this cud be the result!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Saxaholic]

The above picture is the Selmer Mark VI made at 4:27 PM on June 14, 1963, serial number 635543.

Buy it, and practice REEEAALLLY hard. You'll sound like Bird in no time.

Or 2120, whiever comes first.

Saxaholic

[ssleb]

That thing looks like a piece of gum that I spat out this morning.