Does anyone else twist their mouthpiece a bit to the side?

[Konrad]

Not the neck, but the mouthpiece. I've found that it makes the sax a lot more comfortable (tenor anyway). Is this a bad habit? I probably turn mine a bit more than a lot of people...

K

[Mike Ruhl]

For playing while sitting, you're supposed to twist the mouthpiece slightly clockwise. This enables you to maintain proper posture and breath support.

[Konrad]

I have it this way while standing too...

It just seems more comfortable.

By the way, did Lester Young have some sort of pivotable mouthpiece? How did he do the Lester trick?

K

[Andres]

He just turned his mouthpiece, and held his horn at a sharper angle. No rocket science.

[max]

My two front teeth aren't exactly level, so I turn mine just a bit even when standing.

I also turn the neck just to one side because of the way the horn hangs on the strap.

As long as it doesn't get in the way of a decent embouchure, you can adjust things for your comfort - no big deal...

[MS]

Konrad - Look at yourself while standing and sitting in front of a mirror. I'll bet you'll be able to determine if the angle looks sensible to you.

Things to check out:
1) Is your spine straight
2) Does your body look balanced
3) see any tension in your shoulders, are shoulders about level
Is your forearm resting on your leg?
4) Does your head look level and natural? Neck at a comfortable looking
angle (so as not to effect air flow and voicing)?
5) Does the saxophone look like a natural part of you?

The saxophone can be adjusted to fit your natural looking state. If it looks like you have contorted your body to fit the saxophone, I'd consider some changes.

Adjust the neckstrap so that the mouthpiece comes easily to your lips. Weight of the horn on the neckstrap and counterbalanced by both thumbs. Check that you're not supporting the horn with any other part of your hands (depend on the neckstrap and thumbs) with top teeth resting on top of the mps to help stabilize the horn.

You will find many good players that differ from the above suggestions, but it might be a good place for you to start and see where you go from there. Good luck and have fun. :D

[saxtub]

I've always played the alto straight out in front when standing and sitting. Therefore, my mouthpiece and sax neck are always on straight. That's the way I was taught as a kid. I don't know if it is the 'right' way, but I'm so used to it, I don't think I could play it any other way. 8)

[Gandalfe]

I've seen many women sax players do it that way too SaxTub. I've played both sidesaddle and straight on and prefer straight on for most gigs.

[Konrad]

My forearm on my leg?

Huh?

I guess you mean my right forearm, but I'm not sure how it could be on my leg if I'm playing.

Also, foot tapping when standing is a bit awkward. I start bouncing the sax a litle bit...

I know these are stupid questions, but after so many years of keeping time with my right foot (on guitar) it's hard to do it any other way.

[Ritchie]

It really only depends on how you hold the horn. If you hold it in a comfortable and relaxed way without distorting yourself, turn the mouthpiece on the neck in a way that the mouthpiece fits your mouth. The moutpiece must not be twistet relative to your lips, so the pressure is even and neiter side is pressed more than the other.

I've seen some pictures of Lester Young where he holds the horn more down to the body. As a consequence he twists his head to the right to compensate for the mouthpiece position.

[saxtub]

Whatever floats yer boat. 8)

[Paul Coats]

The head should be upright and straight ahead, not cocked to the side ala Dave Sanborn. I see this so often in school age players.

Not only is the mouthpiece turned on the neck to allow the head to be upright, but the neck should be twisted in the neck socket to allow the instrument to be played most comfortably.

Modern altos and tenors, with the bell pads on the right side, have an offset to the bell, so that the bell is about 10 -15 degrees to the left. This is perfectly normal. So, the neck will not be directly in a line with the body and bell of the instrument.

Make the sax fit you, don't make your body fit the sax!

Also, because the teeth may not be perfectly even, either upper or lower teeth, and the embouchure muscles not perfectly even in strength, it is not uncommon for the mouthpiece to enter the mouth at a slight angle (yet feel straight to the player), or for the marks from the upper teeth on top of the mouthpiece to be offset slightly to one side or the other. (And this includes me, and a number of players I know).

[Konrad]

Thanks Paul C!

That's what I needed, the voice of authority!

K