[cubbies2ws]

Recently, as my instructor has pointed out, I am having throat issues. He noticed that I tend to dramatically adjust my throat depending on which register I am playing in. For some reason, this really seems to affect playing my G space5. It usually happens when I am coming to it from a higher note and I overblow it causing an nasty sound. My instructor keeps telling me to keep my throat open while I play, like I apparently must do to play in the lower registers. I don't really know how to control my throat I just have programmed my mind to know how to position it for depending on which register I am in, so I really don't have conscious control over my throat and this is really getting to be a problem. Is my instructor really trying to tell me that I should have the same thraot position while playing a low B flat as I should while playing a high F? This just doesn't seem possible. I feel like if I always keep the same throat position, many of my notes higher and lower registers won't sound good, or come out at all! If anyone any tips on how I can resolve this issue, or provide any more insight into my issue, please post. I need any help I can get. Thank you!

 

[hakukani]

Your instructor's right.

Think of blowing warm air. You can't blow warm air if your throat is constricted.

Now, at the same time, arch your tongue high in the back, and low at the tip, as if saying 'heeee'. Combine that with thinking warm air, and your pitch will probably go down a bit. Push in the mouthpiece.

You'll have a big, fat sound in all registers...

Here's another exercise...have someone else (another player or teacher) finger the sax while you blow it. They should be able to play just about anywhere on the horn--without you changing.

 

[rjent]

Your instructor's right.

Think of blowing warm air. You can't blow warm air if your throat is constricted.

Now, at the same time, arch your tongue high in the back, and low at the tip, as if saying 'heeee'. Combine that with thinking warm air, and your pitch will probably go down a bit. Push in the mouthpiece.

You'll have a big, fat sound in all registers...

Here's another exercise...have someone else (another player or teacher) finger the sax while you blow it. They should be able to play just about anywhere on the horn--without you changing.

That is a great exercise and good advice. Try it! You will learn a lot. Also try playing A then close your eyes and have someone press the octave key.

 

[cc]

Your instructor's right.

Here's another exercise...have someone else (another player or teacher) finger the sax while you blow it. They should be able to play just about anywhere on the horn--without you changing.

Joe Viola did this exercise with me while playing Loyon etudes. Some of my best memories. It is a very effective teaching tool.

 

[MartinMods]

Practice the overtone series off of low Bb, B, and C. Practice the overtone series off of low Bb, B, and C. Practice the overtone series off of low Bb, B, and C. Practice the overtone series off of low Bb, B, and C.

This will fix everything.

 

[nashilaksmana]

Sorry to hijack you thread, but i think this is still related.
I have read all the posts above. I understand it and have done it.
However, i am just in doubt if i have done it correctly or not.
So is there any way to check if someones throat is opened or not? or to see what an opened-throat look like?? or how is it suppose to feel
or is there any some sort of indicator maybe?
I just wanna check if i am doing it correctly.

cheers

 

[buddy lee]

I've heard two theories regarding "open throat". Some say it just means there's no tension in your throat, no straining etc. Some say it's something you actively do, like how it feels to yawn. I've tried both, and for ME it seems the latter gives me a better tone and fatter high notes (when combined with the arched tongue that Hak spoke of above).

 

[ekdowlin]

Here's another exercise...have someone else (another player or teacher) finger the sax while you blow it. They should be able to play just about anywhere on the horn--without you changing.

This was very eye-opening for me when my instructor did this in college. There was a passage that I could not play involving large interval jumps in sixteenth notes. He had me blow and he fingered the horn and it came out perfect. That really messed with my head! It's amazing how we over-complicate things.

 

[airmouton]

cubbies, nash -

Try singing intervals with finger and thumb on either side of your Adam's apple. Feel it moving? It shouldn't. Practice doing this while keeping your throat relaxed and still. Your vocal chords should do the work - just like, ideally, your saxophone should do the work.

You may still have trouble getting high notes to speak if your airstream and embouchure aren't straight. You probably learned, early on, to move your throat in order to compensate for issues in these two departments, with the result that you can play the extremes, but your tone is uneven and thin, and your intonation is inconsistent. Singers often have this problem, too.

This is why it's difficult to obtain proper technique! It can make you sound worse, before it lets you sound better. So along with an open throat, you might need to spend some time also on focusing your airstream - this comes down to a focused oral cavity and proper lung support - and maintaining an embouchure which allows the reed to vibrate - minimal pressure on the reed - but is firm enough so that it doesn't absorb those vibrations.