Flute & sax embouchure changes over different ranges

adamk said:

I think more reed is needed to get a full low note and less reed needs to vibrate for the higher.
Your example possibly corroborates my position.
How can one change the direction of the airstream on a sax mpc?

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Airstream direction is changed with the tongue. This also affects the timbre. I can achieve a brighter or darker tone by raising or lowering the back of the tongue, changing the volume of the inside of my mouth. Opening the throat has other effects. All these changes become automatic after a little experimentation and making the connection between the oral/throat cavity changes and the resulting sound you hear, same as you've done on flute.

In my experience, I find that the opposite works for me in terms of getting the best tone and response in different registers. For low notes, I simultaneously drop and pull in my jaw, the net effect changing the pressure on the reed and the direction (vector) of the force applied. This gives me a full, lush sound, probably the opposite of what a classical player wants. Your method would achieve a brighter tone on low notes than mine and a thinner sound up high. I take in more reed up high to counteract this thin sound. This matches what you see in the video.

Bottom line, it all comes down to whatever allows you to produce the sound in your head. That will vary from person to person. Regardless, such adjustments are required in each register, each note in fact.

It's really hard to describe. But it's not simply a matter of up and down really. If you simply move the tongue up and down, the air flow, direction and volume is constant. It's both changing the shape and expansion/contraction to change not only the trajectory of the air but also the internal volume of the mouth. If you can speak or drink through a straw, you probably have the tongue dexterity required.

Try this. Imitate the sound of a wind storm, vary the sound from a fast wind to a slow. In doing this the volume of your mouth will change and the pitch will change low to high. Your tongue moves forward and back, expanding and contracting. This sort of motion should also result in slight timbre changes. Move on to your throat, expanding as if yawning, then contracting back to normal. This will also have effects.

If this still doesn't work for you, one on one with a teacher is what you'll need (whenever that's practical again). He/she can evaluate any physical limitations, see/hear what you're doing and give more specific instruction.

I've seen him live a couple of times as well. Probably the best living jazz sax player there is right now.

You can hear a lot of elements from other great players in Chris's sound, so emulating his influences would also be a good starting point. But if I wanted to sound like him (who wouldn't), I'd stick with your HR Link and a softer reed. But I admit I know zero about the Couf mouthpiece. It may work just as well. Bob Reynolds also play a HR Link and gets a great sound. So give him a listen as well.

I'd also try to get in the habit of using more traditional articulation techniques. As a jazz player, tongue on the reed is the way to go unless you're purposely trying to do something to set you apart from other players. Otherwise, I think it's going to be very limiting and not work very well in most circumstances.

If a new 3 is as hard as a broken in 3 1/2, buy a couple of 2 1/2's.

Given your latest description, I think the bigger issue is your articulation. If I understand correctly, you interrupt the air flow by touching your tongue to the roof of your mouth while the underside of the tongue touches the reed? Don't do that.

I'm not entirely clear on how your staccato works either. You said tongue between the teeth. While that makes sense on flute, there happens to be a mouthpiece between your teeth on sax. So where does your tongue actually go? If it actually touches your teeth, then you're not putting the mouthpiece in your mouth correctly.

I think you went in the wrong direction very early and developed some bad habits that are going to take a lot of time and effort to correct. You really need one on one with a teacher. Even skype/zoom if that's the only practical solution right now. Something where an experienced player or teacher can see and hear what you're doing and demonstrate the correct approach so you can see and hear it.

I don't think he covers tonguing, but check out Jay Metcalf's (Better Sax) beginner Youtube videos about embouchure to at least get to a good starting point. I'll update this post with a link later, if I can find the video I'm thinking of.