[Lenny]

I've been playing tenor and soprano for well over 20 years . Its always been a hobby but I was what I would call a gigging amateur and can play my way around most Jazz tunes, play in tune, know my changes, had fair technique, etc. Then about 6-7 years ago I developed embouchure dystonia which stopped me in my tracks. That's a weird neurological condition where your brain stops being able to control very specific muscles. I put down the tenor entirely but have continued to play soprano and was starting to get my chops back, though slowly because my lip would get tired easily . However Covid has thrown even that for a loop and I have barely played in months . Consequently my lip is even more out of shape. So this brings me to the question I want to ask:

I'm trying to start practicing again, but I notice that while my sound is good at first , as I play only a few minutes 2 things happen -
1- I can hear my lip getting tired and having more trouble - which I expect
but
2- I also continually find my reed closing up on me till I can barely play at all. This I don't understand.

I've noticed this reed issue for a long time since the dystonia when I'm tired, though I didn't experience it so much when playing with people as much as practicing at home. I cannot tell if my reed is just so old and soft that its dying immediately and loses its responsiveness , or the tendency of my tired lip is to clamp up so much that I can't even get a sound out - or both. I have tried changing reeds and it doesn't usually help for very long , so it sounds more likely that its me. But I don't understand why I would be closing the sound off like that. I don't feel like I'm that tired or that I'm clamping down that much. BTW - I am playing soft #2 reeds on a pretty small tip opening mouthpiece.

Does this sound familiar? Is it a common problem? What am I doing wrong?

Thanks - Lenny

 

[olds1959special]

try a harder reed

 

[Lenny]

Don't have the chops for a harder reed. And when my chops were stronger I could play for a long time on a #2. It worked fine for me. But I do always wonder if the reeds that are closing are just shot or if its something else.

 

[Jazz House]

You're probably squeezing way too hard as you get tired or your reed is too soft.

 

[milandro]

Don't have the chops for a harder reed. And when my chops were stronger I could play for a long time on a #2. It worked fine for me. But I do always wonder if the reeds that are closing are just shot or if its something else.

this occasionally happens to me if from a soft passage I get into a harder attack, in reality , at that point I should have automatically taken more mouthpiece (lengthening the vibrating portion of reed).

If and when this bothers me, then the moment has arrived to slightly clip the reed , and I mean slightly.

I put the wet reed in the clipper and then have it peaking out ( I eyeball it don't measure it) and clip, you can try and if not enough you may even repeat the operation.

It works for me

 

[saxoclese]

It is quite common and perfectly normal when the muscles around the mouth begin to tire for the player to compensate by substituting upward pressure from the jaw to maintain control of the tone. In his book "The Art of Saxophone Playing" Larry Teal gives the muscle building exercise to alternate "smile - whistle" 50 times and then rest. Donald Sinta recommends holding a soda straw with your lips as long as you can while you are sitting watching TV. Of course practicing long tones every day as part of a warm-up routine is also essential. Continuing to play after the embouchure muscles have "given out" does nothing more than create poor playing habits. Resting for 30 minutes when your embouchure gets tired is always useful in my experience. Reminding yourself to "open the teeth" when you play can also help.

It is also worth mentioning something my teacher once said and that is "the more work you can do with the airstream, the less work is required of the embouchure".