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Home Alt Forums Problems With Your Sax? Stopping Squeaks: "squeak-buster" tips….

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  • #36254
    Jazz Cat
    Participant

      thread idea: pleasae share your favorite tip(s) that work to minimize squeaks….

      a) one I found today is, make sure mouthpiece is straight into your mouth, not at a slight angle.
      I was getting high-G squeaks today til I did that.

      b) make sure reed is wet enough…first thing I do before practicing is put reed in mouth… then
      set up sax & music..

      got a tip? let’s hear ’em…

      #36255
      Anonymous

        c) stick to the same mouthpiece – i don’t squeak full stop. I only start squeaking when i play on a different size mouthpiece (in my case its all from the embouchure)

        My teacher plays a size 9 metal mouthpiece on tenor and on alto he plays a size 7 rubber mouthpiece – that way he doesn’t squeak as both mouthpieces are roughly the same size. if he plays a size 9 rubber mouthpiece on altonthen he squeaks

        #36258
        William Cingolani
        Participant

          Good tips Jazz Cat. I have to remember those tips.

          #36259
          Mark Kiziuk
          Participant

            I know I’m brand new but I want to try to help too! Try not to blow too hard into the mouth piece, also I just purchased D’Addario Multi-Instrument Reed Storage Case with Humidity Control Pack for all Clarinets and Saxophones from eBay that’s supposed to keep the reeds moist before you put them on the mp. I’ve seen that your supposed to put the reed in your mouth while putting the sax together, but for me that’s like a minute! It doesn’t seem like a long enough amount of time to moisten a reed so going to try the reed storage case with humidifier to moisten my reeds to cut down on any squeeking. I will keep everyone posted about this new reed case I just purchased.
            Mark

            #36263
            William Cingolani
            Participant

              My wife says i’m too loud on the tenor: using a MB11 mouthpiece

              #36265
              Jazz Cat
              Participant

                my dog objects violently to my sax playing, lol…so I practice in the basement, bark-free

                #36288
                William Cingolani
                Participant

                  My first Aussie objected so much I had to go outside and practice. No basement in Florida on the beachside

                  #36289
                  William Cingolani
                  Participant

                    Mark. I usually soak a reed or some reeds in water & vodka for about 30 minutes before I play. So far the vodka prevents any mold from forming on a stored reed. I keep a sealed container of water/vodka mixture on my desk. Also makes the reed taste good.

                    #36290
                    Mark Kiziuk
                    Participant

                      Great Idea William!
                      Yeah I’m going to give the humidifier thing a whirl, but I didn’t think about mold growing on the reed. I’m also getting a lot better at my saxophone, I practice EVERY DAY so far for 18 days. It might only be about 10 minutes a day,(my mouth muscles for my embouchure need to develop further) but everything is getting better as far as my tone,embouchure, training my brain to where the keys are, speed AND far less squeeks. For me it’s all in the correct embouchure and not blowing so hard reduces the squeeks!
                      Mark

                      #36292
                      Marc
                      Participant

                        I’ve found so far that squeaks were frequent when I put the ligature too far back (i.e. reed too free to vibrate).
                        So I use to put the ligature up to the line of the “french file cut” on the Rico Royal I usually play.
                        And yes, blowing too hard drastically increases the squeak probability.

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