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November 15, 2020 at 10:40 am #99624
Hi – I posted a similar problem some time ago but still having trouble. The problem is that I start playing with the mouthpiece in the correct position but within 4-6 bars my mouth has moved down the mouthpiece so that I have a tiny bit of reed in my mouth which clearly stops not only the clarity but can also seize up the reed totally. I use a Selmer C* mouthpiece and Vandoren 3 reed. IF anyone has any clever tips on how to stop this happening – that would be greatly appreciated.
I’m wondering whether this is a mouthpiece with a narrower / less steep back to front so that my teeth / mouth don’t slide down?
Thanks Peter
November 15, 2020 at 1:59 pm #99634Anonymous
try using a mouthpiece patch, this stops your teeth from sliding down the mouthpiece
November 15, 2020 at 7:48 pm #99642Hi Peter, great advice about the mouth patches from James, ya itz sure worth a swing.
I mainly use a Selmer S80 D with a patch. I use a patch on my Otto Link Super Tone Master #7 too.
Maybe try this – stand up straight and tall, set mp in mouth, twist mp on crook about 30 degrees counterclockwise
This will offer up the mp straight to your mouth whilst your sax is twisted on hip
Try dropping your right hand bit below the thumb hook to the retaining screw or plate – and push out and up
Aim for balancing the sax by swinging offa your teeth. The patch grips ya in good and tight. No worries.
Suggest breathe by dropping bottom lip, don’t lift teeth gasping for air
All the best! 🙂
Interestingly, see ~November 15, 2020 at 8:05 pm #99643errata – here’s some, Peter if you haven’t seen them before. They last a while then start getting chewed up, so then i peel the old one off, clean mp with rubbing alcohol and spray with WD 40 to remove old gum residue, i’ve read some people like to use 2 patches one atop the other, being a clear one and black one, anyways have found 3M black ones last longest for me, good luck, rock on. cheers mark
November 16, 2020 at 12:19 am #99645Thanks for the comments James / Mark. I do use a patch already but maybe will look at differnt types for more ‘stickiness’. I’ll also play around with posture to see if that makes a difference.
I have seen mp’s with a ‘build in’ patch – have you tried any of these?
Thanks again, Peter
November 20, 2020 at 5:28 pm #99723Yeah mouthpiece positioning is always a comfort vs tone trade off. If go by what I was always taught (about halfway up the bill” I get a good tone up till D3 and the it gets more difficult to hit the altissimo notes, I end up adjusting to compensate. But the I watch videos of some of my sax hero’s (Sanborn, Red Prysok, King Curtis) and it looks like they’re literally playing on the tip of the mouthpiece. I just try and find a comfortable area that gives me the best combination. One of my other Sax heros Sil Austin plays with 3/4’s of the bill in his mouth.
November 21, 2020 at 12:46 am #99725The problem with mouthpieces, the more you pull them out, you make it harder for your embouchure to play very altissimo high pitches, the more you shove the mouthpiece in, you make it easier to play high pitches. I have my mouthpiece 2/3 rds the way in. I also play with my lips near the tip of the mouthpiece as well. Sometimes i play with my whole tongue touching the length of the reed, this creates different muffled effects. but remember im only a learner.
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