Embouchure Question

[Abe Sloan]

Is it possible to play up and down the range of your horn with little or no change in your embouchure? I notice that there is little change for me from low b flat to high c since I changed the mouthpiece. Above that I go through all kinds of gyrations to hit or more often miss the higher notes. How can I tell if this primarily a mouthpiece problem or a me problem?

[Anonymous]

When you play, your lips should stay in the same place on the mouthpiece, for the whole range including the Altissimo range!

The only thing that changes is
opening the throat, moving the
tongue around, altering the air pressurw flow from your stomach, and proving a constant steady air flow!

There are some players who move their mouth in and out of the mouthpiece – but most sax teachers frown on this and will discourage you from doing it! Theres no need to move the mouth in & out of the mouthpiece – this will create out of tune sounds

[Anonymous]

forgot to include – changing lip
pressure is ok to do

[Abe Sloan]

Thanks JB.

[Abe Sloan]

Next question. I have the habit of biting hard into my lower to reach for higher notes. What is a better way and how do I get there?

[john]

Biting harder and more lip pressure is exactly how I do it. when we’re playing those relaxed and easy lower notes there is no hard biting, just not necessary but when we get up to the top of the sax, especially the altissimo range we need to bite harder or else you won’t get the necessary support to hit, hold and sustain them.
while you’re practicing focus in on this, the lower register only needs “this much” pressure…as you go up you’ll figure out on exactly which note this starts to change because you’ll feel it getting harder to play and sustain this higher register if you don’t make the necessary changes.

[Abe Sloan]

Thanks Johnny. As a re-starter, altissimo seems a high goal to me.

[Abe Sloan]

My new Yani alto arrived last week and I was all impressed because it came with a Yani #5 mouthpiece. When I checked it out on line it seemed to be considered an upgrade from what you would usually expect. I also learned that it has the same tip opening as the Yahama 4c which is recommended so often for beginners and the Yani is rubber, not plastic. However, I was struggling with both the highest and lowest notes and thought it was just a beginner being a beginner. However, today I tried the Yahama 4c and the whole range of notes came out clear as a bell and my whole face felt more relaxed. I have that mouthpiece on hold for me and I will try it again along with the Selmer that Johnny suggests in the beginner course. I do have a prejudgment against plastic but if the more expensive Selmer does not feel and sound significantly better, I will ignore my prejudice and save the money…

[Anonymous]

if you listen to what mouthpiece makers say – use a new reed on a new mouthpiece, the reason being, Reeds tend to mould/seal properly to their existing mouthpieces and don’t fare as well on a different mouthpiece.
I suspect the new mouthpiece is slightly different in shape to your old one, and its more of getting used to the new one embouchure wise.
I started out with a yamaha 4c and i kept using it for the 1st 10 months, then changed to a selmar solo – for clasical stuff

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