How to Articulate Notes on an Alto Saxophone

When playing the saxophone, you can manipulate the sound using your tongue in a variety of techniques. Your tongue is used most often for note articulation, which is a brief pause or break between notes. It is important to learn how to properly utilize your tongue when playing a saxophone.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Gently touch the tip of the reed while playing a note. Do it quickly and lightly, but apply enough pressure to put a small break in the notes. Your tongue touching the reed actually mutes the sound.

2. Create a vibrato sound using a tongue technique with your saxophone. Vibrato is a sort of vibration in a long note, which gives the note a deep resonate sound. While playing a note, manipulate the air stream using your tongue.

3. Try glissando, which is a sliding technique. Once again, manipulate the air stream with your tongue placement with the help of throat placement to bend or slide from one note to another. The fingering changes on the saxophone mid-note.

4. Employ the double-tongue technique on your saxophone, which articulates twice in one tongue movement for fast-paced music. The double-tongue technique uses the tip of the tongue followed by the back of the tongue to touch the reed twice articulating each time.

5. Try the smack tongue technique. Use a large portion of your tongue to create suction around a good portion of the reed. Release your mouth quickly and your tongue from the reed to create a smack sound. It may take some practice to create the right sound.