Things You'll Need:
- Cecilio saxophone
- Saxophone reed
- Neck strap
- Method book
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Step 1
Assemble the instrument and put the reed on the mouthpiece. Put the neck strap on and hook it to the instrument on the neck strap ring, about halfway down the sax's body. Be gentle with the reed; if it breaks or chips, throw it away and use a new one.
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Step 2
Sit with your feet flat on the floor and with the sax hanging to the right of your body. Sit up straight.
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Step 3
Place your left hand at the top of the instrument. Your first finger goes on the second key at the top, your second finger goes on the third key, and your third finger goes on fourth key. Your little finger will play the smaller keys below these keys.
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Step 4
Place your right hand at the bottom of the sax. Your right fingers go on the bottom three keys. Check the fingering chart in the links below to make sure you are putting your fingers on the right keys.
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Step 5
Wet your lips a little bit and tuck your lips under your teeth as if pursing your lips. Keep the corners of your lips tight and firm. Place your lips on the top and bottom of the reed.
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Step 6
Inhale through your nose and blow out through your mouth. Blow steadily through the mouthpiece without puffing up your cheeks. The note that sounds is a B-flat.
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Step 7
Touch the tip of your tongue to the reed while you are blowing to very briefly stop or articulate the sound. This is called "tonguing" and is done with every separate note.
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Step 8
Practice daily, working through all of the exercises in a method book for saxophone. Join your school or community band and take lessons for rapid improvement.
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Step 9
Clean your sax after every practice session, lesson, or rehearsal. Swab it out thoroughly and store your reeds in the plastic box they came in to keep them from breaking, splitting, or chipping.
