How to Set Up an Alto Saxophone

Set up the saxophone to match your specific playing posture before playing.

Playing any instrument well requires that you properly setup the instrument for play before sounding your first note. This is especially true of reed instruments, such as the Alto Saxophone. The setup follows a careful procedure that is necessary for the comfort of the player and the production of musically enjoyable notes. With the proper setup, the sound made on the instrument depends entirely on the skill of the player, while an improperly setup Alto Saxophone makes playing well impossible, even for the best of saxophonists.

Things You'll Need

• Saxophone reed
• Saxophone mouthpiece
• Alto neck
• Alto saxophone body
• Cork grease
• Ligature
• Mouthpiece cap
• Neck strap

Instructions

1. Place the pieces of your Alto sax on a clean, flat surface to make certain all of the pieces are present. Your pieces must include the alto sax body, the alto neck, instrument mouthpiece, ligature and saxophone reeds. Three other useful parts that may be unnecessary in the final setup are a neck strap, mouthpiece cap and cork grease.

2. Place a saxophone reed into your mouth to allow your salvia to wet the item.

3. Attach the mouthpiece to the narrow end of the saxophone neck by sliding the open round end of the mouthpiece down the neck's cork until it's midway down the cork's length. Make sure the flat side of the mouthpiece where you place the reed faces downward. Apply a small amount of cork grease onto the cork if the mouthpiece is resistant to placement.

4. Remove the reed from your mouth, and place it with the flat side downward onto the flat of the mouthpiece opening. The thin part of the reed must face out to vibrate properly. Secure the reed to the mouthpiece by sliding the ligature, which is traditionally a circular adjustable band of brass, down the mouthpiece and over the reed with the screws placed so that they're toward the rear of the mouthpiece. Adjust the positioning of the reed so that the tip of the reed aligns with the tip of the mouthpiece while centered on the flat of the mouthpiece. Tighten the screws of the ligature to hold the reed onto the mouthpiece.

5. Attach the neck of the saxophone into the saxophone body with a slight screwing motion. Slide the neck into the body until it's completely on, with the brass of the neck touching the brass of the body and the mouthpiece top aligned with the center of the saxophone body bell. Tighten the neck screw to hold the position of the two pieces.

6. Place the neck strap, if used, around your neck then attach the hook on the end of the strap to the hook opening on the rear of the saxophone body, located about midway down its length. The neck strap helps you hold the saxophone steady during play.

7. Adjust the saxophone setup to match your body size and posture. Use the clasp on the neck strap to lengthen or shorten the strap length so that you can hold the mouthpiece to your mouth without slack in the strap. Slightly twist the saxophone neck to adjust for handedness when holding the saxophone so that you don't have to crane your neck to reach the mouthpiece. Adjust the mouthpiece to match the the most comfortable angle while holding your head during play.

References

• altosaxophone.us: Alto Saxophone Lesson III -- Putting Your Alto Sax Together
• Saxophone-Players.com: How to Play Saxophone, Getting Started

Resources

• Virginia Tech Department of Music: Music Dictionary - Alto saxophone
• The International Saxophone: Saxophone Basics