How to Blow the Lower Octave on a Sax
A common problem that beginning saxophone students have is playing the low notes on the saxophone. Low notes require proper technique and breath control, and this requires practice and more practice. In addition to technique and practice, the saxophone needs to be set up properly. Beginners often use soft reeds because they are easier to make sound with, but it is difficult to play low notes on the saxophone with soft reeds. Practicing octaves on the saxophone is a good exercise that develops your technique, control and ear.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Ensure that the saxophone is in good working order and set up properly. One problem that interferes with playing low notes on the saxophone is leaky pads. The pads that cover the four lowest holes on the saxophone are the most prone to leaking. Have the saxophone checked out by a professional saxophone technician. Cheap mouthpieces that come with inexpensive saxophones also make it difficult to play the low notes on the saxophone. Replace the mouthpiece with a Rascher ($90) or Morgan 2C ($100) mouthpiece. Using a proper reed also makes a difference. Saxophone reeds are graded from 1 to 4 in terms of softness and hardness; 1 is the softest and 4 is the hardest. Many beginners begin with a soft reed. Playing low notes on the saxophone clearly and distinctly requires a 2.5 or 3 reed.
-
2
Strengthen your embrouchure technique by practicing with the mouthpiece. The embrouchure is the position of the lips, tongue and teeth used for playing a woodwind instrument. Low notes require a firm embrouchure, which requires strong facial muscles. Remove the mouthpiece from the saxophone. Blow through the mouthpiece and play an A-flat note. Use a tuner to check your pitch. Tighten your embrouchure until you are able to play the A-flat clearly and distinctly. Your embrouchure should have a similar degree of tightness when playing the low notes on the saxophone.
-
-
3
Inhale deeply and fill your lungs with air. Pay attention to your stance and posture as you are inhaling. Raised shoulders indicates that you are not breathing from the bottom of your diaphragm.
-
4
Play a low C on the saxophone. Practice saying "aah" as you blow into the saxophone. Saying "aah" forms the proper embrouchure for playing low notes on the saxophone. Concentrate on the tone and the timbre of the note. Sustain the note for as long as possible. Playing low notes requires a strong, consistent air flow. Sustaining a note for a long period of time increases your breath control and produces a fuller and richer note. Practice playing the low C with a electronic tuner to check the pitch of the note. If the note wobbles, the tuner will indicate that you are going sharp or flat. Continue practicing the C until you can consistently play the note in tune.
-
5
Practice playing octaves on the saxophone. A major scale has eight notes. The first and the eighth note are the same note, but the eighth note is higher. A C major scale, for example, is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. Alternating between a low C and the C that is an octave higher develops your ear and technique, which makes playing the lower notes easier. There are two ways to play an octave on the saxophone -- with the octave key in the back of the saxophone and altering your embrouchure. Locate the octave on the backside of the saxophone. It is a curved metal key near the left-hand thumb rest. Position your thumb on the thumb rest so that the tip of the thumb slightly rests beyond the edge of the thumb rest on the octave key. Play the low C, and then play the C an octave higher by pressing the octave key. Alternate between the low C and the high C several times using a tuner to check the intonation. Concentrate on achieving a consistent timbre and tonal quality for both notes. The second method for alternating between a low C and a high C is by altering the embrouchure. Instead of saying "aah," say "eeh" as you blow into the saxophone. Arch your tongue up to the top of your mouth. This produces a smaller mouth chamber that makes it possible to the higher C. Alternate between the low C and the high C.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot RF/Polka Dot/Getty Images
