Saxophone beginners Alto embouchure

[wooster]

I'm getting more comfortable with my Tenor, Yamaha 4c mouthpiece and No 2 Legere AC reed. All good and well. A recent trip away made me grab my Alto and I gave it a blow. I was a bit astonished at how tight I seemed to have to make my embouchure. I really had to squeeze my mouth corners to make it sound all right. I intend to stick with Tenor but I'd like to give some time to the Alto in the future so it did make me curious as to if I had done something wrong.

Surely there will be a difference but not to the extent that my poor old mouth was exhausted after ten minutes playing? If so what on earth would a Soprano - or clarinet - be like?

 

[ghostler]

There are no dark secrets. When that happens to me means I need to choose a softer reed, if using a jazz gapped mouthpiece, go to a milder one like your 4c in alto.

When you were regularly practicing the alto, your chops were toned up to handle the alto's mouthpiece and reed combination. Tenor embouchure is a bit more relaxed.

It is no different on the sop. Clarinet I find a bit more tiring, but that is because to hit the notes in its altissimo range requires a harder reed. If doing jazz improv, I don't need to go that high depending on what piece is played, so I can resort to a softer reed.

 

[mizmar]

Yeah.
I practice Tenor mostly. But I have some duets arranged for AT; so picked up the Alto - day 1 horrible. Did the obligatory faffing with reed and MP etc. Day 2 fine, irrespective of reed and MP....
... Maybe all the bits, with a bit of practicing, just have to remember and fall into place.

 

[Greg Strange]

I think that best advice is to approach each member of the saxophone family as playing a separate instrument i.e. don't try to play the alto like a small tenor or play the tenor like a large alto because each instrument has their own quirks and idiosyncrasies - enjoy the saxophone journey, remember it's a marathon and not an 100 metre sprint - I also play the flute (devil's horn), trumpet (coil of torture) and clarinet (misery stick) and that is a whole different kettle of fish...

Greg S

 

[skeller047]

I started on alto, but added tenor early on. Then concentrated on alto for several years. But bought a tenor eventually due to getting calls to play it (borrowed a student’s horn a few times, then bit the bullet).

Once I learned to get a good sound on tenor, I found that my alto sound improved. I took in more mouthpiece, loosened my embouchure and pushed in a bit to compensate. I found it easier to play in tune this way.

I think the key to a good embouchure is good breath support. Not saying that’s the case here, but think about these things and maybe revisit your approach to alto. If your chops are in good shape for tenor, I don’t think alto should cause you to become exhausted in 10 minutes. Unless it’s too open a piece, and/or too hard a reed.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I do wonder if people are born with Bb or Eb chops.
I had no problem with clarinet and alto. Added baritone, no problem.
Adding tenor took me a long time to get comfortable with pitching and intonation.
Soprano was another struggle and still is.