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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jbtsax" data-source="post: 389470" data-attributes="member: 1801">Here are a few of the "poor habits" I observed in my teaching over many years and how to correct them.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Poor posture - sit upright and bring the saxophone to you, don't bend over to go to the saxophone</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Moving the jaw or chin while tonguing - move just the end of the tongue the smallest distance possible, practice looking in a mirror</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Raising the fingers too high from the keys - practice slowly and/or in front of a mirror focusing on this problem</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inconsistent angle of the mouthpiece - adjust the neckstrap so the tip of the mp touches the curve of the chin, tilt head down a bit</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inconsistent amount of mouthpiece in the mouth - you can tell by the "teeth tracks",  use a thick mouthpiece patch with a groove in it</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tapping the foot in a loud, exaggerated way - just tap the toe inside the shoe to keep the beat</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Taking shallow breaths - raise the rib cage, relax the shoulders, and expand the abdomen when you breathe</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lifting the thumb on and off the octave key - rest the thumb on the thumb support and "rock" it forward to press the octave key</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Using different embouchure for different registers - play arpeggios 2 octaves up and down starting on low Bb and go up chromatically using same embouchure throughout.</li> </ul>Those are my serious answers.  For those who haven't seen it yet, here is a list of my "tongue in cheek" suggestions for beginners.  <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2064%2064%22%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D%2250%25%22%20y%3D%2250%25%22%20text-anchor%3D%22middle%22%20dominant-baseline%3D%22central%22%20font-size%3D%2254%22%3E%F0%9F%99%82%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="22" height="22" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />10 Helpful Tips for Beginning Saxophone Students    1. Blow in the small end. It is important for two reasons, first you look much more “professional” to the teacher and other students and two it is far easier to get your lips around the small end.    2. Put the mouthpiece on with the reed facing down. A more satisfactory sound can be achieved when your top teeth are not on the reed, and if you hold the saxophone so that the lower lip contacts the reed, your arms will tend to get tired very quickly holding the saxophone above your head.    3. Have the left hand on top and the right hand on the bottom. It is quite possible to play some of the notes the opposite way, but like batting “cross handed” it doesn’t work as well and you could injure yourself playing fast runs.    4. Swallow what’s in your mouth BEFORE you blow. This is critically important. You paid good money for that candy bar or those chips. You don’t want them wasted stuck down inside your instrument.    5. When there is a substitute teacher day, always play a different instrument. The substitute will never know the difference, thinking the class always sounds like that, and you get a chance to try a lot of different instruments. Who knows, you might want to be a band teacher someday.    6. Be sure to tell your mom at 6 pm the night of the concert which starts at 7:30 that you need dark slacks and a white shirt. If you wait till after 6 to tell her it would be inconsiderate, and might result in you being the only one not dressed the same.    7. When you squeak in the rehearsal, turn and give your stand partner a dirty look. The director will think he did it, and your stand partner won’t know for sure.    8. When you break your only reed right before the concert, be sure to tell your director as you go onstage. He will appreciate you caring enough to let him know.    9. Play very softly in all of the practices and then really loud in the performance. Your mom and dad paid a lot of money to rent or buy that saxophone, you owe it to them to hear you in the concert over everyone else in the band.    10. Always stop playing immediately when the conductor stops waving his arms. This is true even if you are only part way through the song. It gives the director the false impression that he is in control of the music. This rule doesn’t apply the night of the concert when you are far too nervous to look up.</blockquote>

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