Biting

funkymonk · Aug 22, 2006

Hey guys, hope you are all well.
I've just noticed that when i play my top teeth don't touch the mouth piece, instead they hover close above it.
I was just wondering if this was bad practice and a habit I should get out of.

matt

Saxlicker · Aug 23, 2006

Hi Matt,

Personally I would try to leave that habit behind straght away. It is recommended that you have a very light bite on top of the mouthpiece. Even 'Resting' your teeth on it.
Control is one benefit.

Also out of interest, I would have thought a more common problem is biting too hard.
Good luck.

Stuart · Sep 7, 2006

I use a little rubber stick on pad on the mouthpiece to protect the mouthpiece from tooth damage.
This probably means I have the oppposite problem.
It does work however.

funkymonk · Sep 8, 2006

Just thought I'd update you guys, I've managed to get rid o that habit, was hard and annoying for the first few dyas but It's all good now!!!
Thanks for your advice youv'e helped me along a bit 😉

simon_andrews · Sep 16, 2006

I have tha problem of biting too hard, the thing is you dont know your doin it half the time!

oliver_bentley · Sep 17, 2006

nooo - don't do it Simon! don't know if you've been playing long, but the sooner you can get out of that habit the better - I had a bite for 8 years withough realising it was a serious problem, and it has taken me all of this last year to start and sort it, and I'm still having to recover now, re-finding my sound. The sooner you can get out of that habit the better, and that is certainly easier said than done.

Having said that if you don't notice it often, it may not be as bad as mine was, and at least you are aware of it, which I never was beacuse no one told me. If you can though try to avoid biting with your bottom teeth at all.

tengu01 · Sep 24, 2006

I second that as another member of the bitey clan. Spent ages working on extricating my lower teeth from my lip where they seemed to naturally gravitate.

Just have to work it. Things have started to look up somewhat but there are times when I am tired and I start chomping my way to high notes. NOT GOOD.

rob_br · Oct 18, 2006

So long as you control your tone theres no problem with this.

But the controling of the tone is usually the problem...

There are players out there (clarinet mainly, oh and good ones at that) that do not touch there mouth piece with there teeth what so ever.

- Rob

saxismyaxe · Oct 20, 2006

"So long as you control your tone theres no problem with this.

But the controling of the tone is usually the problem...

There are players out there (clarinet mainly, oh and good ones at that) that do not touch there mouth piece with there teeth what so ever.

- Rob"

If you mean the use of a double embouchure, certainly it is a legitimate, albeit less conventional form.

However, if you are saying it is alright to bite with the lower teeth in an improper attempt to control the tone, pitch and take the place of a proper embouchure and breath support etc., not no but hell no!

Biting is never acceptable for many reasons that have been discussed ad nauseum.

oliver_bentley · Oct 20, 2006

Saxismyaxe wrote:

Biting is never acceptable for many reasons that have been discussed ad nauseum.

Ah saxismyaxe, where were you 8 years ago when I should have heard this? Gotta agree with the sheer passion you said that with - get out of it asap - the longer you leave it the harder it becomes to change. trust me 🙁

Bobby G · Oct 20, 2006

Are we talking here about lower lip biting? I used to do it a bit - well, at the end of a session the inside of my bottom lip used to be a bit sore - but I don't do it now. Maybe it's just 'cos my embouchure has strengthened (remember I am self-taught), maybe it's 'cos I'm a low-pain-threshold wussy so I developed something better, but at the time I thought it might just be something to work through, like the finger-end hardening you go through playing guitar.

Cheers, Bob

pauloalto · Oct 25, 2006

I don't think I have a bite, but after playing for usually an hour or so, but can be less if I'm tired, then I find my lower lip start to get slightly sore. I think it's because after that length of time my lower lip starts to lose it's ability to put pressure on the reed so subconciously my lower teeth compensate a bit. It could also be because I have a slightly crooked lower tooth with a sharp edge, which just from resting against my lip for that length of time could cause it to get sore. I have found the more I practise the longer amount of time I can play for before it starts to get sore and I stop.