First lesson

[DaveW]

Despite lurking on this site for a couple of years today was my first sax lesson 🙂

I learned something new and had confirmed a problem I knew about.

I know I tend to slur notes rather than tongue them so most of the lesson was trying to correct that bad habit using the ubiquitous 'Tune a Day' book.

Go through the first 7 lessons playing slowly and emphasising the articulation, almost play staccato.

I thought I knew how place the reed but my teacher showed a neat trick.

Place the reed on the m/piece as you normally would with the tip of the reed level with tip of the mouthpiece.

Now view from the reed side and you should just see the tip of the m/piece. Turn the m/piece round so you are looking at the top of the m/piece and you should now see the tip of the reed above the tip of the m/piece. An optical illusion.

 

[Pjonah]

Good to hear it went well Dave.

Good luck and keep at it.

Simon

 

[biker1941]

So Dave
With all that turning of the mouthpiece when you look at the reed and its in place, do you see a thin black line of mouthpiece above the very tip of the reed??
Be interested in other peoples view on reed placement.
rgds.
Clive 😉 😉

 

[Smiffy]

I often have the reed a touch back from the tip depends on how hard/soft the reed is

 

[peedee]

Hi Dave
I used to do the same as you, view the reed from the flat side.
One day I viewed the mpc from the side, and found the reed to be slightly above the tip of the mpc! So now I set the reed by viewing sideways on, and set the reed very slightly below the mpc tip.
Didn't make no difference though, playing's still crap 🙁

 

[phil_edwards]

PeeDee wrote:
Hi Dave
I used to do the same as you, view the reed from the flat side.
One day I viewed the mpc from the side, and found the reed to be slightly above the tip of the mpc! So now I set the reed by viewing sideways on, and set the reed very slightly below the mpc tip.
Didn't make no difference though, playing's still crap 🙁

:laugh: :laugh: nice one, that made me laugh.

Phil

 

[Luluna]

I'm not sure how technical this is - but it works for me -

I try to align the reed to the tip, then place the non-reed end of the mouthpiece in the palm of my hand - suck in some air - if the reed adheres a second and you hear a nice "pop" noise - like a cork, you're right on target.

If the "pop" takes a while (your reed is sticking) - your reed is pretty soft and move it up a touch and try again.

If there is no "pop" at all - move the reed back a little and try again.

A Sax prof at Rutgers showed me this - it's practically foolproof for me - hope it's helpful.

......and the noise is fun to make as well

 

[DaveW]

Clive,

Viewed from the reed side there is a thin strip of the m/piece showing, however if you look from the m/piece side there is a thin strip of the reed showing.
As my teacher said, it's an optical illusion.

He did say that it makes blowing much easier if you position the reed this precisely, but like others have said, I didn't notice any difference :erm: , maybe it comes when one is more experienced.

Didn't make no difference though, playing's still crap

It's the age PeeDee :laugh:

So that doesn't sound too nasty I should add that you give me about 2 years 😉 🙂

That's an interesting observation Lori, must try it next time I stick the reed on.

 

[Linky Lee]

I just put the reed on, bend the reed to it is flush with the mouthpiece (i.e sealing) and tighten the ligature to hold it in that position.

Hopefully then the reed closes with the mouthpiece fully when playing.

 

[TomMapfumo]

I tend to rely on the servants. I'll have to ask them what they do 8)

 

[TommyD69]

When I put my first reed on a sax mouthpiece 42 years ago, my teacher told me I should be able to see a "sliver" of the reed sticking up above the tip of the mouthpiece while looking at the top of the mouthpiece. (tip pointing up, reed in the "back").

Geeeezzzz....... I'm OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[peedee]

DaveW wrote:

Didn't make no difference though, playing's still crap

It's the age PeeDee :laugh:

So that doesn't sound too nasty I should add that you give me about 2 years 😉 🙂

Thank God for that , I thought it was me 🙂

 

[tommy_ng]

TommyD69 wrote:
When I put my first reed on a sax mouthpiece 42 years ago, my teacher told me I should be able to see a "sliver" of the reed sticking up above the tip of the mouthpiece while looking at the top of the mouthpiece. (tip pointing up, reed in the "back").

Geeeezzzz....... I'm OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tommy senior, your first reed is older than me....



😛