Saxophone beginners Jaw maxing out

[Colin1]

I'm working through 'Georgia On My Mind' and am finding that my jaw muscles are maxing out, I mean like beginning to wobble with fatigue, like that last press-up that you can't finish.

Is this normal? Is it just a case of building up my endurance or is my embouchure too tensed up?

This is the longest piece I've tackled so far

 

[Nick Wyver]

Sounds normal.

 

[Colin1]

Good good - work on the endurance then

 

[Nick Wyver]

Yup. It hasn't happened to me for a while now. But I try not to do over 3 hour gigs these days.

 

[Matabayahsi]

I practise 3-4 hours everyday I never had shaking jaw yet but I did realise that by the 3rd hour I am not in tune at all because I lose control on my jaw muscles did you had same kind of problem before you "maxed out"?

 

[jimmylh]

I couldn't even make it through one song the first couple of months.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Best to not push till it breaks. Take a break. 3x20 mins will do more good than a one hour marathon. Check your tuning. Maybe push in a little and play lower on the embouchure.

 

[Colin1]

I practise 3-4 hours everyday I never had shaking jaw yet but I did realise that by the 3rd hour I am not in tune at all because I lose control on my jaw muscles did you had same kind of problem before you "maxed out"?

3-4 hours? Wow, I thought I was keen...
yes, that's it, bit like the press-up analogy, you want to do another press-up, it's just that the relevant muscles don't want to; my jaws had sort of slurred to a halt. I only really got the shaking jaw when I tried to push through the grinding to a halt bit

 

[Colin1]

...I try not to do over 3 hour gigs these days.

😱

 

[Colin the Bear]

Music is more art than sport. Pushing through the barrier doesn't really apply. It's not an aerobic activity.

Went busking today. Played for four hours. No problems or fatigue. The only barrier to push through was rusty fingers and a battery that doesn't like the cold.

Little and often when starting out. It's a steep learning curve.

 

[Matabayahsi]

3-4 hours? Wow, I thought I was keen...
yes, that's it, bit like the press-up analogy, you want to do another press-up, it's just that the relevant muscles don't want to; my jaws had sort of slurred to a halt. I only really got the shaking jaw when I tried to push through the grinding to a halt bit

Yes there is being keen and also there is having nothing else to do 😀 I work 5 hrs a day and have absolutely nothing else do to for the rest, no car, no friends, no pubs, no shopping so I might as well play since I have another month of doing nothing 😀

Music is more art than sport. Pushing through the barrier doesn't really apply. It's not an aerobic activity.

I agree music doesnt have much to do with sports but I put music and practising into different categories. Practising seems a little more similar to sports I suppose.

 

[Tenor Viol]

Whilst I can comfortably sing all day if necessary at a workshop or whatever, I don't have that much endurance on, as unfortunately I just don't play enough.

 

[jbtsax]

Hopefully it is not the "jaw muscles" that you are using to produce a tone on the saxophone. The muscles that are involved in forming the embouchure of most of the wind instruments are called the Obicularis Oris Muscles.

Playing for shorter segments of time with periods of rest in between is much better than trying to play with tired or sore muscles since that is a breeding ground for bad playing habits.

 

[Colin1]

Hopefully it is not the "jaw muscles" that you are using to produce a tone on the saxophone. The muscles that are involved in forming the embouchure of most of the wind instruments are called the Obicularis Oris Muscles.

Playing for shorter segments of time with periods of rest in between is much better than trying to play with tired or sore muscles since that is a breeding ground for bad playing habits.

To be fair, I could have described it more accurately
not really my jaws, more like the mouth and the area around it.

Doubtful I'll pick up any bad habits in that case, as it was very difficult to proceed from the fatigue point. 🙂

All points taken though, work on endurance but play for shorter segments