Saxophone beginners --lower lip trembling

[siramazing]

I will try that, Thanks!!!

 

[siramazing]

Ok, it works great!! I have the mouthpiece and horn exactly where it was before, except instead of pushing the horn away from my body, the side of the bell is resting against my right leg; takes all the strain away from the thumb. Don't know if that's exactly what you had in mind, but it works for me. The right hand is relaxed, and I can reach everything normally. Low C and down needs more thumb support, but with a little practice, it should feel fine.

 

[Colin the Bear]

If it hurts, you're doing it wrong. This applies to many walks of life. Make the saxophone part of you. Lots of time later to showboat and wave it about.

 

[blues 61]

I have the same problem with my lip trembling, but it seems to be when I have been practicing for an hour to 1-1/2
My lip gets week. I am a newbie and have only been playing for 3 months. How long does it take to develop a stronger embouchure. I practice at least 1-1/2 hours a day.

 

[jbtsax]

It is really not how long you practice, but practicing consistently every day builds and maintains the muscle tone in the muscles around the mouth. There is nothing better than playing long tones for developing embouchure control, breath control, and careful listening. When this gets really boring, then start adding crescendos and diminuendos. When that gets boring start to work your way up and down to the highest and lowest notes on the instrument. It is a lifetime process learning to play with a good tone, pitch, and control throughout the entire range of the instrument at all dynamic levels.

 

[blues 61]

It is really not how long you practice, but practicing consistently every day builds and maintains the muscle tone in the muscles around the mouth. There is nothing better than playing long tones for developing embouchure control, breath control, and careful listening. When this gets really boring, then start adding crescendos and diminuendos. When that gets boring start to work your way up and down to the highest and lowest notes on the instrument. It is a lifetime process learning to play with a good tone, pitch, and control throughout the entire range of the instrument at all dynamic levels.

Thank you for your insight. Why can I play up to F# in a scale , but I just can't get an F# by it self. I can get all the way to E but thats it. Thanks again, Gary

 

[kevgermany]

Why can I play up to F# in a scale , but I just can't get an F# by it self. I can get all the way to E but thats it.

It'll come, give it time

 

[BigMartin]

Thank you for your insight. Why can I play up to F# in a scale , but I just can't get an F# by it self. I can get all the way to E but thats it. Thanks again, Gary

Probably a voicing issue. As you go up the scale your larynx andf tongue are making the necessary adjustments unconsciously to make the higher notes speak more clearly. Doing that in one step takes some practice as you have to know where you're heading to. Allso, when you "go for" a high note there's a tendency to tense everything up, incuding the embouchure.

 

[spike]

Why can I play up to F# in a scale , but I just can't get an F# by it self.

Try tightening your neckstrap a little but not too much otherwise you'll get headaches. It will change the angle of the mouthpiece and allow more of the reed to vibrate, as well as changing the angle of the airsteam. It works for me when I don't have time to practice enough. You can also try just lifting the horn a little bit backwards with the right hand. You shouldn't have to but it might just help as a quick fix when those high notes are not popping out as they should. However don't as in "do not" make a habit of it.

 

[blues 61]

Probably a voicing issue. As you go up the scale your larynx andf tongue are making the necessary adjustments unconsciously to make the higher notes speak more clearly. Doing that in one step takes some practice as you have to know where you're heading to. Allso, when you "go for" a high note there's a tendency to tense everything up, incuding the embouchure.

Thank You for the reply

 

[blues 61]

Try tightening your neckstrap a little but not too much otherwise you'll get headaches. It will change the angle of the mouthpiece and allow more of the reed to vibrate, as well as changing the angle of the airsteam. It works for me when I don't have time to practice enough. You can also try just lifting the horn a little bit backwards with the right hand. You shouldn't have to but it might just help as a quick fix when those high notes are not popping out as they should. However don't as in "do not" make a habit of it.

Thanks for your help, I will try it out

 

[Eoe]

there are mouth exercises you can Google to strengthen your lips. and I would spend some times several hours with just a practice mouthpiece and a number 3 Reed in it. Then when I got back home and got back on with my two and a half read it was easy to blow. Anyway seeing how it's simple muscle development and you need to have the muscles at a certain level to really start learning I focused on my muscles a lot in the beginning. Just the same way as if I was training for some type of sport or martial arts or anything

 

[Eoe]

Actually what I used as a number seven High baffle mouthpiece that I won here in aa contest. I have a set up for it and along with the number 3 Reed it is pretty hard to blow and make sound with. It strengthens my whole core from my diaphragm my throat my lips all the way up. Like I said after a few days on that it's easy to blow my sax

 

[blues 61]

Actually what I used as a number seven High baffle mouthpiece that I won here in aa contest. I have a set up for it and along with the number 3 Reed it is pretty hard to blow and make sound with. It strengthens my whole core from my diaphragm my throat my lips all the way up. Like I said after a few days on that it's easy to blow my sax

Thank you for the information

 

[Eoe]

I walk around feeling like I had Mick Jagger lips for weeks. A blue on that thing so much