Beginner Sax Mouthpiece/reed combo for Alto

[Colin the Bear]

Reed placement is important both laterally and longitudinally. Too far forward and it squeaks.🤔

 

[Saxlicker]

I read about how important the reed placement was, so made sure it was central and lined up exactly with the sides of the mouthpiece.
Its a new sax, i did check the octave key by blowing into one end of the neck while blocking the other end with my finger and that is sealed well.
I seem to be making a bit of headway now, i think i was squeezing the reed too tight with my lips as well as too much air pressure. Since relaxing both, am able to play a few scales quite smoothly now. Still the odd squeak, but hey, im still in the raw beginner stage lol
Am still to organise some lessons, will start having a look around at the weekend

OK thats great!
Sometimes after much hard work, suddenly things can click with seemingly little reason other than keeping at it.
Welldone.

Regarding the neck and octave lever. Your check isn't what I was thinking of. Try this if you haven't already,
With the sax assembled, finger an octave 'A" then add the 3rd finger for 'G' (3rd finger on/off, on/off, on/off etc) and you will see the octave lever lift and drop repeatedly.
It should close against the pip on the neck every time.
Equally there is a small pad on the side of the body not too far beneath the neck which will also open and close in reverse to the one on the neck.
If these 2 open and close completely then it's one of the set up things you can also eliminate.
But by your continued progress it just seems like those beginner challenges anyway

 

[Colin the Bear]

Sometimes the body octave sticks. This impedes the switching. Then with continued playing it breaks free and things become easier.

It's good practice to operate and observe the opening and closing of all keys before playing.
G# andC# stick. Palm and side keys dry unevenly and need opening to reseat. As mentioned body octave sticks.

It pays to run a leak light down the bore regularly. It's surprising how one little leak can have no affect but two cause problems. A 45° turn of a screw may improve things noticeabley.

 

[EssexAlto]

Been at it daily since, and have settled into my groove. Centred the reed better over the mouthpiece, brought the reed backwards toward the tip of the mouthpiece, and regulated my breathing so was getting air volume rather than pressure (if that makes sense?). Have only had the one lesson with a tutor so far. But have been going through a "learn to play" book that my wife bought me when i got the sax which goes through the basics such as note types timing rythm etc which arent a foreign thing, but more importantly fingering charts that can use for scales.
Scales im now able to play a good few nice and smoothly.
Thanks for the tips everybody

 

[EssexAlto]

OK thats great!
Sometimes after much hard work, suddenly things can click with seemingly little reason other than keeping at it.
Welldone.

Regarding the neck and octave lever. Your check isn't what I was thinking of. Try this if you haven't already,
With the sax assembled, finger an octave 'A" then add the 3rd finger for 'G' (3rd finger on/off, on/off, on/off etc) and you will see the octave lever lift and drop repeatedly.
It should close against the pip on the neck every time.
Equally there is a small pad on the side of the body not too far beneath the neck which will also open and close in reverse to the one on the neck.
If these 2 open and close completely then it's one of the set up things you can also eliminate.
But by your continued progress it just seems like those beginner challenges anyway

Ran through that and all is OK, was all me lol. Reed placement and my breathing and air supply technique. Then when it started going wrong the times it did (3 out ofn4 times having a play) i think the frustration of it didnt help

 

[Saxlicker]

@EssexAlto
Exactly right about the frustration. Times like that you have to put it down, then a breather and recalibrate your mind, start again when you are not wrapped up in what you were doing when it went wrong.