Need Help I might be playing wrong all this time...!

[alto_player]

When I play saxophone, I play with the air from my stomach. I don't know why, but no one has taught to how to tonguing before, is that a problem? But I play just fine, perhaps better than other people in my class....I need help....Is this wrong?

 

[Bobby G]

Beware! I am self-taught so these are my own discoveries, plus input from other people in the Breakfast Room that I've used to modify my tonguing techniques.

You need some tongue to start and stop notes or phrases cleanly, and also to play staccato or accent certain notes in a phrase. Sometimes just a bit of soft tonguing to break up smaller phrases in a flowing passage, and sometimes quite a definite harder tongue for when you need a heavily accented note or are playing stabbing funk or soul phrases or riffs, especially useful if you are part of a horn section and want to sound really punchy.

I hope this is some help to you, other people who have been taught properly should be able to explain it better.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Tenor Sax]

I will confess to being self-taught myself. However I do follow the recommended reading.

Without question it has to be "The Art of Saxophone Playing by Larry Teal.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/202-1750583-2795858?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Larry+Teal

 

[Linky Lee]

Yeah Bob got it pretty solidly on.

Tonguing is mainly used to articulate the beginning and end of notes, phrases etc.

You need to tongue notes because otherwise slurred notes won't have the impact they need.

The thing with articulation is it's all about contrast, and over emphasising it but without it becoming ridiculously aggressive.

Having good tonguing control is essential for implying moods. Legato tonguing (soft tonguing) goes well with slower, typically sorrowful moods, where a harder tonguing method will add punch and help you cut through when playing in a section or playing fast pieces.

There are also a few different ways to tungue on the sax.

two I use as they give slightly different articulations.

the first is using the tip of the tongue on the edge of the reed, and using a 'tuh' articulation.

The second, which I prefer and my teacher (maybe a bit of influence there?) is arching the tongue and using the centre on the reed slightly further down.

Mixing these two together gives a really good double tongue method. Similar in principle to playing double time on drums using a flick back motion with the wrist after making the initial strike.

 

[monsieursax]

The correct way is the tip of the tongue to the tip of the reed. Art of Saxophone playing is very good on this with lots of pictures and diagrams, though it does get a bit "wordy" at times. The other method you mention Linky is good for double tongueing, but I would avoid using it as a primary mode of articulation, especially when you get to fast passages that aren't quite fast enough to double tongue.

If you find your articulation is too heavy, I have an exercise I use with my students with the same problem. I have them tongue the corner (shoulder) of the reed with their tongue. The goal is to get a "false fingering" effect. Think of the sound a horn would make if it could speak toodle-oodle-oodle repetitively and quicklyThe articulation doesn't completely stop the vibration of the reed, but merely hinders it a bit. If the articulation is too heavy then the sound will stop. This doesn't correct the problem itself, but does give the player a self-assessment, and helps solidify correct tongue placement and dexterity of the tongue.

(It's also a damn cool jazz/blues effect!)