Opening the throat

[frankb]

Since before my sax arrived I've been reading about the importance of "opening your throat" when you play.

Easy to say, less easy to do. Even with genuinely helpful analogies like "pretend you're trying to fog a window with your breath" and "it's like yawning" it's still not a muscle group that I'm used to using in that way.

Last night it felt (and sounded!) very much like I managed it!

The tone fattened up immensely all the way up the range, especially in the upper octave and on the palm keys. A whacking great big sound! Felt really odd - Any pressure against the bell of the horn and I would have swallowed the damn thing!

Control was harder and I found myself biting again, which is something I'd pretty much cured. Hopefully over time I'll learn to keep control over everything simultaneously.

All the same,

WooHoo!

 

[Linky Lee]

It's moments like those that keep us playing.

It's real progression that you can see but most importantly feel. I bet you played for a bit longer because you wanted to hear it.

My practise routine tends to go out of the window at points like that and I just play for a while facing some glass cabinets listening to the sounds. It's very ego friendly!

 

[frankb]

I'll admit I went and played against a wall...

...and nearly blew it down! 😀

 

[Pete Thomas]

FrankB wrote:
Control was harder and I found myself biting again, which is something I'd pretty much cured. Hopefully over time I'll learn to keep control over everything simultaneously.

Exactly. You have probably been controlling the airflow with your throat closing rather than from lower down with your lungs/diaphragm. With an open throat and constant pressure from below, its very easy for all the air to want to rush out as the throat is less constricted.

Anyway you've got over a big hurdle, the next one is the control. Trying to explain controlling the flow from lower down is very difficult, a good exercise is to try panting at different controlled speeds.

 

[saxplayer67]

I tell my students, as well as like yawning, it's like you're gonna be sick - that gets the muscles working! Luckily I haven't witnessed any projectile vomiting yet! :laugh:

 

[frankb]

Saxplayer67 wrote:
I tell my students, as well as like yawning, it's like you're gonna be sick - that gets the muscles working! Luckily I haven't witnessed any projectile vomiting yet! :laugh:

Yes, it felt a bit like that. Come to think of it that's probably another good reason why student players should use an mpc with a fairly closed tip...! 😱

 

[frankb]

Pete Thomas wrote:

FrankB wrote:
Control was harder and I found myself biting again, which is something I'd pretty much cured. Hopefully over time I'll learn to keep control over everything simultaneously.

Exactly. You have probably been controlling the airflow with your throat closing rather than from lower down with your lungs/diaphragm. With an open throat and constant pressure from below, its very easy for all the air to want to rush out as the throat is less constricted.

Well stated, Pete. That's exactly what it felt like.

Pete Thomas wrote:
Anyway you've got over a big hurdle, the next one is the control. Trying to explain controlling the flow from lower down is very difficult, a good exercise is to try panting at different controlled speeds.

Um, yeah...

I think I'll try that one in private.

 

[john_mcgeechan]

The way I describe it is this. If you blow on your hand you can do it in two ways. One blows cold air the other is warm. To get the warm air you have to open your throat and this is how I blow my horn.
Hope this makes sense

 

[wendsworth]

Hi

On the Hot air/cold air thing - blowing "cold" seems to put more power behind it - this is what I think I do!

Is getting power this way something that builds over time?