Saxophone beginners Playing higher - pitches

[wooster]

Well, taking on board all of your helpful suggestions ( both in this thread and some of my others where I whinge about my embouchure or whatever) it seems to be getting a little bit easier.

I have concluded that indeed about 85% of my problem has been lack of air support leading to me looking for some sort of magical solution involving forcing my embouchure, and causing my inability to hit higher notes, biting, jaw pain, etc etc. As I've concentrated on my breath and airflow things shifted significantly. Why I thought I could ignore this to the extent I have remains a mystery to me.

Anyway, I feel a bit less discouraged; now all I need to do is to manage to keep my puff up a bit better.

 

[Colin the Bear]

After all, it is a wind instrument. You gotta blow. 😉

 

[Pete Effamy]

After all, it is a wind instrument. You gotta blow. 😉

Yeah, if you don’t blow; you blow.

 

[Pete Thomas]

85% of my problem has been lack of air support leading to me looking for some sort of magical solution involving forcing my embouchure,

The magical solution may be breathing exercises

 

[syevad]

Well, taking on board all of your helpful suggestions ( both in this thread and some of my others where I whinge about my embouchure or whatever) it seems to be getting a little bit easier.

I have concluded that indeed about 85% of my problem has been lack of air support leading to me looking for some sort of magical solution involving forcing my embouchure, and causing my inability to hit higher notes, biting, jaw pain, etc etc. As I've concentrated on my breath and airflow things shifted significantly. Why I thought I could ignore this to the extent I have remains a mystery to me.

Anyway, I feel a bit less discouraged; now all I need to do is to manage to keep my puff up a bit better.

A small chamber mouthpiece can help boosting your upper range - less energy required from your lungs - but that's not a proper solution. Also check you sax for leaks - you can have plenty of energy and "puffing power" but it's going to be wasted all over gaps if left unchecked.

 

[Pete Thomas]

A small chamber mouthpiece can help boosting your upper range - less energy required from your lungs

I don’t understand that. Best way to improve upper range is air support. Even if there are mouthpieces that aid in that area, there’s a good chance it’s at the expense of lower notes.

but it's going to be wasted all over gaps if left unchecked.

Very true

 

[syevad]

I don’t understand that.

Very true

That's probably because I've tested so many MPs and anytime I use a small chamber I find it physically less demanding than large chamber's (but the latter are more fun too).
Then if the upper range pops up easier isn't that a direct effect of the air being blown a bit faster on a small chamber? The latter is just an assumption based on empirical testing (let the tech prove it...I just blow).

 

[wooster]

Well I've been here and there since my last post so not been around much or had a lot of time to play etiher, but I'm feeling less frustrated these days and putting a lot more effort into the air support. I'm not sure why I was so focussed on some sort of embouchure solution to my lack of air support. Anyway, thank you for your help everyone.

I wish my old body was 50 years younger, but in lieu of that, I will keep on keeping on.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and wishing you all a fantastic New Year 😀

PS I am very taken with the festive hat decor 😉

 

[eb424]

Beginner too..I found finding a song i like, that incorporates what im trying to learn helped me. I started with me and Bobby McGee lots of palm key notes..it is so true but I felt tense comming up to the passage but gradually after focusing on it for a while it got easier. Also reeds made a diffefence. Reeds that enabled the low notes werent necessarrily right for the high notes. I stepped up half a size and bingo..

 

[Pete Thomas]

Also reeds made a diffefence. Reeds that enabled the low notes werent necessarrily right for the high notes. I stepped up half a size and bingo..

This implies you compromised on the low notes. I always recommend to stick with reeds that are soft enough to get comfortable quiet low Bb and work on your technique to get the high notes.