Saxophone beginners Sore hands?

[Theresa]

Hi everyone,
A quick question if you don't mind. I started learning to play last week with my first lesson and after practice find that I have cramp like feeling in the big fleshy part of my hands under my thumbs. I've quite small hands and am wondering is this normal? I'm learning alto sax using a Trevor James Classic.

Thanks!

 

[Pete Effamy]

Could be that your hand is a bit tense.

 

[Pete Effamy]

Hi everyone,
A quick question if you don't mind. I started learning to play last week with my first lesson and after practice find that I have cramp like feeling in the big fleshy part of my hands under my thumbs. I've quite small hands and am wondering is this normal? I'm learning alto sax using a Trevor James Classic.

Thanks!

Make sure that your sling is secure, and with both thumbs, merely push away from the body. Don’t take weight on the right hand.
Try and rest your fingers on the keys rather than having straight, tense fingers.
Might take a few weeks - just keep reminding yourself

 

[Colin the Bear]

Are you gripping the instrument. There's no need. Are you holding the instrument with your hands instead of letting the sling take the strain?

Let the saxophone hang on the sling and adjust it so that you can play a C# with no input from your hands. Hands free. That's where to play it.

Position your thumbs on the thumb rests and your fingers on the buttons. Your fingers shouldn't leave the pearls. you can play with minimal movement.

 

[Theresa]

I think you guys have hit the nail on the head. I've rented the sax I have and the strap it came with is very fiddly so much so that my teacher loaned me his (a Rico one) during my first lesson and it was much better..

I loathe the strap I have I have a very short body so have to almost strangle myself to make it fit and I'm holding the instrument with my hands, today I practiced scale of g and found it diificult as a result.

A new strap it shall be. Thanks to you all, lovely introduction to the forum. I'm realising a lifetime dream and loving it tbh

 

[6441]

This may be an old person solution, but I use a harness. My shoulders hold the instrument's weight. But don't buy a cheap one, I did that and they don't work well. That one is in the garage. The one that works well is from JazzLabs.

 

[Colin the Bear]

These are very good and infinitely adjustable. I can play Bari and sop with this one.

Padded Saxophone Neck Sling Strap With Slide Adjuster and Metal Hook by Saxtech for sale online | eBay

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[Theresa]

That looks identical to the style my teacher has Colin, thanks 🙂

 

[Jazzaferri]

One thing to think on @Theresa, its a good idea to do a quick stretch at the beginning and end and make sure your hands are warmed up and relaxed.

Stretches — Musician's Health.com

www.musicianshealth.com

 

[Tenor Viol]

Just to reiterate what's been said: getting the right sling/harness is important. For example, with an alto the standard Rico type sling works well for me, but it's not so good for tenor - which is much heavier. I found the tenor put too much pressure on the nape of my neck, so I initially got a Cebulla strap and that does work well. Now I mostly use a Jazzlab sax holder for tenor, which sits on the shoulders. However for baritone I use a harness as the weight of a bari is in a different league!

There are harnesses on the market geared towards ladies.

As Colin said, the harness/sling should be taking the weight of the sax, there should be no weight on your right thumb - you only use that to push the sax away from you, not take the weight. There should be no need to 'grip' the sax at all with your hands.

Enjoy!

 

[Phil]

Being new your hands are doing things they are not used to. It can be awkward.
Additionally, you are supposed to close the keys, not hammer or clamp them shut. If your horn is close to adjusted properly you only need a light touch...its not like typing on an old worn out manual typewriter. Spend a little time seeing how light your touch can be as well as proper holding of the instrument as earlier mentioned.

 

[Ivan]

... so have to almost strangle myself to make it fit ... today I practiced scale of g and found it diificult as a result...

If I was being strangled, the scale of g would not be my foremost worry

 

[MandyH]

On the subject if “almost strangling” yourself...

When I first started playing, I had the same problem - I couldn’t get the Alto sax high enough to “just tip” the mouthpiece into my mouth using only my right thumb.

I had a Neotech neck strap, and although I am 5ft6, it was too long at its shortest, so I unpicked the stitching of one end of the webbing/tape and made it shorter. Initially I used a large safety pin before cutting off the excess and re-sewing the strap.

After a while, I invested in a Cebulla neck strap that Johann made to measure for me, at the same length of my adjusted Neotech strap.
I still use the same Cebulla strap for my Alto & soprano. I play my Tenor and Bari off a FreeNeck harness.