Tone or Sound T sound between notes

[billeroy]

https://soundcloud.com/user320953857%2Ft-sound

I haven't been playing long and was testing different reeds so I taped myself. I notice that when I was playing, between notes when I was tonguing notes there was a loud T sound. Is that normal for a beginner and will go away over time or am I doing something wrong and if I am how do I correct it. Here is the audio requested. Be kind I'm a beginner.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Any chance of posting a sample of the audio, please?

 

[Colin the Bear]

Everything is normal when you begin with saxophone. Squeaks , mooing, wails. The loud T sound may be the kettle. Make a brew and take a break.

 

[billeroy]

Any chance of posting a sample of the audio, please?

Thanks posted audio

 

[billeroy]

Everything is normal when you begin with saxophone. Squeaks , mooing, wails. The loud T sound may be the kettle. Make a brew and take a break.

Whats kettle?

 

[jbtsax]

Thanks for posting the audio of what you are hearing. It makes it a lot easier to comment. It sounds to me as if you are touching too much of the reed with too much of your tongue and perhaps moving the tongue too far inside the mouth. Try to just touch the tip of the reed with the part of your tongue just behind the tip. The tongue should move a short distance away from the reed to begin the tone. Feel as if you are gently blowing the tongue off the tip of the reed with your airstream. Imagine the tongue moving like a feather---not like a brick. 🙂

A good exercise to check if the tongue is moving too far is to tongue 1st finger B and with your free hand feel under your jaw. If you feel any movement, it means you are moving too much of the tongue too far inside the mouth. You can also watch your jaw and throat sideways in a mirror as you play. Try to move just the end of the tongue the shortest distance possible to accomplish the task of starting the note.

 

[Veggie Dave]

I'm wondering if you're making a tuh noise with your tongue when you start a note because you're trying too hard to make the note start cleanly with no slow build-up/volume increase.

 

[Firebladejedi]

In my opinion this sounds normal for a beginner...

 

[MikeMorrell]

I agree with all of the above. Getting your tongue on the right place on the reed is paramount. But I also think that having clear articulation as a beginner (which you have!) is more important than how you articulate. Something that may help to play around with is the 'consonant' that you use for articulation. A "Tuh" consonant gives a 'harder' articulation - the 'T' sound you noticed between notes. A 'Duh' consonant gives a softer intonation (more often used in jazz). Experiment with "Tuh', 'Duh', 'Tah' and 'Dah' to see how they affect your intonation. There's no 'right' way of intonation, just different ways. Some are better suited to different music styles and legato/staccato notes. But don't worry about it too much, it'll sort itself out as you gain experience.

Mike

 

[Colin the Bear]

Sounds like you're tonguing the blade of the reed with an up down motion. Try touching the tip of the reed with a forward back motion.

 

[Jules]

I thought the title of this post was in a Yorkshire accent....

 

[Jazzaferri]

Its actually a different articulation but try playing with a "th" sound usig just a wee bit of the tip under the reed then pulling back just like saying "the" in Oxbridge.

My aunt lives in Lancaster area. they don't seem to do th there

 

[Targa]

Its actually a different articulation but try playing with a "th" sound usig just a wee bit of the tip under the reed then pulling back just like saying "the" in Oxbridge.

How do you pronounce Oxbridge?

 

[Colin the Bear]

Oxbridge...obviously.

 

[nigeld]

just like saying "the" in Oxbridge.

How do you pronounce Oxbridge?

The 't' is silent, as in 'Fox'.

 

[jbtsax]

Sorry to interrupt the humor, but there is an important point to be made about saxophone articulation. That is the tongue should not be heard during regular articulation. Eugene Rousseau demonstrates this concept quite elegantly.

 

[Jazzaferri]

ter's allus sommun spilin te foon

 

[Alice]

"Stay on tut path boys!"

Actually... I'm going to watch JB's video now as this is a technique which eludes me too when i'm conscious of it trying to do it properly.

 

[jbtsax]

Yewawl shurr tawk funee over thar. 🙂