I have playback coming through headphones only in this video/recording. I do play this live though so it's a case of having a clever sound engineer and mic/speaker placement. There is also no doubt some clever tech in the Boss pedal itself to help reduce bleeding sounds from speaker. The more you loop the harder it gets to avoid the bleed but it is a loop so the fact it's duplicated means it's nothing additional. Additional musicians on different instruments not being looped do cause issues sometimes. Thanks again for listening and your very valid question. Chris
I actually can't do it with a straw but can with a saxophone so I reckon you can't be far off getting it. I find the hardest thing is the point at which you start the air stream again after taking the breath through your nose. Mastering that bit is key! Keep the air pressure and embouchure strong. Hope you get it soon.
There shouldn't be any pain when setting your embouchure. Try to work on the strength of the sides of your embouchure with a strong 'ooo' shape. Top teeth should be resting with as little pressure as possible. You could also try a mouthpiece patch that may make it a little more comfortable.
So far you are the only one mentioning the gap in between the "two lungs" but this is exactly what I'm always struggling with, so it helps to hear someone who mastered the technique having the same issue. Thanks for the good explanation!
The book is Les Sons Multiples aux Saxophones by Daniel Kientzy. I have always managed to find what I need in here and most of the fingerings work very well. Were they don't work exactly it gives you a good place to start. Thanks for the comment.
Great video! I am learning a lot from this wonderful tutorial. One question from a composer: is it possible to make a (small) glissando (rather a bending) from the highest possible note of (any) saxophone?
Thanks for your comment. Regarding your question on a small glissando, the technique on a saxophone would be a controlled bend to take the pitch of a note to another. Together with that and a manipulation of the voicing and fingers you can potentially glissando between a few pitches seamlessly although some questions to the performer in mind would be needed. This technique is actually easier to control using the higher notes so using it on a note above an A or B (saxophone pitch) above the stave is easier than the lower notes. Hope that makes sense and is helpful. Let me know if any other questions. Chris
Maybe some of the exercises I mention on this my "breathing in" video will help? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-c2aqcgl7Gv4.html Thanks for watching
Brilliant video Christ, thank you very much indeed!! I took up the soprano saxophone last Christmas, and I have been struggling with my embouchure so this will help me lots!! I've found that I get squeaks occasionally, although it's getting a bit better. My practice today was better than yesterday's which went seriously pair shaped! Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for this exercise which I am sure will make a massive difference to my playing. I will make it part of my practice tomorrow! I know that people say that the soprano is much harder than the alto (which I also play), so I've gotta keep persevering. I'm hugely grateful to you for the help and advice you are giving.
Hi Carolyn. It's fantastic to hear of your musical journey and that the material I am putting up on RU-vid is helping you. It is a case of little and often when it comes to developing an embouchure and particularly with the soprano which needs a far smaller embouchure due to the size of the mouthpiece. Keep up the hard work. Chris
I may have been a little behind the beat there 🤫 Does just show how important it is to spot these things and work on them. Metronomes can be a source of real frustration but it's only ever the player that can be blamed or old batteries, in this instance it was all me. Hope you found the content useful. Chris
Hi Ong Teng Kee. I have used the terms "jazz" and "classical" as they are generally used when it comes to describing a sound. I totally agree with you that there are many "jazz" players who play with a soft, mellow tone that could be described as a classical sound. This video is also more of a personal take on the sound that I want to create and how I go about it. The main question for those watching is what sound do "you" want to make and how are you going to find and use the mouthpiece(s) available to get that sound. Your comment has certainly made me think more about the use of the terms "jazz" and "classical", thank you. Chris.
FORWARD and down! That's it. Finally. Thanks for this tutorial. Finally, I got it. Now I can practice with an understanding of what I have to aim for. I got one in 20 today but, I''ll touch base in a few weeks.
Hi Robbie. That's so great that you've found this useful. I've been questioning the instruction of the forward movement recently so I'm glad someone else has felt the same. Keep up the regular work and it'll be 19 out of 20 in no time I'm sure. Best of luck with it. Chris.
You and me both, Paul. Always good to remind ourselves to get back to the stuff that's going to have a big impact on our playing. Thanks for watching! Chris
Man I've enjoyed your videos.Circular breathing is something I'm interested in learning at some point.I still have a lot of work to do on sound production. This is another great tool for the arsenal.Great video keep up the good work👌🎷
Great explanation! Thanks, Chris. Also, thank you for the excellent examples. I'm a jazz player so I really enjoyed the jazz examples, but I have an appreciation for classical saxophone as well. I had never heard Jerome. Wonderful classical player! Thanks for introducing me to him.
Thanks Luanne, glad you found this useful and yes Jerome is a fantastic player. As you're a jazz player some great cross over stuff to check out is by Philippe Geiss, another from the French classical saxophone world but he creates great jazz influenced contemporary sound worlds with some musically placed extended techniques. All the best.
This is a very interesting question and one I feel I need to think a little more deeply on, possibly another RU-vid video to express my thoughts on the process of moving actions into the subconscious. We of course breathe subconsciously to stay alive but we must breathe with more purpose when playing a wind (or brass) instrument. My initial thoughts on this wont come as a surprise or be groundbreaking in that repetition and the reinforcement of good habit is the best thing to work on. Initially the action must be conscious and have purpose but eventually the action becomes second nature and "the way you do things", just like driving a car or brushing your teeth. Thank you for your question and hope this response is useful.
I just tried a variation on your exercise near the end. Putting thumb and forefinger to each corner of the mouth (a little like the way some people whistle loudly), and then drawing them together as much as possible against some resistance, and then forcing them apart a little ways. Repeat until fatigued, I suppose. I can feel the workout pretty quickly.
Great variation on the exercise! Hope it helps. Of course nothing can replicate actually getting the instrument in your mouth but sometimes we need an alternative. All the best and thanks for watching. Chris
Thanks Chris, I'm a beginner and trying to build up some stamina!! I find that whistling (when nobody can hear me) really helps to train the embouchure. I have only just learnt to whistle since I have started the saxophone. Is this strange? I hope it's a good sign. I watched another vid where they advise blowing through the saxo with top teeth showing. It was really difficult but I can now do it! I would be grateful for any advise you have for increasing stamina. Thanks :-)
Hi Rosalind. I have never thought of whistling and the benefits to the embouchure but I can see the link as lip shape needed to whistle is sure to use the same muscles. As for stamina there is unfortunately no shortcut, it's a case of little and often to strengthen the embouchure muscles and also get used to the physical (and mental) strain it can put on your body. One important thing to think about is posture, this can have a direct impact on how tired you get and also ensure you don't injure your back or neck. Investing in a good quality sling and having it adjusted to the correct height is also essential. Hope this helps, any more questions please do get in touch. Chris.
Thanks for the comment. At the time of this recording my set up was a SYOS mouthpiece with Java Red box reeds (2.5). I'm now playing on D'Addario Select Jazz mouthpiece with Select Jazz 3M reeds and I have felt far more comfortable since.
Try to curl your tongue so you have a slight indentation in the middle. The same action as clicking your tongue, that sound is created by creating suction at the roof of your mouth. Slap tongue is similar but the suction is on the reed. I speak in the video about the forward and downward action of the tongue, I feel that increases the suction to create a cleaner and more pronounced slap. Hope this helps and you manage to find it.
This lesson really moves me, Chris, it's the missing link that has now personally landed me semiquaverly on the pulse, and, you have made me eloquently very happy! Trust that others feel the same. Thanking you very kindly! 😎
Killer performance/ demonstration! Just what I was looking for and more. I'm a guitar looper, my Son started playing saxophone 5 years ago now he's getting really good and I wanted to find a way to help him expand his practice sessions creatively, beyond written music. As you certainly have done! I was thinking of attaching a contact microphone and having him try layering with my freeze pedal, maybe add some delay and modulation, also wonder how an octave effect pedal would track? Anyway Ty for posting
Thank you for your comments. Using a loop pedal is certainly a great way to experiment with sounds. Hoping to upload more of these videos as I start writing a new sax piece.
