Embouchure

The word "Embouchure" is a French word meaning,"opening into".

When we talk about embouchure, what we are really referring to is the way that you form your mouth around the mouthpiece of the saxophone. If you have any background in the French language, you probably know that the word "bouche" means "mouth", so its easy to see where the term "embouchure" comes. Don't try to bite the mouthpiece at all. Just let it sit comfortably between your bottom and top teeth when you blow. Likewise, you need some (but not very much) pressure from your bottom teeth up against the reed to help support your embouchure.

Many of new player have been in trouble with embouchure setting while playing saxophone. Understanding that embouchure act as a valve on the mouthpiece. Make sure that you have equal pressure all the way around the mouthpiece. Now blow! If you can't get a sound out, the most likely possibility is that you are biting too hard To much pressure will close up the mouthpiece the the lesser air coming to the sax the less sound you get and prevent the vibration of the reed.

Further, we point the threshold by starting with medium pressure from the your lip to made the sound. While blowing add pressure of the lower jaw to the reed until a sound is produced. This is done with the use of the chewing muscles at the back of the jaw. It is the same motion as chewing or saying the letter X. Above the threshold the sound turn to darker and darker and below the threshold the sound disappear. Therefore the pressure applied un the way that good enough to create the sound. Your top teeth placed on the top of mouthpiece not too close that may closed up the reed to stop the sound, and not to far away from the top of mouthpiece. Noticing that you place your teeth in the distance of 1 cm from the top of mouthpiece and marsk with sticky tape so you won’t go farther.

Remember the duty is to serve as an airtight connection so that the pressure of the air column is maintained and transfers it's energy efficiently to the mouthpiece and reed. There are many different variations on teaching good saxophone embouchures. A standard method is to first cover the bottom teeth with the fleshy part of the lower lip to form a cushion. Next, place the bottom lip on the reed at the point where the mouthpiece curves away from it. Then place the top teeth on top of the mouthpiece at approximately the same spot above the bottom lip.

Before to practice, take 10 minute concentrate on producing the sound and playing one note only.