4 - Tone

Having two ways to attack the note, one by air and other by tongue. The air stream blows against the mouthpiece/reed setup, creating the vibrations that become the sound. Visualise that note as a straight line. Do not let it waver in pitch It is important to breathe deeply, below your rib cage Soft reeds may encourage using a weak air stream or poor embouchure to produce the sound. Reeds that are too soft will produce low notes too easily, cause high notes to be out of tune, and sound stopped and mushy.

Think the note you want to play before you play. You find that you want to sound G you think F the result is that you are unable to play. The explanation for the matter by the wave of your body and wave from your sax is not the same. Relax, take a deep breath and use your diaphragm (muscles located beneath your ribs) to push a steady stream of air through your instrument. Play a constant note. Visualise that note as a straight line.. Use your diaphragm (the muscles between your chest and abdomen) to push the air stream into the saxophone. Rather like a bellows. The different create by your mind and your body combine with the air should form the same wave and your reed act just as a valve to open up the sound. The diaphragm is the muscular membrane that separates our abdominal and thoracic cavities. In other words it separates our chests from our stomachs and is located around the midriff. Through you understand that you mind, your body and your sax combined together to create saxophone sound, recommend that you should concentrate and more understandable to produce the sound. Then take a deep relaxed breath. I mean really deep! Fill up with air, feel it going right down to your stomach and then round your sides and back.

The lungs must be trained to produce the steady, focused, sustained air stream needed to make the reed vibrate. Good posture with a straight back and neck will greatly aid the breathing process. Do not let it waver in pitch It is important to breathe deeply, below your rib cage Do not raise and lower the shoulders when breathing. Practice long notes. See how long you can make a note last. When you can play longer notes try breaking them up with your tongue, but don't stop blowing Lifting the shoulders creates tension that will affect the sound and the fingers. Players should try to use their entire lung capacity, allowing the lower part of the lungs to push the stomach forward, then filling the upper cavity. The diaphragm acts as a bellows. As you blow, keep pushing until all the air is spent. Incredibly long notes can be played this way without any need for fancy techniques such as circular breathing The air is then released steadily, controlled by a muscle called the diaphragm. The air stream should always be steady, never choppy Now that's the kind of support you need for long notes, difficult high notes, nice rich low notes, very quiet notes, very loud notes, sub-tone notes, and powerful projection.

Mouth Position

• Draw the lower lip back over the teeth
• Place the reed lightly on the lower lip
• Ensure the jaw muscles are relaxed
• The upper teeth touch gently on the mouthpiece

Air attack

Bring air up to your mouth then press the air through your mouth to mouthpiece to start the sound. Opening your throat when you breathing or wide as pronouncing the word “Hooo” with the lower note and “Hee” with the high note.

Tongue attack

Put your tongue on the tip of the reed, bring air to your tongue and take your tongue off the reed, then press the air upon your tongue against your tongue. Think letter “tee” or “ teacher”. Tonguing refers to the way the saxophonist articulates particular notes and rhythms. The tongue can produce light staccato, heavy marcato, long legato, emphasized accents, and many more sounds what longtones are good for:

• Strengthening the embouchure.
• Improving breath control.
• Improving tone quality
• Play long notes with full breaths. Do not strain at the end, but remain relaxed.
• When the note has finished, inhale fully and play the same note again.
• Once you have practiced this a few times repeat the exercise starting very soft and increasing in volume to the end of the note.