SAXOPHONE
Embouchure
The first step to playing in tune on the saxophone is to play with a great embouchure.
1) Curl your bottom lip slightly over your bottom teeth. This is similar to how your lip feels when you are putting on lip balm. Your chin should be flat. 2) Let your top teeth firmly sit on top of the mouthpiece. 3) Bring the corners of your mouth forward. Whistling or puckering your lips will give you an idea of what this feels like. 4) Make sure you are keeping an even bite, not an over bite or under bite. |
5) The embouchure should be placed on the mouthpiece at the point where the mouthpiece separates from the reed. An easy trick to figure out where this point exists is to take a sheet of paper, and place it gently between the mouthpiece and reed. Without shoving it down, gently push down the card until it stops. This is where the top teeth should be placed.
Mouthpiece and Neck/Mouthpiece Alone
To check if your embouchure is correct, play on just the mouthpiece and neck and the mouthpiece alone. If this is not in tune, there is no possibility of playing in tune when the full instrument is assembled. On an alto saxophone, the pitch should be about a concert G# (concert A on just the mouthpiece.) On a tenor saxophone, the pitch should be about a concert E (concert G on just the mouthpiece). On a baritone saxophone, the pitch will vary because of the variety in necks, but the pitch of just the mouthpiece will be a D.
Often, students will play with too tight an embouchure. Relax your embouchure if necessary. Make sure that the back of your tongue is in a low position. Think of the syllable "AHH," and play with a fast, focused air stream.
Often, students will play with too tight an embouchure. Relax your embouchure if necessary. Make sure that the back of your tongue is in a low position. Think of the syllable "AHH," and play with a fast, focused air stream.
Tuning Procedure
Temperature affects intonation dramatically so it is important warm up your saxophone before tuning it. When the instrument is about room temperature (72 degrees Fahrenheit), it is time to tune the saxophone.
1) Play the following exercises at a mezzo forte dynamic. Playing any louder or quieter may distort the pitch. 2) Play Tuning Exercise #1 several times. Sustain the final G, and check your pitch with a tuner. It should be in tune. If it is sharp, pull your mouthpiece out of the neck slightly. If it is flat, push your mouthpiece into the neck slightly. An easy way to remember which way to adjust the mouthpiece is through the acronym SOFI (see graphic below). |
3) Play Tuning Exercise #2. Sustain the final G, and check your pitch with a tuner. It should be slightly sharp. If it is sharp, pull your mouthpiece out of the neck slightly. If it is flat, push your mouthpiece into the neck slightly.
4) If adjusting the mouthpiece on the neck does not solve the problem, it is an internal embouchure issue. Raise the pitch by forming an "EEE" shape inside your mouth, and lower the pitch by forming an "AHH" shape inside your mouth. However, the external embouchure should not change.
4) If adjusting the mouthpiece on the neck does not solve the problem, it is an internal embouchure issue. Raise the pitch by forming an "EEE" shape inside your mouth, and lower the pitch by forming an "AHH" shape inside your mouth. However, the external embouchure should not change.
Stable Tuning Note
Factors Affecting Pitch
To see the specific pitch tendencies and solutions for the saxophone, click here: