Proper Embouchure

Since many students will not have instruments or won’t be willing to practice on a daily basis, practice while doing more desirable activities. To teach embouchure without an instrument starts out the student with good habits before they begin playing the instrument. Once they learn how to form good embouchure without the mouthpiece, when they get their instrument, much of the work is already done.

Before getting out the saxophone you can you your thumb to model a saxophone mouthpiece. Insert your thumb into your mouth. Only put it about up to your nail and no more. The thumb should be straight into the mouth with a slight downward angle. This is the same angle the clarinet should be held. The corners should be in (this is to prevent air leaks) and the teeth should rest on top of the thumb. Keep the lower jaw loose and only apply enough pressure to prevent air leaks. The embouchure can be thought of as a rubber band around the mouthpiece.

When using a real saxophone, nothing should change. This will give you an opportunity to check if there is an air leak in the embouchure. The amount of mouthpiece that is inserted into the mouth is the same as one thumbnail amount. Too much mouthpiece will cause a honky sound. Another way to think about it is to make an O shape with your mouth. Smiling produces a bad embouchure by having air leaks and pressure in the wrong areas of the mouthpiece.

Posture

Posture is crucial to good musicianship. This helps your breathing, tone, technique, and the less obvious, appearance. Posture should be constantly observed whether in the classroom or your own individual practice. It plays a huge roll in the success of the musician; the building block of good playing.

When standing tall your shoulders are comfortably back, head perfectly balanced, your arms relaxed to your side. A good rule of thumb is to imagine holding a broom between your shoulder blades. When you play the clarinet nothing should change. You bring the instrument to you and not you going to the instrument.

When you sit to play, you need to remain standing from the waste up. Your arms should be comfortably away from your body. Your head should be erect and balanced, straight back away from the back of the chair, and feet flat on the floor. This allows for maximum air intake and tone production. Also good posture displays good appearance. During a performance situation, the audience will be more interested in a player with good because they have better expectations and it actually makes the performance better!

Breathing

Air is what brings a wind instrument to life. Having poor breath support will be devastating to the success of your playing. The way you use and control your air constitutes the skill of the player. A professional musician breathes very differently than a beginning student. There are even different methods and techniques that are taught just to help with proper breathing. Breathing is also affected by posture, which is explained later in the chapter. These two aspects tie closely together.

When taking your breath, it must fill every part of your lung. In music there is not real such thing is “chest breathing”. The air should feel as if it is filling the inside of your stomach. The breath should be full and deep every time you play, even if it’s a short, soft passage.

If you are a teacher are listed different metaphors to explain how to breathe to a student. Or if you are a student starting out use this to aid your breathing.

• Breathe through the bottom of the chair.
• Fill up a drinking glass (breathing from the bottom up).
• Breathe from the bottom of your stomach.
• Make sure your stomach goes out when you breathe, not in.