How to play saxophone. Getting started. Open the case, get your saxophone and we'll start investigating learning how to play saxophone. Before we start the saxophone lessons lets learn how to put it together.
Take the neck strap out and put it on. This is purely a precautionary measure. If you drop a sax you can pretty much guarantee a large repair bill. Best to be safe than sorry. (It may be that there will be cork pieces securing the keys, remove these before continuing)
Pick up the main body of your sax by the bell end and attach the neck strap to the eye hook on the back. Try to avoid picking up your sax by any other means than by the bell end. It avoids un-intentional damage to rods or keys.
Done that? Good! If you've done it right then the top of the sax should be on your left hand side. If it isn't turn it round. Now!! Before anyone realises you're an amateur!
Place your right thumb under the thumb hook (pictured) and your left thumb on the rest provided (also pictured), now give all the keys a quick waggle just to ensure you've removed all of the cork pieces.
As the picture shows the neck strap eyelet is just about in the middle of the saxophone at the back inbetween the thumb placements
Attach The Neck
Now go back into your sax case and take out the neck. Before you put it on make sure the tightening screw on the main body is loose.
The neck should slide in smoothly with a little bit of pressure and left to right twisting if necessary. If it doesn't, remove and try again. If it still doesn't want to go try a little cork grease, if you haven't got any then apply a little bit of vaseline to the neck insert. Use sparingly. Don't tighten the neck clamp screw yet. Back into your case. Now take out the mouthpiece.
Attach The Mouthpiece
If you have a new sax then you'll probably have quite a thick cork on the end. If you have some then use the cork grease. It makes it easier to put the mouthpiece on, plus it saves you from splitting or tearing the cork and it also helps to block any possible air leaks where the mouthpiece is in contact with the cork.
If you don't then you are going to have to apply a bit more pressure to get the mouthpiece on. I should say that all of this is entirely dependant upon the type of mouthpiece you are using. Some have marginally larger openings than others and you may find it easier to attach the mouthpiece.
As you can see in the picture the mouthpiece has gone on to the cork by about one and a half inches. How far the mouthpiece goes on is only relevant to the tuning of the sax so don't go forcing it on all the way just because you think it should. We'll worry about tuning later.
On this image the reed and ligature
have already been placed on the mouthpiece. As you become more competent thats ok but for the time being put them on after you've attached the mouthpiece to the neck. If you don't what you will probably find is that the reed will move from its position as you attach the mouthpiece to the saxophone neck or you'll damage the reed.
Attach the Reed and the Ligature
Nearly there! Now let's put on the saxophone reeds and ligatures. I prefer to sit down with the saxophone at my side to do this. Firstly make sure you've dampened the reed (new reeds may need a good soak for a few hours first)Playing with a dry reed will not help you learn how to play saxophone. Take the reed and place the flat side against the flat side of the mouthpiece. Now slide the ligature over the mouthpiece and reed. Please note one end of the ligature is slightly larger than the other to account for the tapering of the mouthpiece. Slide the ligature down until it sits just below the arc of the cut part of the reed
Now line up the top and sides of the reed with the mouthpiece and tighten the ligature screw. Make sure the reed hasn't slipped and you're ready to go!
Adjustments
Put your thumbs on the respective resting places and, with a straight back and neck raise the mouthpiece to your mouth without moving your head!
Doesn't go to your mouth without moving your head?? Ok. Now you have to adjust the neck strap, neck and mouthpiece angle to suit yourself.
You also have to decide how you are going to hold the sax. Infront of you or to the side? I prefer to the side but it's your choice. The main thing being that you are comfortable playing. At this point you can pose and pretend you do know how to play saxophone.
Learning how to play saxophone is all about preperation which we've done. Now lets move on to creating that first sound. At this point you will need to go to the page on saxophone embouchre which will inform you how to make your first sound which will aid you in your quest to learn how to play saxophone.
As you can see in the picture the mouthpiece has gone on to the cork by about one and a half inches. How far the mouthpiece goes on is only relevant to the tuning of the sax so don't go forcing it on all the way just because you think it should. We'll worry about tuning later.
