Aim

To form a reliable and steady embouchure which suits you.
To develop freedom of blowing coupled with a great sound.

Exercise 1

Place your top teeth firmly on the mouthpiece about 2 inches in from the tip, where they should remain throughout. Bring your bottom lip up to the reed. Your bottom lip controls the pitch of the note. Never apply excessive pressure to the reed allow it to reverberate. The only pressure should come from your top teeth, pushing downwards on the mouthpiece. Place your tongue against the reed about 2 inches in from the tip of your mouthpiece. Tip of your tongue on the tip of your mouthpiece. After you have inhaled, remove your tongue from the reed using the T syllable, allow your breath into your Saxophone in a continuous steady stream. When breathing drop your bottom jaw to facilitate this. Never allow your cheeks to puff out. Your breath stream and pressure should remain constant at all times. The shape of your embouchure is a O shape. Try to keep everything as natural as possible.

You must first hear the sound in your head before you begin to play.
You should aim for the same quality of sound throughout the entire range of your saxophone.
There are two basic formations of embouchure, within them there are countless variations from one player to the next.


Normal lip method

Lower lip is left in its normal position, so that a cushion for the reed and your teeth is formed by the top part of your lip. Your lip is not curled over your teeth. This is achieved by pronouncing the letter f.


Closed lip method

Turn your lower lip slightly in, over your teeth so that part of your outside lip forms a cushion for the reed and your lower teeth, so that they are in more positive contact with the inside of your lip. This is produced by pronouncing the letter v.


Helpful Hints

Try to keep your embouchure as still as possible throughout the entire range of the Saxophone.
Try to keep your throat as open and relaxed as possible.
Always support your sound (from the bottom of your feet) remembering you need twice as must air to play softly (quietly) as you so when you play louder.
Aim for the same tonal characteristics throughout the entire register of the Saxophone.
Never place excessive pressure on your reed, allow it to reverberate you need only enough pressure to control it.
You should try both the above methods to find the one that suits you best.
ABOVE ALL EVERYTHING SHOULD BE NATURAL. DO NOT PUFF YOUR CHEEKS OUT!!

Use your face muscles to control your embouchure.

DO NOT MOVE YOUR JAW

To take air in, lower ONLY your bottom jaw.

DO NOT have tension in your throat, say AH.Always practice in front of a mirror if you can!!

Imagine saying the syllable D, Uand PUI as you put your mouthpiece into your mouth, By saying the letter Dyou will notice your chin flatten. The syllable Uwill focus the corners of your mouth and PUIwill centre your lip. You need to remove the pressure from the reed but still maintain control.

Try to get as many different dynamics as possible.

It is very important that your tongue should always stay at the back of your throat.