Page 17 - Embou-Sure Book Series

heart of the reed.
PIECE are the most important details to take care of.
POSTURE
The neck strap, NOT THE FINGERS, must support the saxophone. Hands, fingers and arms must be completely free for playing the instrument. Line up the mouthpiece on the neckpipe to keep the head erect. (Do not let students tilt their head toward the left shoulder). Align the mouthpiece to keep the head erect, even if the saxophone seems to be to the right side of the student’s body.
“Sit tall or stand tall!!!” Wind students must apply good athletic principles to their practice and performance: full use of lungs in breathing, a most efficient use of muscle without becoming tense, excellent eye coordination and a mind coordination that plan ahead, plus a repetition of practice that builds success in each activity.
BREATH SUPPORT
Most teachers have their own method of teaching breath support Each of the Embou-Sure Series (tuba, clarinet, flute, trumpet, etc.) offers suggestions for breath support or good breathing habits. Good posture, slow deep breathing and an open throat should always be mentioned as the group begins daily practice. (From “day one” of my career beginning in 1936, I never gave a down beat unless all band members were in good position.)
1. Do not raise shoulders. Many young students will raise shoulders when told to take in as much air as possible.
2. Use damp air. Demonstrate how to say, “Haw” with damp air to clean glasses.
3. This is a good trick to teach breathing: Place elbows on knees and touch finger tips to center of forehead above nose. Do not let the shoulders move; breath slowly. Feel the low expansion at the belt line, front, side, and back.
4. Mention deep breathing quite often. Tight nerves will often result from a quick breath that “fills only the upper half of the lungs.”
5. Breathe with teeth resting on top of mouthpiece. Many young peo- ple rest the reed on lower lip and breath by tilting head backward. This causes a movement for each breath. The mouthpiece is never under the control of a sure embouchure.
6. Put a small piece of plastic tape on top of the mouthpiece. Teeth vi- brations will not bother the student and less tone will go directly to
A beginning student must have a good reed which has been selected by the teacher. The student will not know if the reed is soft, stiff out of balance or just right. He will think his money will always buy a good new reed. Yet, there is no sure way to know that reeds are good.
Soak several reeds in water for 3 or 4 minutes. Fit the reed to the mouthpiece with a good fit to the tip rail . If the reed extends beyond the tip rail, the reed will be stiff. If the reed does not reach to the tip rail the reed will also blow stiff. Vibrations of the reed must make a good seal to the side rails and to the tip rail.
The reed may curl or have wrinkles in it when it is re-moistened (a reed that is several days old). This is caused because material between fibers (grain) of the cane is softer than the grain or fibers of the reed. Plastic reeds may be purchased, but they do not have the rich tone and flexibility of reeds that are made from French cane.
Slide a piece of paper between reed and side rails. This is an easy way to find poor mouthpieces.
Do not “push or force” mouthpieces on the neck cork. Go slow and circular motion. You will rip or tear the cork if you are in a hurry and you will ruin the alignment of the reed. THE REED, MOUTHPIECE AND NECK-
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