As someone who took up the saxophone when 66yrs old 11yrs ago now, and since coming across Better Sax you have been an inspiration to me, not only as a player, but, as a person willing to give an insight on how the body and mind interacts with the instrument. Three years prior to me taking up the saxophone I had a triple heart bypass, having suffered with angina for 15yrs prior to that. So as you can imagine my breathing and lung capacity were pretty shallow. I promised myself in recovery that if I could acheive half of what I wanted too I would take up the saxophone to prove to myself, and as a thank you too the Surgeon and his team my family and friends for saving my life, and I include you in that number. Thank you Jay.
Interesting answer on the long tones - I actually really enjoy long tone exercises. I use it as a chance to really hone in the sound I'm making and find it an relaxing, meditative exercise to get me in the right mind set for practice. Honestly, I find practice to be much more enjoyable and I feel (correctly or not) I get more benefit, but definitely feel more rewarded by a practice session with a long tone. I dunno, maybe they just "speak" to me in a satisfying way :)
I feel the same way! :) I like to do longtones as the first step to tune in to my horn and to stay fit with my embouchure, to check intonation and stuff, and, most important, to develop my sound on the horn
This beautiful Promenade des Anglaises, I recently was there to enjoy some sunshine and look at the sea. Wonderful. Good on you to having this to enjoy more often 🌊☀️🎶
Thanks Jay for answering my question about motivation. These times have made it hard for me to keep practicing, but I have kind of forgotten about the importance of listening. Now I have something to jump back into!
Jay you’ll be at half a million subs by Christmas keep going - you put a great deal of effort into your channel - really appreciate your down to earth guidance on so many subjects regarding the sax - my playing has gone through the roof since watching your channel thankyou Paul Saxocoustic channel 🎷🌈🇬🇧
Jay: Your advice is of immeasurable value to this old woodwinds player; +50 years playing, but always learning. You are also one heck of a nice person. Thanks for all you do for us. mbsjazz.
Interesting tidbit about the diaphragm. Its resting state is up high like a dome, in an exhaled position. When you contract that muscle, it lowers that dome and you breath in. You can't relax a muscle with great force. It would be like using your bicep to extend your arm. You need an opposing muscle. In breath, that is your intercostal muscles, the real unsung heroes of breath support. These are the muscles between your ribs and around your back that allow you to force your chest cavity to constrict, thereby exhaling. That's why if you're practicing breathing, you're going to start feeling it in your back. Great video though!
Glad to see you dispel the myth on air velocity. One clarinet youtuber claims you can focus your air stream and increase its velocity. Ridiculous. There is a lot of bogus lore out there. Your lungs produce only pressure. That pressure operates on the restriction of the mouthpiece modulated by the vibrating reed and you get velocity based on gas laws complicated by resonance. One thought on tongue position. The mouthpiece is connected to 2 resonate chambers the horn and your mouth/windpipe. Your mouth much smaller than the horn likely has resonate modes at a much higher frequency than ordinary notes. But in the higher register or the altissimo or in high pitch instruments the note frequency and mouth resonate frequency could be similar. This could affect resonate modes of the reed supporting some high notes or affecting harmonic content. The resonate Q of the horn will likely dominate but a cooperative resonate chamber upstream of the reed could have an effect. (Q is an engineering term used to describe the quality of a resonate system or circuit) Years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I was teaching clarinet, I would work hard on sound production from lesson one. I would give students a mirror and have them look in their mouth and say Ahh like the doctor does. They see their throat open - try it. I would coach them to learn to open like when they say Ahh and play with an open throat. I thought as many did that it helped sound production. I don't know exactly why or even if it actually does help but I assumed it was a resonate effect. Diligent work on sound production from the very beginning can produce impressive results. Students sounded good at 4 weeks in the low register and mastered the high register in 8 weeks. In a few months they sounded like pros but couldn't play much. One often overlooked aspect of sound production training is the student doesn't know what it is supposed to sound like. So you have to critique their sound and coach them on what to listen for too. I did pitch ear training like this later on, learning to recognize notes characteristicaly sharp or flat and correct them. Where I am headed with this is: when someone talks about tongue position they might be opening their throat instead. This speaks to the question can you learn music by yourself with a book or video? I think learning without good in person instruction is the long way around. Could you have invented arithmetic as a kid? How about multiplication and division? Some one at some point obviously did invent it, but wasn't it faster to be taught? If you want to be a musician you won't get there by dabbling alone. The best way to develop bad habits, waste your time, and stall or prevent your progress is to go it alone. Getting good classical training with a good instructor could cut years off your efforts. Finding a good instructor might be a challenge. Don't be afraid to try a few. Ramble done. JY
There's a massive reason for the tongue position changing the capability of the altissimo register. For those notes to sound, a very important acoustic impedance match between the source side(mouth) and the output (horn) impedance for that particular frequency. The shape of the mouth cavity is much more impactful to change of impedance at higher frequency. This match in impedance is what allows the altissimo frequencies to sound (along with airspeed, and ear training) and can also greatly affect tuning in those upper registers. At the natural frequencies of the horn (below high F#), the impedance match is important for tuning, but the sensitivity of the system is much less than when driving upper harmonics. I recently took an acoustics of musical instruments course as part of my M.Eng in Acoustics and this exact topic came up (because I brought it up).
@@brentshumard757 Very interesting you confirm the interaction of the the two chambers as I describe. Expressing it as impedance makes good sense. I pondered using the impedance model and tried to write a layman's definition of impedance and gave up. I settled on a resonance description because I though it might be easier to understand. Now this is a two person discussion. When I was active years ago I played more Clarinet then Sax. I encountered altissimo notes on the Clarinet every day but on the Sax never. I played altissimo as part of my .daily practice. I started playing again after many years starting about a month ago. Note generation if finally back and so is altissimo. Much to my surprise it came back easily with the rest of the notes. The first few weeks were tough. Tougher than I thought. I am not aware of any tongue motion to achieve altissimo notes. I'm not sure we can always tell what we are doing. My notes are clean and in tune over the whole range I can start any note from nothing and play pianissimo. Part of my daily practice was to play very softly over the whole range of the instrument to get notes without air hiss. Maybe I will tackle the Sax nest and try altissimo. Thank for your interesting response. I better get off here before Jay looses subscribers.
Love the Q&A videos - always lots to think about in there. 1 thing I wanted to comment on was the "can I learn to play from watching UA-cam" My sax journey started unexpectedly when my family bought me a tenor as a surprise present. I turned to youtube and it got me started., there's easily enough content out there to get going. But what I found was that after a while i was skipping around with no real direction and the progress slowed right down. If something was too hard I would skip it and keep looking. I was getting frustrated. At around that stage, I decided that what I needed was more structure so I committed to paying for a course. I think the fact that I'd spent money on it meant I now had skin in the game, so was more inclined to stick with it. So, in my experience, yes there is all the information available out there but the difference for me in terms of making real progress was commitment to and focus on a structured course. Others with greater discipline might find the free smorgasbord fine. For me it was just too much (sometimes contradictory) info as a developing beginner. Hopefully this experience will help someone in the same boat.
From personal experience get a 1-2-1 with a top teacher. That WILL be beneficial. Probably not cheap but go once in a while - he will understand. Will sort things out before you develop bad habits.
@@derekakien7379 thanks, yeah I was considering that as the next step before 2020 hit us all for 6. Will probably try and get something planned in if/when normality returns.👍
I find these snippets of saxophone information really informative. I’m a casual saxophone player who loves the music and the instrument. The music and the people and Jay you keep me going!
Tongue position was an aspect of Joe Allard's teaching. When I studied with him he had me place my tongue flat against the upper molar teeth. His explanation was that this created a jet engine effect with the air stream being more concentrated at the tip of the mouthpiece. Tongue position was also an aspect of teaching with flutist with whom I studied. Often a teacher will ask the student to think a vowel sound to produce the air stream e.g. ee, or oo. This not only shapes the glottal opening but also the tongue moves into different positions depending on the vowel the student is asked to produce.
I still can't believe that you answered my question, thank you so much! I've been playing tenor on an off for a month, but I'm going to take your advice and really buckle down on it in July. Great video as always, thanks for always having thoughtful, informative content.
You're like the ultimate saxophone teacher and you've really helped me improve a lot of my playing techniques and my sound thank you for everything you do
10:13 re tongue position and high notes. The reed vibrates at the resonant frequency of the bore of the horn AND the vocal tract. In series. On the low notes the sound wave is reflected back up the bore easily, creating a strong standing wave that is the dominant factor on reed vibration. Higher up, the brass is more efficient at radiating out the high frequency sound energy therefore LESS sound energy is reflected back in the bore and the standing wave is weaker. The vocal tract and tongue can be used to shape the harmonic spectrum (the resonance) of the vocal tract and this becomes much more important on the high notes - as the resonance of the bore decreases, the resonance of the vocal tract becomes much more important in influencing the vibration of the reed. Above about third octave altissimo A (the “cut off frequency”) the vocal tract resonance is the dominant factor in influencing the vibration of the reed. This is why so many people know the fingerings but can’t play altissimo. The resonance of each note must be primarily created with the vocal tract instead of the bore of the instrument. You are 100% correct on the airspeed thing Jay. Hope that helps? I’m indebted to Dr Mark Watkins and Dr Joe Wolfe for this info. If you go to Mark Watkins UA-cam you can see x ray, fluoroscope and endoscopy images of sax players playing and exactly what their vocal tract is doing and the effect it has. It is VERY trippy seeing an embouchure from the inside of the mouth!!! Jamie 🎷👍🏻
The part about the bite guard / pad I think really ties back to the point about "biting your lip" in that I was taught -- 40 years ago -- that if you're teeth are making ANY contact with the mouthpiece, you're doing it wrong... just as if your jaw muscles are the ones being used to apply the pressure you're not actually using your embouchure. Brass players use embouchure for control and they don't have to bite down on their mouthpiece, neither should woodwind players. . In that way I honestly feel that if you need a "pad" on the top of a sax mouthpiece there's something wrong with how you're playing. It was one of the corrective actions an instructor took with me in the 7th grade that stuck with me. It's one of my exercises during practice is to just push my lips together as hard as I can for 30 seconds, then relax, WITHOUT letting my teeth touch, alternating both with and without trying to hold in air. Push with your lungs but try to hold the air in with your lips, pushing your lips together as hard as you can without the top/bottom teeth touching. . I've mostly played tenor the past 30+ years -- at least when I'm not dicking around on the EWI -- and if I take out my 1987 Rico Metallite M5, there's not a scratch on it even though it's my most played and still favorite one. I don't think my top teeth have ever once made contact with it. If you're pressing down with your teeth, you're not using your lips properly on EITHER side of the mouthpiece. . Though that might be why I find the EWI's "bite sensor" effectively useless. . Kind of like the other lesson I was taught by the same instructor -- the neck strap isn't there to hold up the instrument, that's what the thumb hook is for. The strap is there so if you're clumsy you don't drop it. Playing normally -- even on Bari -- the lions share of the weight of the instrument should be on your right hand, not the strap. . Then people wonder why I laugh at the pathetic little girly-men who complain that a 8oz laptop computer is "too heavy". We need to "pomp yew oop" with Hanz and Franz. . In any case I think much of the blame for this also goes towards the obsession I see a lot of beginners and experts alike have with playing really stiff reeds with massively wide mouthpiece openings, like that's some sort of status symbol. If you're sitting there with a #4 rico or #5 vandoren on a 9 opening, of course you're going to be biting too hard. Many players out there need to stop with the L33t "but muh higher numbarz r teh butters" idiocy, relax a little, and start just enjoying playing with something more comfortable. I mean here I am 40+ years into playing the sax, and my favorite config that gives me the best tone is #3 reeds on a 5 opening. Beginners should be on 1.5 reeds with a 3, moving up to #2 after two or three YEARS. . But no, there's this effete elitist attitude towards harder reeds and wider openings common amongst amateurs that is in no way, shape, or form based in reality. I mean yes, there are tonal differences, but if to reach that tone you're damaging your teeth, biting through your bottom lip, and making an impression in the top of the mouthpiece, you're doing it all wrong and should probably back off until your lips are actually ready for it. . Also why I find the notion of a bite guard on a metal mouthpiece patently absurd.
Great video, I got my Mark VI Alto when I was 15, after my music director told my parents I was gifted and needed the best. This was the early 90s and my parents paid over $4K. I still have it and it took me well into my 20s after playing in the military and professionally for a bit. My military career took a turn and I gave it up. Now that I’m retired I’m looking forward to getting back into it.
Jay, as always it's so great to watch your videos, such a pleasure. So nice of you to take the time and patience to answer so many questions. In general watching your videos (and courses of which I bought some) makes me want to practice and it made me passionate about the saxophone more than I have ever been. Easy to see that you also improved your video editing and special affects to a professional degree. It would be great to have more videos of you play, like you do with Kiril Poudavoff from time to time, and the "All of me" video that you have done with Johnny Bones which is one of my favorites and I have probably watched for at least 30 times or so. Such a pity that it's not on UA-cam, I almost missed that one. Jay, you are an inspiration.
You know I just love you and your videos, I even unconsciously somehow started to speak English like you 😂 I mean my accent and phrasing and all My English teacher even noticed this and asked me about it ... Thank you so so much for your great content ♥️ And by the way I think this channel will approach the 1Million subs , your content are so good and high quality 😊
Thank you for being a part of the Virtual Jazz Workshop! I got a lot out of your class and I always get a lot out of your videos. You continue to inspire! I have been recommending your channel to friends. :)
Great video again! I started playing sax 30+ years ago and as most studied classical saxophone in school. Of course I became interested in Jazz and Salsa at TX State University and all other styles of music as I grew as a saxophonist. After college I revamped my embouchure....not the pushed out lip thing a lotof people use, but I knew I would not do too much legit playing anymore and needed less "up and down" pressure I call it. This of course to get a fuller freer Jazz tone. So I just let go with the up and down part of my embouchure, less jaw pressure I suppose, and really focused on the corners of my embouchure. Took a while but what a big difference on fatigue on my lower lip and my mpc patches will last for almost a year before I have had to replace them. Also made a huge difference in my tone and my ability to project on any mouthpiece. Now as a professional for the last 15 yearsor so it takes many many hours of playing and practicing before I have any cuts or issues with my bottom lip. Anyway....thanks again. Just sharing my experience with that specific thing.
I generally suggest to my students that on a 1(tightest) to 10 (loosest) scale, the clarinet is typically around a 9, classical sax 7-8, and jazz sax 5 1/2-6. It's tough to quantify, but playing all 3 regularly that's how it feels to me.
Jay, you're the man! I am a jazz band teacher at the high school level, and I have two questions: 1. In an increasingly digital classroom, what technological resources do you see benefitting a group rehearsal? 2. What is the most effective way you have seen to help students "feel" swing?
1. I would record all the parts or get a recording, and then have kids play their part along with the recording. That's how I prepare for performances, no reason kids can't do the same. 2. Kids need to listen to music to understand how to feel the rhythms. There is no other way. Again playing/practicing along with professional recordings of the charts will make a night and day difference.
Great video! Here’s an idea about the teeth cutting into mouth behind the lower lip: my bottom teeth are somewhat crooked and sharp. My teeth used to cut into my mouth until I started using Ezo denture pads over my bottom teeth. That, along with a mouthpiece/beak patch, helped a lot. For an unrelated problem my dentist made for me something called “dental trays” for a procedure. They look like Invisalign braces but they’re flexible instead of rigid. Out of curiosity I started playing my clarinet with both the upper and lower trays on my teeth. I found that they helped me enormously. I’m primarily a clarinet player and I have to have a firmer embouchure on that instrument than when I play saxes. Nonetheless, I use them on sax as well. The trays are so unobtrusive that, if I’m in a doubling situation, I don’t have to take them out when playing the flute family or double reeds. After I use them I brush them with toothpaste so that, besides being clean, every time I play I get a nice minty taste. If you have crooked teeth consider checking about dental trays with your dentist. It helped me feel so much more comfortable when I play. Take care and stay healthy.
Thank you for this Q&A video and thank you for this beautiful landscape of the French Riviera 😉 Your advice speaks to me and comforts me in my learning 👍🎷🎷🎷
Great Q & A. You mention building up embouchure, for developing tone and control. As a private teacher i recommend doing the following exercise for developing the embouchure when NOT playing the saxophone: Smile, but keep the lips together then pucker up like you're going to drink from a straw, then repeat. Do this exercise multiple times daily. Do you have ay other embouchure building exercises?
Love the answer on the Mark VI question. I own and Silver Mark VI Baritone and I love it. In my local currency it cost me the same as a new Yamaha YBS-62. You could argue I was suckered into the Mark VI a little because it was silver and I do have a preference for silver (my first TWO alto's were silver [well maybe the first was nickel, but silver in color at least]) and a silver YBS-62 was going to cost me more. Also I felt that I could resell the Mark VI for similar to what I paid if I didn't end up liking Baritone (I've played Alto for 20+ years and this was my first Bari). There is another Selmer Mark VI Baritone that's been available in my local area for a very long time (over a year). It's in worse condition than the one I purchased and they want more for it. Suffice to say they must want too much for it because it hasn't sold for so long. Also the one I purchased actually was bought by someone else before me and they had it for a week and didn't like it and returned it. They went for a new Yani instead and are happy with that. Now I know you didn't use these words, but saying that Selmer Mark VI's are the best saxophones is like saying that Selmer forgot how to make a Saxophone after making the Mark VI. Personally if money was no object, I'd buy the Keilwerth Shadow Baritone, I've played one and fell in love with that thing after the first note I played on it, but it was twice the price of the Mark VI.
I learned to play on a silver Baritone (don't remember the manufacturer) and have owned a Selmer Mark VI baritone with the low A key for decades. My parents bought it new for me, perhaps thinking that I would go pro with it (I'm not nearly good enough), and my kids will sell it when I am gone. I guess the subtext to that question is, are Mark VI's better than average? Were they some sort of breakthrough, a so-called "quantum leap" in quality? I assume that modern baritones are better - progress in materials, manufacturing methods, design technology, etc. - but the fact that I do own a classic Mark VI does give me some unwarranted prestige when I pull it out of the case. I imagine it is like cars, but wonder if I am right about that. Sure, everyone wants a 1966 Mustang, but a new Mustang is better in every way: more powerful, faster, safer, more fuel efficient, more reliable, better handling, better radio, lasts longer, etc., etc., etc. Still, a mint 1966 Mustang would cost you a lot more than a brand new one. Is it the same kind of thing with a Mark VI? Is the Mark VI all hype, or is there some truth behind the hype?
Great video! I love the improvisation parts between the q&a, what scales are you using creating such a amazing and jazzy lines? Seems like you can go on forever just play whatever comes up in your mind.. Btw ordered one of that vintage T-shirt 🤣
When we mention one of the greats, it is almost always tied to the sax they play (i.e. soprano/alto/tenor/baritone). Gerry Mulligan on alto?! Which do you prefer? What advice for a semi-pro who can't make up their mind after 30 years of playing? Please don't say 'both'! Your tone on the tenor at the end of this video is exquisite.
"Raising your tongue" comes from proper classical clarinet technique for going into the altissimo range above high C. It definitely helps, but the most important thing is consistent strong air support. The issue with clarinet is that its easy to mess up and make a bad noise. That leads to an easy but bad habit to shy away and back off on your air when crossing the lower break and the higher break into the altissimo to avoid making the bad noises. If you get over the fact you will mess up and that you can't treat the clarinet like a saxophone you will do just fine. I agree with everything you said about the Mark VI price issue, but part of it is rooted at Robertos in NYC. He was buying up every single Mark VI in NYC that he could in the late 80s and 90s for roughly $1000 a pop to hoard them away, that's why at one point he had a seemingly endless supply of them. He had wealthy clientele that didn't care about the money and he set the standard for the outlandish prices, the origin story of rich doctors and lawyers throwing heaps of cash at "collector horns" and keeping them out of the hands of players. Compare his shop to a shop like Saxquest. They each have a 1968 Mark VI tenor right now: RW price is $8500 and SQ is at $4850. I will admit that the horn at SQ has most of its lacquer missing when compared to the horn at RW, but its almost double the price.
I wanted to learn sax in 1963. A player brought round two pro tenors. A 1956 MkVI £80 and a Buffet £50. I didn't know one end of a sax to the other but the Buffet had a dent at the bottom of the bell. So I bought the MkVI. HE works in mysterious ways! Still blowing it. Prices have gone stupid now. If a sax blows it is a good one, don't look at the badge! That player had a Conn tenor - a real monster!
Regarding raising the back of the tongue, check out “Ray Wheeler Clarinet & Tongue “ in UA-cam. Wheeler was a prof at Central Washington State College/Central Washington University when I went there in the 70’s. He taught single and double reeds. He made these motion picture xrays of him playing clarinet, sax, oboe, and bassoon. He would give a presentation on these every quarter, so I saw them several times. The one on UA-cam is one of the clarinet movies with sound added. When he first got them back they made no sense to him because they were not recorded with sound and his tongue was not doing what he expected it to be doing. At that point everyone “knew” and taught that your tongue moved opposite to what it actually does as you get into the higher notes. The point was don’t bother trying to teach what your tongue does because the best players in the world didn’t know what they were actually doing. You just have to experiment. Just realize that your tongue does do some pretty wild things at times. You do have to have your tongue in the right place to hit each harmonic (overtone), so if you hit the note your tongue’s in the right place. Once you figure out how it feels to move your tongue for overtones you will realize no biting is necessary. Check out how your tongue moves for glissandos/bending notes, particularly the Rhapsody in Blue part. I only heard him play bebop once, but it was killer (like everything he played).
Hi Jay! On week 3 of learning Sax! Thanks so much for sending me the videos! Gonna get my sax looked at, can’t seem to hit middle D. Don’t know if it has leaks or not, I’m hitting the other notes ok, it’s an older sax that I got a few weeks ago. Thanks again for all the help!
Regarding the question of the itching lip, sure it is about biting but I believe the biting may also be due to using a too hard reed. Sometimes playing with a hard reed is thought of having a good, tuned, fat sound and it doesn't work like that. It takes time to develop embouche strengh and many of us just don't play enough. I'd rather play comfortably on a #2 reed than struggle with a 3 🤷♂️
I see you have a syos mouthpiece in the background of this video, are you going to do a review soon? I just got the Daro behroozi signature for baritone and ive been waiting for a review from you :)
@@bettersax When you do your review, consider reviewing it for cane and synthetic reeds as I along with a couple of others I've chatted with, have varying experiences with synthetic reeds on syos. thanks!
@@jakechastain8477 Nothing beats a Francois Louis Mouthpiece on Baritone Sax. I loved the one I have so much, I bought a second to have as a backup. Both are so remarkably similar that is extremely hard to tell the two apart. They are made extremely well and are extremely consistent. Great mouthpieces for Baritone Saxophone. Try one. You will love it.
My question would be - How much would you spend/which sax would you buy, as your first upgrade? I am an enthusiastic amateur, playing aa Alto Yamaha 23. Really love it, and have played on other peoples horn - but just get a bit excited sometimes by all these other colours and makes etc, so if I was to buy an upgrade, am at a complete lost as to where to start.... as I cant really justify spending thousands on a professional sax. Keep up the good work
It would be great to compare a number of the different synthetic reeds brands in a video. I have tried out a number of them and I really like Legre and Fibracell.
@@paulspence2815 +1 I'd also like to know how to choose strengths. Sure, Legere has the trade-in program, but it takes weeks to get the right one. And I have a hard time believing the strength chart on their site.
Great video Jay, super cool T shirt to boot. Saw a thing somewhere about long tones, Set your Metronome to 40 or slower, play the particular head you are learning in time, this way you're practising you L/T and memorising tunes at the same time. Keep it up Jay reach that cool 1m.
I have owned a Selmer Mark VI baritone with the low A key for decades, and have just started playing it again, at least until the pandemic shut down my bands. My parents bought it new for me, perhaps thinking that I would go pro with it (I'm not nearly good enough), and my kids will sell it when I am gone. I guess the subtext to that question is, are Mark VI's better than average? Were they some sort of breakthrough, a so-called "quantum leap" in quality? I assume that modern baritones are better - progress in materials, manufacturing methods, design technology, etc. - but the fact that I do own a classic 1974 Mark VI does give me some unwarranted prestige when I pull it out of the case. I imagine it is like cars, but wonder if I am right about that. Sure, everyone wants a 1966 Mustang, but a new Mustang is better in every way: more powerful, faster, safer, more fuel efficient, more reliable, better handling, better radio, lasts longer, etc., etc., etc. Still, a mint 1966 Mustang would cost you a lot more than a brand new one. Is it the same kind of thing with a Mark VI? Is the Mark VI all hype, or is there some truth behind the hype?
About Mark VI and its status: it was born on a very lucky era of great players, who got status and whose instruments started to interest others. About inhaling and blowing: my advice to my pupils is to concentrate on blowing (the right way) and to forget the breathing! Breathing happens by reflex, and if you get rid of the air inside it works just fine. About learning things slowly: the memory mark in your brain is stronger, if done by a slower pace. Playing slowly, playing long tones, repeating slowly... that is what makes the trick!
I'm a hobbyist player nowadays, but I've owned a MkVII since it was new 43 years ago. I used to be jealous that my sister, who went on to be a professional musician had a MkVI since she was older and got hers new when they were still being made. Recently, however, I had my MKVII overhauled and I'm blown away at how well it plays now. It was designed very well, I think Selmer's build quality was pretty bad in the 70's and it just needed a lot more work than I imagined. It wasn't just a matter of putting new pads on, there were hidden flaws that were in place since it was new. A MkVI or MkVII are fantastic horns as designed. The designs since haven't increased very much since then, so it's just going to be a matter of what condition the individual horn is in, whether it's a MkVI or a Yanigasawa.
Nice info- The mark VI is not overpriced in relation to a Stradivarius or Fender Strat pre CBS. Or for that matter a top quality bassoon. But since it is not made anymore and was legendary at the time it is also noted people endorse things now that are now made. In addition most Sax players do not have money like lawyers and tech workers or physicians. Don't buy it if you think it is too much. People say the same thing about houses in California and NY. Maybe they are out of reach for students but hey find me a Mint condition Super Balanced Action Tenor in original lacquer and I can sell it for a lot more than the latest thing made in Taiwan. Simple. All in all remember Charlie Parker would leave us all in the dust whatever he had to play. Lastly I find that the Conn has a better "sound" than anything but dislike the ergonomics. Perhaps humbly I have experienced an overtone quality on the 1950s Selmers that is contrasted with a more monochromatic response from Yamahas or other modern horns. Try thinking of resale value rather than purchase price-how people who don't appreciate old horns don't play them.
Hi jay just an observation: it is actually possible to breathe without your diaphragm by expanding your chest muscles and moving your shoulders up. This is what I did when I first was playing and it's unsurprisingly not very good! So it's possible that's what some people mean. Love all the help and advice though, thanks for doing it!
Breathing with the diaphragm is ill-advised. Breath with the chest! The diaphragm stays in the "inhaled" position. Exhale with the diaphragm only when you cannot go further with the chest. I forget which great sax player taught me that, but wow what great advice it was! Never raise the shoulders. Edit: I seem to recall that it was Stan Getz. Long time ago, obviously.
Just on long tones The harder you try the easier it gets is a football adage but the same thing happens with music Making hard decisions is character building and after a while big problems become small ones and small ones disappear. If avoiding something that's really really important like sustained notes in your practice sessions, then you have to approach the practice that you do more seriously, this will make the transition into the grown-up world of music less painful. Only serious.....
loved the video, but just wanted to say the diaphragm does not push any air. It is contracted when drawing in air but relaxes when releasing air. The abdominal and intercostal muscles are the ones that squeeze the air out.
The Mk. VI was followed by the ill-fated Mk. VII, which included the oversized, over-complicared "Table keys" (left hand little finger). Selmer is still trying to overcome the setback of the Mk. VII to this day with "Reference '54" saxophones. A topic covered by other videos...
Do you think in 10-20 years Sax players will be looking for 2022 Yani’s or Yamaha’s? The Right Mark 6 will always be the standard. There all different, they used 3 different bow’s over the years making them all a little different.
The diaphragm does not push air. Don’t take my word for it: any Physiology book will confirm that contraction of the diaphragm is for inhalation only. Normal exhalation is a result of recoil, no muscle contraction involved. Forced and controlled exhalation are actually powered by abdominal muscles. Why does it feel like the diaphragm is doing the job when we blow? This you won’t confirm in a book, but I know it because I’ve taught Anatomy and Physiology, and I perform operations on the diaphragm: during intentional exhalation, the diaphragm does contract to provide a force opposite to the abdominal muscles, so that the action is controlled. In summary, the diaphragm is not an exhalation muscle; rather: 1. Normal exhalation is passive, no muscle involved 2. The diaphragm provides control to the forced exhalation powered by the contraction of abdominal muscles. Thanks for all your videos. I have bought and enjoy several of your courses. You’re a great teacher and I trust your guidance. But this is a specific point that all the saxophone teachers I’ve heard or read, up to Allard, have gotten wrong.
thanks for the clarification. "The diaphragm provides control to the forced exhalation powered by the contraction of abdominal muscles." I'll say that next time.
Here’s the (more) geeky version: forced exhalation pressure is driven by concentric contraction of the abdominal muscles, and the flow rate is regulated by the eccentric contraction of the diaphragm . As physical therapists and many bodybuilders know, eccentric contraction is actually harder work than concentric contraction. So the diaphragm is indeed working at its hardest when it keeps us from overblowing. The other myth to be dispelled is the view that the diaphragm cannot be controlled. Sure, the diaphragm is usually on involuntary autopilot, but thanks to our ability to take control we can hold our breath temporarily, sing, scream at a protest, etc. The only diaphragm contraction we can’t control? hiccups
After messing around with my EWI for a year, I have now picked up my tenor again after many years of not playing. In part this is thanks to your videos - a great resource. My problem is finding a good mouthpiece suited to playing together with an acoustic guitar in a relaxed setting. I am practicing my long tones like I know I should, getting better at playing quietly. But my Dukoff mouthpiece is loud, so I want to find the opposite. I have learned a lot from your mouthpiece videos, but I am still guessing what I should aim for. If a mouthpiece with high baffle, small chamber and large tip opening gives more "projection" and is suitable in a rock setting, my guess is to go for the opposite in my case! Should a small tip opening go with a harder reed?
As usual - all good information Jay. I understand how playing long tones improves control of the release of air. One thing I don't understand is how practicing overtones helps. I practice overtones, never hitting the octave key and I wonder why that helps while playing songs. Could you explain the mechanism of how overtones improve my playing? Again, thanks for all you're doing. It gives me hope. Cheers.
I was expecting Jay to really expand on the Mark VI question, but instead all we got was a short little blurb. Can you make a future video that goes more in-depth on the Mark VI?
I have Jean Paul AS-400 and my neck screw snapped in half and I want to get a new one, but I’ve searched online and I can’t figure out where to get a replacement at, does anyone know where I could go online to get one?
At 14:01 my mind immediately went to Life of Brian. Brian: "You're all individuals!" Crowd: "Yeah!" Random guy: "I'm not." Anyway, great video. As someone who has learned to bake sour dough bread-and is currently trying to learn the sax-over the internet, it really hit home. :)
Interesting video. Your answer to the Mark VI question sidesteps the matter of their quality compared to other Selmer saxes and other makes of pro saxes. While I agree that Mark VIs might be overpriced, they are certainly a high quality instrument which makes it easy to get a good tone, especially if you are playing jazz. I have a Mark VI tenor, and it is the best sax I have ever played.
You may have a good one but for every good one there are many that are terrible. The myth of the MKVI has been pushed for so long it’s nauseating. People have basically been brainwashed into believing that the MKVI is the end all. There are definitely superior horns being made today.
@@vladimirlopez7840 I don't think that it is a myth. Look at all the prominent professional sax players who are still playing Mark VIs. I have owned and played 6 tenors, including a Selmer super action 80. The Mark VI which I currently own is by far the best of them. I don't think, though, that they are the "end all" I have heard good things about Yanigasawa tenors, but I've never played one.
How quickly you go through mouthpiece cushions depends a lot on your teeth too! My front teeth are of unequal length because one of them broke years ago and now being half fake, which means the longer tooth puts most of the pressure on one single spot on the cushion.
As a classical saxophone player (conservatoire student), where would you suggest I start for getting into jazz? I subbed in a few big bands on voices that they just needed someone to come and play a written part, but I feel like that might as well have been classical, with the only difference being that I slapped on a different mouthpiece/Reed combo and pretended like I knew what I was doing.
listening is the gateway to any style of music. binge listen to your favorite jazz players for a while and then dive into recreating the stuff you love the most.
Keep posting video and motivated other, because saxophone is amazing instrument. I hope many new Kenny G, Dave Koz will soon come out again to make some album 🙏🏼
Please make a video about P Mauriat 2400 soprano curved, or p Mauriat in general, I will buy soprano curved and this is my better option for the price, but will amazing if you talk about it... saludos desde ECUADOR
Thinking of why an instrument is priced the way it is, it would be interesting to know what goes into the increased price tag of an intermediate or professional grade instrument over that of a student one.
As someone who took up the saxophone when 66yrs old 11yrs ago now, and since coming across Better Sax you have been an inspiration to me, not only as a player, but, as a person willing to give an insight on how the body and mind interacts with the instrument. Three years prior to me taking up the saxophone I had a triple heart bypass, having suffered with angina for 15yrs prior to that. So as you can imagine my breathing and lung capacity were pretty shallow. I promised myself in recovery that if I could acheive half of what I wanted too I would take up the saxophone to prove to myself, and as a thank you too the Surgeon and his team my family and friends for saving my life, and I include you in that number. Thank you Jay.
Amazing video!! Love everything you do - you’re a hero!! And an extremely talented man!
Thank you so much 😀
Interesting answer on the long tones - I actually really enjoy long tone exercises. I use it as a chance to really hone in the sound I'm making and find it an relaxing, meditative exercise to get me in the right mind set for practice. Honestly, I find practice to be much more enjoyable and I feel (correctly or not) I get more benefit, but definitely feel more rewarded by a practice session with a long tone. I dunno, maybe they just "speak" to me in a satisfying way :)
A chance to really work on dynamics, tone, vibrato, intonation, breathing. ALL the top players do this.
you’re right, it is quite meditative.
I feel the same way! :)
I like to do longtones as the first step to tune in to my horn and to stay fit with my embouchure, to check intonation and stuff, and, most important, to develop my sound on the horn
This beautiful Promenade des Anglaises, I recently was there to enjoy some sunshine and look at the sea. Wonderful. Good on you to having this to enjoy more often 🌊☀️🎶
Thanks Jay for answering my question about motivation. These times have made it hard for me to keep practicing, but I have kind of forgotten about the importance of listening. Now I have something to jump back into!
Great to hear. thanks for your question
Jay you’ll be at half a million subs by Christmas keep going - you put a great deal of effort into your channel - really appreciate your down to earth guidance on so many subjects regarding the sax - my playing has gone through the roof since watching your channel thankyou Paul Saxocoustic channel 🎷🌈🇬🇧
Jay: Your advice is of immeasurable value to this old woodwinds player; +50 years playing, but always learning. You are also one heck of a nice person. Thanks for all you do for us. mbsjazz.
Interesting tidbit about the diaphragm. Its resting state is up high like a dome, in an exhaled position. When you contract that muscle, it lowers that dome and you breath in. You can't relax a muscle with great force. It would be like using your bicep to extend your arm. You need an opposing muscle. In breath, that is your intercostal muscles, the real unsung heroes of breath support. These are the muscles between your ribs and around your back that allow you to force your chest cavity to constrict, thereby exhaling. That's why if you're practicing breathing, you're going to start feeling it in your back. Great video though!
Underrrated comment 🙌🏾
Glad to see you dispel the myth on air velocity. One clarinet youtuber claims you can focus your air stream and increase its velocity. Ridiculous. There is a lot of bogus lore out there.
Your lungs produce only pressure. That pressure operates on the restriction of the mouthpiece modulated by the vibrating reed and you get velocity based on gas laws complicated by resonance.
One thought on tongue position. The mouthpiece is connected to 2 resonate chambers the horn and your mouth/windpipe. Your mouth much smaller than the horn likely has resonate modes at a much higher frequency than ordinary notes. But in the higher register or the altissimo or in high pitch instruments the note frequency and mouth resonate frequency could be similar. This could affect resonate modes of the reed supporting some high notes or affecting harmonic content. The resonate Q of the horn will likely dominate but a cooperative resonate chamber upstream of the reed could have an effect. (Q is an engineering term used to describe the quality of a resonate system or circuit)
Years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I was teaching clarinet, I would work hard on sound production from lesson one. I would give students a mirror and have them look in their mouth and say Ahh like the doctor does. They see their throat open - try it. I would coach them to learn to open like when they say Ahh and play with an open throat. I thought as many did that it helped sound production. I don't know exactly why or even if it actually does help but I assumed it was a resonate effect. Diligent work on sound production from the very beginning can produce impressive results. Students sounded good at 4 weeks in the low register and mastered the high register in 8 weeks. In a few months they sounded like pros but couldn't play much. One often overlooked aspect of sound production training is the student doesn't know what it is supposed to sound like. So you have to critique their sound and coach them on what to listen for too. I did pitch ear training like this later on, learning to recognize notes characteristicaly sharp or flat and correct them.
Where I am headed with this is: when someone talks about tongue position they might be opening their throat instead.
This speaks to the question can you learn music by yourself with a book or video? I think learning without good in person instruction is the long way around. Could you have invented arithmetic as a kid? How about multiplication and division? Some one at some point obviously did invent it, but wasn't it faster to be taught? If you want to be a musician you won't get there by dabbling alone. The best way to develop bad habits, waste your time, and stall or prevent your progress is to go it alone. Getting good classical training with a good instructor could cut years off your efforts. Finding a good instructor might be a challenge. Don't be afraid to try a few.
Ramble done.
JY
There's a massive reason for the tongue position changing the capability of the altissimo register. For those notes to sound, a very important acoustic impedance match between the source side(mouth) and the output (horn) impedance for that particular frequency. The shape of the mouth cavity is much more impactful to change of impedance at higher frequency. This match in impedance is what allows the altissimo frequencies to sound (along with airspeed, and ear training) and can also greatly affect tuning in those upper registers. At the natural frequencies of the horn (below high F#), the impedance match is important for tuning, but the sensitivity of the system is much less than when driving upper harmonics.
I recently took an acoustics of musical instruments course as part of my M.Eng in Acoustics and this exact topic came up (because I brought it up).
@@brentshumard757
Very interesting you confirm the interaction of the the two chambers as I describe. Expressing it as impedance makes good sense. I pondered using the impedance model and tried to write a layman's definition of impedance and gave up. I settled on a resonance description because I though it might be easier to understand. Now this is a two person discussion. When I was active years ago I played more Clarinet then Sax. I encountered altissimo notes on the Clarinet every day but on the Sax never. I played altissimo as part of my .daily practice. I started playing again after many years starting about a month ago. Note generation if finally back and so is altissimo. Much to my surprise it came back easily with the rest of the notes. The first few weeks were tough. Tougher than I thought. I am not aware of any tongue motion to achieve altissimo notes. I'm not sure we can always tell what we are doing. My notes are clean and in tune over the whole range I can start any note from nothing and play pianissimo. Part of my daily practice was to play very softly over the whole range of the instrument to get notes without air hiss. Maybe I will tackle the Sax nest and try altissimo.
Thank for your interesting response.
I better get off here before Jay looses subscribers.
Love the Q&A videos - always lots to think about in there.
1 thing I wanted to comment on was the "can I learn to play from watching UA-cam"
My sax journey started unexpectedly when my family bought me a tenor as a surprise present.
I turned to youtube and it got me started., there's easily enough content out there to get going.
But what I found was that after a while i was skipping around with no real direction and the progress slowed right down. If something was too hard I would skip it and keep looking. I was getting frustrated.
At around that stage, I decided that what I needed was more structure so I committed to paying for a course.
I think the fact that I'd spent money on it meant I now had skin in the game, so was more inclined to stick with it.
So, in my experience, yes there is all the information available out there but the difference for me in terms of making real progress was commitment to and focus on a structured course. Others with greater discipline might find the free smorgasbord fine. For me it was just too much (sometimes contradictory) info as a developing beginner.
Hopefully this experience will help someone in the same boat.
From personal experience get a 1-2-1 with a top teacher. That WILL be beneficial. Probably not cheap but go once in a while - he will understand. Will sort things out before you develop bad habits.
@@derekakien7379 thanks, yeah I was considering that as the next step before 2020 hit us all for 6. Will probably try and get something planned in if/when normality returns.👍
I find these snippets of saxophone information really informative. I’m a casual saxophone player who loves the music and the instrument. The music and the people and Jay you keep me going!
Tongue position was an aspect of Joe Allard's teaching. When I studied with him he had me place my tongue flat against the upper molar teeth. His explanation was that this created a jet engine effect with the air stream being more concentrated at the tip of the mouthpiece. Tongue position was also an aspect of teaching with flutist with whom I studied. Often a teacher will ask the student to think a vowel sound to produce the air stream e.g. ee, or oo. This not only shapes the glottal opening but also the tongue moves into different positions depending on the vowel the student is asked to produce.
I still can't believe that you answered my question, thank you so much! I've been playing tenor on an off for a month, but I'm going to take your advice and really buckle down on it in July. Great video as always, thanks for always having thoughtful, informative content.
You're like the ultimate saxophone teacher and you've really helped me improve a lot of my playing techniques and my sound thank you for everything you do
very high quality videos as always, and lots of value in them. I actually find long tones very meditative, it’s quite peaceful.
10:13 re tongue position and high notes. The reed vibrates at the resonant frequency of the bore of the horn AND the vocal tract. In series. On the low notes the sound wave is reflected back up the bore easily, creating a strong standing wave that is the dominant factor on reed vibration. Higher up, the brass is more efficient at radiating out the high frequency sound energy therefore LESS sound energy is reflected back in the bore and the standing wave is weaker. The vocal tract and tongue can be used to shape the harmonic spectrum (the resonance) of the vocal tract and this becomes much more important on the high notes - as the resonance of the bore decreases, the resonance of the vocal tract becomes much more important in influencing the vibration of the reed. Above about third octave altissimo A (the “cut off frequency”) the vocal tract resonance is the dominant factor in influencing the vibration of the reed. This is why so many people know the fingerings but can’t play altissimo. The resonance of each note must be primarily created with the vocal tract instead of the bore of the instrument. You are 100% correct on the airspeed thing Jay. Hope that helps? I’m indebted to Dr Mark Watkins and Dr Joe Wolfe for this info. If you go to Mark Watkins UA-cam you can see x ray, fluoroscope and endoscopy images of sax players playing and exactly what their vocal tract is doing and the effect it has. It is VERY trippy seeing an embouchure from the inside of the mouth!!! Jamie 🎷👍🏻
Thanks Jamie. I’m actually reading that book at the moment. It’s very interesting.
Love how the title of the video gets the shortest answer lol. Great video!
The part about the bite guard / pad I think really ties back to the point about "biting your lip" in that I was taught -- 40 years ago -- that if you're teeth are making ANY contact with the mouthpiece, you're doing it wrong... just as if your jaw muscles are the ones being used to apply the pressure you're not actually using your embouchure. Brass players use embouchure for control and they don't have to bite down on their mouthpiece, neither should woodwind players.
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In that way I honestly feel that if you need a "pad" on the top of a sax mouthpiece there's something wrong with how you're playing. It was one of the corrective actions an instructor took with me in the 7th grade that stuck with me. It's one of my exercises during practice is to just push my lips together as hard as I can for 30 seconds, then relax, WITHOUT letting my teeth touch, alternating both with and without trying to hold in air. Push with your lungs but try to hold the air in with your lips, pushing your lips together as hard as you can without the top/bottom teeth touching.
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I've mostly played tenor the past 30+ years -- at least when I'm not dicking around on the EWI -- and if I take out my 1987 Rico Metallite M5, there's not a scratch on it even though it's my most played and still favorite one. I don't think my top teeth have ever once made contact with it. If you're pressing down with your teeth, you're not using your lips properly on EITHER side of the mouthpiece.
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Though that might be why I find the EWI's "bite sensor" effectively useless.
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Kind of like the other lesson I was taught by the same instructor -- the neck strap isn't there to hold up the instrument, that's what the thumb hook is for. The strap is there so if you're clumsy you don't drop it. Playing normally -- even on Bari -- the lions share of the weight of the instrument should be on your right hand, not the strap.
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Then people wonder why I laugh at the pathetic little girly-men who complain that a 8oz laptop computer is "too heavy". We need to "pomp yew oop" with Hanz and Franz.
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In any case I think much of the blame for this also goes towards the obsession I see a lot of beginners and experts alike have with playing really stiff reeds with massively wide mouthpiece openings, like that's some sort of status symbol. If you're sitting there with a #4 rico or #5 vandoren on a 9 opening, of course you're going to be biting too hard. Many players out there need to stop with the L33t "but muh higher numbarz r teh butters" idiocy, relax a little, and start just enjoying playing with something more comfortable. I mean here I am 40+ years into playing the sax, and my favorite config that gives me the best tone is #3 reeds on a 5 opening. Beginners should be on 1.5 reeds with a 3, moving up to #2 after two or three YEARS.
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But no, there's this effete elitist attitude towards harder reeds and wider openings common amongst amateurs that is in no way, shape, or form based in reality. I mean yes, there are tonal differences, but if to reach that tone you're damaging your teeth, biting through your bottom lip, and making an impression in the top of the mouthpiece, you're doing it all wrong and should probably back off until your lips are actually ready for it.
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Also why I find the notion of a bite guard on a metal mouthpiece patently absurd.
Great video, I got my Mark VI Alto when I was 15, after my music director told my parents I was gifted and needed the best. This was the early 90s and my parents paid over $4K. I still have it and it took me well into my 20s after playing in the military and professionally for a bit. My military career took a turn and I gave it up. Now that I’m retired I’m looking forward to getting back into it.
Jay, as always it's so great to watch your videos, such a pleasure. So nice of you to take the time and patience to answer so many questions. In general watching your videos (and courses of which I bought some) makes me want to practice and it made me passionate about the saxophone more than I have ever been. Easy to see that you also improved your video editing and special affects to a professional degree. It would be great to have more videos of you play, like you do with Kiril Poudavoff from time to time, and the "All of me" video that you have done with Johnny Bones which is one of my favorites and I have probably watched for at least 30 times or so. Such a pity that it's not on UA-cam, I almost missed that one. Jay, you are an inspiration.
Thanks, I'll do more playing videos on UA-cam soon.
You and your wife are amazing musicians! Thank you for what you do. 🎷
thank you!
You know I just love you and your videos, I even unconsciously somehow started to speak English like you 😂
I mean my accent and phrasing and all
My English teacher even noticed this and asked me about it ...
Thank you so so much for your great content ♥️
And by the way I think this channel will approach the 1Million subs , your content are so good and high quality 😊
😊 thank you
Thank you for being a part of the Virtual Jazz Workshop! I got a lot out of your class and I always get a lot out of your videos. You continue to inspire! I have been recommending your channel to friends. :)
Always great, practical info for us sax players, no matter what level! Keep up the great work, Jay!
Thanks! Will do!
Jay you’re the best. I always hear u saying “practice every day” and listen as well. I try my best 🤞🏼😂 learning on my Yamaha Yts-52 from the eighties
Great video again!
I started playing sax 30+ years ago and as most studied classical saxophone in school. Of course I became interested in Jazz and Salsa at TX State University and all other styles of music as I grew as a saxophonist. After college I revamped my embouchure....not the pushed out lip thing a lotof people use, but I knew I would not do too much legit playing anymore and needed less "up and down" pressure I call it. This of course to get a fuller freer Jazz tone. So I just let go with the up and down part of my embouchure, less jaw pressure I suppose, and really focused on the corners of my embouchure. Took a while but what a big difference on fatigue on my lower lip and my mpc patches will last for almost a year before I have had to replace them. Also made a huge difference in my tone and my ability to project on any mouthpiece. Now as a professional for the last 15 yearsor so it takes many many hours of playing and practicing before I have any cuts or issues with my bottom lip.
Anyway....thanks again. Just sharing my experience with that specific thing.
I didn't always have a relaxed embouchure, it took me a while to learn to play loose.
I generally suggest to my students that on a 1(tightest) to 10 (loosest) scale, the clarinet is typically around a 9, classical sax 7-8, and jazz sax 5 1/2-6. It's tough to quantify, but playing all 3 regularly that's how it feels to me.
Jay, you're the man!
I am a jazz band teacher at the high school level, and I have two questions:
1. In an increasingly digital classroom, what technological resources do you see benefitting a group rehearsal?
2. What is the most effective way you have seen to help students "feel" swing?
1. I would record all the parts or get a recording, and then have kids play their part along with the recording. That's how I prepare for performances, no reason kids can't do the same.
2. Kids need to listen to music to understand how to feel the rhythms. There is no other way. Again playing/practicing along with professional recordings of the charts will make a night and day difference.
Awesome, thank you so much! I appreciate your mission!
Thanks for this video, Jay. I look forward to watching as soon as they come out.
Great video! Here’s an idea about the teeth cutting into mouth behind the lower lip: my bottom teeth are somewhat crooked and sharp. My teeth used to cut into my mouth until I started using Ezo denture pads over my bottom teeth. That, along with a mouthpiece/beak patch, helped a lot. For an unrelated problem my dentist made for me something called “dental trays” for a procedure. They look like Invisalign braces but they’re flexible instead of rigid. Out of curiosity I started playing my clarinet with both the upper and lower trays on my teeth. I found that they helped me enormously. I’m primarily a clarinet player and I have to have a firmer embouchure on that instrument than when I play saxes. Nonetheless, I use them on sax as well. The trays are so unobtrusive that, if I’m in a doubling situation, I don’t have to take them out when playing the flute family or double reeds. After I use them I brush them with toothpaste so that, besides being clean, every time I play I get a nice minty taste. If you have crooked teeth consider checking about dental trays with your dentist. It helped me feel so much more comfortable when I play. Take care and stay healthy.
Thank you for this Q&A video and thank you for this beautiful landscape of the French Riviera 😉 Your advice speaks to me and comforts me in my learning 👍🎷🎷🎷
Great Q & A. You mention building up embouchure, for developing tone and control. As a private teacher i recommend doing the following exercise for developing the embouchure when NOT playing the saxophone: Smile, but keep the lips together then pucker up like you're going to drink from a straw, then repeat. Do this exercise multiple times daily. Do you have ay other embouchure building exercises?
Nice one! I live in Nice. Lovely promenade
A wonderful musician told me the old adage of "practice makes perfect" is not true; however, "perfect practice makes perfect" is true. 😊
Love the answer on the Mark VI question.
I own and Silver Mark VI Baritone and I love it. In my local currency it cost me the same as a new Yamaha YBS-62. You could argue I was suckered into the Mark VI a little because it was silver and I do have a preference for silver (my first TWO alto's were silver [well maybe the first was nickel, but silver in color at least]) and a silver YBS-62 was going to cost me more. Also I felt that I could resell the Mark VI for similar to what I paid if I didn't end up liking Baritone (I've played Alto for 20+ years and this was my first Bari).
There is another Selmer Mark VI Baritone that's been available in my local area for a very long time (over a year). It's in worse condition than the one I purchased and they want more for it. Suffice to say they must want too much for it because it hasn't sold for so long. Also the one I purchased actually was bought by someone else before me and they had it for a week and didn't like it and returned it. They went for a new Yani instead and are happy with that.
Now I know you didn't use these words, but saying that Selmer Mark VI's are the best saxophones is like saying that Selmer forgot how to make a Saxophone after making the Mark VI.
Personally if money was no object, I'd buy the Keilwerth Shadow Baritone, I've played one and fell in love with that thing after the first note I played on it, but it was twice the price of the Mark VI.
Vasilis Xenopoulos blows a silver MkVI Tenor and a Cannonball. Great horns. Seen him many times, got all his CDs.
From Athens lives in London UK.
I learned to play on a silver Baritone (don't remember the manufacturer) and have owned a Selmer Mark VI baritone with the low A key for decades. My parents bought it new for me, perhaps thinking that I would go pro with it (I'm not nearly good enough), and my kids will sell it when I am gone. I guess the subtext to that question is, are Mark VI's better than average? Were they some sort of breakthrough, a so-called "quantum leap" in quality? I assume that modern baritones are better - progress in materials, manufacturing methods, design technology, etc. - but the fact that I do own a classic Mark VI does give me some unwarranted prestige when I pull it out of the case. I imagine it is like cars, but wonder if I am right about that. Sure, everyone wants a 1966 Mustang, but a new Mustang is better in every way: more powerful, faster, safer, more fuel efficient, more reliable, better handling, better radio, lasts longer, etc., etc., etc. Still, a mint 1966 Mustang would cost you a lot more than a brand new one. Is it the same kind of thing with a Mark VI? Is the Mark VI all hype, or is there some truth behind the hype?
Great advice Jay! Just came from the livestream of you and Daniel Chia!
It amused me how much time you dedicate to the MVI answer 🙂
Thanks great inspiration again!
Great video! I love the improvisation parts between the q&a, what scales are you using creating such a amazing and jazzy lines? Seems like you can go on forever just play whatever comes up in your mind.. Btw ordered one of that vintage T-shirt 🤣
When we mention one of the greats, it is almost always tied to the sax they play (i.e. soprano/alto/tenor/baritone). Gerry Mulligan on alto?! Which do you prefer? What advice for a semi-pro who can't make up their mind after 30 years of playing? Please don't say 'both'! Your tone on the tenor at the end of this video is exquisite.
"Raising your tongue" comes from proper classical clarinet technique for going into the altissimo range above high C. It definitely helps, but the most important thing is consistent strong air support. The issue with clarinet is that its easy to mess up and make a bad noise. That leads to an easy but bad habit to shy away and back off on your air when crossing the lower break and the higher break into the altissimo to avoid making the bad noises. If you get over the fact you will mess up and that you can't treat the clarinet like a saxophone you will do just fine.
I agree with everything you said about the Mark VI price issue, but part of it is rooted at Robertos in NYC. He was buying up every single Mark VI in NYC that he could in the late 80s and 90s for roughly $1000 a pop to hoard them away, that's why at one point he had a seemingly endless supply of them. He had wealthy clientele that didn't care about the money and he set the standard for the outlandish prices, the origin story of rich doctors and lawyers throwing heaps of cash at "collector horns" and keeping them out of the hands of players. Compare his shop to a shop like Saxquest. They each have a 1968 Mark VI tenor right now: RW price is $8500 and SQ is at $4850. I will admit that the horn at SQ has most of its lacquer missing when compared to the horn at RW, but its almost double the price.
Thank you for this Q&A video, and the beautiful place on the French Riviera. What you say speaks to me and comforts me in my learning...
Very enjoyable and insightful!! So much wisdom and experience shared - thanks !!
Mk 6. Hyped up.
Great stuff Jay! Thanks for your videos!
I wanted to learn sax in 1963. A player brought round two pro tenors. A 1956 MkVI £80 and a Buffet £50. I didn't know one end of a sax to the other but the Buffet had a dent at the bottom of the bell. So I bought the MkVI. HE works in mysterious ways! Still blowing it. Prices have gone stupid now. If a sax blows it is a good one, don't look at the badge! That player had a Conn tenor - a real monster!
Regarding raising the back of the tongue, check out “Ray Wheeler Clarinet & Tongue “ in UA-cam. Wheeler was a prof at Central Washington State College/Central Washington University when I went there in the 70’s. He taught single and double reeds. He made these motion picture xrays of him playing clarinet, sax, oboe, and bassoon. He would give a presentation on these every quarter, so I saw them several times. The one on UA-cam is one of the clarinet movies with sound added. When he first got them back they made no sense to him because they were not recorded with sound and his tongue was not doing what he expected it to be doing. At that point everyone “knew” and taught that your tongue moved opposite to what it actually does as you get into the higher notes. The point was don’t bother trying to teach what your tongue does because the best players in the world didn’t know what they were actually doing. You just have to experiment. Just realize that your tongue does do some pretty wild things at times. You do have to have your tongue in the right place to hit each harmonic (overtone), so if you hit the note your tongue’s in the right place. Once you figure out how it feels to move your tongue for overtones you will realize no biting is necessary. Check out
how your tongue moves for glissandos/bending notes, particularly the Rhapsody in Blue part. I only heard him play bebop once, but it was killer (like everything he played).
Hi Jay!
On week 3 of learning Sax! Thanks so much for sending me the videos! Gonna get my sax looked at, can’t seem to hit middle D. Don’t know if it has leaks or not, I’m hitting the other notes ok, it’s an older sax that I got a few weeks ago. Thanks again for all the help!
Regarding the question of the itching lip, sure it is about biting but I believe the biting may also be due to using a too hard reed. Sometimes playing with a hard reed is thought of having a good, tuned, fat sound and it doesn't work like that. It takes time to develop embouche strengh and many of us just don't play enough. I'd rather play comfortably on a #2 reed than struggle with a 3 🤷♂️
yeah, play soft reeds if that feels good. As your embouchure gets stronger, sometimes more resistance feels better.
I see you have a syos mouthpiece in the background of this video, are you going to do a review soon? I just got the Daro behroozi signature for baritone and ive been waiting for a review from you :)
Yes, soon
Get The Justin Chart model for Baritone it's the best mouthpiece I've ever played
and he is one of the best Baritone players ever!
@@bettersax When you do your review, consider reviewing it for cane and synthetic reeds as I along with a couple of others I've chatted with, have varying experiences with synthetic reeds on syos. thanks!
@@jakechastain8477 Nothing beats a Francois Louis Mouthpiece on Baritone Sax. I loved the one I have so much, I bought a second to have as a backup. Both are so remarkably similar that is extremely hard to tell the two apart. They are made extremely well and are extremely consistent. Great mouthpieces for Baritone Saxophone. Try one. You will love it.
My question would be - How much would you spend/which sax would you buy, as your first upgrade?
I am an enthusiastic amateur, playing aa Alto Yamaha 23. Really love it, and have played on other peoples horn - but just get a bit excited sometimes by all these other colours and makes etc, so if I was to buy an upgrade, am at a complete lost as to where to start.... as I cant really justify spending thousands on a professional sax.
Keep up the good work
I really appreciate these videos, Jay. You're doing some goooooooood work 🙌
Thanks Jay! Love what you‘re doing.
Hey Jay, great to see you.
I’ve been so excited to see this video.
I’d love to see a review of Yanagisawa mouthpeices.
Noted!
I have a 5 digit 1955 MK VI. I've had it since the 70's and I love it. I could care less about the value, I just love the quality of the instrument.
Excelente canal. Saludos desde Buenos Aires
Hey! Thanks for answering my question!! This was a great video
thanks for contributing
I play French horn but these saxophone videos are so good
As another saxophonist, I would like to see you’re thoughts on the Harry Hartmann fibereeds, in my opinion they are amazing! Anyways great video
It would be great to compare a number of the different synthetic reeds brands in a video. I have tried out a number of them and I really like Legre and Fibracell.
I like the Fibracell. Suits my mpiece - Beechler Bellite. Feels like cane (I am allergic to cane).
@@paulspence2815 +1
I'd also like to know how to choose strengths. Sure, Legere has the trade-in program, but it takes weeks to get the right one. And I have a hard time believing the strength chart on their site.
Good answer on Mark IV. Also long tones...hell it was all good advise. I enjoy your vids.
Your videos inspire me to practice!
Great video Jay, super cool T shirt to boot.
Saw a thing somewhere about long tones, Set your Metronome to 40 or slower, play the particular head you are learning in time, this way you're practising you L/T and memorising tunes at the same time.
Keep it up Jay reach that cool 1m.
I have owned a Selmer Mark VI baritone with the low A key for decades, and have just started playing it again, at least until the pandemic shut down my bands. My parents bought it new for me, perhaps thinking that I would go pro with it (I'm not nearly good enough), and my kids will sell it when I am gone. I guess the subtext to that question is, are Mark VI's better than average? Were they some sort of breakthrough, a so-called "quantum leap" in quality? I assume that modern baritones are better - progress in materials, manufacturing methods, design technology, etc. - but the fact that I do own a classic 1974 Mark VI does give me some unwarranted prestige when I pull it out of the case. I imagine it is like cars, but wonder if I am right about that. Sure, everyone wants a 1966 Mustang, but a new Mustang is better in every way: more powerful, faster, safer, more fuel efficient, more reliable, better handling, better radio, lasts longer, etc., etc., etc. Still, a mint 1966 Mustang would cost you a lot more than a brand new one. Is it the same kind of thing with a Mark VI? Is the Mark VI all hype, or is there some truth behind the hype?
About Mark VI and its status: it was born on a very lucky era of great players, who got status and whose instruments started to interest others. About inhaling and blowing: my advice to my pupils is to concentrate on blowing (the right way) and to forget the breathing! Breathing happens by reflex, and if you get rid of the air inside it works just fine. About learning things slowly: the memory mark in your brain is stronger, if done by a slower pace. Playing slowly, playing long tones, repeating slowly... that is what makes the trick!
I'm a hobbyist player nowadays, but I've owned a MkVII since it was new 43 years ago. I used to be jealous that my sister, who went on to be a professional musician had a MkVI since she was older and got hers new when they were still being made. Recently, however, I had my MKVII overhauled and I'm blown away at how well it plays now. It was designed very well, I think Selmer's build quality was pretty bad in the 70's and it just needed a lot more work than I imagined. It wasn't just a matter of putting new pads on, there were hidden flaws that were in place since it was new. A MkVI or MkVII are fantastic horns as designed. The designs since haven't increased very much since then, so it's just going to be a matter of what condition the individual horn is in, whether it's a MkVI or a Yanigasawa.
We didn't have youtube 43 years ago to help me know that my horn needed work. It always played well, but now it is amazing.
Great info. Thanks for the encouragement and ideas to keep practicing fun & fulling
thanks
Thank you , I have learned a lot from you , you are very professional .🎵🎵🎵
Nice info- The mark VI is not overpriced in relation to a Stradivarius or Fender Strat pre CBS. Or for that matter a top quality bassoon. But since it is not made anymore and was legendary at the time it is also noted people endorse things now that are now made. In addition most Sax players do not have money like lawyers and tech workers or physicians. Don't buy it if you think it is too much. People say the same thing about houses in California and NY. Maybe they are out of reach for students but hey find me a Mint condition Super Balanced Action Tenor in original lacquer and I can sell it for a lot more than the latest thing made in Taiwan. Simple. All in all remember Charlie Parker would leave us all in the dust whatever he had to play. Lastly I find that the Conn has a better "sound" than anything but dislike the ergonomics. Perhaps humbly I have experienced an overtone quality on the 1950s Selmers that is contrasted with a more monochromatic response from Yamahas or other modern horns. Try thinking of resale value rather than purchase price-how people who don't appreciate old horns don't play them.
Love my 60s 10m
Hi jay just an observation: it is actually possible to breathe without your diaphragm by expanding your chest muscles and moving your shoulders up. This is what I did when I first was playing and it's unsurprisingly not very good! So it's possible that's what some people mean. Love all the help and advice though, thanks for doing it!
Breathing with the diaphragm is ill-advised. Breath with the chest! The diaphragm stays in the "inhaled" position. Exhale with the diaphragm only when you cannot go further with the chest. I forget which great sax player taught me that, but wow what great advice it was! Never raise the shoulders.
Edit: I seem to recall that it was Stan Getz. Long time ago, obviously.
Just on long tones
The harder you try the easier it gets is a football adage but the same thing happens with music
Making hard decisions is character building and after a while big problems become small ones and small ones disappear.
If avoiding something that's really really important like sustained notes in your practice sessions, then you have to approach the practice that you do more seriously, this will make the transition into the grown-up world of music less painful.
Only serious.....
Thankyou for featuring my question 👍👊
thanks for the contribution.
Sold my vintage Mark VI # 66444 several years ago . I bought it in 1979 in Montreal for $700 ... hopefully it’s in great hands
loved the video, but just wanted to say the diaphragm does not push any air. It is contracted when drawing in air but relaxes when releasing air. The abdominal and intercostal muscles are the ones that squeeze the air out.
Love these Q&A videos!
Thanks for the answer jay. I appreciate you
You bet
The Mk. VI was followed by the ill-fated Mk. VII, which included the oversized, over-complicared "Table keys" (left hand little finger). Selmer is still trying to overcome the setback of the Mk. VII to this day with "Reference '54" saxophones. A topic covered by other videos...
A treasure of advices. Thank you Jay!
Do you think in 10-20 years Sax players will be looking for 2022 Yani’s or Yamaha’s? The Right Mark 6 will always be the standard. There all different, they used 3 different bow’s over the years making them all a little different.
I get to be fortunate enough to rent a mark VI alto from my saxophone professor to help me with my music major. Very blessed.
In groupWhich is called a special forces. We have a saying slow is fast.
Loved the location shoots!
The diaphragm does not push air. Don’t take my word for it: any Physiology book will confirm that contraction of the diaphragm is for inhalation only. Normal exhalation is a result of recoil, no muscle contraction involved. Forced and controlled exhalation are actually powered by abdominal muscles.
Why does it feel like the diaphragm is doing the job when we blow? This you won’t confirm in a book, but I know it because I’ve taught Anatomy and Physiology, and I perform operations on the diaphragm: during intentional exhalation, the diaphragm does contract to provide a force opposite to the abdominal muscles, so that the action is controlled.
In summary, the diaphragm is not an exhalation muscle; rather:
1. Normal exhalation is passive, no muscle involved
2. The diaphragm provides control to the forced exhalation powered by the contraction of abdominal muscles.
Thanks for all your videos. I have bought and enjoy several of your courses. You’re a great teacher and I trust your guidance. But this is a specific point that all the saxophone teachers I’ve heard or read, up to Allard, have gotten wrong.
Many thanks for your proffy explanation.
thanks for the clarification. "The diaphragm provides control to the forced exhalation powered by the contraction of abdominal muscles." I'll say that next time.
Here’s the (more) geeky version: forced exhalation pressure is driven by concentric contraction of the abdominal muscles, and the flow rate is regulated by the eccentric contraction of the diaphragm .
As physical therapists and many bodybuilders know, eccentric contraction is actually harder work than concentric contraction. So the diaphragm is indeed working at its hardest when it keeps us from overblowing.
The other myth to be dispelled is the view that the diaphragm cannot be controlled. Sure, the diaphragm is usually on involuntary autopilot, but thanks to our ability to take control we can hold our breath temporarily, sing, scream at a protest, etc. The only diaphragm contraction we can’t control? hiccups
After messing around with my EWI for a year, I have now picked up my tenor again after many years of not playing. In part this is thanks to your videos - a great resource.
My problem is finding a good mouthpiece suited to playing together with an acoustic guitar in a relaxed setting. I am practicing my long tones like I know I should, getting better at playing quietly. But my Dukoff mouthpiece is loud, so I want to find the opposite. I have learned a lot from your mouthpiece videos, but I am still guessing what I should aim for. If a mouthpiece with high baffle, small chamber and large tip opening gives more "projection" and is suitable in a rock setting, my guess is to go for the opposite in my case! Should a small tip opening go with a harder reed?
You want less baffle and a medium to large chamber. The new Jody Jazz dark is a great option off the top of my head.
@@bettersax Thanks! I will check it out once my embouchure improves a little (with my covid lockdown longtone practice).
Lovely video. Will you be making a vid on SYOS mouthpieces? I believe i saw you with some on instagram. Just got mine yesterday, actually.
Most of the questions that’s on my mind. Thanks! Getting that t-shirt too (:
Awesome! Thank you!
As usual - all good information Jay. I understand how playing long tones improves control of the release of air. One thing I don't understand is how practicing overtones helps. I practice overtones, never hitting the octave key and I wonder why that helps while playing songs. Could you explain the mechanism of how overtones improve my playing?
Again, thanks for all you're doing. It gives me hope. Cheers.
great answers!
I was expecting Jay to really expand on the Mark VI question, but instead all we got was a short little blurb. Can you make a future video that goes more in-depth on the Mark VI?
I have Jean Paul AS-400 and my neck screw snapped in half and I want to get a new one, but I’ve searched online and I can’t figure out where to get a replacement at, does anyone know where I could go online to get one?
I would start with JeanPaulUSA DOT com I think it's called.
At 14:01 my mind immediately went to Life of Brian.
Brian: "You're all individuals!"
Crowd: "Yeah!"
Random guy: "I'm not."
Anyway, great video. As someone who has learned to bake sour dough bread-and is currently trying to learn the sax-over the internet, it really hit home. :)
haha
Interesting video. Your answer to the Mark VI question sidesteps the matter of their quality compared to other Selmer saxes and other makes of pro saxes. While I agree that Mark VIs might be overpriced, they are certainly a high quality instrument which makes it easy to get a good tone, especially if you are playing jazz. I have a Mark VI tenor, and it is the best sax I have ever played.
You may have a good one but for every good one there are many that are terrible. The myth of the MKVI has been pushed for so long it’s nauseating. People have basically been brainwashed into believing that the MKVI is the end all. There are definitely superior horns being made today.
@@vladimirlopez7840 I don't think that it is a myth. Look at all the prominent professional sax players who are still playing Mark VIs. I have owned and played 6 tenors, including a Selmer super action 80. The Mark VI which I currently own is by far the best of them. I don't think, though, that they are the "end all" I have heard good things about Yanigasawa tenors, but I've never played one.
How quickly you go through mouthpiece cushions depends a lot on your teeth too! My front teeth are of unequal length because one of them broke years ago and now being half fake, which means the longer tooth puts most of the pressure on one single spot on the cushion.
I like how the question from the title was the very last one answered. :-D
Thanks for the great Q&A as always!!! Great teacher, very generous!!! 🚀
As a classical saxophone player (conservatoire student), where would you suggest I start for getting into jazz? I subbed in a few big bands on voices that they just needed someone to come and play a written part, but I feel like that might as well have been classical, with the only difference being that I slapped on a different mouthpiece/Reed combo and pretended like I knew what I was doing.
listening is the gateway to any style of music. binge listen to your favorite jazz players for a while and then dive into recreating the stuff you love the most.
Keep posting video and motivated other, because saxophone is amazing instrument. I hope many new Kenny G, Dave Koz will soon come out again to make some album 🙏🏼
Please make a video about P Mauriat 2400 soprano curved, or p Mauriat in general, I will buy soprano curved and this is my better option for the price, but will amazing if you talk about it... saludos desde ECUADOR
I don't know if I missed your comment but why is the Selma Mark 6 saxophone so expensive and is it really better than any other sax thanks
What is your tenor sax on this video? Yanagisawa o Superking?
Great answers, thanks! I do like your sound here. What mouthpiece do you play on Yanagisawa tenor in this video?
that is my Phil-tone intrepid 7* ... great mouthpiece
Thinking of why an instrument is priced the way it is, it would be interesting to know what goes into the increased price tag of an intermediate or professional grade instrument over that of a student one.