BEGINNING

SAXOPHONE
 Ligature
Mouth Piece

Neck

Neck Screw

Body

Keys

Parts of the Saxophone

Bell
 Let’s Look
at
Your Instrument
Identify Your Instrument

■ Make sure your case is right side up and flat on the ground. The

latches open Up NOT Down.

■ Open the Case.

■ Identify the different parts of your instrument.

 Ligature
Mouth Piece

Neck

Neck Screw

Body

Keys

Parts of the Saxophone

Bell
Breathe Warm-up

■ Does a glass of water fill up from

top to bottom or bottom to top?

■ Fill yourself with Air from the Bottom

to the Top of your lungs.

■ Your stomach should expand.

■ NEVER lift your shoulders when

taking a breathe.
Forming the Embouchure or “Band Face”
■ Embouchure (aam – boo – shoor) - is a fancy French word that means the way you shape your mouth

while playing, or how I like to phrase it, the “Band Face” we need to make to play our instruments.

■ Say the letter “V” to form your embouchure.

■ Notice that your lower lip goes over your bottom teeth.

■ Gently place your top teeth on your lower lip.

■ Make a “V” sound without opening your mouth.

 Assembling the Mouth Piece
■ Attach the Mouth Piece to the Neck.

■ Soak the thin side of your reed in your mouth.

■ Place the flat side of your reed on your mouth piece

(Make sure it does not stick out – you should see a little black)

■ Place your ligature over your reed and mouth piece and tighten it.
 Making a Sound
■ On Mouth Piece & Neck only.

■ Say the letter “V” and leave your lower lip over your bottom teeth.

■ Place the Mouth Piece on top of your lower lip and gently
bite down with your upper teeth.

■ Tighten the corner of your lips like you ate something sour.

■ Take a deep breath from the corner of your lips and blow.
(think about blowing out the word “too” – you sort of feel the tip of your tongue tap the reed.)
Be Patient and Experiment
■ Don’t get frustrated if you don’t get a sound right away or you’re squeaking. You are
learning to strengthen your lip muscles.

■ Make sure your reed is moist and not too high or low on your mouth piece.

■ Don’t put too much Mouth Piece in your mouth.

■ Practice finding the right amount of Mouth Piece that makes a steady sound without
squeaks.

■ Look in the mirror so you can put it in the correct spot every single time.
Putting Away Your Mouth Piece
1. When you are finished playing the first thing to do is remove your Reed by loosening
and taking off your ligature from your Mouth Piece.

2. Carefully put the Reed back into it’s protective plastic case. DO NOT leave it on the
mouth piece!!

3. Gently dry the inside of the mouth piece and the neck with a soft cloth or
saxophone swab. DO NOT use Paper Towels or Tissue Paper.

4. DO NOT put music or other items in your case because you can bend your keys and
break your Saxophone.
Broken Sax/Reed
Extra Help
Opening the Case Cork Grease

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=uIcYBLS5Hx4&list=PL06seol1EtFe =9HDKTtPKvNw&list=PL06seol1Et
fBPKKpbjaht5cTX57mnns FefBPKKpbjaht5cTX57mnns&index
=4
Extra Help
How to Assemble How to Play on Mouthpiece
Mouthpiece, Reed, and Neck Like the Clarinet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=_4GR_cv-oDY =9WcvrTqE-yk&t=23s
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!