Tenor Sax with Tony Barba

Tips for Saxophone Players: Achieving a Bigger Sound

Introduction
Hey, all! This is Tony from Youngblood. I play tenor saxophone in the band. If you're tuning into this video, you're probably a saxophone player looking for tips, maybe about how to play in a band similar to Youngblood or in a New Orleans style brass band.

Getting a Bigger Sound

One thing I'm going to focus on in this video is how to achieve a bigger sound. When Youngblood conducts clinics and master classes at schools or works with different bands, I notice that most saxophone players struggle with projection.

The Challenge

• You may never completely outshine the trombone, trumpet, or drums in a band, but it's essential to learn how to cut through the sound.
• As a soloist, you need to hold your own, especially when giving the brass players a break.

The Importance of Long Tones

Of course, if you've taken a saxophone lesson before or worked with a reputable teacher, you've likely been told about the importance of long tones and tone exercises.

• Resources: There are many online resources available for these exercises, so I won't go into detail here.

Understanding Embouchure

Let's talk about embouchure, the way your lips interact with the mouthpiece. Many saxophone players fail to move beyond the embouchure they were taught in fifth grade.

Common Mistakes

• Many students come to me with an embouchure that rolls the bottom lip over their teeth and takes only a small amount of mouthpiece.
• This creates a very pinched sound, limiting sound output.

Example: Using this incorrect embouchure, I can barely produce any sound.

A Better Approach to Embouchure

Relax and Adjust

One day, I faced this challenge in high school, and my teacher advised me to relax my embouchure:

• Less Bottom Lip: Use less bottom lip.
• More Mouthpiece: Take in more of the mouthpiece.

Initially, this approach may reduce your control, but it's essential for achieving a bigger sound.

Conceptual Practice

• Imagine putting your thumb in your mouth. This may seem silly, but it helps you adjust your embouchure naturally.

By doing this, you'll find:

• Your lip will naturally cover less of your bottom teeth.
• It will feel more comfortable and allow for better sound projection.

Demonstration

When I demonstrate the improved embouchure, notice:

• I'm rolling my bottom lip out more and covering my teeth, preventing squeaks and protecting the reed.
• With less lip over the teeth, projecting sound becomes significantly easier.

Conclusion

Initially, you may struggle with intonation or pitch, especially when adjusting your embouchure. However, by allowing your lip to roll out and taking more mouthpiece, you can blow much louder with more depth and bite to your tone.

Final Thoughts

Practice these techniques during your long tones and you'll notice improvements in your sound projection in brass bands. Hopefully, this helps you soar above the trombones and trumpets when you're playing.

See you guys later!