SPOTLIGHT ON WOODWINDS / Les bois de plus près

Sound Concepts for the

with correct intonation, which results from its conical shape (the same
problem which exists for the oboe and the bassoon)” (Londeix, 1989).
Succinctly put, the greatest challenge in playing the saxophone is

Saxophonist (Part I)
producing a beautiful and controlled sound.

Since its inception, some improvements have been made to the

instrument and mouthpiece. However, the most noteworthy
Glen Gillis development has been the proliferation of players and teachers,
particularly in the last five decades. Expectations for the advanced

T his is the first installment of a two-part article on the saxophone.

Here I touch on the instrument’s history and discuss posture, hand
position, breath support, embouchure, long tones, and vibrato. In the
player today include fluency in the altissimo range up to a minimum
of an octave above the highest note of the normal range. In addition,
double and triple tonguing, slap-tonguing, flutter-tonguing, use of
second installment, to be published in the next issue of the journal multiphonics, voicing techniques, growling, subtone, glissandi and
(Fall 2008), I will discuss additional aspects of saxophone playing. portamenti, micro-intervals and microtonal trills, and circular breathing
have become standard (Ingham, 1998). But basic fundamentals are
In education, it has been said that there is no substitute for good still in order, both for novices and experienced saxophonists. There
teaching. I believe the same can also be said for experience. Over the are numerous aspects to successful playing but this article focuses on
course of my career as a saxophonist, conductor, and music educator, aspects of sound quality and musicality.
I have gained a wealth of knowledge from many mentors, and applied
that knowledge in practice. The ideas outlined below were born Fundamental areas of concentration in the development of one’s
out of practical experience, observation, experimentation, and self- playing involve the two “Ts,” tone and technique. Of the pair, sound
discovery. Although this article is aimed at saxophonists, many of the should be number one. In the studio, I have a saying: “Tone is your
suggestions can equally apply to other instruments, or the reader can trump card.” Thus, we first focus diligently on sound. If we were
formulate analogous solutions. to anthropomorphize the two “Ts,” we could say that technique is in
a race with tone and always trying to keep up. This is not meant to
Unlike most other instruments, the saxophone did not evolve over many diminish the importance of technique; in fact, it is crucial that the
centuries. It was invented. The inventor, Adolphe Sax, was a Belgian serious saxophonist have the ability to develop and display the most
who spent much of his career in Paris from 1842, the approximate advanced technical facility possible, as long as it does not interfere
début of the saxophone, until his death in 1894. He created an array of with maintaining a fine sound at all times. But advanced technique
instruments but the saxophone is considered to have been his greatest without good tone is virtually useless.
accomplishment (Kochnitzkey, 1985). It is a hybrid possessing
characteristics of both the woodwind and brass families: it uses a A formula for the production of a good characteristic tone on the
mouthpiece and reed similar to the clarinet, with woodwind-type keys saxophone involves several areas of attention: posture and hand
and pads, while its body is brass. These construction features were position, breath support, embouchure and long tones, vibrato, tongue
intended to permit the saxophonist to produce a sound as powerful position and articulation, equipment and assembly, and listening.
and dynamic as a brass instrument while matching the sensitivity and Although each of them requires particular knowledge, they are not
technical facility of a woodwind. Over the last century and a half, necessarily mutually exclusive of each other.
the saxophone has played a vital role in many types of ensembles and
has attracted numerous composers to write solo and ensemble music Posture and Hand Position
for it. The saxophonist must always maintain good posture. This includes
sitting or standing without slouching. It also means paying attention
“Classical” (or “legit”) concepts of saxophone sound fall basically to ones head position, keeping it centered vis a vis the upper torso
into two camps, German and French. Sigurd Rascher, who fled Nazi without tilting it, allowing it to protrude forward, or pulling it back
Germany in 1939 and settled in upstate New York for the duration excessively. The neck strap holding the saxophone should be adjusted
of his life, pioneered the darker German sound. The brighter French so the mouthpiece can be placed in the mouth without adjusting the
sound was promoted by Marcel Mule, who taught for several decades head up or down or from side to side to such an extent that it affects
starting before World War II at the Paris Conservatoire. These rival posture. As well, the mouthpiece and neckpiece should be adjusted to
performer-teachers had a major influence on the development of the accommodate the individual’s natural posture. All of this is important
saxophone (Segell, 2005). to optimize airflow and reduce the chances of neck or back tension.
Moreover, good body posture can help put the musician in the best
Some have considered the saxophone an easy instrument to play and frame of mind to heighten task-oriented behaviour.
there may be an element of truth to this from a mechanical standpoint.
Observing a heterogeneous ensemble of beginning instrumentalists Along with good body posture, the hands and fingers need to be
confirms that saxophonists can initially make quick progress. positioned correctly for optimum facility. Both hands should be
However, in many respects, the saxophone is as difficult to play shaped as if holding a baseball so that they will not inadvertently
well as any of the other wind instruments. The virtuoso, Jean-Marie depress the palm (left hand) or side (right hand) keys. The fingers
Londeix, suggests, “It is a difficult instrument due to the extent of should not be acutely curled, but held in a natural formation ready to
its musical and technical possibilities, and to the difficulty of playing depress the keys like little hammers or levers. The left thumb should

84 Spring/printemps 2008 • Canadian Winds • Vents canadiens

 SOUND CONCEPTS FOR THE SAXOPHONIST
be planted on the backrest to function as a hinge when depressing milkshake. The bottom lip should be slightly stretched against the
and releasing the octave key. The right thumb will help guide the bottom teeth, not merely folded over them. Essentially, the bottom
position of the saxophone to the player, and it should be placed under lip does not only act as a cushion for the teeth against the reed, but
the curved thumb rest approximately at the middle of the individual’s supports the reed with minimal pressure to produce an open sound.
thumb joint. A harder cushion will help achieve the brighter French sound while a
softer cushion will tend to produce more of a darker German tone.
The left-hand little finger should gently touch or hover just above the
G-sharp table key while the right-hand little finger should be similarly A common problem with young players is using too much bottom lip
positioned at the E-flat or low C key. The other fingers of both hands over the bottom teeth. This dampens the sound significantly and may
should gently touch or hover over the pearl keys (fingerings for B, A, G force the player to compensate by inserting more mouthpiece in the
with the index, second, and third fingers, respectively, of the left hand, mouth, particularly when attempting to play louder dynamics, which
and F, E, D with the index, second, and third fingers, respectively, of in turn can produce a harsher tone quality. Too much bottom lip (as
the right hand). well as too little) can cause the muscles in the chin to form dimples,
meaning that these muscles could apply excessive pressure to the reed,
Whether sitting or standing, the player should maintain the saxophone thus negatively affecting the sound.
in a fixed position relative to his body, meaning that the hand, head,
and body positions do not change at all. If the saxophonist moves as a Even when the embouchure is set correctly, the placement of the
result of emoting musically, the head, upper torso, and hand positions mouthpiece in the mouth is very important: too much and the tone
should remain relatively stable; motion should be restricted to moving “spreads;” too little and the tone will be small and thin. Sometimes
or pivoting at the waist. a mouthpiece-placement problem arises when switching back and
forth between classical and jazz mouthpieces, or alternating between
Breath Support smaller and larger saxophones without making the proper adjustments:
As with all wind instruments, the saxophone requires lots of air, not i.e., positioning the bottom teeth at the point where the reed leaves the
only as the source of the sound but also for musical expression. When table of the mouthpiece.
taking a breath, it can be helpful to visualize the lungs filling up like a
glass of water, from the bottom. Keep the shoulders relaxed and stop The majority of people have a natural over-bite, while the minority has
them from rising with the breath. The back of the throat should be either aligned upper and lower teeth or an under-bite. It is paramount
open and the air should feel cool, similar to yawning. When a deep that saxophonists avoid both extreme over- or under-bites when
breath is made, the exhalation should be immediate. Avoid locking playing. If unchecked, this can cause problems with the facial muscles
the air in the lungs, as this can cause tension; simply inhale and exhale and interfere with forming the desired embouchure, which will have
in a natural sequence. When the lungs are full of air, “spin” it out negative consequences for sound production. The front upper and
and observe the diaphragm muscles in action (the same muscles used lower teeth should line up to each other with the mouthpiece placed in
when coughing). The more “spin” applied, the faster the air. Through the mouth. To assure this, a player with an over-bite may need to push
this experience, the individual may discover the means to shape the the lower jaw forward slightly; conversely, a player with an under-bite
sound when blowing through the saxophone. may need to compensate by pulling the bottom jaw back slightly. In
all instances, the top teeth should be firmly anchored on the top of the
As one produces a tone on the instrument, co-ordinating inhaling and mouthpiece.
exhaling with the release of the tongue from the reed is critical, and
takes practice to achieve. It can help to visualize the lungs, windpipe, With the proper embouchure set-up and an open, relaxed throat, one
throat, and the air column of the instrument as one. In other words, the should be able to test a mouthpiece pitch achieved by blowing at a
player and the saxophone become a single unit. forte to fortissimo dynamic on the mouthpiece alone. Standard pitches
are as follows: soprano, concert C; alto, concert A; tenor, concert G;
Embouchure and Long Tones and baritone, concert D (Rousseau, 2002). If the mouthpiece pitch is
A good embouchure should allow one to produce a steady, full tone, too high, which is usually the case when there is a problem, relax the
and to play the extreme ranges quickly with minimal embouchure embouchure and/or the throat to match the desired pitch.
movement and effort. The basic rule, of course, is to avoid puffing To develop a good sound, the next step is controlling the air in all
cheeks and keep the chin muscles from forming dimples. A standard registers of the instrument through long tones. Long tones remind me
method book that addresses the fundamentals of saxophone playing of the song “Getting to Know You,” from the musical, The King and
is Larry Teal’s The Art of Saxophone Playing. Teal talks of the I. Playing long tones, one has the opportunity to become intimately
embouchure “wheel,” with the mouth muscles surrounding the acquainted with the instrument’s tonal tendencies and idiosyncrasies.
mouthpiece like a rubber band (Teal, 1963). Providing appropriate In the process, one should work towards an open, resonant sound in
support to the reed and mouthpiece is similar to whistling or saying all ranges, while striving to maintain an equal tone colour from pitch
“DOO” or “OOO.” The formation of the embouchure in this manner to pitch. For the extreme ranges, start with the lowest pitches: B-flat
helps avoid pinching the reed and producing a thin sound. below the staff, then B, C, D-flat, and so forth. Explore the higher
part of the range starting around a D above the staff, then D-sharp, E,
I agree with Teal’s approach but I advocate providing a slightly harder F, and F-sharp. While working on long tones, it is essential for the
cushion with the bottom lip. This can be accomplished by maintaining individual to use lots of air support in producing good tone and pitch
a pointed chin, similar to sucking on a straw immersed in a thick control.

Vents canadiens • Canadian Winds • Spring/printemps 2008 85

 SOUND CONCEPTS FOR THE SAXOPHONIST
Another consideration is to shape the air visually, to phrase long tones understand that vibrato is not used to mask a sound but to improve
and learn to give meaning to sound in the most fundamental way. it. Aesthetically, a controlled vibrato also becomes another means of
Unfortunately, novice players often concentrate on one note at a time, enhancing expression.
thereby creating abrupt or uneven musical lines. Learning to blow
through a line or phrase smoothly is an important step. The movement Please watch for the second installment of Sound Concepts for the
of the fingers over the keys, and moving from range to range on the Saxophonist in the next issue of Canadian Winds / Vents canadiens
instrument should not impede airflow. Through this process, one (Fall 2008), in which I will discuss articulation, equipment and
can learn and reinforce the feeling of connecting the notes together assembly, listening, tuning, scales, and how to approach new repertoire.
like beads on a string, where the beads represent the notes and are Meanwhile, questions about saxophone playing may be sent to me at
linked by a strong air column. One can experiment by thinking of the following e-mail address: [email protected].
blowing with degrees of coldness, or air speed, or forward air motion
to experience connection and projection, all the while maintaining an References
open and relaxed “Ah” throat position. Cleveland, B. (1984). Master Teaching Techniques. Stone Mountain, GA: Connecting
Link Press.
Ingham, R., ed. (1998). The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone. Cambridge,
Last, it is important to have a good sound concept as a guide while UK: Cambridge University Press.
working on long tones. The student who studies with a qualified Kochnitzkey, L. (1985). Adolphe Sax and His Saxophone, 4th ed. [USA:] North
instructor has the opportunity to model his mentor’s sound. Listening American Saxophone Alliance.
Londeix, J. M. (2003). A Comprehensive Guide to the Saxophone Repertoire. Cherry
to recordings of professional players is also extremely helpful. Today Hill, NJ: Roncorp Publications.
it is easy to search for names of professional artists and their recordings Londeix, J. M. (1989). Hello! Mr. Sax. Paris: Éditions Musicales Alphonse Leduc.
on the Internet. One good site is maintained by the North American Rousseau, E. (2002). Saxophone High Tones, 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: MMB Music
Saxophone Alliance (URL: http://www.saxalliance.org/discography. Inc.
Segell, M. (2005). The Devil’s Horn: The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty
html). to King of Cool. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
Teal, L. (1963). The Art of Saxophone Playing. Evanston, Ill: Summy Burchard
Vibrato Company.
Playing with vibrato is usually the domain of experienced musicians. Teal, L. (1958). The Saxophonist’s Workbook, A Handbook of Basic Fundamentals.
Ann Arbor, MI: University Music Press.
Saxophone vibrato should be similar to that produced by experienced
singers or string players (e.g., violinists or cellists). Developing
musicians should not work on vibrato until their sound possesses
an open, warm quality. Vibrato can only be mastered through time Glen Gillis is the Director of Bands
with long tones on every note (starting on low B-flat and progressing and teaches saxophone and Music
to F-sharp above the staff) and a clear concept of how to produce Education courses at the University of
it. A good warm-up exercise is to practice blowing using just the Saskatchewan.  He holds a Bachelor
mouthpiece on the neckpiece, concentrating on a clear, full, and steady of Music in Music Education from the
tone. The exercise can then be repeated on the same apparatus using University of Saskatchewan, a Master
vibrato, working towards achieving a uniform speed and depth with of Music from Northwestern University,
each pitch undulation. Vibrato speeds should generally be produced and a Ph.D. from the University of
in sixteenth notes at a quarter note = 60-80. Students can practice Missouri-Columbia.  He is a Conn-
with a metronome using the syllables “VU-VU-VU-VU” or “WU- Selmer Artist and Clinician who has
WU-WU-WU,” similar to chewing gum. Having a physical model or performed at North American saxophone
visual image to relate to often helps. conferences and World Saxophone
congresses.  He has contributed articles
In the early stages, the vibrato may sound choppy and/or uneven due to such publications as Canadian Winds, Canadian Music Educator,
to inconsistent undulations of the depth and width. Practice producing and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, and has published several
a vibrato that has a spinning effect and is independent from the pulse compositions for saxophone. 
of the music. The bottom lip should push into the reed as much as
pulling away from it. Just pulling the bottom lip away from the reed
will drop the center of the pitch. Slightly “riding the pitch” (a phrase
coined by Frederick Hemke), however, is a technique to avoid playing
flat in any register, particularly at louder dynamics. This is effective
because the human ear cannot detect sharpness to the same degree as
flatness.

Through the process, the student will discover that some pitches are
easier than others for vibrato production, and it is critical to spend
time producing vibrato on the more difficult pitches. The ultimate
goal is to produce an even and controlled vibrato in all ranges of the
instrument along with the ability to change width and speed according
to the dynamic and style changes of the music. It is paramount to

86 Spring/printemps 2008 • Canadian Winds • Vents canadiens

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