Clarinet Ligature
A Guide For Beginner Saxophone Players
Saxophone, otherwise known as sax, is a woodwind instrument made of metal. It is similar to clarinet but it has sexier tone. The saxophone has a vibrating reed at the end of the pipe. This widens along the length of the instrument into a bell-like shape. Most sax has an S-shaped pipe, but you could also find straight pipes on the smaller ones.
It is easy to learn saxophone. In fact, anyone aged 12 and above can do so. For beginners, it is easier to learn saxophone if smaller versions are used. You are advised to procure a B-flat tenor saxophone or an E-flat alto saxophone. Both are very portable.
Parts of the Sax
The first thing to do to learn saxophone is to familiarize oneself with the instrument’s parts. The body of the instrument resembles the letter J. The bow is located at the bottom of the instrument while the bell is at the opposite end. There are holes that line the length of the instrument. These holes are covered by pads. To produce the desired notes, the keys that control the pads have to be pressed. Other major parts of the saxophones and important accessories are as follows:
· Mouthpiece – This is the pointed tip where the reed is attached. It can be made of plastic, rubber, crystal or even metal. The mouthpiece is where you blow into when playing the instrument.
· Reed – This is a piece of cane that creates the vibrations.
· Ligature – Made of metal or leather, this is a clamp connecting the reed to the mouthpiece.
· Crook or neck – This is a metal tube that leads to the mouthpiece. It has a cork on one end which fills in the mouthpiece.
· Neck strap – This is hung around the neck as the saxophone is too heavy to carry on hands.
· Bung – This is a cover for the hole at the top of the saxophone to prevent damage when the instrument is disassembled.
Holding the Instrument
Carry the sax in front of you, with the main part held in a vertical position away from your body. The strap should be carrying the bulk of the weight. Make adjustments on the strap so that the mouthpiece is directly pointing to your mouth. You should not bow to reach the mouthpiece.
Producing a Sound
To learn saxophone, focus on blowing and playing the keys. Cover your teeth with your lower lip, which should be pressed against the reed halfway up. Close your mouth with your top teeth pressing against the top part of the mouthpiece. Close your lips so that they cover the entire area of the mouthpiece. Keep your cheek muscles a little tight to maintain your lip position.
Now, you can practice blowing on the mouthpiece. Press the pad below your left index finger, but keep your other fingers still as they lie on other pearly keys. Place the tip of your tongue onto the tip of the reed. As you blow, your mouth should be opened as if you’re uttering “taw”. The “T” sound, or the tonguing sound, produces a crisp beginning to a note. You can still produce notes without tonguing but the sound is of lesser quality, so better just follow the standard technique.
Tying a Clarinet String Ligature
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Rovner Mark III Bb Clarinet Ligature The Rovner Mark III is a premium ligature designed to assist the player in achieving responsiveness and clarity with a well-defined tone. This stands alone as a professional ligature embodying all of the advancements discovered through Rovner technology…. |