How to play Low Notes on Saxophone / saxophone embouchure / beginner saxophone lessons

👉 Book a ONE to ONE Call here - https://calendly.com/saxcasts/one-to-... Time Stamps to find YOUR issues and FIX your face.

0:00 - Introduction
0:19 - Check that your Sax has no leaks. Take it to a Saxophone Technician.
0:45 - Why are low notes on sax challenging?
1.35 - Are you squeezing the mouthpiece too hard?
1:50 - Too Much Tension
2:30 - Solution #1
3:10 - Poor Posture + Fix
4:00 - The Saxophone Embouchure is too tight
4:30 - Generating perfect airflow for sax playing
5:23 - Good Breathing Practice
6:08 - Is your throat too tight?
7:10 - A tip that allows you to change your throat shape
8:10 - Warm vs Cold Air
9:45 - Building consistent Airflow and a stable Sax Embouchure
11:25 - The correct direction of airflow?
13:30 - Uncertainty of Fingering on the Saxophone
14:25 - Breaking down harder passages and slow practice
16:20 - Spending more time down the bottom (end of your saxophone)
17:40 - A Test for Good Support - Do this to solve your low note problems on sax

If you'd like to support the SaxCasts YT Channel, click here: http://paypal.me/saxcasts

Get Sax lessons: https://saxcasts.teachable.com/courses

Subscription Members Sax Lesson Site: https://saxcasts.com

Get Monthly 1-1 Mentoring: https://saxcasts.teachable.com/p/saxc...

50% Discount off All Song Packs (sheet music, backing track for both saxes, full video lesson and demo - enter coupon code "YOUTUBE" at checkout:

Song Pack 1: https://saxcasts.teachable.com/p/sax-...
Song Pack 2: https://saxcasts.teachable.com/p/sax-...
Song Pack 3: https://saxcasts.teachable.com/p/sax-...
Song Pack 4: https://saxcasts.teachable.com/p/sax-....
Song Pack 5: https://saxcasts.teachable.com/p/sax-...

If you like what I do, please consider supporting me by becoming a member of the YouTube Channel:
   / @saxcasts  

Members get custom emotes, a membership badge and access to the monthly live Q and A, Member only posts and videos.

  / saxcasts  


Video Lessons, Sax Backing Tracks and Sheets

How to play low notes on Saxophone

Have you ever tried to play a low note on Saxophone and it’s everything but low? It’s happened to every sax player at some stage. Playing low notes shouldn’t be difficult, with correct approach and solid saxophone fundamentals you’ll be playing Bb’s at ppp in no time.

In this Saxophone Lesson I’m going to cover the most common reasons why students struggle with low notes and give you some sure fire solutions and techniques you can implement to improve this tricky area of saxophone playing.

What are considered “low notes” on Saxophone?

Generally speaking any notes that are played at the bottom of the treble clef or using the right hand buttons (without the octave key) are considered low notes on Saxophone. We have the easier of the “low notes” starting at F and then the more challenging extreme range of low Bb which is the bottom note on most saxes and involves passing air through the entire closed tube (Baritone saxes and some more experimental Saxophones include a low A tone hole and key).

Why are low notes challenging to play?

Low notes on the sax require a much more consistent embouchure and air flow to speak correctly. Beginner Saxophone players struggle with this as they often haven’t engrained the correct embouchure and conditions to allow the reed to vibrate at the slow rate it needs to. Most commonly low notes will be played as an overtone of an octave above where they should be (commonly referred to as a “squeak”), honk out too loud or not speak at all.

So, what am I doing wrong? Why aren’t my low notes consistent?

Here are the top 10 most common issues that I come across when students are struggling with low notes. These issues related to low notes these cause the majority of Saxophone problems and fixing them will improve your entire saxophone playing greatly.

The full lesson is above but if you'd like to get more lessons sheet music, backing track and demos then head on over to http://saxcasts.com to access hundreds more sax lessons.

My Sax Setup:

Alto Sax Mouthpiece - http://amzn.to/2srzvKP
My Reeds - http://amzn.to/2sreBM7
Alto Sax - YAS-62

Tenor Sax Mouthpiece - http://amzn.to/2swT2VD
My Reeds - http://amzn.to/2twiU8h
Tenor Sax - YTS-62



Recording

Rode NT1 - http://amzn.to/2u95hcP
Audio Interface - http://amzn.to/2t1L0HE
XLR cables: http://amzn.to/2sr1Y3C