Rico Soprano
How to Play the Alto Saxophone
Are you wondering how to play the alto saxophone? This article covers the first steps for beginning saxophone players.
Your First Alto Saxophone
The first step, of course, is buying a decent alto saxophone. A good new instrument will cost between $1000 and $2000. You can also save money by buying a used one. Some of the most recognized brands in alto saxophones are Selmer and Yamaha. For beginners, some Conn horns are very suitable for beginners, too.
Accessories
You will also need some accessories to go with it, such as a cork grease, a neck strap, and reeds. As hard reeds make it more difficult to produce a tone, it’s best to buy reeds with a low level of hardness. If you’re a beginning saxophone player, a good size to choose is 1 1/2. A recommendable brand of reeds is Rico. You also need a cloth to clean your instrument. This is because saxophones have a lacquered finish that shows finger prints very well.
Putting it Together
When putting your alto saxophone together, the first thing to do is to put a reed in your mouth to soften. The thin edge should be put in first. The neck can be held in place by tightening the screws. The reed fits under the screws on the mouthpiece (which is called the ligature) and the mouthpiece fits on the cork on the end of the neck.
Your First Sounds
When learning how to play the alto saxophone, you should play the first notes with the mouthpiece attached to the neck. However, the neck should be removed from the body of the instrument. This way, you don’t have to fuss about the weight of the saxophone on the neck strap, and you can focus on your mouth.
Next, put the mouthpiece in your mouth with your upper teeth on the top of the mouthpiece. The distance from the end should be about a third. Hold a straight chin and fit the lower lips against the bottom end of your reed. Some saxophone players like to turn their lip to the inside a bit. Both lips should now be sealed around the mouthpiece. If you now blow into the mouthpiece, you should hear a steady note, which should sound roughly like the quacking of a duck.
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