Thank you for this feedback! I hope dipping your reeds brings the desired improvement! Paul

Thank you James for sharing your experience! Paul

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Thank you so much Ubong! I fully agree to the reed approach: I play Vandoren V16 for example, using strength 1.5 ! Keep on playing... I currently play a Guardala carbon mouthpiece "SKY" (by Nadir Ibrahimoglu) or his brighter Carbon MB II

Adrian, no estoy seguro de haber entendido correctamente la pregunta. Si muerde con demasiada fuerza, le dolerán los labios, arriba y abajo. El arte y la experiencia consiste en reducir la fuerza de la mordida para que no haya dolor. ¿Esa es la respuesta? Saludos cordiales, Paul

@@paulennison9242 para ser más claro, me parece que el saxo quedaría sin firmeza, con los labios solamente, me da la sensación que no estaría firme, practico con un Saxo Tenor, cuyo peso es importante, igualmente voy a practicar como lo explicas en él tutorías. Muchas Gracias por dedicarme este tiempo. Un fuerte Abrazo!!!

@@adriancriscuolo8797 Adrian, ¡gracias por tu mensaje! Acabo de hacer una prueba: los dientes superiores no ofrecen al saxofón ningún apoyo en la dirección longitudinal, el labio superior quizás incluso un poco más. En cualquier caso, el saxofón debe suspenderse y sostenerse de manera tan equilibrada que no se produzcan fuerzas significativas en la boquilla. He descubierto que el saxofón da un poco más de libertad en la dirección longitudinal con la embocadura de doble labio, lo cual es bueno al tocar, si controlas bien la posición ... De acuerdo, no todos los jugadores son ingenieros como yo. Si puedo dar más comentarios, estaré encantado de hacerlo. Cordial saludo

@@paulennison9242 Buen día, te agradezco que utilices tu valioso tiempo para ayudarnos a mejorar nuestra pasión por el instrumento. Todo lo mejor para vos y tus seres queridos. Un Fuerte Abrazo!!!!

Thank you for this feedback! All the best. PAul

I appreciate this comment has I cant stand the vibrations on my teeth and as a beginner I was concerned if I was approaching' this all wrong

@@grahammoores7244 Adopt the double lip embouchure, it is very simple and you will gain strength and flexibilty which teeth on approaches prevent. Teeth touching is like stabiliser wheels on a child's bicycle

Thank you for this kind feedback! Paul

¡Gracias por la pregunta! Nunca tuve este problema ... Normalmente, el labio no debe deslizarse por 3 razones: el labio superior debe estar seco, está sostenido por los dientes superiores y mantenido en su lugar por una embocadura firme, pero no demasiado apretada. ¿Eso es de alguna ayuda?

¡Hola y gracias por la pregunta! Con la embocadura de doble labio no necesitas protector, ya que los dientes nunca tocan la boquilla. ¡Espero que esto responda a la pregunta! ¡Desde el minuto 0:30 puedes ver mi boquilla sin protector!

Thank you Liong for this detailed comment!

Hello Red! Thank you for writing, I am always happy to discuss. If you use double lip embouchure that's fully okay. Remember John Coltrane played like this and he is really famous. The rule on any instrument is that was works well for you (and does not prevent progress) and does not hurt and sounds good is allowed. In my view the sound and the playing is even better with double lip embouchure. I did this video because I always do double lip - never teeth on mouthpiece. You know, often teachers set rules, how to hold the the instrument, how to post your body etc. They do this until you are completely blocked and in tension. I prefer a natural way where you try out what is best for you. Do you play low register easily with double lip? Or do you want to discuss lower register anyway, how to play it more easily? Is your octave key tight? Are your upper teeth normal or do you have a special teeth arrangement (like Freddy Mercury...)? You can mail me under paul.ennison (at) orange.fr if you do not want to discuss here in public.

@@paulennison9242 thank you Paul for your prompt response. I feel reassured to hear that. as far as the low register, yes I have some problem hitting the B flat , B, and C sharp straight without progression. Also i feel that with double lip we have to blow more air for the notes to sound right, i mean more air than with teeth on mouth piece, is that also true or it just seems to me?

@@Redwane-Music So far I did not notice that double lip would need more air and I would be a bit surprised if it did. Not easy to verify for me as I play no more "teeth on". So I tend to say "should not be the case", as the embouchure is airthight in any case

@@Redwane-Music I just remember one thing: when your reed is too strong, you have difficulties to get these low tones. What strength do you play? If you play let's say 2.5, you should try 1.5. Soft reeds are great to get deep tones. There is a funny story that people learning saxo believe that the better you play, the stronger can your reed be. Which is nonsense. I play 1.5 for a long time already, also used in the video.

@@paulennison9242 waoo, i thought i switched to the lowest reed 2.5 from 3 , i didn't know that there is also 1.5, well that is one piece of information. thank you I should try that. I heard the the higher the reed number is the more difficult to play but also the more loud it gets especially going to high notes.

Thank YOU Rasesh! I am happy to get some positive feedback!

Hello Dave, I do not find the double lip harder to control - but this seems very individual and it's hard to me to guess why for you it is more difficult.... Keep on anyway!

Hello Diamond Dust, I am of course happy to read this! thanks for writing!

I had the same experience, in fact I don't mind doing it "the right way", I feel comfortable and i like my sound

Angel, thank you very much for your comment. Well, not everybody learns at the same speed, so the main thing in my view is that you make progress! If you have any question that I should answer for you, feel free to propose the subject.

.. sehr romantisch ..☺️

Hello, I believe you play already some years, right? (Looking at your Mission Impossible video...) For the high tones, I remember I was biting initially when I started saxo. Then I found out that you need to support the high tones by your embouchure, which I think nobody can explain in detail, technically. It's more trying out and succeed. Anyway, it is known that the mouth and throat geometry (incl tongue position) is part of the game, so it needs to be adapted to the high tones. For this, the idea is to create rather small volumes. But this is more the concept in your head: I could not notice for example a real position change of my tongue between deep and high tones. Hopefully you will then have the day when you get the high tones without biting!

I just have another good idea to train your embouchure for high tones: play the upper octave without pressing the octave key. So it's just your embouchure telling the saxo to play the higher tones and not the lower ones! The best way to start this is to play an upper octave note with octave key pressed, and then let go the octave key and try to hold the tone. Watch out: only for the upper tones of the upper octave, the octave key is really opening - so this is the relevant part. Technically, I should better say: the instrument playing the tones is not just the saxo - it is the combination of the saxo and your body, that means a combined resonating chamber. Changing your throat setting means changing your "instrument" - in this case for higher tones.

@@paulennison9242 Many thanks for your advices and I will keep practicing. Hope I can succeed one day.

Thanks Bob, this is encouraging!

Thanks Johnny for this! I can imagine that you get used to double lip and then never switch back.... Have a great 2020!

I am a beginner self taught,..... from the trumpet, my teeth are too sensitive no one taught me this embouchure i’m so glad somebody is teaching it I was wondering if I was doing it wrong.

Audrey, thanks for sharing all this, I am glad to read it. I believe there is nothing I should add.... If you would change your habit now, what change would it be? Perhaps I do not understand fully your remark. Look forward to read from you again.

Thanks David, this is nice to read! Regards, Paul

You should also hear joffe’s interview with William Hudgins of the BSO. I believe he plays double lip and you can hear his playing at the end of the interview. It’s truly inspiring!

Thank you David!

Thank you David!

Anil, thanks for your feedback! I am currently not doing new saxo videos..... Hope I can restart one day...

Vivian, thanks so much for this feedback! I will make the subtone video as soon as I can. It works perfectly with double lip embouchure. I just tested it with the following set up: Mouthpiece Nadir FatBoy Sky Tenor FiberCarbon 7*, a Vandoren Supérieure 1 1/2 reed and a very thick lip over the teeth. The soft reed and lip are the key, together with a very low airflow. The mouthpiece has no baffle and a rather big chamber, which supports the deep tones. Talk soon!

Dear Mr Ennison, thank you for your so prompt reply. I was very very happy to note that you plan to put out a video concerning the production of the subtone sound. I am not a saxophonist of any sort repute and play exclusively for my own pleasure and that of a few of my close friends .I live in a third world country where specific accessories are rarer than hens’ teeth. I do have more than a handful of mouthpieces and am limited to one with a tip opening of 2.5mm and a lay of around 22mm and a medium chamber. The Rico Royal A5 would fit this specification. I cannot use a more open mouthpiece as I live in a flat and must play softly . I like the sound of the Selmer S80 and most of all the vintage Conn Eagle 75. But these are too close for subtone work. As already mentioned I can play softly and very softly but despite attempts over many many years using different techniques I seem not able to produce the subtone sound. I can without any difficulty produce a soft smooth warn and intimate sound but the missing breath sounds diminish greatly the beautifully expressive nature of the true subtone. I have been cursed with extremely thin lips and my mouth is nothing m ore than a slit on my face ! ! I have prepared a short note on subtone production for some friends who are also greatly interested in this mode of playing and I could send you a copy of this note if you wish. The subtone mode is the only way the saxophone should be played as it is only through this mode that the full potential of the instrument to be possibly the only such that can be the most beautifully expressive of any. I shall be eagerly looking forward to your video. Thank you sincerely for your so prompt and friendly reply.

Vivian, thanks again. I think my Nadir FatBoy 7* is not far from your 2.5 mm tip opening, perhaps 2.6. I believe it helps to start the tone more easily if you have good manufacturing quality mouthpiece with thin tip rail and side rails. But the soft reed seems for me the most important. Do you have 1 1/2 available? For lip, perhaps it works if you try to put all lip you have on the reed, leave the teeth far away.... and put as less force as you can to still produce the tone Yes, please send me your not under [email protected]

Thanks for this comment and keep on playing double lip! By the way, you can also play with a tenor reed on an alto or a baritone reed on a tenor, to mention other things that can be done against the mainstream. If I could confirm that it's okay to play like this for you, my video was already worth making!

There is absolutely noting wrong with double lip playing , Edward, as this was what was used in the early days up until the late forties or mid fifties. But can you play subtone. ? The double lip embouchure produces a smooth, warm , intimate sound but playing subtone is almost impossible and this is the one big drawback of the double lip embouchure. The subtone sound I think is the true sound of the saxophone and i have not heard any saxophonist come anywhere near the greats subtone players of the part who have used the single lip embouchure.. I would like to hear from you about playing in subtone with the double lip embouchure . The very best to you.

I play clarinet, with double lip, exclusively. When I played sax with the teeth on the mouthpiece, as I had been told, the lower notes sounded uglissimo. Double lip on sax, too, really helped me a lot.