Beginner Saxophone Lesson 3 - Setup, Ideal Hand & Body Position

[@ChrisJones-uo2fq]

My sax got delivered 30 minutes ago and I think I've just played my first tune. I'm 59 so I guess I should have done this earlier.....Thx!

[@bettersax]

well done, you're fast!

[@MichaelSBaram]

@@bettersax hey Jay, ive been playing clarinet for over three years now, and I am thinking about trying to learn on my own to play the alto saxophone, any tips or notes about the differences between the two?

[@jimtheyid]

I'm 41 today,And just received mine. But Havnt got a clue lol

[@tobyreddicksr1037]

@@jimtheyid LOL Never to late to learn.

[@jimtheyid]

@@tobyreddicksr1037 First lesson Monday morning 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼🎷🎷🎷

[@aarongrooves]

I'm a professional musician and music educator, and I just started alto sax (I'm on day 5). I just want to tell you how much I LOVE your videos. I really appreciate your excellent explanations and pacing. Thank you! Side note. It's weird already knowing all of my scales, arpeggios, theory, jazz standards, etc, but not on the sax lol. I need technique pronto!!

[@ConnorFouts-ed6qv]

I get that. When picking up the clarinet 2 years ago i wanted to immediately start with some of my favorite real book tunes, like Bebop, just to quickly be humbled

[@smokingblues5067]

Very important lesson . If you have good position you can play well and pain . If you habe wrong neck or body position everithing is harder and you LL experience terrible neck pain or back pain

[@mechwarrior5727]

Yep, coming from trombone and might potentially be switching to sax is wild, I have all this knowledge and technical ability on one instrument and on the other I just have to take it slow, a bit frustrating at first but breakthroughs are fun again

[@Grandreegon]

What an excellent teacher this guy is. Excellent. I am 69 years old and still trying to learn to play in a way that does not bring a flock of geese to my window every time I honk. I started in grade school, and restarted several times over the course of my life. I hope this time I get beyond beginner. This teacher gives me hope.

[@TheArby13]

I understand are good to eat. BTW do I need a license to hunt geese with aa sax?

[@puddinTane760]

I'm an absolute beginner in the alto sax and when hooked to the neck strap, the sax still felt like it was either pulling away from my mouth or felt Crooked.... this video really helped get the proper alignment for everything. I dig this channel. I've learned a lot in a short amount of time.

[@neilripsch6624]

I've played sax for some 30 years but I need a logical practice scheme. After watching a number of Jay's videos I know that I need to get onto his courses to truly make my sound come alive.

[@iamai151]

I’m not a beginner I just love watching your videos 😂

[@tippingnits77]

Yeah same

[@bettersax]

Thanks, I'm glad.

[@mariorgrossi]

i too. love this videos

[@writerinrwanda]

Hello from Rwanda! It's my birthday today and I just went and bought an alto sax. Loving your lessons. I was a trumpet player as a teen and I'm a piano tuner/fixer today, but this is totally new to me and it's so much fun. Thanks for the really clear and easy to follow tutorials.

[@directcurrent5751]

Fantastic series for beginners! FIVE STARS

[@glennwooten8361]

I'm enjoying your tips, Jay. I'm 68 and never played at all. My next-door neighbor has given me 2 lessons and your site. It's slow but I'm working on scales now on the tenor sax. I'm glad to be physically fit because this is tiring work mouth, breath, etc. I try to practice 1-2 times per day 15-20 min. Your Walking Home song is encouraging too. Thanks

[@LGDoc]

Great info and PDF guides. I'm a keyboardist of over 50 years (piano, B-3, synthe, etc.) and an off and on sax student. I'm not a beginner but not at a level of complete proficiency. I find these lessons very helpful in reviewing proper technique and motivational to keep me moving towards my goal. Thanks Jay.

[@timcason3479]

This is exciting Jay. I have been playing for years but your videos makes me feel the excitement that I felt when I was first beginning. This is awesome. Make me want to play more. It just the simple things that are refreshing to revisit.

[@bettersax]

Thanks

[@danielalvarado7896]

Hi Jay: I stumbled into your lessons today. I bought a soprano sax and had been trying on and off to find good lessons for beginners. I am an acoustic guitar, upright base player and I also play some other instruments... it has been my long time dream to play the saxophone since I was 8 years old. I am 56 now and I am finally able to afford one now. The way you explain how to approach playing this instrument is mind blowing and very specific Sir...I am in and looking forward to lessons 3. I am going to practice Lessons 1 and 2 to create the correct embouchure, which I think is the secret behind playing good I think. Thank You Sir Again!!

[@RebeLfARmeR]

Mate you are brilliant! I just got my first Alto (Got drunk and went on Amazon, haha! Now I own a sax) but I want to learn and although I've tried a few teachers on KZbin I find your vids are the simplest and the clearest for someone who put his mouthpiece on upside-down at first. Thank you for the help, buddy! Will like and subscribe!

[@mkate3lgee401]

I have been playing clarinet for about 5 years. I’d say I’m pretty good at it, and I know a lot of music theory. My band director asked me if I could play tenor sax in the jazz ensemble, I said definitely! I have been playing for about 5 days now, and I have 2 left till rehearsal. I really really needed this video, thank you

[@ConnorFouts-ed6qv]

it always feels so different! I started sax 7 years ago and whgen i picked up the clarinet 2 years ago i immediately wanted to play jazz standards, just to quickly be humbled

[@zaizai7408]

Such an abominable series. Don’t stop Jay, many people look up to you as an inspiration.

[@bettersax]

Thanks

[@jviss07]

This is really excellent, regarding how to adjust to the proper height.

[@jasonstutler4927]

The three videos this tutorial is part of has completely changed how I sound. I made it through the chromatic scale (up to C# anyway)! It was night and days difference. Thank you for posting these!!

[@jaybirdsanctuary1391]

Thank you for choosing to be the teacher Jay. I picked an alto up at a thrift store a month ago and I'm determined to have a new way to sing and express the freedom I found in the strings, skins, and various available buttons on boards... Do you record tracks for yourself or have any interest in providing notes or collaborating with others? I produce music for myself and a few others often. I need someone to call on until you teach me how to play. Either way, having these videos to learn from is a rewarding experience. I hope you are doing well and know it's appreciated. This is probably the 3rd time I've spent the time to post a comment on a video since the beginning of youtube,

[@ryansmock2717]

I've been playing Alto and Soprano for about 12 years now and one of my worst habits is finger position on pearls. I have pretty large hands and my fingers always overshoot the pearls. Some of my fingers (usually the right hand on the F, E, and D keys) actually aren't even on the pearls at all. I'm not a beginner by any means, but this lesson is really important for new players so you don't develop poor habits as I did. Great video series, Better Sax!

[@bettersax]

This is a bad habit I work on correcting in practice. In performance my fingers often go back to old habits...

[@ryansmock2717]

@@bettersax It doesn't really help that I have monster hands. I have used palm key rubber covers to help my left hand have a more "C" shape but there really isn't a similar tool for the right hand

[@ShayneJdm]

Watching this video is awesome for me. I'm just getting a full recap of my school band life playing the saxophone, while slowly getting back into playing the sax.

[@peterjonstefan2926]

Man these are so complete covering EVERY aspect a beginner needs to consider. Even a more experienced player may find something here not considered before. Very happy to have found Jay and his course materials!!

[@mikeaustin1]

Lifelong (long life!) pro musician, teacher (piano/organ, guitar, other), multi-instrumentalist, picking up tenor sax now - I'm a bigger (6'3") guy and like the size and love the variety of register (maybe more on tenor than any other). Several youtube folks are good, and you are by far the most organized and complete. As a teacher myself, I like your thoroughness w/o prattling on - you show a lot of stuff. Videos are about right (before wandering sets in). So I'll give it a go here. Guess I don't need any "translation" from your alto-based videos to tenor, but if you make any in particular for that instrument, I'm open to them. Off to a good start, got a good tone immediately (well, for 5 minutes anyway!). See how I do in a month then I'll decide from there. But so far I like it. Got a tiny bit dizzy but my wife (flutist) says that'll go away with practice. Anyway, thanks for all this info! This is a cool instrument, finally getting to it!

[@waiting4dabus]

This is day one with my sax. I hope your lessons will help me improve and play well

[@STEFANOS604]

Hi I come from the Aegean Island of Syros, Greece and I am 72, an amateur musician in trumpet ,guitar and other instruments. Lately I bought, after watching your relative video, the cheap Chinese, AMMOON, alto saxo, 168$, on Black Friday, just for fun! I have been playing flute recorder and Oehler clarinet so until to receive it (after 1 month) it was easy , following your instructions on embouchure and all your videos, to play immediately all my clarinet repertoire! Your videos are not only very instructive but for foreigners very-very understandable because of your very clean English pronunciation! I really appreciated your excellent explanations on all videos! Thanks a lot! I attach this video (It is a playing about 5 months since I received the saxo!) in famous Greek melodies, using a plastic (resin) reed, of unknown Chinese brand, of 0.5 Euro cost, which I modified, trimming it by a sharpenter a lot so as to be thin! My llaying using a cane reed of 1 - 1.5 resistance, the difference I hear is small! The only thing I don’t like in my playing is that the sound , using cane or plastic reed, looks like of that of a trumpet and not as of a saxophone! I would appreciate any advices and any comment on my video! Thanks in advance! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYjcZJ-Lf7Wed7c

[@ConnorFouts-ed6qv]

nooooooooo you made me cry a little when you said you got the chinese sax

[@rudva]

I’m returning this year to my sax. I must say it Thanks for make this first lessons (1, 2 and 3). They are really good. After years I was not clear on many things, your explanation about the reeds on the mouthpiece was outstanding. Then how to “bite” was amazing I never was instructed where exactly my bottom lip should be and why, wow! And finally the position explanation is just fantastic, I must correct mine in many aspects; you make me understand why I feel exhausted and frustrated. Thank You J!

[@SheldonAndrizzi]

Wow! I'm amazed of the basics of the basics. Never had any idea of the important points to getting a great sound & the proper use of my horn. I'm really excited to get going since now I have a real horn of my own and not the school horn I learned on back so many years ago. BTW , after much research I purchased the Yanagisawa Bari 901...Thks so much for the clear instructions you are providing Jay

[@rouseauxrousseaux8635]

De France,merci beaucoup pour vos conseils. Grâce à vous je progresse bien.

[@johnwarrick6991]

Thanks!

[@bettersax]

Thank you!

[@genekinde1193]

Played when I was a youngster, but quit. Have been wanting to start again and finish what I started 50 years ago. Do not have a sax yet, but have been pre-educating on beginning lessons. Find your videos clear and concise. Will be visiting your videos once I have sax in hand. Thanks

[@howardclarke8568]

I love your videos very much!! I am not a musician.. I'm just an ol boy who fools around on my alto sax.. And my Tenor sax.. You are like an instructor to me.. You are so helpful, and knowledgeable to me.. Pease, to you.. HC

[@tassiespirit]

You are taking the stress out of my playing for me, by explaining things the way you do, thanks.

[@pauldempsey3216]

These first lessons 1-4 on fundamentals are great Thx Jay I would have been lost without them.

[@gh1940]

Just ordered my Sax... watching these videos now... i will watch again when they arrive... teaching myself to learn to read music while i wait (31 years old - complete novice @ music)

[@johnpazmino2811]

Thanks!

[@bettersax]

Thank you!

[@Michael-ol7wm]

Thank you Jay, for all of your videos and lessons. I do play but your videos are helpful and they correct bad habits. Thank you again

[@bettersax]

thanks!

[@Moon_Quake]

I can't tell ya how thankful I am to be able to learn from such a well done video. I'm so excited to be able to put this beautiful brass contraption to good use 😎 thank you for this video series and all your other videos.

[@MrRevillo]

If you are experiencing thumb pain (on both hands, like i did) ,saxophone height is really the most important step. I had it hanging too low (mouthpiece hitting my neck), and even though it felt strange that the mouthpiece is trying to "deepthroat" me when I'm holding the sax, it was way better for my hands.

[@Daidreyes-b3w]

I am a beginner I love these are helpful and helps me know about the saxophone.

[@sheilaforde836]

Thank you , jay. I've always wondered how to lift the sax off the stand before and after playing. Now I know, thank you.

[@stephenyong4840]

Thank you for a really clear and easy to understand lesson. You're the best!

[@Greebstreebling]

Brilliant, confidence inspiring stuff. I'm already thinking I can do this :) :) Thanks.

[@bettersax]

You can do it!

[@robertmac7833]

I really appreciate all the DETAIL you put into this instruction!!

[@matthewmattholew7905]

Good vid Jay. If I were a beginner I’d want to see these videos. You’re a great teacher.

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@priyankarawatuk]

This video really helped me in multiple ways. I would certainly recommend this to any beginner. I would just like to say that playing a saxophone is really similar to playing a recorder. 🙂

[@littlechiaraslk1523]

Do you teacher uncle, I saw my father start to following your video tutorial then he bought sax also.. So simply I want to tel you.. You are the best saxophone teacher in the KZbin!! 😘😘😘

[@dcp8nts]

I play flute, and have been for many years. I just bought an Alto, and i'm psyched for it to arrive. Thanks for these great videos. =D I just hope i don't get frustrated with embouchure

[@billdavies6158]

Absolutely loving your beginner tutorials,thank you for sharing.

[@bettersax]

Glad to hear it

[@kumaranl330]

Thank you so much for excellent lesson master....

[@slimsammyone]

I haven't touched a tenor sax in thirty years, but I picked up a used Celilio for a hundred bucks. I hope it will be adequate to learn on. Thanks for the video.

[@hedgiehero7001]

I’m eleven I’m practicing before my first day in middle school I have band and I chose saxophone and this video was really helpful

[@MichaelTFarm]

Subscribed and liking your videos. Thank you, so much. In 5th grade I wanted to sign up for sax when the music program made a presentation to recruit us before starting iddle school... however, I saw the price tag and decided I wouldn't ask my parents to sign me up. 40 years old now and finally picking up the sax. Also, thanks for the Amazon reviews, because I'm starting with a $270 Mendini. I am still price conscious, I guess. If I progress, I can reward myself with something better.

[@Chris-jo3nb]

thanks for this...reviewing this years after starting I still learn things I should have known :)

[@kresimirtomasovic4891]

You are the best...its so easy to follow and learning from you....thank you very much.....

[@bettersax]

Thank you!

[@HurricaneLantern]

thank you, just played my sax for the forst tome. very helpful

[@amoatengosei-marboah4341]

I'm learning my alto sax in secret so I need lots of ur videos

[@halesbells0460]

I appreciate everything you do as well as a few others. ❤️❤️❤️ I’m a clarinet player, and I’m learning a slew of other instruments ( I love classical clarinet but I wanna play jazz!) and you’ve given such great info! I recently got a soprano and an alto is on the way! Soon, I’ll acquire a tenor! Thank you!

[@brockett]

Nice inspiring video. Maybe, just maybe I'll dig it out of the garage and try again.

[@wayneking4521]

Thank you Jay, this was very helpful to, I'm a new beginner just played my first note, I comment on one of your video a couple of weeks ago about what i wanted to play and wasn;t what to buy. You reply back to me and came me a list of kinds of Sax brands. I end up getting the Yamaha YAS 26 Alto, so i'll be doing your lessons . And will learn the right way. Thanks again.

[@Meghraj376]

I brought new Saxophone Yamaha YAS 280. Trying to learn from you.

[@MsTkwill]

This is my second week with my sax, I was able to play the D note. Super excited. Thanks so much

[@busekilinc1681]

Thank you, each one of your videos help a lot 😊

[@bellablue1347]

Very cool Lessons! Thanks!!

[@morticiadecat]

Really happy I found you. Your vids are my Go To vids to learn the Sax. This has helped a lot thanks.

[@S150436]

Dam, I was doing so many things wrong until I watched this. Thank you.

[@tinekeenhuubvanderraadtwul9470]

Great and clear lesson Jay

[@zaks10285]

I don’t even have a sax yet but this is already so helpful

[@amoatengosei-marboah4341]

Yh you are right

[@CHRISSSJ8]

This is my second time here... VERY helpful how to set up sax properly and in detail. What has stopped me playing in the past has been the immense pressure on my right thumb. I just kept going back to my flute which was not painful to play.

[@ConnorFouts-ed6qv]

tighten your neckstrap

[@dylanpetraska7662]

This helped me a lot starting off with my saxaphone

[@agriffin5308]

Thanks for the heads up on the older saxophone key difference I ordered a 1932 "Naked Lady" con saxophone silver ( I live in Indiana) looking forward to learning off of it!

[@Dancingwater9]

Such a great teacher, finding your videos so helpful! I've always wanted to learn and only just been able to afford a good Sax! Thanks for adding so much detail!

[@thinhbeo2001]

Thank you so much Master Sax. I can play Hallelujah Alto sax by you.

[@lalkennethhettiarachchi-pv7yk]

Thanks it's really helpful to me i have learned lots of things

[@anitagraves4716]

Excited on to the next one..

[@strocksebastiantv]

I absolutely love your videos. Thanks for the wonderful and insightful information!

[@abiciawattson6621]

Ur awesome...keep it up professorr

[@lilyspetgroomingspaboutiqu2527]

Great video this is will be my first instrument to play.

[@soaringwiththespirit3579]

Thanks. Learnt a lot

[@karaholt3716]

Thank you this was very helpful! I originally play clarinet and I'm leaning alto for jazz band

[@bettersax]

great thanks

[@rize_r6683]

Same

[@adura_sax]

Your videos are so helpful. I have been learning so much.

[@xxczerxx]

This reminds me of when I started guitar, it's so weird starting an instrument again for the first time.

[@jimzzypeak]

Same here

[@tigerso1762]

me too but clarinet

[@2009carlini]

Hello ...TKU for sharing with us all your amazing talent and knowledge. Iam 62,retired and always wanted to learn the sax.... following you in you tube,and as your recommendation, I bought a jean paul AS 400. a yamaha 4c alto mouth piece, a set of reeds 2.0, I do not have any music knowledge....what of your courses you recommend to me to start this process...based in my poor knowledge of music and the saxophone. please let me know.Keep your Magic Alive....Remember the Magic is You

[@elimerquita2267]

Grip of death haha! great vids btw. will pick up my alto when my toddler wakes up. thank you!

[@VALLI02]

Merci merci merci

[@mhyulparisi2152]

This is the second video that convinced me to explore saxophone. there are a few questions. The position of the neck and mouthpiece if we rotate does it affect the quality of the tone? I tried with the sax position tilted as you demonstrated, if the position of the mouthpiece is upright, my head also tilted. I thought of adjusting the position of the mouthpiece so that the head remained upright. Is my way correct? Thank you very much for your attention and this inspiring video👍

[@bettersax]

Yes turn the mouthpiece to a position where your head and neck will be straight.

[@mhyulparisi2152]

I understand now. Thank you for the detailed explanation in the video that you are showing. Really helped me who just learned saxophone one week. I think a good foundation will make it easier for me to move on to the next level of learning.

[@Alcapon3711]

"Like" before watching! all your videos right exactly what need it

[@nazlynayeem7551]

Hi Jay, lovin' the series ..great idea ..only problem is the upload time...can you try twice a week since I only get to practice twice a week on school practice days since the sax is school property..keep on goin'

[@bettersax]

Last video coming next tuesday. Making these takes a long time.

[@A.binjuma]

Thank you so much Dear 💐🙏🏼

[@itsJDarts]

Easy sub. Very good tutorial all round

[@alvarocarranzatapia9640]

This is awesome, thanks man!!

[@ryanm7777]

Your vids are very helpful thanks. Please can you talk about playing in tune on the sax? Cuz I heard someone say no sax comes exactly in tune, how is this pls? Need some clarification. Thanks very much

[@TipTut]

When trying to play the D on my Alto sax, the octave key won't open. I'm pressing Thumb Octave 1,2,3 and 1,2,3 but I get a much lower note that what's shown here - does my horn need setting up better, have I put the neck on wrong as the lever doesn't move enough to operate the arm with those keys pressed. If I let go of left hand 3 it opens the octave valve fully. Thanks for any help!

[@ConnorFouts-ed6qv]

Thats just how the saxophone is built. When you press the third finger down, the octave key used is changed to one lower on the horn, which it is meant to do. If youre unable to play the D like he did, your alternate octave key might have an issue. You can follow the track of the pipes on the octave key to find the pad, and then alternate between two and three fingers while holding the octave key, seeing if its moving properly. You can also get it checked, which is something I always do before trying a newly bought instrument edit: the octave key is one of the most sensitive parts of the instruments and can break easily

[@cryptowalls]

I love the trombone!

[@D1smuke4]

You should do a Bari sax Amazon comparison

[@bettersax]

There aren't any inexpensive baris on Amazon that I know of.

[@URKOVAI97]

Helped a lot, thanks!!

[@bettersax]

great thanks

[@barbcoots]

The note you played at 7:20 was between F and F# concert pitch as recorded on a chromatic tuner..... just sayin'. But otherwise, thanks so much for the great tips and experience sharing!

[@ConnorFouts-ed6qv]

yeah he didnt tune beforehand wayyyyy too sharp

[@macmuggo5459]

I don’t have a saxophone and don’t intend to get one but, I like these videos anyway

[@RoseCadenza]

I'm not a beginner, but, dang, I just learned something new.

[@bettersax]

great!

[@MonkeOnStick]

Can you make a tip posture for tenor, ive seen lots of alto vids but no in depth tenor ones that make sense

[@bryanwatt9751]

Cool, thanks Jay!

[@aaronsteffl6149]

really helpful video! is it only me or does the download of the pdf not work?

[@bettersax]

Aaron, send me an email and I'll get it to you.