How to Hold the Saxophone

[@Utyoubyouzer]

Thanks Donna. One thing to point out is that the mouthpiece alignment has to be straight both horizontally (need to twist to adjust) in the centre of the lips (vertically) ONLY in the playing position. So the right hand on the thumb hook has to press inward to bring the bottom of the sax forward to the front of the hip area and resting roughly the low D or low C part of the tenor sax on the side of the right side of the hip. AFTER that we look to see if the mouthpiece is centred or not and if it is too high or too low (not centred to the middle of the lips) THEN we need to adjust or re-adjust the strap. People that keep the mouthpiece too low they bend forward to reach it but it's even worse for the weight of the saxophone (regardless of neck strap or any harness) if the mouthpiece is too high and then we bend backward to reach the mouthpiece. Many people bend backward and they don't even know that they are not straight because they do it all the time (compensating the upper body weight and sax weight when they have weak core muscles). This can reach people to have chronic lower back pain and then sometimes have to stay away from tenor sax for a long period of time. This exactly happened to me and I was off tenor sax for more than a year. I learned to play alto sax though :)

[@stevenmiddleton61]

I mainly have a death grip on the the left thumb octave key. Hole indented in my thumb after hours of practice.Other than that.......

[@shealinbanta4169]

I like your shirt in the video

[@RebelScumJack]

Thank you for the useful tips, Godspeed and God bless!

[@DonnaSchwartz]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davidcox8961]

I have a Conn 10m tenor. I don't know if it's the ergonomics of this particular horn or not, but I am have a difficult time finding just the right adjustment of the neck and how much in front or off to the side I hold the horn. My left little finger gets strained trying to finger low concert B. Also the right thumb rest is not adjustable and my thumb hurts. But I do love the tone.

[@DonnaSchwartz]

It very well may be the ergonomics of that particular horn. Have you had the same issues with other brands?

[@davidcox8961]

@@DonnaSchwartz that is what everyone says- it's an ergonomically incorrect horn, but I do love it's tone.

[@davidcox8961]

@@DonnaSchwartz I think I just found the problem. The key that I press with that little finger tends to stick. If I don't dry it it gets glued in. When I try to play that note I over torque my pinky.

[@renewgroup]

G'day Donna, I sometimes get a sore right thumb when practising my alto - usually seated for those rehearsals but not an issue standing and playing at gigs. No pain anywhere else. More death grip or can the thumb be isolated?

[@DonnaSchwartz]

Check your thumb position in relation to the thumb rest. (too high or too low) Have you tried adjusting it? Also make sure your neck strap is properly adjusted and your posture is straight

[@shealinbanta4169]

i only lean down playing the saxophone whenever I am looking down at my binder music when we are standing up if we are not using a stand. Normally we do this at football games.

[@1762tbone]

Is it ok to rest the bottom of the sax against your leg/body. Any tips regarding that? thanks, Steve (beginner)

[@DonnaSchwartz]

Yes - I have a really old (but still good) video on posture on my site here: donnaschwartzmusic.com/teaching/common-performance-problems/saxophone-posture/ .

[@shealinbanta4169]

I play tenor holding it to the side when I sit down, but I hold it in front of me when I am standing up

[@jojoslaywa8427]

Do you know Marty Schwartz

[@DonnaSchwartz]

No

[@ziggysway]

I just wished I had longer fingers but I work with what I have. I heard I believe Coltrane had small fingers but still get the small hand syndrome when I see people with long fingers. lol

[@davidcox8961]

Hey Zig... long fingers can be an issue too. We all make do with what we've got. Cheers mate

[@superradness]

Confused how to hold the saxaphone without mashing all the keys at once. It feels like it’s going to rip my head off.

[@tajwilliams2076]

didnt actually tell me how to hold a sax

[@DonnaSchwartz]

Yes, I did.