SQUEAKY Saxophone Reeds, Altissimo, LOW Notes, Overtones | Q&A Episode 1

[@fergusonmark91]

"Hey dude! Nice video"

[@Hecdan58]

What I really like about your videos is that you are making easier and simple the way we learn how to play the sax and you don't have any issue to share your vast knowledge instead of keeping to yourself the "secrets" to be a great saxophone player, as many other so-called teachers might do. Thanks for sharing and I really enjoy your videos.

[@DA-jp3uq]

I echo that, it does make a difference. A lot of teachers (especially ones for novices and beginners) skip so many crucial and really interesting points that would help the confidence and learning of a newbie. Especially if you want to play because you have a passion, not just because it sounds good. And it makes you want to play like Jay one day and the teachings are so good so maybe one day we will lol

[@spontaneousgroovincombusti2902]

Really thoughtful comments on altissimo, Jay. I'm often amazed by the occasional player who has somehow managed to attain success in that rather difficult range, despite an inability to produce good tone in the standard range.

[@haroldwaynejackson7880]

You and your advice are truly the best Mr. Metcalf. Thank you.

[@gordwrath6811]

Hey, I think you are one of the best sax channels around. You are informative, engaging, and I just cant get enough of your teachings. Thank you for helping so many people progress like my self.

[@SEAHARP11]

Hay Jay! I can’t tell you how much watching your videos and taking your advice has helped me be a better saxophone player. I have been playing all my life and have never taken lessons from anyone. With that being said, naturally I had picked up a lot of bad habits that held me back from advancing. Watching in the sitting to you has inspired me and allowed me too play so much better. Your advice on gear alone has been priceless to me. Who won the Reed Geek is Everything you said it is! I could go on anon but I don’t want to bore you. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.

[@bettersax]

Bob, never boring to hear praise like that. Thanks, I'm very happy to hear that the videos are helping you.

[@weeziebaker]

These videos are super helpful!

[@michaelbaker3228]

Appreciate you explaining these issues so clearly and I enjoy your sense of humor!

[@noordinm]

I am your student and I have listened to many of your videos and I have found that what ever you have said is true. I am a beginner and I have tried altissimo and its difficult. So I would rather concentrate my time and energy to play the regular notes on the saxophone and get a good strong sound. What you said about practicing long notes is true. It has given me better tone and I am more consistent now. The metronome has improved my timing and sense of rhythm. Thank you Jay..... Andy

[@bettersax]

Andy, good to hear. Sounds like you're on the right track...

[@maikeli7]

Hi Jay, Thank you so much for these videos! 🙂

[@stevehenry9826]

Excellent advise Jay! I will definitely follow your advice on the embrocher part and let the air do the work. Well actually I follow all your advice. Keep up the excellent channel!

[@johnmatthews264]

Thanks for the info...

[@mandrew296]

You are right about the famous name and instrument thing. My grandpa plays piano and composes small songs, and is named Bill Evans 😂! My grandpa was going to start a career as a musician with Ronnie Wilkins (who he preformed with and went to the same high school with), but when they where about to leave for Nashville, my grandpa received a scholarship to go to college. My grandpa took the scholarship and (quite ironically) became a preacher. He also worked for a radio station in Atlanta during the 1960s and 70s.

[@bettersax]

Interesting story Andrew thanks...

[@danielaluna500]

You help so much !!!

[@royfowler1583]

Love your stuff, Good Sir!

[@Sheldonmiranda07]

I hope you grow. You've been an amazing teacher.

[@Zoro_2468]

Thank you sir! Very good tips.

[@thecontinentalist8816]

More great tips from Better Sax ! I picked up the tenor horn last year after a 15 yr break, having stopped playing because I basically just didn't like my tone. I was embarrassed by it. Picking up the instrument again I decided to really apply myself to this part of my playing and dedicate myself to getting full control over the full range of the instrument. The first thing I did was replace my mouthpiece ( Lawton 6*B ) for a vintage Selmer C**, realising that my mouthpiece choice wasn't helping me ( for the moment ). I sometimes had a great tone in the middle register of the horn but the extremes were places I rarely went. This was of course incredibly limiting. What I've learnt this last year is that you don't need either a metal mouth piece or a very open tip to sound good/great. I found that of course it really is about the air and the support of the air that gets you comfortably to the extremes of the horn not excluding the mouth voicing that is needed as well as all the other embouchure stuff. ( mouth piece exercises ! ) Just knocking out the odd low Bb is not really cutting it. I want to be able to play scales and patterns down there, which demands an investment of time. Playing long tones based around tone matching really helps, so I play middle Bb or B, C, C# and then work on getting them to have the fullness of the overtone partial, in this case the first partial. This encourages me to practice overtones and hang out down in that register a bit more.I don't think sub tone I go beyond that and practice pre tone and post tone. It extends the range of each note. I can now play something like Night Train as if I'm King Curtis, even with my set up. The house vibrates, or rather resonates when I hit that low Bb ( you know the one ) but I hit it with ease and it's full and rich, without honking. Ok the dog 3 doors down go's 'pazzo' each time but such is life. He doesn't know that I'm going to be spending time this summer working on my altissimo range. With regard to air support there's a lot of flaky info out there re the diaphragm, what it is, what it does and what it looks like. To try and be short about this I'd say it's just about 'engaging the core' nothing more. To test this out and see where I'm at with it I stand a few inches away from a wall and with my breath hold a small piece of paper ( say 10cm by 10cm ) to the wall. Sounds a bit weird and it's not easy to do but what it shows me is what part of my body is engaging in air support and for me it's not the lower front abs. It's more the side and back. Remember the lungs are more to the back of the torso than the front. Whatever.. One last thing. 'Reeds is bitches'. Love you Jay, Ciao bello !

[@bettersax]

Thanks for sharing. Glad the attention to your sound is paying off. It always does...

[@thecontinentalist8816]

Thanks Jay ! Get the tone doing the right thing and working on the rest of it has become more pleasurable. Thanks for all your tips along the way.

[@capailldubh]

Thanks for the video. Doing your online Pentatonic course. Its brilliant..will be signing up for more as soon I am fluent with that.

[@bettersax]

Great to hear!

[@medicussapiens]

I love this channel. Great education and entertaining, too.

[@RN4MERCY]

Thanks for the straight-talk. Your practical advice is refreshing and encouraging. Play on!

[@LesFUNKYMUPPETS]

"Hey dude, nice video!" And thx a lot for the tips!

[@adedayodanielowolabi3093]

Wonderful video

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@shlomobinstock6697]

Hi Jay. Found this video very informative. Have been learning the sax for about nine months and really enjoy your tutorials. Your new sound squares look great. Keep the videos coming!

[@bettersax]

More videos coming. Thanks

[@kunasheelan2189]

Thanks for the great content! 🙏🏾❤️❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@teresascholtz4623]

Really useful video - thanks Jay!

[@bettersax]

Thanks Teresa...

[@gusmarrero]

You're the man. Thanks.

[@shironperera6635]

Really helpful video. Good luck!

[@dellisonhooi8465]

I just order my saxophone today jay thanks to you! I’m going to follow your courses too

[@dnc12265]

Thanks so much for the details you provided on squeaks! I also found your story on the sax player with a leaky horn inspiring. Keep up these great videos. Thanks!

[@denstones]

Great tutorial

[@wesleyy2792]

Hi Jay, love your videos!

[@bettersax]

thanks

[@theronhawk6700]

Why saxmen are the coolest people on earth n why. The magic of the beautifull saxxx.

[@KadrianThomas]

Amazing content Jay.

[@Terr]

Love your videos!

[@denisongukaadupa6163]

Hi Great information 👍

[@adrianphillips3192]

Great advice

[@gregokeefe4657]

Thanks Jay. Finding your videos really helpful.

[@bettersax]

Good to hear Greg thanks.

[@carlbill4]

This is a great video, thank you for sharing so much good ideas of sax playing. It's truly helped a lot!!!

[@bettersax]

Thanks

[@kennethstokes9119]

enjoyed this. good info

[@rhythmculturerecords1017]

hey dude nice video :)

[@ytwatcher8288]

Your room is sounding great from here!

[@bettersax]

Thanks Bill. Yes, I'm loving playing down there now.

[@jaycart5105]

Hey Dude , nice video. No seriously, nice videos.

[@jazzman_10]

Great tip on squeaking reeds! I may also add that sometimes we tend to "bite" when we run into the upper register, especially if you're playing with a soft Reed that may respond quickly to any extra pressure... The joke on Bill Evans cracked me up 🤣🤣

[@bettersax]

Yeah, biting is generally bad anywhere on the sax...

[@stefanzdraveski]

Very good informative video. When i was starting to play there wasn't videos like this to learn from! Amazing!

[@bettersax]

Thanks Stefan!

[@AlejandrodeSouza]

Very useful tips!

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@helmutwerlich6795]

Jay I like your sax lesson

[@bettersax]

Thanks Helmut

[@victorfigueroa5663]

Great videos thanks

[@ljvideos1010]

Another great video, thanks again Jay!

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@rayfarris873]

Enjoy your teaching

[@bettersax]

Thanks Ray.

[@jeffreyrainey1015]

Thank you, Jay, for keeping me modest.

[@rondenorscio7984]

Great video Jay!

[@bettersax]

Thanks Ron!

[@Fiorerosenfeld1]

Looking and sounding smooth my brother....

[@bettersax]

Thanks bro

[@brianpite0893]

Valuable information! Thank you

[@bettersax]

Thanks Brian

[@raslanabulardat4348]

thanks for great video

[@alanfloyd3205]

Great Advice! Always look forward to the next video!

[@1dotele]

Great video Jay the studio looks awesome

[@bettersax]

thanks James, yeah, I'm loving the new look.

[@kiz8409]

Really great video again, thanks for posting and sharing this.

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@ntxmt]

Hi Jay. Thanks for the reed/mouthpiece details. I will make the changes you've detailed.

[@bettersax]

great.

[@hmivg]

So interesting ! Thank you

[@bettersax]

Thank you!

[@vmontijo]

Love all your videos Jay - thank you so much for the effort!

[@StoneysWorkshop]

great tips man.

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@MarkALong64]

Great tips, Sir.

[@laptopm1113]

the glasses look good on you as well . thanx for the vid

[@bettersax]

Thanks, they are new to me. Too much time in front of the screen editing videos!

[@augustasvasiliauskas8544]

Nice video! Do more QnA'S !

[@bettersax]

Ok I will! send me a question...

[@augustasvasiliauskas8544]

Better Sax How to improve your dinamics? I would want to have a bigger difference between different volumes of my sound :)

[@augustasvasiliauskas8544]

Oh and also, does practicing while sitting down effect your breathing, sound or anything? Because standing up for long is reaaally tiring for my legs...

[@CoolPvP133]

I love ur videos

[@BejaeIngate]

Great Video! I don't play any instruments at all really but it's awesome learning about something new!

[@burgballs5780]

hey dude, nice video

[@matsmanteatern698]

So nice vid. VERY informative and true! Adding an interesting detail about ligature placement, ambouchure and low notes, and horn condition: I’m a fairly experienced player. I have a newly overhauled old Selmer SBA and a 8* mp. I’ve done a lot of long tones and overtones practice but still experienced problems with getting the low notes out correctly!! Especially C# and B. Now, I’ve played a lot of loud rock‘n roll music over the years where I need a lot of volume and projection to cut through all electronic sounds. I also like a bright and clear projecting sound. That had made me, over the the years, to place the ligature very close to the tip of the mp. AND tightening the lig screw very hard. I’ve found that was supporting the sound I was after. But in the last year of practicing I’ve been taking all my practice back “step one” sort of. Meaning really being meticulous about every step of playing. And what did I discover?? I had real problems getting my low notes out in a controlled way. I could just play them in one way. Putting all possible air in and out comes the note but very LOUD and short duration (lack of air) no way to play them normal or soft! For half a year I’ve been struggling with this thinking it’s something wrong with the horn. But suddenly the idea came up: can it be my embouchure and something with my ligature placement and how hard I tightening the screw? I’ve now done 3 things: 1. Place the liatur further back on the mp.( closer to you’re mouth) 2. I’m NOT tightening the screw to much, just enough so that it’s seals to the mp-table 3. Most importantly: I’m losening my embouchure and try to be very aware of it when playing low notes. And all of a sudden the low notes work fine!!! A petty it took me many years to come to this conclusion! Thanks for you’re good videos!

[@bettersax]

Great to hear. It is always a good idea to keep an open mind and experiment with new things. Just because we've been doing something one way for a long time doens't mean there isn't a better way for us. Thanks for sharing.

[@Tradingwithjon]

Hey dude nice video!

[@okkietrooy6841]

I know that a big reason for not being able to play good low notes is your technique. However, at one time I kept struggling. When I went to my realitysoap because I also started having other problems, they were wondering, how I was able to play at all. It turned out that I had several leaks. After repair I could play comfortable again. I could play the low notes. They were not perfect but now I could improve by practizing. My repairman advised me to let him check out my sax first when I had problems again before I started to change things on my technique. I play for a long time now and if I suddenly have problems, the chance is high that it is my sax. So, I first let nu sax get checked, and then I work on my technique. Saves a lot of time and frustration.

[@johnsontrimble7881]

Awesome video! Love jt

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@JacksonCarson]

Love the channel, man. Keep doing what you do!

[@vannigio6234]

uah! gran bel suono il tuo! proprio bello.

[@bettersax]

grazie!

[@620alexliu]

nice video !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@km106]

Hey dude, nice video! :)

[@bettersax]

☺☺

[@robertdouglas4293]

60, promise to try an make myself happy, but not before I show a young person, my respect, the hard part about practice, thanks for good advice boss.

[@esfahan1961]

And if you can’t get these low notes, check for a swab in the bell! Don’t laugh, I travelled with my sax in its case, pulled it out a day or so later, practiced, got frustrated, wanted to clean it and... I’ll be damned, swab in the bell 𗀄𗀄𗀄

[@bettersax]

Yeah, I've found all sorts of strange things in there over the years...

[@mandrew296]

Lol, this same thing happened to me the other day! 😂

[@MauriatOttolink]

Thierry Martin. I have good horns nowadays but had some yucky stuff in my early days. On a gig, one horn (Tenor) which didn't play particularly well at the best of times, was even worse. "What the**** IS going on here? It turned it over and shook out a soggy wet £10 bill (British bank note) and a 20 pack of cigarettes. The bill dried out but the cigs were finished. So am I these days with cigarettes.. That why I'm still alive and could buy decent horns.

[@MauriatOttolink]

Thierry Martin Can't leave a swap in mine. The rubber bung on it, acts as a the plug to protect the octave lever in the case. Nearly lost the swab once on an outdoor gig.. Somebody's dawg thought was fun to run off with it but he came back with a waggly tail and swapped it for a candy and a big hug. Never yet saw a dog I didn't like. Can't say that about people.

[@binaryheadstudios4002]

I heard a weird rattling coming from my alto on the lower register one time. Turns out my cork grease tube had found its way into the bell.

[@ranmo8970]

Great videos, thank you for all of the excellent help and information. Have you reviewed the Elkhart 100AS and TS? I was originally taught on a used Elkhart Alto and after a long layoff want to get a new one and practice practice practice. Is there any advantage between a black laquer vs gold laquer or silver plated? Thank you again for you great videos !!!

[@leowright8016]

Hello Jay thank you for sharing,Like your studio. It always nice for reviews, got to redo suction test one of mouthpieces sometimes I get squeaks

[@bettersax]

Thanks Leo.

[@robertdouglas4293]

thanks dude!

[@DannyZolp]

hi dude nice vid ;)

[@yolioms]

Jay, any advice how to reduce problems with ‘G & Gb in second octave on Tenor (a 60yo Selmer Bundy Student in excellent condish) My reed placement and seal are solid, no leaks, pads good, key leaves used after each use. The trouble happens most when either first blow and or transitioning from C or F# mostly. Thanks Jay. And oh yeah, I’ve had the horn inspected twice by two different repair people. Cheers🤷🏻‍♀️🎷😋

[@whugheswhughes98144]

Hey dude, nice video

[@robstevens9590]

Thanks for the reminders. When practicing today I had some squeaks, and it was clearly because the reed didn't seal properly. Also, I really like it when you put the nice riffs between the comments. I play alto, with a Otto Link HR #7 as I like the warm "dark" sound & use sub-tones a lot, and almost always play sub-tones when playing low C, B or Bb. If I try to play "regular" tones on the B & Bb they sound like a honk, so I usually stick to the sub-tones for those lower notes.

[@bettersax]

That's one way to do it. Sometimes we need the full tone on those notes though. You want to be careful about establishing a habit of subtoning every time you are in the low register though.

[@robstevens9590]

Thanks Jay. It is already a habit that I need to work on breaking, but I don't often play pieces that need those low notes full tone, so it takes some extra effort.

[@robertdouglas4293]

very kind!

[@ekaufman4800]

This is great, as always! Thank you! I'm wondering what those black covers on you left palm keys are, what they do and where did you get them?

[@_liksu1850]

As usual, great content. Thanks!

[@georgemonroe9683]

Wow. Thanks for this. I chipped a reed and had to pull out a new one. I noticed that I was squeaking when I would transition from say B to the high G. It would sound more like the high F. But thanks to this video I have a few things I noticed I wasn't doing 1st. I was only wetting the vibrating portion of the reed and not the base. S2nd I think I had my ligature down too far towards the open end of the mouth piece and 3rd I do have a tendency to pinch the reed when I go play the higher notes that require the octave key. So I am going to buy the reed geek to make sure the reed base is flat, check the seal of the base with the method you showed me here. Remember to wet the base of the reed and table on the mouth piece. Thanks for all of this. I am taking your pentatonic course and it has helped my playing tremendously.

[@bettersax]

Good to hear George. Glad this helped.

[@georgemonroe9683]

@@bettersax It worked. Live and learn

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Hi!

[@bettersax]

Hey Matt

[@johnleon2982]

1. Does wetting the reed and the suction test vary at all for Legere Signature plastic reeds? 2. Does it make any sense to practice with a stiffer reed than you usually play with to build embouchure strength--like a baseball batter swinging a weighted bat before stepping to the plate with his usual bat?

[@Xanadu128]

I am a senior citizen just starting the sax, and I have been practicing 2 to 3 hrs a day 6 days a week for six months now. I am finishing up the Rubank intermediate book and have completed 5 units in the Rubank Advanced Vol 1 book. I am also doing scales, all of them and modes. I do this on the alto, and free-play music on the tenor after scales warmup. I listen to you every night, but I am all over the place, and not sure what is next. I am taking a college class on sintrduction to improvisation this fall semester. I want to get good, and I suppose I am trying to pack years into weeks or months at my age. What is next? Dan Berendt (the d does not sound in the last name. I will subscribe.

[@Jwellsuhhuh]

Damn, finishing rubank intermediate after only 6 months? This guy’s on a grind. I’m barely halfway through rubank intermediate flute after playing for 13 months lol

[@MauriatOttolink]

Hey Dude,.. Nice video.

[@soynutsandkale5286]

Hey dude nice video Lol

[@arthurschwieger82]

Hay dude, nice video. I had developed a squeak when moving between octaves on my alto. Mainly from C to D and it was really bothering me. I had my horn checked and there were a couple minor issues that he easily correct but I still had the C to D squeak. I eventually figured it out when I took some time to look at what was going on. The issue may be surprising. It turns out it was caused by my glasses.

[@albertogavassa5434]

Hello my good friend, you are a PRO playing sax, to me all 5 tenors sound great, Im sure you can play a sax made out of wood or any material on earth and they will sound super good. Nice game for today, thanks.

[@ariefdharma1458]

nice vid

[@josemachado2936]

Hey dude nice vedio

[@bettersax]

Thanks dude!

[@josemachado2936]

@@bettersax but on a real not great vids lots of info, i truly appreciate your work.

[@L1nkGR]

Hello Jay, your videos have really helped on numerous occasions as i am playing for just 3 months. I would like to ask about what books do you suggest about the saxophone, i am not asking about method books, but books covering interesting topics about the instrument and the playing, advices, hints etc just like the two you showed on this video. Also it would be interesting if you shared with us your favourite saxophone/jazz albums and players. Thank you in advance, loving your work !

[@bettersax]

Thanks. those are some good topics for future videos. I have a couple of playlists on my KZbin Channel with some suggestions for listening to sax players. Have a look there. Those 2 books in the video are a good place to start. Most saxophone books are method books though.

[@johnleon2982]

The Devil's Horn was a very engaging history of the sax. www.amazon.com/Devils-Horn-Story-Saxophone-Novelty/dp/0312425570

[@theronhawk6700]

Keeny g, is a world class swagsax champ. Points to all who helped me.