Before you attempt your first note,
you should adjust the neck strap to the proper length so you don't have to reach
for the mouthpiece or tilt your neck. This cuts off the air stream, not to
mention, it gets uncomfortable. You should also adjust the neck so
that it is lined up straight with the body. And finally, twist the mouthpiece so
that the tip of the reed is horizontal with your lower lip. Don't forget to tighten the
screw for the neck, you don't want it to move around. The Saxophone should
be adjusted to come to you in a comfortable posture, whether standing or
sitting.
One of the more important aspects to establish before you actually start the
exercises is to set a tempo for yourself. Tap your foot at a medium rate
and count in your head 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Give yourself one
measure to lead into the exercise and then start. I hope to be able to
figure out how to offer the sound files with and without the click track in the
background. Working with a metronome can be tricky. They are very
precise and do not allow any slack. The purpose of a metronome is to not
allow you to speed up on the easy parts or slow down on the more difficult
sections. For now, the sound files on the lesson pages will be me
playing with a metronome. I hope some of this information has
helped. I will add to this section periodically. For now, get
your horn together and click next to proceed to the next page where I will
talk about setting up a practice routine. Next.
