The Easiest Way to Learn Saxophone Embouchure

Hello world, it’s been a minute! Apologies for my general absence and spotty posting. Last semester I spent much of my time grinding for DMA comprehensive examinations and finishing most of my remaining cognate coursework. This is in addition to my part-time teaching at Heidelberg University and assistantship duties at BGSU. Anybody who has completed a terminal degree can back me up when I say that this put me through wringer, to say the least. At any rate, it’s good to be back and (hopefully) posting more regularly; onward!

Today, I am sharing a video that talks about the easiest way to explain and learn proper saxophone embouchure. It is all too easy to get lost in anatomical terminology and nitty gritty when explaining embouchure to beginners. Rather than falling into this pedagogical trap, teachers instead must find familiar experiences or sensations that students can refer when learning a new skill. In the case of the saxophone embouchure, we should all suck our thumb!

Do you really NEED a Selmer Mark VI?

Everybody knows about the notorious Selmer Mark VI saxophone, but who really needs one? How does it compare to other horns, like the Series II, Series III, and Reference 54? Does it live up to the mythology of, “best horn ever”? Emerging jazz saxophonist, Kyle Brooks, and I dive in to find out how the Mark VI and other horns work for jazz and classical and also discuss other equipment choices. We also talk about how our personal needs shape the equipment we buy, the value of not switching too often, and more.

This is one of my longest videos yet, so try using the chapter markers to hop between various sound demos for a better comparison experience.

TL;DW: No.

Improve Saxophone Altissimo with Overtone Matching

Hello saxo-world, it has been a few weeks! Thank you so much for your patience during this brief gap in content. As many of you may know, I am currently knee-deep in pursuing a DMA degree at Bowling Green State University. I am really enjoying this program, however, this means that content output may interrupted from time to time by pressing matters that arise during in my studies. I appreciate your patience during these brief gaps.

Anyway, I have been teaching many of my college sophomore sax technique students altissimo and have found an exercise that has been especially helpful in their growth. Overtone matching is great for practicing altissimo and improving your tone and intonation! Credit to Reese Burgan, who first introduced me to this exercise a few years ago. Check out more in the video below!