Free StuffGarageband & Logic InstrumentsSaxophone Instruction DVD featuring Pete Thomas

SAXOPHONE EMBOUCHURE

All About Pete
CV, biog, sounds, video

External Links

Pete’s Other Sites

Buy Stuff Here
CD, DVD, etc. for charity
Saxophone Info
Articles & other stuff
Learn the Saxophone (1)
Tone, sound & effects

Effects:

Learn the Saxophone (2)
Exercises & patterns

Exercises, Patterns & Licks:

Jazz Theory
Nuts & Bolts of Jazz & Blues

Beginners' Theory:

Jazz Theory Lessons:

Jazz: Impro & Arranging
Practical Jazz Stuff

Improvisation:

Jazz Arranging:

Misc. & Humour

Composing & Arranging
Hints & Tips
Following articles now moved to MediaMusicForum.com

Orchestration

Recording
Studio stuff & Logic
NEW: PETE THOMAS SOUND ON SOUND article

Resources:

Exclusive to this site
Logic EXS24 Samples & Instruments
Custom EXS24 Instruments

Recording:

Webstuff
Useful Internet Resources

NEW!

Buy all your jazz books etc.from our Jazzwise Store or buy recommended CDs in the Amazon affiliate store and help with the fundraising

"CORRECT" EMBOUCHURES

Embouchuremeans what you do with your mouth. There is more than one correct saxophone embouchure. The pictures on the right are from a very good book by Ben Davis (published by Henri Selmer no less) which is now sadly out of print.

The picture shows three types of embouchure:

  • Fig. 5 - an embouchure in which the lower lip does not cover over the lower teeth
  • Fig. 6 - the bottom lip forms a cushion between the lower teeth and the reed
  • Fig. 7 - the top lip also forms a cushion between the top teeth and the top of the mouthpiece
I disagree with the author in that I don't think any of these are wrong. They each suit different players and styles.

I originally used the embouchure in Fig. 6, but was later taught to use the lower lip without any support from the teeth. This takes a while to get used to as you need to build up the lip muscles, but I find it more flexible than the other two. It’s pointless to go into too much more detail without being physically present with a student so I'll paste a couple of extracts from his book, which must have been quite controversial at the time as the no-lip over teeth was quite revolutionary.

 Saxophone Embouchure

Download all the saxophone exercises as PDF files

Only £5 or save £3.50 when you buy a CD or DVD as well

All the fingering exercises in the "Patterns & Exercises" section are available in PDF format. These contain expanded versions of the online exercises (many of them in all keys) and also many extra exercises. All for only £5. All proceeeds will be donated to charity. You will receive the PDF files via email.

To store and checkout

Some special offers are available if you purchase the PDFs, CD & DVD

Mr Lucky

Saxophone Embouchure

Saxophone Embouchure

Mr Lucky