Hey!

I've got 3questions - all are sax realted.

* I've never really been able to reach the low notes well on sax (sop & tenor), but now, I need to, as some of the band pieces I play go quite low. Are there any tips on how to reach low notes(like C# + lower), in pieces & scales. Thanks

* The other is music. I want to play some jazzy kind of sax music, & stuff of grade 6+ standard. HAs anyone got any suggestions - I can't seem to find any jazzy sax music with pino accom,( like big band pieces). I have the syllabus, but don't know whats is nice of there. Thanks

* Do most sax players take exams with guildhall. I know sax players who say they've taken grade 8 JAZZ sax, but ABRSM only do 1 syllabus - can anyone explain? Thanks

JONATHAN

Answer to the first question.

When i play low notes especially C down to Bb i loosen my embrochure and put my mouth further down the mouthpiece. It may not be the correct way but hey it works (for me anyway)

Answerto the third question

I have taken all my exams including sax with AB. They do two syallbuses for sax. Standard Grades 1-8 and Jazz Grades 1-5

Hope that helps.

My old saxophone teacher said that when playing the low notes to drop your jaw as well as the instrument to get the notes out properly.

I'm no sax player but I believe sax players use their knees/legs for the low notes, or if you have the money, get a sax that properly shuts the lower pads

Sax players DO use ABRSM both standard and Jazz

Try and make do with the repertoire you got

Try not to adjust your embouchure (dropping your jaw) to get the low notes - it makes playing quickly and fluently really difficult. Ideally you should be able to play the full keyed range of the instrument with the same embouchure. Tenor sax has quite a soft embouchure, I believe (though have very little experience) that you need a much firmer embouchure on soprano, and that intonation can be quite a challenge.

To get the low notes:
Make sure you've got lots of air moving through the instrument
Make sure you're breathing properly using your diaphragm and pushing the air through the instrument using your stomach muscles.
Think "hot" air (i.e breathing on your hands to warm them up, not blowing on a cup of tea to cool it down)
Finally low notes may be all but impossible if you've got leaks in your instrument so get it checked over by a repairer

(Some people do use their knees to get a low A, but it's a bit gimmicky and certainly not something you'd see regularly)