Saxophone Forum


by frostshardz
(23 posts)
20 years ago

teethmarks?

hi... just wondering.. after playing on my new sax for a while.. there seem to be teeth marks on it... issit supposed to be there?

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  1. by frostshardz
    (23 posts)

    20 years ago

    Re: teethmarks?

    ya.. as in on the mouthpeice... :)

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    1. by golferguy675
      (600 posts)

      20 years ago

      Re: teethmarks?

      Yeah, that can happen(especially with hard rubber), Just get some mouthpiece patches. For jazz I like the thinner clear ones because the get in the way with technique eoumbechure-wise, but for legit the thicker rubber ones are good, becuase you aren't doin a bunch of scoops and junk like that.

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      1. by spottspidermunki
        (55 posts)

        20 years ago

        Re: teethmarks?

        i agree w/ golferguy about the patches. thats the exact same style i use. (thin-jazz, thick-legit) but yeah, teethmarks are normal. jus as long as they don't become teeth-gouges or teeth-pits, where ur teeth sink into the mp at a certain point. b/c eventually, given the same biting style, they will become teeth-holes. that doesn't make the saxophone happy. but light scratches and stuff is normal. enjoy the new horn! Joel

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        1. by wesmiller
          (55 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          Hey frost; Teeth marks....yep gonna agree with golfer. These marks should not be gouges. But am, somewhat concerned if you just got the horn and the marks have already appeared. What type mouthpiece are you using. For example, if it is a plastci mouthpice it will probably scar more easily than a rod rubber mouthpiece. Therefore, if rod rubber you could be biting. The patch will protect the mouthpiece but hide a more serious playing problem: biting. Does your chin bunch up and look like a strawberry when you play for a while? Does your lower lip have an indentation and hurt? Just things to look for. If ya ain't got those problems you be okie dokie. Allright? See ya.

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        2. by bandgeek
          (11 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          hiya! slightly off topic, but I'm relatively new and I get the indentation and pain in the lower lip and sometimes my chin bunches up if I've been playing for awhile. It doesn't do wonders for my tone, how can I fix that? Is it my mouth piece? -Annie

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        3. by golferguy675
          (600 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          Sounds like you're using a wrong kind of eoumbechure. The lower lip would be either because you're biting to hard, or you're reed is to hard, or likely both. If you're chin is bunching up, you're probably buckling it when you play. That would explain the pitch. If you start doing that, your sound will go down the toilet. Watch yourself in the mirror, and try and keep your chin still. Some people get carried away with that when they are playing jazz, and think it's a good jazz eoumbechure, when it's just goin to make the bottomo fall out of your sound.

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        4. by wesmiller
          (55 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          Most embouchure problems stem from a lack of support (air support). Make sure that you are blowing a constant stream of air from the diaphragm. What happens is that when the support isn't consistent or perhaps nonexistent the embouchure starts to behave in odd ways. In other words, it will try to make the intrument respond. One way to do this is to increase pressure on the reed and blow. By biting and blowing you get a sound, not a great sound but a sound. The down side is poor tone quality, poor intonation and pain. Look deeper than just the emboucher to fix your problem. Then the next logical step is to focus on how is your embouchure formed. There are differing concepts and ideas; I'll leave those to others. Mine is rooted in the ideal that the embouchure is like a wheel, or a circle around the mouthpiece. The theory being that there will be equal pressure all around. Again, though, don't forget support of the "wheel "will collapse. Finally, are braces involved? Any problems such as unevennes in your lower teeth. All can be addressed. For a beginner I personally would recommend a Yamaha 4-C, or Selmer S-90 mouthpiece and very light beginner reeds: Rico 2 0r 21/2.

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        5. by golferguy675
          (600 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          "One way to do this is to increase pressure on the reed and blow. By biting and blowing you get a sound, not a great sound but a sound." NONONONONO! Don't do that. All that is going to do is cause you to rely on that to get a sound. Rico 2 or 2 1/2? First of all, why Rico reeds? Ricos are some of the worst soundin reeds. Except for mayb their jazz select reeds, which still aren't great. And though I did say you lip may hurt do to your reed being to stiff, don't get one too weak. If you have no resistance, your eoumbechure will mess up too. You'll find yourself not being able to keep it steady. A 2 may be a bit weak. Good advice on the airstream, always keep that steady.

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        6. by bandgeek
          (11 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          what brand of reeds would u recommend? thanx! -Annie

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        7. by golferguy675
          (600 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          A good reliable brand is Vandoren. For concert band, or whatever classical playing you're doing, the blue box reeds would be best. If you're doing any jazz, I used to use the Vandoren Javas all of the time, and they are great. They also have a new jazz reed. I don't like them because they are too thin, but a lot of other people like them.

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        8. by wesmiller
          (55 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          golferguy675 You need to re-read my post. You missed the point. WM

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      2. by glen_ice saxaphone
        (4 posts)

        20 years ago

        Re: teethmarks?

        yes wow amazing cus you just donno how 2 play

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        1. by frostshardz
          (23 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          hmm.. if i can remember correctly, you were the one that couldn't play the sax properly and had saliva going in too much... i guess you arnt that pro too... although im not pro but at least i dont have so much saliva going in like you do... :P ... pls dont insult unless you are a pro... you are making a fool out of yourself cause its normal to have teethmarks... grrr...

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          1. by Spunky2sax75
            (75 posts)

            20 years ago

            Re: teethmarks?

            I agree with frost on that last one, don't critisize unless you can do any better. This forum isn't for insulting other sax players and being cocky, so back off. This is supposed to be where people can ask questions and get answers, not get insults from douchebags like yourself.

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        2. by glen_ice saxaphone
          (4 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: teethmarks?

          mmmmmmm yaaaaaaaaaaaaa wow amazing rite ?

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          1. by saxgrobie
            (86 posts)

            20 years ago

            Re: teethmarks?

            Hello my name is kelsey and I play the saxophone. Now that this ice is broken, I would like to say that I've got small teeth marks on my mouthpiece as well, but I've had it for almost three years now, so I'm not quite sure if that helps. It doesn't interfere with my playing though, so I haven't really worried about it. LOL maybe we should just file our teeth down, J/K!

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            1. by golferguy675
              (600 posts)

              20 years ago

              Re: teethmarks?

              Well, I would recommend that you start using mouthpiece patches immediately, or like someone before said, they will turn into teeth gouges, or holes.

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