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by p-apple
(49 posts)
19 years ago

Jaw Soreness

Hello saxquest members I've played sax for about 4, 1/2 years now. I'm a few weeks from turning 15 and when I play saxophone I sometime get jaw soreness. Usually after just half-hour to an hour of playing, my jaw gets pretty sore and I take a break. However, occasionally when I play for five minutes my jaw begins to sore up already. If it's of any assistance, my setup is following: I play alto saxophone on a vintage laq. Keilwerth SX90R, Selmer Soloist (modern) Tip size E, and Alexander D.C. Reeds Size 3. I sometimes play in front of a mirror and I can see that my chin bunches up and I get it to relax a bit by thinking of using the lip to cushion the reed. However, once I stop focusing on my embochure my chin bunches up. Also, my mouthpiece protector strip, I have the black cushiony kind, has already gotten bitten through because I have a bad habit of biting down on the mouthpiece too much. I already turned it around but I have bitten through the front and back. Do you know how I can stop biting on the mouthpiece pad cushion so hard? Any tips or help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated. - will

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  2. by YanagisawA-901
    (312 posts)
    19 years ago

    Re: Jaw Soreness

    damn bud.. u must be tryna deep throte that damn thing or somthin.. haha just loosen up ya kno?? it seems like ur embocher is just too tense.. picture ur mouth like one of those sinch sac things.. like a soccer equipment bag or somthin.. put a round thing..=\ .. inside the hole..=\ .. and pull the strings.. there will be an even amount of pressure around the whole thing.. make your mouth the same thing.. and if ur chin is dimpling up or gettn really tense, ur emboucher is still too tight.. loosen the puppy up.. maybe get a softer or different reed.. i play on vandoren java 3 1/2's and i start to give out after a good 5 hours of solid practice/playing in school.. and thats just cuz of my teeth diggin into my lip and some slight muscle fatigue which i know isnt good, im still workn on it.. but .. yea..

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    1. by connsaxman_jim
      (2336 posts)
      19 years ago

      Re: Jaw Soreness

      A #3 is a pretty stiff reed for a Selmer E mouthpiece. I would suggest a different mouthpiece; like an Otto Link Tone Edge hard rubber piece, in a #5 or #6 facing, with a #2-2 1/2 reed. I think it will play much easier, and the more open chamber on the Otto Link Tone Edge will really make that SX-90R come to life! That's a GREAT horn!

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      1. by tsax_player
        (76 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Jaw Soreness

        Your jaw should never be that sore. The fact that your tooth guard has been bitten through twice has me thinking your problem is support. To controll the horn you need support from the stomach. A deep breath without moving the shoulders, then a constant muscle tension (flexing the same muscle as if doing a sit-up) to support the air flow. Your embochure should not change much from the highest note to the lowest. Try doing less work with your mouth and more with the stomach. Also Jim is right a selmer E is alot of mouthpiece. Links, Brilharts, meyers (5-6s), and selmer C-D, would be my suggestions. Good luck.

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        1. by selmer 4evr
          (309 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: Jaw Soreness

          READ PROBLEMS WITH HIGH G IN THE GENERAL DISCUSSION FORUM

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      2. by kneejerk52
        (397 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Jaw Soreness

        make sure you have the neck strap adjusted high enough so that between the thumb hook and the strap you have olny to place the mpc in you mouth to blow not to apply pressure. it will make it eaiser to have the correct angle also for proper air flow.

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      3. by jamterry
        (573 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Jaw Soreness

        you're biting a hard reed. that's a common jazz technique, bit you're not ready for that yet. use a softer reed first of all. i know of a techinque that corrected my embochure. my teacher tied a rolled hankerchief under my lowerlip and around theback of my head. it corrected my problem of rolling my lower lip half way to my chin over my lower teeth. this will strengthen your embochure and keep ypu fom biting so much. Best of luck :)

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      4. by jamterry
        (573 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Jaw Soreness

        you're biting a hard reed. that's a common jazz technique, bit you're not ready for that yet. use a softer reed first of all. i know of a techinque that corrected my embochure. my teacher tied a rolled hankerchief under my lowerlip and around theback of my head. it corrected my problem of rolling my lower lip half way to my chin over my lower teeth. this will strengthen your embochure and keep ypu fom biting so much. Best of luck :)

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        1. by p-apple
          (49 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: Jaw Soreness

          hello saxquest members thanks for all of your suggestions and comments. With the help of my private lesson teacher, my jaw soreness is gone and my mouthpiece pad still looks minty! thanks again.

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