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Forum » General Discussions » Saxophone with Braces by The_§ax (147 posts) 19 years ago Saxophone with Braces I know that this topic has probably come up tons of times, but i was just wondering how many fellow sax players have had to or still do play with braces? I have had mine on for almost 2 years now and i should be getting them off very soon. I can't wait. My embouchure changed extremely when I first got them, now I can't remember playing without them. Are there anypeople out there that have played with braces and then had them taken off? Is it hard to re-adjust? Does your tone quality change? I am getting pretty nervous, but i just cant wait to have nice smooth teeth instead of sharp pointy braces. The_§ax Reply To Post [Report Abuse] Report Abuse Web Address * Your Name Your Email Address Comment
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by saxjunkie89 (393 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces I've had my braces on for four-and-a-half years WHOOPIE! I'm getting them off in August. Anyway, I started sax September 2000 w/o braces Got Braces on January 15, 2001 and had to adjust. All I can tell you is not to play anything smaller than alto with braces. Trying to play high notes is not fun! You have to tighten your embrochure and kill your bottom inside lip off of your hard, sharp, metal braces. SO MUCH FUN!!!! Reply To Post by EL Seano (255 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces You and I are in the same boat, man. But i can only imagine your intonation and tone getting better when you get them off. When you actually get them off, i imagine that your embouchure (damnit cant spell it) would get tighter, thus improving your tone. mine come off soon too, cant wait. Reply To Post by GzsKerqt (77 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces Well......... i got mine off last dec. It sure felt strange. Not just playing, but once u take them off, ur teeth feels.. smooth? I started squeaking alot at first.. but its better now. The muscles change too.. i think... cause the metals r out.. ya.. sry i cant be of much help... But u'll get use to it eventually.. everyone does.. Reply To Post by GzsKerqt (77 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces oooya.. this may sound obvious.. but u need not wear ur retainers when playing ur sax.. (my dentist is gonna kill me..) Reply To Post by definition (963 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces It'll throw ya off fer a day or two when you first get them off, but it is definitley a help and not a hindrance in the long run. Just remember to wear your retainers! Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM by mojocoggo (97 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces For me it was quite easy to adjust after getting mine off... the only weird thing was that slippery gooey feeling of my teeh! ew! Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM by The_§ax (147 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces I can't wait for that slippery gooey feeling, I hope it doesnt take too long for me to adjust. With the retainer do you need to play with that in?? Is that hard to do? Reply To Post by saxobsessed (3 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces braces are aweful!!!! i'm happy to say that mine are off now(yes!) and i wanted those of you that have braces to know that its not a very big deal when they come off. my tone and vibrato improved A LOT and i'm having getting even more joy out of playing than before. so what i'm trying to say is...people with braces--chill.....your time will come...and its AWESOME when it comes! Reply To Post AIM by KingNecron (76 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces I got my braces in the seventh grade, the same year I started band at school. I got them off in the twelth grade, and my director told me that it would take a few weeks for me to get used to playing again. It really didn't. I even had some major oral surgery done after getting the braces off, and while I wasn't allowed to play for about two weeks, I probably could have without much trouble. It's probably a personal thing, but don't sweat it--if you do have any problems, plenty of practice will take of it. Hope this helps. Reply To Post AIM by west (242 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces gzs kerqt-I wouldn't say they feel smooth, but greasy or slimey. I think when you get them off(like i did) you will loose most sense of emboucher for an extremely short period of time, but you'll pick it up almost immediately Reply To Post by chiamac (586 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces I didn't have braces, but I can comment a little on this. I didn't play for a good 3 years, and picking the horn back up wasn't really a problem. You will be suprised how fast things come back, and how fast you will adjust. =) Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM by The_§ax (147 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces Is playing with a retainer in necessary? I can be playing pretty much Non-Stop for 4+ hours, would it be a good idea to keep them in? Reply To Post by EL Seano (255 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces Good news, mine come off in 4 weeks Reply To Post by The_§ax (147 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces Awesome!! Mine should come off in 3 weeks!! Where abouts in Australia are you from EL Seano? I'm from Tasmania! Reply To Post by EL Seano (255 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces Perth, WA Reply To Post by saxomaniac (14 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces Just for info's sake, I personally didn't have any trouble playing after getting them off. Seemed like the same technique and playing was no different. GOOD LUCK! Reply To Post by EL Seano (255 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces XD Reply To Post by Sax Mom (964 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces When playing for extended periods of time, I would definitely keep the retainers in. You don't want to have to get braces all over again, not only is a royal pain in the ... mouth, many insurances won't even cover it the second time around. Reply To Post by connsaxman_jim (2336 posts) 19 years ago Re: Saxophone with Braces I've never had braces, so I have't really experienced this first hand, but I have helped some students with braces and it is simply something you have to adjust to. I wouldn't think that the actual braces should be too big of a problem, but I can see where the retainer might be. Are you wearing your retainer like you're supposed to? If so, I wouldn't think that practicing for an hour or so without it should be a big deal. Ask your dentist! Reply To Post Yahoo!