ALTO SAXOPHONE

Beginners Cheat Sheet

L I F E L O N G L E A R N I N G
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Learning any instrument is going to take a lot
of time and hard work, so try not to get
frustrated, and ask if you need help!
By: Di ana Smoltz
GETTING STARTED
elcome to the start
of a wonderful
journey. Youve shown
interest, now we are going
to see what you can do
with it!
Try not to be too hard on
yourself, because anything
worth doing takes time
and youll have help the
whole way!
When words
fail, music
speaks
-Unknown
First
Make sure your case is
facing up!
Be careful, instruments are fragile. If you
open the case upside down you may
break it!
Second
Put on your neck strap and begin
to soak your reed.
Be careful you dont chip or break the
reed, it is easily damaged.
Third
Grab the bell with your right hand
and use your left hand to hold the
body.
Rest the bell on your right knee so you
can attach the neck strap!
Fourth
Put on the neck and apply come
cork grease.
Make sure you have removed the cap on
the body and dont bend any keys!
Fifth
Attach mouthpiece and put on the
reed.
Make sure a little bit of the mouthpiece is
showing above the reed, but not too
much!
The basi cs
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Notice: Reproducing any part or all of this document without explicit written permission from Diana Smoltz is considered theft of intellectual property.
By: Di ana Smoltz
Alternate Fingerings
C:
Side C: LH 1, RH middle side key
Used for chromatic passages and trills
Normal C: LH 2
Used for other passages
B-Flat:
Bis B-at: small pearl below LH1,
depress both
Used for arpeggiated passages
Side B-at: LH 1 2, lower side key
Used for chromatic passages
F-Sharp:
Fork F-sharp: LH 1 2 3, RH middle side
key
Used for chromatics passages and trills
Normal F-sharp: LH 1 2 3, RH 2
Used for other passages
Instrument Care
Daily:
-If possible, NEVER eat or drink before
playing. If you must, rinse your mouth
out thoroughly with water before playing.
-Apply cork grease daily.
-Swab out instrument daily.
Once in a while:
Get your pads checked/replaced when
there is a problem or every 5-7yrs.
Extra Help
Please feel free to contact me with
any questions or concerns!
You can send me an email at
dsmoltz@gmail.com so we can arrange
an appointment before or after school.
Not enough?
Talk with your parents about possibly
getting a private instructor. You dont
even need to be struggling to do this,
you can do it if you just want to learn
more! I can give you suggestions of
people in our area if you are interested.
T
h
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M
o
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!
Begi nner s Cheat Sheet Conti nued. . .
Posture and Hand
Position
Make sure that you are
always:
-Sitting on the edge of
your chair.
-Feet at on the oor
-No slouching!
-Right Thumb: Under the lower thumb
rest.
-Left Thumb: On the circular thumb
rest.
-Pinkys : Rest on the Spatulas
-Fingers: On the pearls (skipping 1 and
3 in the left hand)
Whether you think you
can or think you cant,
youre right
-Henry Ford

Breathing
Remember your top teeth will always
remain anchored, so when you breathe
you:
-Drop the jaw down and out
-Maintain your good posture
-Inhale until you start the sound
-Exhale steadily
Embouchure
-Top Teeth: Anchored on the
mouthpiece
-Bottom Teeth: The lower lip covers
them
-Lips: Say Oh and this should make
your lips form around the mouthpiece
like a drawstring bag.
***This position never changes***
Articulation
Articulation on the saxophone is how
you start the sound. How do you do
this?
-Your tongue lightly touches the tip of
the reed.
-Your airstream and embouchure stays
constant.
-This takes
lots of
individual
work
because
everyone
is different!
Notice: Reproducing any part or all of this document without explicit written permission from Diana Smoltz is considered theft of intellectual property.