Smearing?

[Beowulfmk]

Is this the technique used by Kenny G a lot, like going down the notes smoothly? I heard that you have to bend the note first by using lip, then push the fingering for the next key. Is this the correct way?

[Kareeser]

Smearing.. like a Glissando?
i.e. Trombone slide?

[saxmasta89]

I think i know what your talking about....if your talkin bout where it sounds like 2 notes(one short note, then going to the next) then all you have to do is loosen your jaw up a lot, then tighten it back up..I forgot what this is called though

[BlueNote]

Is this the technique used by Kenny G a lot, like going down the notes smoothly? I heard that you have to bend the note first by using lip, then push the fingering for the next key. Is this the correct way?

It's called a glissando. It is most often used by trombone players. Sliding from 5th to 1st position on the trombone, for example, slurred, is a gliss -- a seamless, smooth transition between notes.

It can be done on the sax with patience and practice. You have to practice SLOWLY lifting your fingers off of the keys, lipping down the first note, slowly bending the pitch up, etc. I seem to do it best going from F to A or F to Bb (some people can go whole octaves). I'm just learning how to do them, so if someone has a better technique than me, go right ahead.

Hope that helps, Legosax. :)

[saxmasta89]

hey legosax, are you talking about goin down from a note or up from a note?

[Kareeser]

Question:
Wouldn't that change your embouchure?

Bad habits come back, eh? heh...

[DanY]

What's wrong with changing your embouchure? I change mine all the time- subtoning low notes, normal middle notes, whispering high notes.
Your embouchure doesn't need to be set in stone, as long as it's balanced.

[Beowulfmk]

What do you do when going up? Lip up? I only used this technique for going down, at least from my experience. I think you call this technique bending. But I may be wrong. Changing embouchure isn't a bad thing. I always change my embouchure when I bend notes.

[Kareeser]

Really? Wow, I did not know that.

I've been reading too many beginners books. Not that they're bad... they're excellent, I've just never thought of ever changing my embouchure, :)

[BlueNote]

What do you do when going up? Lip up? I only used this technique for going down, at least from my experience. I think you call this technique bending. But I may be wrong. Changing embouchure isn't a bad thing. I always change my embouchure when I bend notes.

You shouldn't need to lip up when going up. The "smearing" of the notes takes the place of lipping up -- at leas in my experience.

And yes, changing embochure is ok, just as long as your tone, intontation, and pitch don't go through the roof.

[DanY]

Bluenote: You make a good point about tone changing.
One of the things I like about the great players is that their tones change in different registers. For instance, Paul Desmond has a bell-like middle register, Cannonball sort of 'whispers' his high notes to make them seem higher, etc.
On the other hand there are great players whose tone remains the same in every register.