SPIT!!??

[pickle11]

I started renting an alot last x-mas and have been teaching myself. I finally took a lesson last week and realized (not surprisingly) that I wasn't doing everything correctly. I was biting instead of using a good embrochure (sp?) and I wasn't stopping the notes (stacatto, again sp?) when I should of. The teacher told me to start tounging the reed instead of controlling the air with my throat...which kills after about half-an-hour.

My question is what is the best way to prevent spit build up in the reed? I tounge the reed and after about 8 measures, it sounds like I'm playing under water. I read the thread "5 years experience, 0 tounging", but any suggestions on keeping the spit under control while doing doing so? Your comments would be helpful.

[top_gun25]

You use the same reed over and over. it probably still is moist when you next play and is still soft. This is bad. it wants to be dry.
You need something like this below
http://www.joyofsax.com/reed.htm
It is a reedsaver. i have a diff brand, one that just absorbs moisture. this might work. mine is not made anymore. it makes a seal between the reed and mouthpiece. sounds like it may work. i never tried it. if any one has please tell me how it works. Look around for Moisture absorbers for reeds. music stores may have them. i think this may be the problem. OR what do you play. Bari fill at the U. Tenor pools at the Neck. Alto is ok. Soprano drips on your feet. :wink:

[rrex54]

I think I understand pickle11's problem -- although I don't have a solution. Some of us seem to be "wet" players, others "dry" so the amount of moisture that moves into the horns varies. In general, once the water vapor from our breath is in the horn it finds various ways out -- down the straight sop, out the upper stack of a tenor, etc. However, it seems some of us produce sufficient moisture (not spit!) that sometimes remains in the mpc and can be heard in playing.

I don't find this a constant problem, but it does occur with me sometimes -- perhaps helped by high relative humidity or just an off night. I haven't determined a pattern yet. Anyone share the problem or have any ideas here?

[Razzy]

Yes, this happens to me. I close all the keys of the sax (finger low Bb) and SUCK really hard, really fast. It seems to do the trick. Otherwise, keep the throat and oral cavity positioned such that any spit that builds up goes into the sides of the mouth, not into the tongue and thus eventually to the reed and in the mouthpiece. Then you just have to swallow it when you have a break.

Don't know about you, but in my case, it is, indeed, spit. It used to get into the mouthpiece and make that spitty sound (a separate problem from what topgun discusses, but that's also valid), until I learned to just suck it out and control it. Usually, if my mouth is watering after a few notes, I just swallow several times in a row to get all the spit cleaned out and then nice, slightly-moist playing can ensue 8)

[UOPJohnny]

I used to have this problem pretty bad, but it stopped altogether a few years ago. I have no idea what happened to change it... I wish I could share a solution!!

One thing I would do is take anti-histimines before I'd play. They would sort of dry me up, and getting excess saliva into my horn/sound wasn't such a problem.

Another thing I used to do was drink a lot of water before I'd play. That would at least make my spit thinner... nasty as it is to discuss, I think it would just run down the horn and out of my way.

Hope somethin here helps. Good luck keepin the spittle on the inside.

[top_gun25]

ROFLMAOOL
Rolling On Floor Laughing My ***** Off Out Loud!
Well yes i do now think that my idea is different than yours. but as he said still valid. one thing the saver does is make a tighter seal around the MPand reed. this may help reduce that SLIGHTLY but I think that they are right and that this is the problem. however i have no fix listen to THEM they have good advice and sound like they know their stuff!

[rrex54]

OK, I am about to abandon this particular topic -- and I do NOT spit into my horn! :evil: However, for best tip I've seen so far, think "chap stick:"

http://saxontheweb.myforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=6074 :idea:

[Razzy]

Rex, I do not spit into my horn either. Instead, excess saliva builds up in my mouth, and due to the downward slope of the mouth into the mouthpiece (unless I'm leaning back), it sometimes leaks into the horn.

[top_gun25]

if you ever had basic chem. probably all of you. the entire instrument acts like a giant condenser tube. moisture from the mouth condenses and turns to water and saliva. the mouthpiece does the same thing. water collects then finally runs down.

in my alto it does not always go to the bottom. it goes to my right hand palm keys. and sits in the pads till i can stop playing. just the way the horn was built(holes are longer than norm) and prob my neck ring is bent. so it drains to those keys. i just clean em out and no harm done.

Another thing you could try is to change your posture. do you play at an angle? try more upright. already do? try a more closed mouthpiece. NOTE THE WORD " MORE CLOSED" not just closed. try just 1 size smaller it may not hurt. you wont be able to force so much spit thru a smaller mp.

[pickle11]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my problem about tonguing and "moisture". However, I think I have figured it out. Like someone said earlier, I'm not sure what I did to change it, but as I get better at tonguing, I also am solving the spit issue. Maybe I'm not slapping the reed anymore and by slightly touching it, I'm not transferring that much saliva. I don't know but am certainly dryer than I was last week.

Thanks again to everyone! :)

[SopranoSue]

...and here I thought I had I accidentally landed in the Redneck forum...

Spit? Heck ya -- 3 feet to a yard at least! :roll:

Seriously, the more I practice and suck it up, the less saliva I tend to get. Lots of water before practice helps for whatever reason. Maybe being well hydrated tends to produce less saliva.

[Razzy]

That's right Sue. For me, I think the sucking-in has also become somewhat subconscious, I don't even realize it anymore and it doesn't hinder my playing one bit. Still, I can play longing, no-breath phrases without getting any sort of moisture sound whatsoever. I think it just comes with time and learning how to open up your oral cavity and all.