I have, on my tenor sax

[Sewer Sound]

I just have a couple qeastions to ask here from my lonely, . . .dark. Living apartment.

. . . .

I have on my tenor sax a mouthpiece cushion. I use one because my teeth are very sensitive to things like heat, cold, and vibrations. Before i had it i used to play by folding my top lip over my teeth. And after playing for a long period of time my lip would have this crease mark by it being pressed against the top of my mouthpiece. So I got this 'Vintage' Mouth piece cushion. Thick (black) australian rubber 0.85mm. And still my teeth hurt from the vibration and i go back into this bad habit of folding my lip. I dont want to have a permenant crease mark on my kissing lips.

Can anyone help with my problem, what cushions to people suggest?

[Graftonsax]

It's rare that the thick rubber patches don't do the trick, I'd almost say double it up if you don't want to play with a double embouchure although, I don't think that will help much.
If you need to use a double embouchure and are worried about the impression (btw I have a permanent one on my lower lip as you will probably develop) try to use a guard like Ezo or something similar, you can read about lip guards on the forum with a search. Ezo is actually a denture cushion made out of wax covered cloth.

[rabbit]

Hello, great username.

You likely need the aid of a dentist.

I use an Rx flouride solution that much
relieves the kind of sensitivity you
describe, but you need to talk to a DDS.

Good luck.

[Carl H.]

Short term you get creases and pain, long term you develop muscle tone and a great kisser.

[Morry]

I think it's possible that you are biting too hard with your upper teeth. The upper teeth should just rest on the top of the mouthpiece for stability, nothing more.

I played the first 3 or 4 years with a double embouchure for the same reason as you. While that method works on double reeds, it tends to cause you to clinch your jaw too much on sax, and doesn't let your sound be as full as it should be.

If they are available in your area try some toothpaste like Crest Sensitive or Sensodyne. They really help reduce sensitivity. Then you can change those habits easier.

[Peterogping]

Since you have been using double lip embouchure before, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to use the "no-embouchure-embouchure" recommended by Jerry Bergonzi here:
http://www.tothestage.com/MediaDetail.Page?MediaId=251
You may need to go to softer reeds.

[Saxland]

You could try buying a cheap multi-sport mouthguard for a few bucks. Cut up a small piece that can be heated up in water and moulded into your upper front two teeth. It dampens the vibrations and allows for a little biting until you learn to ease off if you are biting. Regular tooth patches wear through with pressure.

An extra bonus is that if the upper teeth are not level this can be fitted so that difference is made equal. This can provide a better jaw position.

[magical pig]

Short term you get creases and pain, long term you develop muscle tone and a great kisser.I wouldn't kiss anyone with a sax embouchure... Maybe a squid but that's it.

Victor.

[Sewer Sound]

I should of probably mentioned before that i play jazz and blues.

Ive heard that those lip gaurds are for classical players. So if there's anything out there more for jazz and blues, that may help me a little better. Umm Grafton sax. . . . are you suggesting i try putting cushion ontop of cushion, because i still have my spare one. And really, im up for experimenting. Considering the sickness of my saxaphone.

By the way, i like this Jerry Bergonzi guy and i've been using 2, 2 1/2 reeds. Ill ask, is there reeds or reed sizes best for jazz and blues? Im using rico royal 2's and studio+ 2 1/2's I think maybe i should try and use a softer reed.

I might try this cheap multi sport mouthgaurd too. I'm guessing you can get them from most music shops.

About toothpaste. . . . Hehe, i know normally you should get them recomended by a dentist first. But a long time ago i tryed sensitive relieveing toothpaste and i remember it being more painfull then normal. I would jump off a set of stairs and feel the shock from my feet, in my teeth!? I couldnt understand it at first, but then decided to stop using the paste and suddenly. It was gone, couldnt feel it anymore. This inculded when i would run aswell so the pressure didnt have to be that hard. But, I need to see the dentist anyway, so ill ask about paste. Thanks for your suggestions.

[Graftonsax]

Umm Grafton sax. . . . are you suggesting i try putting cushion ontop of cushion, because i still have my spare one. And really, im up for experimenting. Considering the sickness of my saxaphone.



Yes, but like I said I'm not sure it would help, wouldn't hurt to try thought. Yea a lot of us here also also sick with that disease. ;)

[SaxMoose]

Ive heard that those lip gaurds are for classical players. So if there's anything out there more for jazz and blues, that may help me a little better.

:| ...

[1saxman]

Short term you get creases and pain, long term you develop muscle tone and a great kisser.

Funny, my dental hygenist was just telling me the other day that she could tell I was a sax player by the strength of the muscles around my mouth. I said you should have seen them when I was playing all day and all night forty years ago. I never did turn into a 'lockjaw' (a guy who plays a 130 with a #5 reed and can honk for days on end) although compared to the wimps of today with their #7 Links and #2 reeds I guess I still have a pretty good embouchure.

[themacintrasher]

I should of probably mentioned before that i play jazz and blues.

Ive heard that those lip gaurds are for classical players. So if there's anything out there more for jazz and blues, that may help me a little better.
Right, a jazz mouthpiece patch..................:?. I've got one that makes me sound like all the greats, from Kenny G to coletrain..............:TGNCHK:

[ElMateo487]

for your bottom teeth you can take cigarette paper (buy some new clean stuff) and fold it up into a rectangle that can be folded over your teeth. This will keep you from biting your teeth into your lip if thats a problem, and keeps the pressure off the top of the teeth.

I use this when i have to play with gnarly cold sores that i get, and is an idea i got from my professor.

[dirty]

for your bottom teeth you can take cigarette paper (buy some new clean stuff) and fold it up into a rectangle that can be folded over your teeth. This will keep you from biting your teeth into your lip if thats a problem, and keeps the pressure off the top of the teeth.

I use this when i have to play with gnarly cold sores that i get, and is an idea i got from my professor.

I do this on my lower teeth sometimes. Remember to tear off the edge that's glued when you do this...not a good thing to get on your teeth.

[potiphar]

Funny, my dental hygenist was just telling me the other day that she could tell I was a sax player by the strength of the muscles around my mouth.

Did you hear about Dr Bell, the model for Conan-Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, who said to a patient on a teaching round, "I see you play in a military band."
"Yes Sir. How on earth did you know?"
"Well, I could tell by your gait and posture when you walked in that you are a military man. Gentlemen, this man's florid complexion and flaccid cheeks show that his problem comes from blowing the trumpet too hard. What instrument do you play in the band?"
"The bass drum, Sir."

[drwhippet]

Funny, my dental hygenist was just telling me the other day that she could tell I was a sax player by the strength of the muscles around my mouth. I said you should have seen them when I was playing all day and all night forty years ago. I never did turn into a 'lockjaw' (a guy who plays a 130 with a #5 reed and can honk for days on end) although compared to the wimps of today with their #7 Links and #2 reeds I guess I still have a pretty good embouchure.

Uh...I see where you're coming from, but if you check the player setups on Theo Wanne's site, you will see that Coleman Hawkins played a 100/1/SMS Berg (have seen this on at least one other site as well), which I believe equates to a 7 Link. So would you call him a wimp? Remember that he was probably using a reed the strength of which probably equated to a 2 x 4 (4 or 5?);) I don't think you would have wanted to have a cutting contest with him, even 40 years ago, even at the very end of his life, unless of course just to say you had the good fortune to be asked up on the stage by him. :) But I realize your comment was more ":TGNCHK:" than anything else.