10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Saxophone Tone (and Get a Smooth Jazz Sound)

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References

If you’ve just started playing the sax, you might be struggling to get a good tone out of your instrument. That’s okay—most beginners can’t pick it up right away! Developing a good tone is essential for creating a beautiful, pleasing sound later on. Fortunately, there are a few exercises that you can practice every day to improve your tone over time.

1

Use a size 1 or 1.5 reed.

If you’re a beginner, a lower reed is better. The stronger ones are a little harder to produce quality tones with when you’re just starting out. After you feel confident with your current reed, move up a half size to a 1.5 or a 2.^{[1]
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- If you feel like you can play a stronger reed, go for it! Just be prepared to go down half a size if you can’t get a good tone.

2

Breathe with your stomach.

Deep breathing will help you control your air flow. When you take a breath in, focus on filling your stomach with air, not your chest. If your shoulders are lifting up or your chest is expanding, that means you’re breathing with your chest, not your belly. Too much breathing with your chest can lead to a warbling tone.^{[2]
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- If you’re having trouble with this, try laying on your back and putting your hand on your stomach. Take a deep breath in and watch your hand: if it rises up, then you’re breathing correctly. If it barely moves at all, practice a few more times.

3

Think about breathing out hot air.

It’s a little more controlled than blowing out cool air. Think about how you’d warm up your fingers if they got a little chilly. That open throat movement is what you want to emulate while playing your saxophone to keep your tone even without wavering.^{[3]
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- When you tighten or close your throat, you don’t get as much air flow out. This can create a wavering tone as you play.

4

Keep a good posture as you play.

Good posture helps you control your sound. Before you start playing, stand in front of a mirror and release any tension in your shoulders, your hands, or your neck. Make sure your back is straight and your head is in line with your spine as you lift your saxophone up to your mouth.^{[4]
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- Having good posture and releasing tension can also help you move your fingers faster on your instrument.

5

Play your mouth piece separately.

Grab your mouth piece and separate it from your instrument. Play a concert A note on a metronome or a piano, then try to match it with just your mouth piece. It’s an easy way to check your tone before you start playing.^{[5]
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- You can also use this exercise to check your mouth placement on the mouth piece. If you’re biting down too hard, you won’t have very good air flow, which can mess up your tone.

6

Practice overtone notes.

The overtone series is a great warmup exercise. Start with a low Bb flat and work your way through the saxophone overtone series. Play each note slowly and carefully, observing your mouth placement and your air flow. If your tone wavers at all, go back one note and focus on getting a really good sound before you move on.^{[6]
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- The series starts with a low Bb, moves to a middle Bb, then an F, then a high Bb.

7

Play long tones.

Take a deep breath and pick a note to start with. Play the tone for as long as you can, keeping your air flow steady and your tone the same. Try not to wobble the note up and down—if you hear your breath faltering, focus on breathing outwards steadily.^{[7]
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- Ideally, you should be able to hold the tone for as long as you’re breathing out. There’s no exact timeframe, but around 10 seconds is best.

8

Use a toning app while you play.

Make sure you’re staying on track as you practice. Download a toning app like Tonal Energy or Tone and put in some headphones. Set up your phone so you can see it as you play, then watch the screen to see how you’re doing. If your tone is all over the place, focus on playing strong, steady notes.^{[8]
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- It’s a good idea to use earbuds or headphones while you practice the saxophone. Over time, playing the sax at full volume multiple times per day can actually cause hearing damage.

9

Listen to good saxophone players.

Keep their sound in your mind as you play. Not only will it inspire you to keep practicing, it will show you what good saxophone tone and sound actually looks like. You can pick anyone who sparks your interest, but Charlie Parker and David Sanborn are good ones to start with.^{[9]
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- Try finding a few videos on YouTube and compiling them on a playlist to listen to throughout the week.

10

Practice every day.

The saying really is true: practice makes perfect! Even if you only have 5 or 10 minutes to dedicate to toning exercises, it’s the only way you’ll improve. Try throwing a few in at the beginning of your practice session for a nice warmup that will build your skills over time.^{[10]
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- It’s important to take breaks, too. If you practice for hours on end without stopping, your form might suffer, which can cause a pinched or reedy sound. If your jaw muscles are aching or you’re getting tired, don’t be afraid to rest for a while.