Saxophone Technique - Playing Low Notes With the Octave Key Open

Practising low notes on the saxophone with the octave key open sounds like an odd thing to do but is an invaluable addition to your warming up routine. The aim is simple enough: to hold notes in the low register whilst keeping the octave key on. With practice, you should be able to play any note in this way from low B-flat to C# in the middle register.

The best way to start is with a single tone: G# works often works well. Play the note without the octave at first so that you hear the pitch you are aiming for. Then add the octave key and see if you can play the same pitch without jumping up to the octave above. To get this to work, you will most likely need a very well supported and fast stream of air. You may also need to put the point of contact between the lower lip and the read a little further forward than normal. The sound should be loud and raucous.

When you are successful, play the note several times to get used to the feel of it. Then play the note one more time and slur down a semitone to G. One of the difficulties with this exercise is that each note has a different feel. Moving in half steps is easier than moving by wider intervals, so start with semitones and build up to larger moves later. Experience shows that it is also best to move down at first and try going from G# to A later on.

So, move down the range very slowly, G# to G, G to G-flat, G-flat to F and so on down to low Bb. Later move up: G# to A, A to A# and so on to C#. When you can do this reliably, try moving in tones, up and down, and then minor 3rds, major 3rds and 4ths. Remember the larger the interval, the more difficult it is to sustain a continuous sound. Take your time and do not worry about moving quickly. Indeed, there is benefit to be gained simply from holding a few single tones.

This is not an exercise to do if you are trying to impress - you may sound and feel like a beginner - but the benefits are worth striving for. You do not need to practise this exercise for long: start with 3-4 minutes and build up to around 10.