CMelodyMan
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Mouthpiece PatchesDoes anyone here use mouthpiece patches? I do, and I think they work well in preventing your teeth from slipping off the mouthpiece. It also helps protect your mouthpiece from the wear-and-tear caused by your teeth. I would highly recommend anyone who doesn't have one to get one. Here's a question for those of you who do use one, which do you use, the black or the clear white patch?
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Bleeding_Gums_Murphy
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I used to use them, but when they ripped on my meyer and my jody and i didn't have any left, i played without them and it sounded a lot better. I know it's kinda weird, but it's true. They feel really nice on the teeth (i used to have braces, so they were practically a necessity)
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CMelodyMan
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Did you use the clear ones, or the thick blacks patches? IMHO, clear patches are much better than black patches.
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Bleeding_Gums_Murphy
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I used the black ones because they were thicker and more cushioning for my teeth when i had braces. Once i got used to them i just kept using the black ones.
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CMelodyMan
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I really don't like the black ones at all. They don't provide any grip for your teeth, and as-a-result my teeth just slide off.
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altosaxgeek5
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I use two or three black ones stacked up. The help me grip the mouthpiece. The main reason I use them, though, is to open up my throat.
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Bleeding_Gums_Murphy
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Cool idea  . I should have tried that a few years ago. It would have made improving my sound a whole lot easier.
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Thomas
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I use a thick black one for my classical mouthpiece, and a clear thin one for my jazz mouthpiece. I think they both work fine, and once you develop a comfortable groove for your teeth to rest in, you don't need to worry about your top teeth sliding around. Then again, they shouldn't be sliding around anyway...
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altosaxgeek5
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Well, sometimes your teeth can slide around if you march, and that's why I think some people use them.
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JazZz
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I used to use the pads, but stopped for lack of caring. When I used them, i'd use the same one for 3-4 months, they would fall off before I'd get any visible teeth marks in them. After a few years they where just a waste of time. I used the black ones.
I was just wondering if the patches have any side effects / alternative uses. Like when altosaxgeek said that he uses them to open his throat. I was wondering if they change the intonation of a mouthpiece..stuff like that.
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altosaxgeek5
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They don't change the intonation, just open up the tone some. Another reason I use them, is SOMETIMES I have a slight tendency to bite some.
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JazZz
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Aren't you supposed to bite though?
I was always tought that the proper way to play the sax is to bite the mouthpiece and form a circle around the mouthpiece with your lips, and that the bad way to play is to bite your lip like the clarinets. I play like the clarinets, but every teacher i've had said that you're supposed to bite and get the pads to 1) cushion your teeth (if their sensative) or 2) protect the mouthpiece if you bite to hard.
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altosaxgeek5
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No, you're not supposed to bite through, you're supposed to "rest" the top teeth on the beak of the mouthpiece, just to secure it. You're not supposed to bite your bottom lip, either. If you look in the mirror, you should see some of the red of your bottom lip. It might get kind of painful if you are playing for a LONG time, and eventually you will get a sort of callus there.
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JazZz
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Ha. I get what you're saying now! My ombachure sucks because I do exactly what you're not supposed to do.I know what you mean about not biting your bottom lip because it'll hurt after a while, A few times in some of the longer things I've done, i've actually had it bleed because it was so long. I think I should start using the pad savers again and work on my ombachure.
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Thomas
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Altosaxgeek,
I've been playing for 5 years, and I don't understand this other embouchure you're talking about. I've been using the same embouchure for pretty much all the time I've been playing, with minor changes once I started taking lessons. Would you explain to me how one would change their embouchure so they don't bite on their bottom lip? Because, frankly, I don't see how this is possible. 
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altosaxgeek5
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Well, your teeth touch the bottom lip, but if the bottom lip is rolled too much, and too much pressure is given from the teeth, they can dig into the inside of the lip, causing pain, and sometimes bleeding and/or nerve damage.
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Bleeding_Gums_Murphy
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amen, geek (yet another reference to my bizarre handle)
let me explain. It's very simple. make an ooooooo shape with your mouth. it works wonders for a nice jazz sound (if you play jazz). It's REALLY hard at first and air will escape from the corners, but you get used to it and it becomes second nature after your chops strengthen. In the end, it's really less exhausting than the clarinet-type embouchure. It's a very relaxed sort of thing. Oh, and one more thing. You might tune extremely flat for a while, depending on how you adjust. Tell us how it works out, alright?
good luck,
bleeding gums murphy
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Thomas
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Nah, I don't thinks so. Like I said, I'm not a beginner saxophonist. My embouchure works fine for what I play, and I don't see any reason to change it. Thanks for asking, though.
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JPSaxMan
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How is your altissimo stuff? 
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Bleeding_Gums_Murphy
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just a suggestion. your mileage may vary.
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Thomas
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My altissimo register isn't that high. I have sometimes been able to play up to G, but I can usually sustain an F#. So, not that high. 
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JPSaxMan
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Well if you wanna get good up there you will need a DEFINITE change in embouchure. Take it from me, I used the roll bottom lip over bottom teeth embouchure for all my life. Until I started doin altissimo, then I changed to the 'ooo' and never looked back. Actually, nowadays I try that old embouchure with altissimo and it just DOESN'T WORK!
If you want to get good at G and go past it, you need to learn the 'ooo' embouchure. Otherwise you'll be stuck there
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