Sax Lessons: How to Assemble the Saxophone
Follow these steps for a safe and efficient way of assembling your saxophone
You just received your saxophone and you are excited about finally being able to play it. Just one thing, how do you put it together? Here are the steps in the order you should assemble your saxophone every time.
Before we begin, always take your time when assembling your instrument! Never rush to put it together as you will likely drop and damage the saxophone or the mouthpiece.
Step 1- Moisten the Reed
Before you do anything, make sure that you moisten your reed. You can do this by just placing it in your mouth and letting it sit on your tongue. If it's a new reed, let it sit in your mouth for about 3-5 minutes. If it's already been used, let it sit in your mouth while you assemble the instrument. You can also place it in a small cup of water (I don't recommend doing this often as the reed can absorb too much water and the reeds life span can be cut short).
NEVER PLAY ON A DRY REED! If you do, you will find it difficult to blow into the saxophone.
For more information on reeds, please visit my article on Reeds by clicking here.
Step 2- Place the Neck Strap Around Your Neck
Place the neck strap over your head and around your neck. You want this ready as you will hook the strap onto the saxophone when assembling the instrument to prevent accidents like dropping the saxophone.
There are many kind of neck straps out there. I definitely recommend a neck strap with padding. I don't recommend using the neck straps that come with the saxophones, as they usually have no padding, they're uncomfortable, and the adjuster mechanism tends to slide down out of place frequently.
For those that may have neck issues, there are harnesses and shoulder straps that can be used. Contact me for info on these types of straps.
Step 3- Lift the Body of the Saxophone Out of the Case by the Bell.
Make sure you never grab the instrument by the keys! By grabbing the bell, this is the safest way to hold the saxophone.
Step 4- Place the Sax Neck on the Body of the Saxophone
Place the sax neck at the top hole of the saxophone body. Make sure that the neck is pointed toward you and away from the bell of the saxophone. Make sure that the neck screw is loose before doing this and once the neck is in, tighten the screw. Don't forget to loosen the screw when you are taking off the sax neck.
CAUTION: When doing this step, make sure not to use to much pressure on top of the neck where the octave key is located. The octave key can be bent if too much pressure is used.
Also, if this step is difficult, you may need to clean the base of the neck. To do this, use a damp paper towel and wipe the base of the neck that goes inside the body. Also try wiping the inner part of the saxophone where the neck is placed as well. Sometimes moisture from your saliva can dry up in these two places, making it difficult to assemble.
Step 5- Align the Neck with the Body of the Saxophone
To do this, make sure the octave mechanism is in line with the arch that is at the bottom of the saxophone neck. If the neck is too far to the right or left, it will affect the higher notes of the saxophone.
Step 6- Hook the Neck Strap to the Saxophone
Look for the loop on the back of the saxophone and connect the neck strap. CAUTION: Some neck straps have an open hook. Always make sure your saxophone is connected to the strap with these types of neck straps. I recommend closed hook neck straps to prevent the strap from becoming unhooked,
Step 7- Place Reed on Mouthpiece with Ligature
First, make sure to NEVER touch the tip of the reed! The reed can brake with too much pressure so it's safer to move the reed by the sides (see photo). Also, make sure that the reed is not too low or too high as that will make it difficult to play.
Step 8- Place Mouthpiece on Neck
To do this step, you may need to add cork grease to the cork of the sax neck. Also, make sure the reed is facing down towards the ground.
Step 9- Adjust the Neck Strap
Finally, adjust the neck strap height by sliding the mechanism on the neck strap up or down. The proper height of the saxophone should place the tip of the mouthpiece at your top lip.
For more information on how to hold the saxophone, please visit my article 'How to Hold the Saxophone' here.