Saxophone Staccato: Two Types of Techniques and Breath Control

SUMMARY

Key takeaways

There are two types of saxophone staccato: clear, crisp staccato and soft staccato
For clear staccato, maintain a continuous airflow and hold the tongue against the reed longer to create space between notes
For soft staccato, cut both the air and the tongue simultaneously, but it is important to increase the initial speed of the air

Saxophone staccato is an important articulation technique that creates space between notes. However, simply cutting notes short does not function as a musical expression. There are broadly two types of staccato, each requiring different breath control and tongue techniques. One is a clear, crisp staccato, and the other is a staccato suited to softer musical passages. To achieve proper staccato on the saxophone, it is essential to correctly understand the quality and speed of your air as well as tongue technique.

Common Mistakes in Saxophone Staccato

A common mistake in saxophone staccato is stopping the airflow. If you stop the air at the same moment you articulate the staccato, the result is merely an accented single note without the natural resonance of the tone. Another problem is pulling the tongue back too far. When the tongue's range of motion becomes too large, timing becomes difficult at faster tempos, and the air loses to the tonguing, resulting in notes that do not sound properly. Additionally, failing to maintain the same air quality as in long tones is also a mistake. If you change the quality of your air just because you are playing staccato, your tone becomes unstable, compromising the beautiful resonance of the saxophone.

Correct Technique for Saxophone Staccato

The correct approach to saxophone staccato is to continuously maintain the same air quality as in long tones. For clear, crisp staccato, keep sending the air straight and steadily to the same point while holding the tongue against the reed longer to create space. By holding the tongue in place the moment it touches the reed, you can create appropriate silence between notes. For soft staccato, the key is to cut the air and tongue simultaneously, but it is important to increase the initial speed of the air. By cutting the air with a sense of speed, you can achieve a staccato that is both soft and articulate. Additionally, by minimizing the tongue's range of motion and not pulling it back too far, you can maintain stable staccato even at faster tempos.

The Difference Between the Two Types of Saxophone Staccato

Clear, crisp staccato is a technique where you continuously send air while stopping the reed with your tongue. In contrast, soft staccato is a technique where you cut the air and tongue simultaneously, but increasing the initial speed of the air makes the note onset clear. By mastering both types, you can greatly expand the expressive range of your saxophone playing.

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Practice Steps

To properly master saxophone staccato, step-by-step practice is effective. Start by stabilizing your air quality through long tones, then gradually add staccato while maintaining that same airflow. Practice each of the two types of staccato separately so you can apply them appropriately to different musical contexts.

Long tone practice: Support firmly from the diaphragm and stabilize long tones with consistent air quality
Clear staccato practice: While continuously sending air, hold the tongue against the reed longer to create space between notes
Minimize tongue movement: Keep the tongue's range of motion small and move it compactly without pulling it back too far
Soft staccato practice: Cut the air and tongue simultaneously while focusing on increasing the initial speed of the air
Application in repertoire: Use both types of staccato to achieve expression suited to different musical contexts

You can perform staccato while maintaining the same air quality as in long tones
For clear staccato, you are continuously sending air and holding the tongue against the reed
For soft staccato, you are cutting the air and tongue simultaneously with a fast initial air speed
You are not pulling the tongue back too far and are keeping its range of motion small
You can maintain stable staccato even at faster tempos

Benchmarks for Improvement

As your saxophone staccato improves, you will be able to create appropriate space between notes. You will be able to use clear staccato and soft staccato appropriately for different musical contexts, and achieve stable staccato while maintaining consistent air quality.

Conclusion: Enhancing Expressiveness Through Saxophone Staccato

Saxophone staccato greatly expands your expressive range when you correctly understand and differentiate between the two types of techniques. For clear, crisp staccato, maintain a continuous airflow, and for soft staccato, cut the air and tongue simultaneously — in both cases, being mindful of the quality and speed of your air is essential. Maintain the same air quality as in long tones and move the tongue compactly with minimal range of motion. By mastering these fundamentals and practicing both types of staccato, your musical expressiveness on the saxophone will improve significantly.