Did you know it’s possible to play the saxophone with a rhythm section all by yourself? It involves using a few extended techniques (and a LOT of practice) in a unique way that I call “BEATBoX SAX.”
First of all, beatboxing on the saxophone is very different from traditional beatboxing, which usually involves making drum-like sounds strictly with the mouth and throat. Beatboxing on the sax also strives to create drum sounds, however a HUGE difference is that we have a foreign object in our mouths: the mouthpiece!
This means that we as sax players have to come up with our own unique way of making percussive sounds. And while the saxophone is capable of making a WIDE variety of unique sounds, today I want to focus on the three most important sounds for playing in a beatbox style. Each of these relates to the three main sounds of a typical drum beat: bass, snare, and hi-hat.
The Bass Drum
Getting a bass drum sound on the saxophone involves a fun, but very difficult technique to master: slap tonguing. Slap tonguing involves pulling the reed down from the mouthpiece by way of suction from the tongue (similar to “clicking” your tongue off the roof of your mouth), and then releasing it precisely when blowing a quick burst of air through the horn.
The hardest part is getting a suction on the reed from the tongue, which I would practice with a reed by itself. The next challenge is getting this same suction with a very small part of the tongue, while using almost the same embouchure as normal.
When done correctly (which can and probably will take months or years to master), you’ll hear a forceful, toned “slap” sound similar, I think, to a slapped bass guitar string.
Since we’re trying to get a bass-like sound, this is obviously most effective on the lower end of the bari and tenor saxes, although it still works on alto and soprano. If you can get a slap attack sound but are having trouble making a clear tone, try applying a bit more lower lip pressure forward on the reed.
The Hi-Hat
Getting a hi-hat clicking sound is pretty simple on the saxophone. It basically involves making a “Tih!” or “Tih! Kih!” sound as loudly as possible, while keeping your regular embouchure the same, and pressing down most of the keys.
This last step is very important, as any sounds you make with your mouth must pass through the entire horn and out the bell, or else they won’t project. This is especially true if you’re playing into a microphone placed at the bell of the sax.
The Snare Drum
The snare drum sound can be created in one of two ways. The loudest and most percussive way (but the more difficult if you haven’t yet mastered slap tonguing) involves doing an open slap tongue. This means that you slap the reed (as mentioned above), but instead of keeping your embouchure closed around the mouthpiece, you instead drop your jaw and open your mouth precisely as you release the slap and blow the air.
Also important is to finger a higher note on the sax, which will more closely mimic the sound of a pitch-less, snare drum.
The easier way of playing a snare sound involves making a very forceful “Puh!” sound. To do this, first bite down a bit on the mouthpiece, closing the reed. Then, after building a lot of air pressure right behind your closed lips, forcefully release the air with the “Puh!” sound. Your mouth will open slightly, releasing air out the sides and beneath the mouthpiece.
The goal with this is to create a “pop” sound without much tone to it. Fingering a higher note will also help. When first doing this, you might be surprised at how much force this takes to get a clean snare sound, but it will become much easier with practice. It’s also very normal to squeak a lot when first learning this.
Putting it all Together
As I mentioned earlier, there are many other percussive techniques that can be added to these to create other interesting beatboxing sounds on the sax, but I wanted to focus on the most important three to help give you an idea of how “beatboxing” on the sax is possible.
The goal here, however, is not simply to sound like a drum set, but rather to add these percussive effects to your melodic sax playing, giving it extra groove and a surprisingly full sound.
To begin applying these techniques, I would suggest starting with the “Puh!” snare sound , seeing if you can create a consistent, percussive backbeat on 2 and 4, while playing regular notes in between. When you get a hang of slap tonguing (after months of trying it!), try adding “slapped” bass notes on 1 and 3. Experiment with playing scales and patterns in your higher register over a repetitive slapped bass line, creating the illusion of different lines playing together. And finally, practice adding the hi-hat clicks in between, as a sort of filler sound.
Next steps:
Be sure to check out my BEATBox Sax YouTube Channel for much more in depth tutorials on these techniques and many others, as well as music videos of me doing my thing!
Don’t forget to experiment with your own sounds and techniques. And I can’t stress this enough: some of these techniques are VERY difficult, so take things slowly and mix them in gradually with your regular practicing. And of course, above all, have fun!
About the author:
From his Chicago base, Derek Brown has built a massive following both on youtube and through his live shows crossing genres from jazz to funk to pop. He is currently involved with multiple projects, including his innovative vocal/instrumental band The Derek Brown Syndicate, up-and-coming Chicago funk/fusion supergroup Low Spark, as well as his signature solo show, “BEATBoX SAX.”
Derek is endorsed by: Legere Reeds | JodyJazz Mouthpieces | P.Mauriat saxophones
derekbrownsax.com