Why Does My Saxophone Squeak?
Squeaking is an issue which can occur either on one particular note, or across the entire range of the saxophone. It can be incredibly frustrating in either case, and my goal is to help you identify the cause and ultimately get the problem solved.
Saxophones squeaks happen likely due to the reed being misaligned or too dry. This can also be caused by the mouthpiece being poorly made. Poor embouchure is also a major cause of squeaking, as biting too much or taking in too much mouthpiece are more prone to produce a sound in the upper register.
Many people who squeak do so on one specific note. We’ll address each of the most common notes that people tend to squeak on first – then we’ll get into a long list of potential causes of squeaks in general.
Why does my saxophone squeak on G?
Saxophones squeak on G most commonly because the octave keys are not opening and closing properly. This is often due to a mechanical glitch or the player not pressing the keys down at the same time. Problems with G are often further worsened by problems with setup or embouchure.
G is probably the least stable note on the saxophone. It is prone to squeak more than any other note, and so any other issues that you have will be amplified when trying to play G.
If you are squeaking on G, there are probably at least two distinct issues. The first is that you probably aren’t pressing all your fingers down at the same time. Suppose that you are playing from a C to a G – this means you are putting two fingers (index and ring fingers of left hand) down, and you’re also switching octave keys (hole on the neck closes, octave pip just beneath neck opens). If the keys don’t switch at exactly the same time, you’ll end up with a squeak.
You could end up with the same issue if the machinery on your saxophone isn’t working properly – sometimes the octave key just isn’t responsive, and this will cause the keys not to open and close at the right times.
However, a finger or mechanical glitch usually isn’t the full story when you’re squeaking on G. There is usually also some other issue, such as a leak or a problem with your mouthpiece, embouchure, or reed. My advice if you are squeaking on G is to first make sure that your octave holes are opening and closing properly. Then, go through the list I created below to check for other possible causes of squeaking.
Why does my saxophone squeak on D?
Saxophones squeak on D usually due to a mechanical glitch in the octave keys or a leak. The issue is most certainly a mechanical issue if the squeak occurs while going from C to D, while it is more likely to be a leak if your low notes are resistant.
Whenever someone is repeatedly squeaking on D specifically, it usually turns out to be an issue with the saxophone. In particular, the machinery on the octave key often isn’t working properly, so the octave hole that is supposed to open when you press the index finger of your left hand doesn’t end up doing so.
If it is a mechanical issue, the squeaking should occur most often when going from C (on the staff) or below to the D on the staff. The best thing to do in this circumstance is to take your saxophone to a repair person.
Alternatively, squeaks on D may happen due to a leak, but this is somewhat less common. You can find the leak with a leak light, or by slurring down from the highest note you can play and noticing where you first encounter resistance. A leak will make everything below it harder to play.
Why does my saxophone squeak on low notes?
Low notes squeak typically due to a leak or a tight embouchure. A leak in the instrument or a tight embouchure will cause low notes to pop up an octave, resulting in a squeak. This can be fixed by loosening your embouchure or taking your saxophone to a repair person.
I find that low notes usually squeak due to a leak in the instrument which causes low notes to pop out an octave higher. Beginners will often use a tight embouchure, however, which makes playing low notes difficult. If you are a beginner, I recommend first trying to loosen your embouchure in general. If you are more experienced, consider checking for leaks with a leak light.
Consider that the point of an octave key is to create a deliberate leak in the instrument to cause the pitch to jump up an overtone. If there is another leak somewhere, it will be as if you are always pressing the octave key.
General causes of squeaking
Squeaks are hard to diagnose because there are many possible causes. All of the causes that I’m aware of are listed below. If you have absolutely no idea what the cause of your squeaking is, it is best to go through each one and eliminate it as a possible cause. We’ll go through each one below.
| Cause | Solution |
| Broken or warped reed | Look at the tip of the reed and check that it is straight. If not, use a different reed |
| Low-quality mouthpiece or reed | Make sure you are using a high-quality mouthpiece and reed |
| Reed and mouthpiece are unaligned | Check that the reed is lined up with the mouthpiece. If not, correct it. |
| Reed is not wet enough | Soak the reed more thoroughly or use a plastic reed |
| Teeth are touching the reed | Have a small portion of your lower lip cover your teeth |
| Putting too much mouthpiece in your mouth | Only take in enough mouthpiece as is necessary (more details further in the article) |
| Biting | Use mouthpiece exercises to ensure that you are not biting |
| New reed | Break in the reed properly, or use a plastic reed |
| Tongue is too high/too low | Experiment with different tongue positions |
| Fingers are not pressing/lifting keys at the same time (Common if one specific note squeaks) | Conscious focus on movement of fingers |
| Leak in the instrument (Common if low notes squeak) | Check for a leak with a leak light; take it to a repair person |
| Octave holes aren’t switching properly (Common if one specific note squeaks, esp. G or D) | Look at the octave holes to confirm this is the problem, then take it to a repair person |
Broken or warped reed
It is fairly obvious if a reed is damaged. The easiest way to tell is to look at the tip; is it cracked, chipped, bent, or warped? Any of these issues may cause squeaking, so use a different reed if you encounter any of them.
You’ll need to look at the reed head-on (such that your eyes are level with the tip, and the reed is parallel to the ground) to see if it is warped. If you see waves, then it’s warped.
Warpage can be eliminated by soaking the reed completely in water and letting it dry on a piece of glass. If the reed is chipped, cracked, or bent, then there is no fix and it should be thrown away.
Plastic reeds are resistant to damage and as such are less likely to cause squeaks. If you have a problem with squeaking, they can be a great alternative to cane reeds.
Low-quality mouthpiece or reed
Many saxophones come with a mouthpiece. If the saxophone is made by a reputable high-end brand, the mouthpiece will often be a reasonable-quality mouthpiece from the same brand. If the saxophone is cheaper, however, then you may end up with a mouthpiece that is complete garbage.
If you are playing on a bad mouthpiece, then you may find yourself squeaking, honking, and doing all sorts of undesirable things as you play without having any control over them.
My advice is to make sure you are playing on a high-quality mouthpiece. If you are just starting out, I recommend the Vandoren Optimum or the Selmer C*. Both of these are mouthpieces which are played by professionals and are easy to play on, so you can’t go wrong with them.
Reed and mouthpiece are unaligned
The tip of the reed should be aligned with the tip of the mouthpiece. The edges of the reed should be perfectly aligned with the edges of the flat part of the mouthpiece. If they aren’t, you will likely end up with squeaks.
Fortunately, this is an easy fix. Just make sure that the reed and mouthpiece are aligned.
Reed is not wet enough
You need to soak both ends of the reed, not just the tip. Dry reeds often result in squeaks. Make sure you either soak your reed thoroughly, or use a plastic reed (which does not need to be wet). Either solution is fine.
Teeth are touching the reed
The teeth should never be touching the reed. You should cushion your teeth with just a small portion of your lower lip. If the teeth are touching the reed, you will most likely only get squeaks and high notes.
Putting too much of the mouthpiece in your mouth
As you put more of the mouthpiece in your mouth, it will become easier to play high notes. If you take in too much of it, you will squeak and perhaps only be able to play high notes.
The placement of your lips on the mouthpiece should be at the point where the reed first touches the mouthpiece, and no further. This allows you to have the right amount of control over the reed, allowing high notes to be easy without producing squeaks.
Biting
You don’t want to use too much jaw pressure when playing the saxophone. If you put too much pressure on the reed, you may choke it and end up squeaking.
There is a simple exercise which you can do to determine how much jaw pressure you should be using. In particular, you are going to be tuning your mouthpiece.
Detach your mouthpiece from the neck, but still have the reed and ligature attached. Then, blowing at the loudest possible volume (please use hearing protection!), tune your mouthpiece to the following pitch by shifting the amount of lower jaw pressure you use:
For soprano sax: C
For alto sax: A
For tenor sax: G
For bari sax: D
The amount of jaw pressure that it takes to achieve the above pitch for your instrument is the amount of jaw pressure you should be using in general.
New reed
Make sure you break in your reed properly, or it may cause squeaks! Alternatively, you could simply use a plastic reed, which won’t have this issue. We have a guide to breaking in saxophone reeds which you can find here.
Tongue is too high/too low
The height of your tongue as you play will affect the extent to which you squeak. Raising your tongue (and thus directing your airstream upward) will make it easier to play high notes, but also easier to squeak.
Lowering your tongue (thus aiming your airstream downward) will make it easier to play low notes, but on some notes (especially G) it may cause the note to crack completely, causing it to squeak.
If you are squeaking on a variety of notes, you may want to try lowering your tongue if you naturally keep your tongue high. If you are squeaking on G in particular, it may be worthwhile to raise your tongue. If you have to do this, however, there is likely another problem with your instrument or setup causing the squeaking.
Overall, experimenting with tongue position can be a quick way to eliminate squeaks, but it is usually not the main cause.
Fingers are not pressing/lifting keys at the same time
If you slur from a C in the middle of the staff to a G above the staff, for instance (this particular combination of notes is often prone to cause squeaks), you have to make sure that you press down your index finger and ring finger at the same time. Failing to do so will almost certainly cause a squeak.
If you are squeaking on G in particular (coming from C), I am willing to bet that finger movements are part of the problem. These issues tend to stack, though, so there may be some other problem with your instrument or setup as well – but this issue is one to focus on.
Leak in the instrument
Leaks are frustrating because they can cause a variety of problems while also being hard to detect. You probably have a leak if everything below a particular note is difficult to play. Of course, you likely have to check which specific key has a leak in it.
The easiest way to check for a leak is to use a leak light, which you can find here. Close all your keys and shine it down your instrument; if light escapes from any of the keys, then you have a leak in that key.
The only way to deal with a leak is to take your saxophone to a repair person, preferably one who specializes in the saxophone. This isn’t really an issue that has a do-it-yourself solution.
Octave holes aren’t switching properly
The octave key actually controls the opening and closing of two different holes on the instrument. One is located on the top of the neck, and the other is just below the neck.
When you press the index finger of your left hand (provided that you are also pressing the octave key), these octave holes switch. The one on the neck closes, while the one beneath the neck opens.
Sometimes, the machinery can be somewhat clunky, and they don’t switch as smoothly as they should. This will cause issues especially on notes such as G. You can take your saxophone to a repair person to get this sorted out.
Conclusion
Squeaks are frustrating, and can have a variety of causes. I hope that this guide has helped you to identify your issue so that you are better able to solve it.
