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Forum » Jazz Saxophone » Growl?


by BreckerBrothersaregods!
(23 posts)
20 years ago

Growl?

Anybody got any practice tips or approaches to growling? I can flutter tongue very well, but every since I started playing a more open mouthpiece, it has been harder for me to pull off when playing softly.

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  2. by cavefish
    (20 posts)
    20 years ago

    Re: Growl?

    growling has nothing to do with your tongue . clear your throat like you were getting something out of your lungs ( snot , water whatever) or try to make a bear sound . do that sound while playing your sax thats growling

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  3. by Spunky2sax75
    (75 posts)
    20 years ago

    Re: Growl?

    The best way I can explain growling is to pretend you are playing a kazoo. If you do that type of humming into the sax, you can get a decent growl, but it takes a LONG time to get good at it. I am still working on it about 4 months after I learned how to do it. Another important thing to do is keep a lot of air going through the horn. I have found that when I growl, I need to put a lot more air through the horn than I usually do. I hope this advice helps... at least give it a try, this is how I learned it.

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    1. by Spike
      (248 posts)
      20 years ago

      Re: Growl?

      yeah, it takes more ractice than you'd think. i've actually got a really good growl going now, but the only advice i can give is to practice it.

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      1. by divesta
        (11 posts)
        20 years ago

        Re: Growl?

        Every one growls a little differently, I have hear about some players singing falseto (singing really high not in the natural male voice) it has a different effect. I still don't have the growl down well, but it is fun as long as you don't do it all the time.

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        1. by thattenorplayer
          (18 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          Hey, I've been playing sax for about 4 years and am wondering how to flutter tounge and what is growling, or if its even possible for such a young player to do it. thanks

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        2. by Spike
          (248 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          flutter tongueing is basicaly like rolling an r, except onto a reed; i can't do it. growling is making vibrations in your throat which make a growing noise through the sax. a lot of people just hum, but i pretty much make the mel gibson noise into my sax.

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        3. by thattenorplayer
          (18 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          hey thanks, ya i figured fluttertounging was somin like that. dang, sounds hard. i'll give it a shot. thanks again

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        4. by golferguy675
          (600 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          There's a lot of different techniques for the growl. There some people that hum, but I personally don't. It's kind of hard to explain, it's kind of like rolling your tounge on the back roof of your mouth. It's fun to do sometimes in improvisation. Blues and rock solos. God, don't go do it in some bee bop song.

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        5. by Ozymandius
          (1 post)
          20 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          golferguy675 said: "it's kind of like rolling your tounge on the back roof of your mouth." I do something like this. If you've ever heard a dog growl, try to imitate that, and then try to imitate it while playing into your horn. It's similar to clearing your throat without actually getting the nasty stuff out of your throat. I hope this helps, and really you just have to find your own way and go with it. You may feel stupid at first, but when you get that nice growl going, it can be really rewarding.

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        6. by sax_maniac
          (984 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          Flutter tonguing is also great foreplay. Chicks don't dig the growl nearly as much, however.

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        7. by saxophonist_104
          (148 posts)
          16 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          IDK if chicks really dig the growl, but I really dig doing the growl & im a chick. i just recently learned how to growl. i achieve it by savagely growling into the sax b/c i'm "flutter-impaired". you have to practice it for a while and in a closed room b/c there is no such thing as a pianissimo growl.

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        8. by CountSpatula
          (602 posts)
          16 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          Your a bit late bud...

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        9. by saxophonist_104
          (148 posts)
          16 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          "bud"? Check my profile, Count.

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        10. by CountSpatula
          (602 posts)
          16 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          I can call you 104 if you want...'saxophonist' is just such a broad name on here...

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        11. by saxophonist_104
          (148 posts)
          16 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          yeah, it is a broad name. it's unique to the people i hang out with, that's why i chose it. you can call me 104. didn't mean to get so defensive. can i call you count? or would you prefer count spatula? i see in your profile that you're from texas. i started a conversation under general discussions titled "howdy! anybody here from texas?" i know i shouldn't expect replies within the hour or anything...

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        12. by CountSpatula
          (602 posts)
          16 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          lol, I don't care as long as it lets me know your talking to me...I guess I'll post there.

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      2. by kelsey
        (930 posts)
        15 years ago

        Re: Growl?

        To growl on the saxophone one needs to have a good long talk with their dog. To break the ice ask the dog how it feels about easy listening Jazz. I'm bringing this back from 2004 because it's so relavent for everyone..........Kelsey
        Barry Kelsey

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      3. by Black Orpheus
        (23 posts)
        20 years ago

        Re: Growl?

        I can't flutter my tongue like many flutists, but I can growl. I basically sing into the instrument on a different pitch than I'm playing. It was very awkward when I first started doing it, it took me a while to get the singing and playing to work together. I heard that you get the best results if you sing, or hum, a major third above the note you're playing on the sax. This seems to give better results, once you have a good idea of how to growl. Just keep practicing. It took me quite a while.

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        1. by barimachine
          (323 posts)
          20 years ago

          Re: Growl?

          hey it is very possible to growl, even at a young age dont count me out, grrr, im in my high school jazz ensemble, which may sound like crap but were VERY good, well, sorta, our ryhthm section sucks... i play in many other good groups as well, but besides giving credit to the youth, growling is required for my acceptance, but it took me all of about a minute to learn everyone was shocked at how i picked it up, humming or "talking through the instrument" is the way to do it or rolling r's like in spanish, doing all this while sounding sorta like clearing your throat into your sax, hopefully for your horn your not actually doing it, but practice it loud! and low! ...! i still find it alot harder to growl softly, such as the likes of sugar rum cherry, linocln center...??? essential ellington??? i dont know if they preform it yet because my director is on the board their so he yoinked the pieces before next year from everyone else, but still humming, rolling r's, phlegm clearing thing, loud and low to start

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          1. by sslavoix
            (32 posts)
            16 years ago

            Re: Growl?

            heres a crazy idea on how to growl i learned this in one day by myself ok tighten the air when you play and buzz like a trumpet out of the corner of your mouth it works for me i cant do the hum trick it just wont work....

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            1. by saxophonist_104
              (148 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              how do you buzz like a trumpet? i've only played the sax. my technique is to literally growl like a dog or angry bear into the sax. it helps to try growling w/o the sax to your mouth first to see if you've got a good enough growl.

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            2. by sslavoix
              (32 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              well i dont play trumpet but its a lot easier than the hum trick i can assure you i cant do that one but i came up with this one so i know it works you just haven't tried it so thats on you

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            3. by CountSpatula
              (602 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              You buzz out the side of your mouth while playing? Are we on the same page of what growling is?

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            4. by azurealto
              (79 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              you're all a bit late... this post is 4 years old. i havn't really started growling yet. i'll try soon tho.

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            5. by saxophonist_104
              (148 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              the subject of growling never grows old...

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            6. by knorter
              (205 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              I'm not so sure about that :) Just being silly, lol. Have a great weekend everybody. Kristy

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            7. by saxophonist_104
              (148 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

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            8. by CountSpatula
              (602 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              Well...atleast it's not altissimo :)

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            9. by knorter
              (205 posts)
              16 years ago

              Re: Growl?

              Word.

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