Improvised fun

Dry Ice in a 2 liter bottle with a little water can explode with a bang louder than a small canon. Add 2-3 cups H₂O and a sliver of dry ice slim enough to fit in the neck. Close cap, and get back. This might be an interesting way to disperse repellants.  Wear safety glasses (the 2 liter will turn into little plastic pieces).

A Saxophone mouth piece is quite possibly the most effective anti-bird call ever devised. The squawk produced by these little plastic gems can often be louder than a gunshot, and an empty soda bottle makes an effective amplification devise. Cheap versions can be purchased for under $20, and plastic reeds are now available that are more durable in the woods.  We currently recommend the Tenor or Baritone mouthpiece; though an alto or soprano will work. Reed hardness is not that important but a med-hard or #3 may make it easier to make sound.

Getting the right set up of mouthpiece and reed is essential to good sax playing. There are a huge variety of mouthpieces and reeds out there, so it's well worth getting a qualified person to help you out with the right set up.

There are however some things you can check for yourself :

Mouth Position

We're going to try to make our very first note with the mouthpiece now. It's just a simple matter of controlling your mouth and lungs.

With the mouth positioned, now place the tip of your tongue on the tip of the reed and in a gentle 'spitting' motion, draw it backwards, releasing air.

The air blows over the reed, causing it to vibrate and (hopefully) producing a tone!

What to do if it doesn't work