Hi all,
I know there are a lot of topics on this forum talking about "having trouble with the high notes". I think a read them all, or at least many of them. My problem seems to be a bit different, so i decided to creat this thread.
I am not a saxophone beginner : i have been playing the saxohone since at least 20 years. I started as a child, but without beeing very interested in it. I had a break, then i joined my college brass band 10 years ago and had very much fun with it so i didn't stop playing since. The problem is that i never got a teacher since my childhood, and i fear i took several wrong habits that prevent me from progressing now. I think i took the bad habit to "close the throat" playing with the brass band, because my goal was to play louder and louder. I didn't care about tuning at this time, and i was mainly blowing as "fat" as i could.... I had frequently pain in the throat and a hoarse voice after the gigs
My main trouble is from high notes, especially palm keys notes : most of the time i get a low note instead. I am trying to get back to basics since a few months, playing long tones and working on my embouchure, my throat and my tongue positions but i don't feel i'm getting better at it.
At the moment i'm really trying to get the throat open as i i were yawning, with the tongue on a "ee" position and blowing "from the abdomen" but palm keys notes are still not working. Interesting fact : it's easier for me to play high E, F and F# using the front keys fingerings, and i don't have too much trouble with altissimo (at least G, G# and A). High G is sometimes a trouble, but i think i'm getting better on this. All of the others notes speak really fine.
I changed my mouthpiece 2 years back for a Durga 3 with a 7 opening. I play on 3,5 Fibracell reed. My goal is to have a brilliant sound, mostly for rock, blues and funk playing sessions.
It had been a year since i decided to get back with a teacher, but the coronarivus decided i had to try to work on this high notes troubles alone....or not, if some of you can help me !
Thank you very much for your time,
Jean-Marie
I know there are a lot of topics on this forum talking about "having trouble with the high notes". I think a read them all, or at least many of them. My problem seems to be a bit different, so i decided to creat this thread.
I am not a saxophone beginner : i have been playing the saxohone since at least 20 years. I started as a child, but without beeing very interested in it. I had a break, then i joined my college brass band 10 years ago and had very much fun with it so i didn't stop playing since. The problem is that i never got a teacher since my childhood, and i fear i took several wrong habits that prevent me from progressing now. I think i took the bad habit to "close the throat" playing with the brass band, because my goal was to play louder and louder. I didn't care about tuning at this time, and i was mainly blowing as "fat" as i could.... I had frequently pain in the throat and a hoarse voice after the gigs
My main trouble is from high notes, especially palm keys notes : most of the time i get a low note instead. I am trying to get back to basics since a few months, playing long tones and working on my embouchure, my throat and my tongue positions but i don't feel i'm getting better at it.
At the moment i'm really trying to get the throat open as i i were yawning, with the tongue on a "ee" position and blowing "from the abdomen" but palm keys notes are still not working. Interesting fact : it's easier for me to play high E, F and F# using the front keys fingerings, and i don't have too much trouble with altissimo (at least G, G# and A). High G is sometimes a trouble, but i think i'm getting better on this. All of the others notes speak really fine.
I changed my mouthpiece 2 years back for a Durga 3 with a 7 opening. I play on 3,5 Fibracell reed. My goal is to have a brilliant sound, mostly for rock, blues and funk playing sessions.
It had been a year since i decided to get back with a teacher, but the coronarivus decided i had to try to work on this high notes troubles alone....or not, if some of you can help me !
Thank you very much for your time,
Jean-Marie