Advice needed about tenor

[Pauline]

Hi everyone!
I'm back from four weeks away from home and five weeks away from the alto. (Surprisingly I don't seem to have slipped back much - in my opinion anyway!)

Now here's my problem....

Just before I went on hols I acquired Linky's tenor in the yard sale but have only just had chance to try it. At first couldn't blow a note!

Now that I've got 1.5 reeds for it I can at least get a sound out BUT it is more or less the same note whichever keys I press. (about D acording to the tuner). D E and F are (sometimes) very slightly different but are in the higher octave without the octave key. Also the "notes" seem muffled.

I'm sure that it will have been OK when it left Linky so could something have gone awry in transit? or am I doing something wrong that I don't know about? Does it need overhauling? Any thoughts gratefully received.
thanks, Pauline

 

[Pete Thomas]

Likely to be something very very simple that is causing that like a cork dropped off or a spring slipped off a post, or at worst a pad fallen out.

Look at the mechanism and see how the springs usually sit behind a little nipple like protrusion, check that there aren't any springs that have slipped off. The top keys are slightly different and the springs sit against the body, sometimes they can slip sideways.

If in doubt, take it to your local saxophone tech, he/she will sort it very quickly no doubt - ask them to look at it on the spot if possible, it's not likeley to be worth leaving it there for as I bet it's only a two minute job.

And welcome back from hols.

 

[Rogerb]

Or perhaps Linky put some bits of foam under the key guards to stop the pads 'bouncin around' in transit.....mine arrived with them.

 

[Pauline]

Thanks Pete and Roger!
I'll give it a close inspection tomorrow when I've got more time.

If I can't find anything I'll try to find a sax tech.........I suppose the local music shop might know of one?

 

[griff136]

you could also check that the octave mechanism is working correctly ie the top pad on the neck is fully closed when the octave pad on the body is open. and vice versa.
also check the arm that sticks up from the body ( the bit that protrudes when the neck is off) is not in contact with the octave key ring.

 

[Pauline]

Well it was something very simple - me!

I compared it with the picture in one of my books and also with the alto and found it has an extra pearl at the top which I must have thought was B! The one in the book looks like it has a gold key instead.

I tried it again with the correct fingering and it appears to be OK.

All part of the learning process I guess!

Thanks for your help,
Pauline

 

[Pete Thomas]

That makes sense. Yes that is the top F key, called front F or auxiliary F. Sometimes it has a pearl like the main keys, sometimes it's just metal. I can understand the confusion.

 

[Linky Lee]

Hi Pauline! Glad you're back from your Holidays. Sorry I haven't replied sooner I've been in Portsmouth house hunting (got one yesterday!).

Pete is right, the top pearl key is the front F. I hope the sax arrived all fine and if anything does go wrong or you encounter any problems please do ask me and I'll see what I can do to help.

Hope you enjoy the tenor and hopefully now it's playing you'll start getting to grips with the subtle differences between alto and tenor.

Linky.