Altissimo, finally

[Moz]

Tonight, I hit my first, real, all-singing, all-dancing altissimo note. Disappointingly it was a note that can be acquired using normal fingerings but nevertheless it sounded damned good.

I went from high G, to A then to C and finally back to G whereupon the note D sounded long and hard. A couple of quick changes and I found I could use the same fingerings for high G (three fingers of the left hand plus octave key) and alternate between G and alt D with no problems.

OK solved that, but high D is possible without altissimo. What I need for my solo in the band is altissimo E, and that is an octave higher than the second highest natural note on the sax. Is that note possible on a tenor sax and if so does anyone have any suggestions for fingerings for it?

Cheers

Moz

 

[griff136]

Moz,



altissimo fingering for high E you could use

front f (the touchpiece above your B key i.e. the one above your left hand index finger key plus left hand 2 and 3 i.e. C and G.

or you could try left hand palm key 1 & 2 plus right hand side key 3(the top one)

 

[Mamos]

We need an interactive fingering chart

That could be a nice little project;}

I'll see what I can do

Pete, can you load flash files on this forum?

mamos

 

[Chester]

We need an interactive fingering chart
Pete, can you load flash files on this forum?

Do you mean upload them or display them in a post?

The answer is neither at the moment. It could lead to mayhem if this was possible for members to do, but if you do a flash chart, I would be able to upload it, and or possibly embed it in a post.

 

[Mamos]

Cool

I'll see what I can do

I need little projects like this to improve my flash skills

mamos

 

[Moz]

I'll try that as soon as the wife is at work and the dog has gone deaf -- or probably just before the dog goes deaf!

Moz

Moz,



altissimo fingering for high E you could use

front f (the touchpiece above your B key i.e. the one above your left hand index finger key plus left hand 2 and 3 i.e. C and G.

or you could try left hand palm key 1 & 2 plus right hand side key 3(the top one)

 

[half diminished]

I find all this a struggle really - even the palm keys and front f key are awkward. I need to get griff to set them up for me. My teach wants me to play Smoke Gets in Your Eyes an octave higher which necessitates altissimo G which is proving problematical! Particularly the fingering around and to/from G.

One question for you clever lot. I am using a Jody Jazz DV NY 7* with Marca 3 Jazz reed. Down low is just awesome and full in tone but the upper register is pretty thin. Should I try a harder reed or more open mouthpiece or is it just my lack to experience - only 4 months on tenor

 

[griff136]

practice practice practice!!

 

[dooce]

You can try these fingerings from the Cannonball site.

Dead Link removed

Since getting my Raven tenor, I've had a reasonable amount of success with these. I don't know whether they are specifically designed for Cannonball saxes or whether they are generic fingerings. There is also a page for alto.

I could bore for England on the utter wonderfulness of my Cannonball tenor, but you've got to admit - do Yamagisawa Selwerth have anything as useful on their web pages?

 

[daveysaxboy]

Welcome to the Dog Whistle's Club,reach for the star's and smash sum crystal and rock on.

 

[Moz]

Who is that bird in your avatar? Yes, I used the expression 'bird' which shows how old I am.

Moz

 

[griff136]

Candy Dulfer i believe.

 

[daveysaxboy]

Who is that bird in your avatar? Yes, I used the expression 'bird' which shows how old I am.

Moz

Yes it's Miss Dulfer ,a fine player and a even finer looking girl.

 

[Taz]

Bill that's a great link thanks. I just cant get any altissimo at all. Maybe that'll help. How is the Black Beauty?

 

[dooce]

Did its first gig on Friday - at The Avon, where you and Simon saw the band year. ****, it sounded good - I guess playing at home and in rehearsals, I hadn't really let rip with it, so I was impressed with just how much power is there. I'm not up to public displays of altissimo yet though.

 

[AlanB]

Dooce - I like the Cannonball website and the interactive altissimo fingerings. Do you have any idea why when you move over a note you get one fingering, then if you move off the note and then back on to it again you get another finger? Bit confused.

To all - I am not in the club yet. I am practising my overtones, but so far can only get the fundamental, 1st overtone and 2nd overtone. Any advice on getting further overtones that will lead me to altissimo?
Cheers,
Alan

 

[dooce]

Dooce - I like the Cannonball website and the interactive altissimo fingerings. Do you have any idea why when you move over a note you get one fingering, then if you move off the note and then back on to it again you get another finger? Bit confused.

To all - I am not in the club yet. I am practising my overtones, but so far can only get the fundamental, 1st overtone and 2nd overtone. Any advice on getting further overtones that will lead me to altissimo?
Cheers,
Alan

Don't know Alan - to be honest I had never noticed that before. As the second fingering doesn't seem to replicate any of the other notes, I can only assume that it is yet another permutation. You might also want to check Pete Thomas's own altissimo fingerings elsewhere on this site. Just makes you realise what a black art all those squeaky high notes are!

 

[AlistairD]

Dooce - I like the Cannonball website and the interactive altissimo fingerings. Do you have any idea why when you move over a note you get one fingering, then if you move off the note and then back on to it again you get another finger? Bit confused.

To all - I am not in the club yet. I am practising my overtones, but so far can only get the fundamental, 1st overtone and 2nd overtone. Any advice on getting further overtones that will lead me to altissimo?
Cheers,
Alan

I have only just re-started after a 2 year layoff and only played for a couple of years before that but tonight, out of the blue when i was practicing overtones, I got the 3rd overtone on low Bb... Never remember being able to do this before and nearly got the 3rd on B as well. So the answer must be to practice (and maybe a bit of luck to get it the first time...??)

 

[AlanB]

I guess the trick is knowing what to practice. For getting overtones (and altissimo) do the changes generally come from the throat or from the embouchure? Or is it a combination of both. If it is the throat, can anyone recommend any good exercises, or ways to conceptualise the changes. A bit like Pete's Twoooo-eeeeeee exercises for building up and understanding the correct facial muscles for embouchure.
Cheers,
Alan

 

[AlistairD]

Developing a Personal Saxophone Sound - Dave Liebman

Alan,

I bought the above book from Jazzwise I think (http://www.jazzwise.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7864) which I find very useful. He does stress control is from the throat etc. and not the embochure to generate the overtones.