Playing the saxophone Bottom C#... aaaargh!

[nickh]

Hi Folks,

Just wondered if anyone had any advice on how to get a bottom C#. For some reason i can't get anywhere near a low note on this!

 

[Veggie Dave]

Can you play C? What about B? If C is okay and B not too bad then it's probably a leak.

 

[nickh]

C is fine. So is B. interesting! cheers

no idea what to do about a leak though!

 

[Veggie Dave]

I had the exact same problem a couple of months ago. A screw had come loose causing numerous leaks. Have a look to see if you can spot anything. If not, find a local tech to do it for you. It shouldn't be remotely expensive.

Trying to play around the problem will drive you potty.

 

[nickh]

Cheers Dave. Will investigate

 

[jbtsax]

Hold a D as a long tone (either octave) and then press the G# key. If the note goes stuffy or won't play when the G# key is added, the G#/Bis closing screw is out of adjustment.

 

[Tiberius]

took me a while, like a few months I think, still far from perfect for anything below E or maybe D but getting there. First couldn't get them, then I could get them but they sounded like a foghorn, last week or so they're started to sound a bit more consistent with the rest of the notes.

Suspecting a leak seems to be common thing amongst sax players. Personally I usually just blame myself for things at this stage, well 'blame' is the wrong word, I just recognise that I'm not v good yet. If it still happened in a few years, then maybe I'll start to blame the sax 🙂

 

[nickh]

Hold a D as a long tone (either octave) and then press the G# key. If the note goes stuffy or won't play when the G# key is added, the G#/Bis closing screw is out of adjustment.

Just tried it. Thats exactly what happened.. note barely played. Just have to locate the screw now!

 

[Jazzaferri]

What I discovered years ago is leaks can develop slowly sometimes and in this case one can often start to subconsciously work around them until they get bad enough to realize that its the sax not me.

 

[nickh]

Found the G#/Bis adjustment (via a link on Taming the Saxophone). The whole bar had worked loose. Tightened it up. Did the test and voila! up and running. Big thanks to all!

 

[nickh]

What I discovered years ago is leaks can develop slowly sometimes and in this case one can often start to subconsciously work around them until they get bad enough to realize that its the sax not me.

Yeah. I assumed it was problem with my embouchure!

 

[Tiberius]

I once lost a cork that meant the top octave was breaking open slightly when the front one only should have been. Like you I just assumed that it was my problem. I have a couple of problems that I know of, I'm missing a couple of felts that make a couple of the side keys rather noisy (especially when you hit them like a beginner 🙂) and the adjustment on my front F is a long way out so it doesn't even open the key. My wife keeps promising to do these fixes, I'll go remind her again...

 

[Veggie Dave]

Yeah. I assumed it was problem with my embouchure!

Colin gave me some excellent advice last year when I had the same problem: sooner or later you have to realise that the problem probably isn't you. 😀

 

[Pete Thomas]

Found the G#/Bis adjustment (via a link on Taming the Saxophone).

This one I presume:

How to Fix a Leaking Articulated G# | Taming The Saxophone

 

[nickh]

This one I presume:

How to Fix a Leaking Articulated G# | Taming The Saxophone

Yep! Found it very clear, a huge help. Thanks.

 

[kevgermany]

It's worth learning how to check for leaks with a leak light. There are some common problems that kill some notes. Bb not closing properly is one, G# is another. And even a small leak can make a sax unplayable. And don't forget the neck - leaks there affect many notes, but don't show up with a leak light. Just because the neck screw is tight, it doesn't mean the neck is sealing. The screw is there to hold the neck on, not to make it seal. And overtightening the screw can cause leaks as it distorts the tenon. Not to mention snapping the screw.