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Beginner C to D Legato aargh!

ktmdom

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Hi there folks,

I can usually play middle C to D Legato fine when I'm not thinking about it, when playing scales or just practising music that is none exam related.
Trouble is there is an exam piece (only Grade 1) that is mainly slurred and once I start squaking C to D I can't stop.
It's almost like I'm trying too hard on these two notes and middle D just won't come out.

If I switch to a different piece of music no problem.

I apologise if this has been covered before but could someone help?

Many thanks

Dom
 
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I think your anticipation of a squeak may be causing tension and hence a squeak. Try and relax and play c to d outside the piece of exam music, concerntrating on breathe support and mentally noting what you are doing when it doesn't squeak.

If that is ok try the bar immediately preceding those notes in your exam piece and slowly build it up....

Jx
 
When playing C to D you are adding two fingers of your left hand and three of your right.

These should close simultaneously, but if the right closes just a fraction of a second before the left it could sound a squeak (overtone of the D).

If this is the case ( and the problem is not caused by a leak) then I find a solution is initially to consciously close the left hand fractionally before the right. It should be possible to do this so note caused by the LH (G) is so tiny as to be inaudible.

Soon this will no longer be a problem for you.
 
I have a problem slurring from C to D on my tenor, and in my case it is caused by the order that my fingers are going down. I don't know if this is what is happening in your case, but here is what I discovered.

The problem is due to the way the "double octave mechanism" works. There are two octave holes on a modern sax - one on the neck and one on the body. The sax switches between them according to what note you are playing.

If you start pressing the thumb octave key a fraction of a second before you press the G key (LH3) then the octave pad on the neck can open very briefly before the double octave mechanism switches to the body octave pad. This can make the sax go to the wrong harmonic (A instead of D).

The solution is to consciously lead with the left hand third finger when you go from the C to the D - make sure that this finger goes down first.

If you want to understand what I mean, you can try the following:

Test 1. Press down the thumb octave key without any other keys, and the octave pad on the neck should open. Now keep the thumb down and press down LH3 (G key) - the octave pad on the neck should close as the sax switches to the body octave pad.

Test 2. Press the thumb octave key and LH3 more or less at the same time, but press the thumb key a short time before the LH3. You should see the octave pad on the neck bounce up and down briefly.

Test 3. Like Test 2, but press the LH3 key first. The octave pad on the neck should not move.

If the octave pad on the neck bounces when you slur from C to D, then D will come out wrong. If you lead with LH3, the octave pad won't bounce.
 
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Going on what the others have said, I find that swithching saxes causes problems as the different construction/regulation makes it difficult to get the keys to close simultaneously without changing my timing slightly.

If you slow down, think about what you're doing as you play, you should be able to trace timing issues. But also remember breath support - there's a big difference as you go over the octave break.

Pete's comment about leaks should also be taken to include pads that don't seal with light finger pressure. I've had lots of squeak problems with this, including the regulation of G#.
 
A trick I have picked up is either to play the D palm key without octave, or alternatively, to finger a low C with the octave key on, depending on how it fits into the run of notes.
 
A couple of thoughts: Play D as a long tone, and then switch smoothly to C while still mentally playing the D. Do that several times and the do the same, but go back to D. Another option would be to go to D2 without using the octave key, and "voice" that note in the correct octave. Of course the best solution already given is to practice moving the fingers together.
 
Thanks for all the helpful replies, I usually tend to practice for about 1hr to 1:30mins each night, and this problem tends to happen towards the end of my practice session after about an hour or so. I usually tend to warm up with Scales and Arpeggios (no problems) and then get on with my exam practice pieces.
But after an hour or so things start going pear shaped, this is when I start to get frustrated.

Thanks again

Dom
 
I usually tend to warm up with Scales and Arpeggios (no problems) and then get on with my exam practice pieces.

Them maybe you should do it the other way around... Or split the two in clearly separated sessions.
 
I'll give it another go tomorrow starting off with exam pieces. It may be tiredness but what I tend to do is just put the instrument down or move onto something different, otherwise I'd end up with less hair than I've already got.
 
This was an issue for me in the early days, and still rears its head when I'm tired. I found that really engaging my diaphragm helps - when I'm tired, I get lazy and don't support my breathing so enthusiastically!
 
I'll give it another go tomorrow starting off with exam pieces. It may be tiredness but what I tend to do is just put the instrument down or move onto something different, otherwise I'd end up with less hair than I've already got.


I would think everyone who ever starts to play the sax faces the problem of going smoothly from the low octave to the higher octave.

assuming it isnt a leak, just think of it as a problem to be overcome.

Recognise that it is not an impossible task, and is simply one technical area ( of many) that you will need to deal with on your saxophone journey. We have all been there.

Try not to let it get to a hair pulling out situation. Stay calm and deal with it.

It is not an "overnight/one good practice session" fix. It takes a while.
Keep reminding yourself of that and it will be less frustrating

Just do the right stuff and over time it will no longer be a problem. Patience is the key.

when I struggled with this, I simply went from C sharp without octave key, to D with octave key a zillion times.
you may find C natural to D is better for you. Or both.

So, simply holding the C sharp, stay calm. get all your fingers ready over the appropriate keys. stay calm.
When ready, move all six fingers and left thumb. keep air moving through the sax. stay calm.

the key thing is total unison of all moving fingers. think of a well oiled machine, where all parts move in total unison.
You are now a well oiled machine !! :) A piston, moving in total unison

it helped me to have that mental image.

another thought is that whilst thinking "calm" and with no feel of panic, when it is time to close all the pads, the fingers move quickly. playing slowly does not mean slow fingers. Fingers need to move fast, but controlled.
It is NOT about closing the keys slowly.

Do this every session over a period of time and you WILL get there.

Be patient. No hair pulling .:)

good luck
 
As a teacher of scores of beginning saxophone students over the years I can safely state that most difficulties with learning to play the instrument are quite common. The last new problem I found was a young lady who was born with a left thumb much shorter than normal. We made a specially designed touch piece so that she could press the octave key without moving the left hand fingers out of position.
 

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