Difficult notes

[kevgermany]

Since I started, I've been having problems with a few notes. Particularly the second G - G plus octave key. Thought it was me, and by taking a lot of care how I blow, it's been managable - just. Some days it would be impossible, others not too bad. I oout it down to mouthpiece (it's a cheap Rico Graftonite B5). The tip isn't quite smooth and I thought that may be it.

Got a new ligature (Rovner dark) in anticipation of a new mouthpiece. And the problem has gone...

Tried it with 2 different reeds to check. Another benefit is the notes are cleaner/clearer through the range.

Have been sceptical about the effect of ligatures up till now. But the old 2 screw that came with the mouthpiece is definately not working properly.

Now to explain to my wife why I still need the 2 mouthpieces that are in the post....

 

[half diminished]

Since I started, I've been having problems with a few notes. Particularly the second G - G plus octave key. Thought it was me, and by taking a lot of care how I blow, it's been managable - just. Some days it would be impossible, others not too bad. I oout it down to mouthpiece (it's a cheap Rico Graftonite B5). The tip isn't quite smooth and I thought that may be it.

Got a new ligature (Rovner dark) in anticipation of a new mouthpiece. And the problem has gone...

Tried it with 2 different reeds to check. Another benefit is the notes are cleaner/clearer through the range.

Have been sceptical about the effect of ligatures up till now. But the old 2 screw that came with the mouthpiece is definately not working properly.

Now to explain to my wife why I still need the 2 mouthpieces that are in the post....

Kev

That G can be awkward, I used to get the odd burble/gurgle on that note or even a squeak. These days it seems to have gone. for me but many I know suffer similar issues early on. Hopefully the new setup will banish it but if not, just work on the embouchure and breath control and it'll eventually go.

 

[kevgermany]

Thanks Ian. Am working hard at it - when I get time... Family gets in the way of the sax, one of the penalties of having kids late I suppose.

 

[half diminished]

Thanks Ian. Am working hard at it - when I get time... Family gets in the way of the sax, one of the penalties of having kids late I suppose.

Little and often. Even a few minutes a day can help. Karen asked me a few weeks ago if I ever practices just the fingers on the sax and not blowing. I never do as I tend to want to hear the sound in my head/ears as I play but maybe that's another option you could try.

 

[kevgermany]

Little and often. Even a few minutes a day can help. Karen asked me a few weeks ago if I ever practices just the fingers on the sax and not blowing. I never do as I tend to want to hear the sound in my head/ears as I play but maybe that's another option you could try.

Reminds me of my old gliding instructor advising me to practice stick and foot coordination without being in a glider. Must try it.

 

[littleplum]

Saxless

practicing the fingers is a great way to get something under your control.

At the moment I have a broken stereo in the car, and as I drive about 350 miles a week I need something to keep me occupied. So I talk myself through my scales and various transposition excercises note by note. It works well for me and I am not wasting time as I drive.

Dave

 

[chadders]

Got a new ligature (Rovner dark) in anticipation of a new mouthpiece. And the problem has gone...

RTFM applied to me and my rovner dark -After a few months of playing on it I found that getting a good tone was almost impossible on the rovner - so much so, that I put it away and bought a £3.50 standard rico lig, which worked ok, and have been playing on that for a few months. Last week i found the instructions that came with the rovner and the bit about keeping the screw well lubricated jumped out at me - After rubbing a bit of cork grease on the thread and then retrying the lig I found all my problems with the rovner had been resolved.

Chad

 

[Lambik]

Just wanted to add that I have always found it very helpful to be able to squeak on purpose. For a long time, I couldn't confidently blow low notes. I often, though not always, hit the the second overtone (say I wanted a Bb, it came out an F). I then tried to be consistent in overblowing to the 2nd overtone, thus becoming aware of what the problem really was. This in turn allowed me to focus on curing the problem when trying to play the fundamental.

I now experience problems blowing a G/G# on tenor; it tends to overblow to a high D/D#. But by trying to be consistent in overblowing, I got a feeling as to what went wrong, and my G/G# are coming out right - and if they don't, it usually indicates that I'm getting tired

 

[kevgermany]

lol - I read the instructions and did grease it...

Lambik, interesting technique - must try it!

 

[AlistairD]

D and G are tricky...

IMHO, D with the octave key is the worst note on tenor. G is better but can be unstable. I find that G is 'fixed' with correct breath support but I still struggle with D especially in fast passages when transitioning from Bb, B, C and C sharp. After some experimentation for me, it's down to a lazy left ring finger which is sometimes late. This tends to then give me the first overtone of D and can then keep the overtone series as I move on to other notes. Not really what is required.... Slow practice of the transitions has helped me, but I need to focus on closing that finger first as it is lazy..

 

[kevgermany]

Funny, never had any problems with D+Octave. Wonder what we're doing different.

 

[half diminished]

I find D and Eb with the octave key need extra support or else they sound stuffy. I seem to recall something similar but less pronounced on the alto.

 

[Howard Long]

IMHO, D with the octave key is the worst note on tenor.

Are you sure you don't have a leak? I struggled, getting increasingly frustrated, for a number of months with exactly this problem until I took my tenor in to try a new mouthpiece, only to be told my tenor was in fact leaking. They fixed it there and then, and my, what a difference. Never had the same problem again.

Cheers, Howard