Saxophone beginners high g# and high a problems

[Rory_Thomas Sax newbie]

Hi everyone sorry for asking a poor question. I have been playing te sax for about 3 months and playing at a grade 2 level. But having problems with high g# and high a they just sound awful and garguly. Any suggestions?

 

[Justin Chune]

After the lush sounds of the rest of the sax those two notes came as an awful shock to me as well. When i mentioned them to my teacher he just laughed and told me that I had discovered the two worst notes on the instrument and that I would get used to them. That's what happened. You will get used to them too.

Jim.

 

[Rory_Thomas Sax newbie]

Thanks jim 🙂

 

[littleplum]

Hi Rory

Try adding more pressure to your diaphragm and this will add more power to the air supply and make these notes sound a lot better.

best wishes

Dave

 

[Rory_Thomas Sax newbie]

Thanks Dave ill try that, im also playing them as long notes to get used to them. Slowly getting better at them.

 

[Der Wikinger]

just to clarify. Are you speaking about the high g# on the top of the treble clef or the one an octave above that one?

 

[Andante cantabile]

Hi everyone sorry for asking a poor question. I have been playing te sax for about 3 months and playing at a grade 2 level. But having problems with high g# and high a they just sound awful and garguly. Any suggestions?

Who told you are playing at grade 2 level, and BTW whose grade 2? Just curious.

 

[Rory_Thomas Sax newbie]

My teacher told me i was playing at grade 2 level. A
nd im talking about high g# on top of the treble cleff. Im getting there slowly tho im playing for at least 2 hours a day.

 

[Andante cantabile]

My teacher told me i was playing at grade 2 level. A
nd im talking about high g# on top of the treble cleff. Im getting there slowly tho im playing for at least 2 hours a day.

Excellent. I can see now why you are making progress. Keep up the good work.

 

[Rory_Thomas Sax newbie]

Thanks very much beck. I just well and truly love the instrument. If i could play all day i would. My wife bought me my sax as i was borrowing one but now i have my own its my prized possession.

 

[kevgermany]

As well as the breath, a slightly harder reed may help.

 

[half diminished]

These things take time and of course practice of good technique. You might want to get hold of a book called Top Tones for the Saxophone. It's pretty cheap and very helpful.