High Notes on Soprano Sax

[Micheal Murray]

Hey guys, wanted to ask you all about the soprano saxophone and playing the very high notes. Right about now I can get up to palm key D and play it in tune, but when I get to Eb and E, they are almost a half step flat! If I open the previous key ie Eb and D, E and Eb, they play in tune fine, but I was hoping there was some techniques/exercises. I could practice to get my away from that habit as it seems slightly impractical. Im on a Selmer S80 D and a Bauhaus Walstein Bronze soprano and 21/2 rico reserves, but I highly doubt its the setup, just thought I'd mention that extra detail. Cheers guys, so any techniques/exercises you could give me to get those high notes in tune would be much appreciated!

Regards,
Mike

 

[Saxdiva]

Are you using the right hand side key as well as the palm key when fingering E? How does F sound?

 

[Nick Wyver]

If I open the previous key ie Eb and D, E and Eb, they play in tune fine,

That's what you're supposed to do (on all saxes).

 

[Colin the Bear]

Yes we add the palm keys one after the other and holding the three lefthand palm keys and the right hand E key we add the F# key with the right hand third finger and then on the sop, the G with the second finger if you have one.

 

[BigMartin]

Yes we add the palm keys one after the other and holding the three lefthand palm keys and the right hand E key we add the F# key with the right hand third finger and then on the sop, the G with the second finger if you have one.

I presume you mean key, not finger 😉.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Yes some sops don't have a high G key.

This is the finger to use

 

[Pete Thomas]

That's what you're supposed to do (on all saxes).

Not just the previous key, but all of them, so for E, you hold open the D as well as the Eb.

And for F, you hold open, E, Eb and D.

F# and G are notes I don't play on soprano. Well I did once and maybe that's why the cat peed in my saxophone case.

 

[Chris]

Well I did once and maybe that's why the cat peed in my saxophone case.

All posts like this should carry a PC screen in danger warning sign😳 not again..

 

[kevgermany]

what happened to the swear word filter?

 

[Pete Thomas]

what happened to the swear word filter?

What ****ing swear word filter? We can say peed.

 

[kevgermany]

 

[aldevis]

F# and G are notes I don't play on soprano.

We can say peed.

This sounds like a new direction is officially set for the forum.

 

[Targa]

Not just the previous key, but all of them, so for E, you hold open the D as well as the Eb.

And for F, you hold open, E, Eb and D.

F# and G are notes I don't play on soprano. Well I did once and maybe that's why the cat peed in my saxophone case.

When I tried I peed in my own saxophone case.

 

[Saxdiva]

Laughing so much, nearly just did it myself!