Intonation How to play the saxophone in tune

[Dr G]

My sax life began with a 20 minute lesson. The high school band director gave me and a clarinet player instructions on the clarinet embouchure and then told 2 guys with trumpets how to blow those. Then we tuned the instruments. He handed me a ballpoint pen to mark where the mouthpiece should be for the sax to be in tune and thus began three years of being a saxophone player. Thankfully piano experience gave me some experience reading music.
The director was happy so long and the band members sort of finished the tunes at the same time. 🙂
That was how I learned to "play in tune." 😉
Now I try to do better.

That’s a sad story and all too common. It’s tough for student and teacher when the student begins in high school rather than elementary school, and all students are supposed to play together in one classroom.

I hope that you have since learned about listening, hearing, embouchure, and air support. If not, please add them to your list of Things to Do.

Kudos for hanging in there with the horn. As a player of 50+ years, I cannot imagine how my life would now be if the saxophone were never a part of it. Enjoy the path.

 

[chas5131]

Thank you.
Hopefully I have learned a few things.

 

[turf3]

I've played saxes that are extremely out-of-tune, beyond my ability to correct.
,,,.

Statement followed up with a list of clapped out horns in bad adjustment.

I believe that the number of saxophones built since 1920 that have meaningful intonation issues, when in good playing condition, and played with an appropriate mouthpiece (no Berg 0 chambers on 1920 Conn baritones, please!) is approximately zero.

 

[turf3]

As far as "how to play in tune" personally I think it all comes back to air. You're playing a WIND instrument. First priority needs to be WIND, not the details of how you clamp your lips around the mouthpiece, or what kind of pads you have installed, or whether a lacquer finish or silver plating gives a brighter tone.

 

[cappers]

As far as "how to play in tune" personally I think it all comes back to air. You're playing a WIND instrument. First priority needs to be WIND, not the details of how you clamp your lips around the mouthpiece, or what kind of pads you have installed, or whether a lacquer finish or silver plating gives a brighter tone.

@turf3

You have repeatedly written in general and to me personally "Practice long tones, from pppp to ffff and back, over the FULL range of the horn, with INTENTION and ATTENTION, striving to maintain a consistent tone quality and hold pitch over the full dynamic range. And then use some more air..."

After humiliating myself with my wailing I have been making consistent efforts to follow your advice, particularly managing my breath and really breathing fully. It will take time but I and others have noticed a difference and an improvement in my tone and intonation after just a couple of weeks. It's also easier to play with more air reserves, everything seems to flow better.
Thank you @turf3

 

[turf3]

@turf3

You have repeatedly written in general and to me personally "Practice long tones, from pppp to ffff and back, over the FULL range of the horn, with INTENTION and ATTENTION, striving to maintain a consistent tone quality and hold pitch over the full dynamic range. And then use some more air..."

After humiliating myself with my wailing I have been making consistent efforts to follow your advice, particularly managing my breath and really breathing fully. It will take time but I and others have noticed a difference and an improvement in my tone and intonation after just a couple of weeks. It's also easier to play with more air reserves, everything seems to flow better.
Thank you @turf3

Glad I could be of some help. I have come to these things the hard way, believe me.

 

[skeller047]

He handed me a ballpoint pen to mark where the mouthpiece should be for the sax to be in tune and thus began three years of being a saxophone player.

I have such a mark on one of my tenors, only because I use two mouthpieces on it (still haven’t decided which one to use, and am trying a third one…) I probably use a different approach to finding the right position for that mark though.

All my other horns just have one mouthpiece and they “know” where to go on the cork. I rarely have to move them for tuning; only when the piano is very badly out or the weather is really cold.

As a student, I remember being surprised the first time I played in a big band with professionals. The band didn’t tune up, and nobody ever moved their mouthpieces. By 16 bars into the first tune the horns were in tune. It was a revelation.

 

[thomsax]

To play a sax in tune it's easy; let your ears do the work. Blow in one end and the tones come out in the other end.

An amatuer blues and rock bas player earned his living as sax tech. He was in charge for tuning the pianos and grand pianos at a jazz festival. He was told by a young jazz saxophonist that the grand piano was out of tune. The days before some great saxplayers peformed with piano players playing on the same out of tune grand piano.

 

[Pete Thomas]

To play a sax in tune it's easy; let your ears do the work.

Many people do not find it easy. If I recall I struggled quite a lot at first. Switching from a MKVI to 10m helped on tenor but that may have been the mouthpiece.

 

[thomsax]

Many people do not find it easy. If I recall I struggled quite a lot at first. Switching from a MKVI to 10m helped on tenor but that may have been the mouthpiece.

It can be hard if you're too good. I had the same feeling when I was cooking. Many times I was trying to do better and better .... . If you ask a player to put on a mouthpiece on a new neck cork, without marks, the player is often out of tune but sounds good. I never tuned when I was playing at blues and rock jam. And I got nice comments on jam, not when I was playing "My Funny Valentine" in a saxophone octett at a very slow tempo. Too clever music .... . To tune, I'm not smart enough.

 

[Pete Thomas]

It can be hard if you're too good.

Ha, that wasn’t the case.

 

[Dr G]

If you ask a player to put on a mouthpiece on a new neck cork, without marks, the player is often out of tune but sounds good.

Seriously? Really?

Color me either incredulous or naive. Someone has to hear it. Why not the player?

How does a horn ever get in tune?

 

[Pete Thomas]

Seriously? Really?

Color me either incredulous or naive. Someone has to hear it. Why not the player?

How does a horn ever get in tune?

Surely it depends on whether they are playing along with something or not.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Out of tune never sounds good to me. Frustrating when it's yourself though. 🤔

 

[PigSquealer]

I’m partly tone deaf from years of tuning race cars & motorcycles.
Some I question myself as to what I’m hearing. Checked to tuner…. If still don’t like or feel 100% confident on delivering. I have two trusted technicians and three pro players I can ask to test play those I question. Vintage horns can be fussy. Upper stack to lower stack, E,D (Lo C height). Upper stack between octaves & palm keys. Mouthpiece & reed combination along with embouchure control can make for a good challenge. Be patient is my best suggestion.

 

[Tenor Viol]

A lot depends on people's backgrounds, but often people who are new to learning to play an instrument other than a fixed pitch instrument (e.g. piano) have little knowledge/understanding of what 'in tune' is or even means.

It is very easy for those of use who have been involved with music for decades to forget about that. It's too early on a Sunday morning - sunrise isn't until about 8.20 this morning - to go into the issues of tuning, temperaments etc. All I'll say is just because a tuning device says "it's in tune" doesn't mean that it is and it's important to get your ears into the habit of listening to tuning.

 

[Targa]

A lot depends on people's backgrounds, but often people who are new to learning to play an instrument other than a fixed pitch instrument (e.g. piano) have little knowledge/understanding of what 'in tune' is or even means.

It is very easy for those of use who have been involved with music for decades to forget about that. It's too early on a Sunday morning - sunrise isn't until about 8.20 this morning - to go into the issues of tuning, temperaments etc. All I'll say is just because a tuning device says "it's in tune" doesn't mean that it is and it's important to get your ears into the habit of listening to tuning.

You need the sun to rise before you can go into details, does your tuner work like a sun dial?

 

[mizmar]

You need the sun to rise before you can go into details,

Set. ,🧛‍♂️

 

[Ghr9204]

I've been playing in tune for such a long time that I don't even think about it. I just do it. The community band has the lead clarinet play a tuning note for the band. For me it is superflorous. Within the first couple notes of the first tune, I am in tune.

Plus, as the instrument warms and cools, its tuning changes. I adjust accordingly.

In the past it has been kind of strange how in Internet forums, I explain how I keep in tune, then receive a cockamamie explanation from some well to do that I am doing it wrong to be followed up by some clarinetist prima donna chiming in.

I agree with Targa on sundial tuning. It's 6 o'clock here and still Oh-Dark-30. Returning to bed. 😪

 

[Dr G]

To play a sax in tune it's easy; let your ears do the work. Blow in one end and the tones come out in the other end.

An amatuer blues and rock bas player earned his living as sax tech. He was in charge for tuning the pianos and grand pianos at a jazz festival. He was told by a young jazz saxophonist that the grand piano was out of tune. The days before some great saxplayers peformed with piano players playing on the same out of tune grand piano.

It is entirely possible that the performances the days before included some heavy-handed pianists that drove the piano out of tune.

Or maybe he was just jerking your friend’s chain.