Intonation Issues in the Upper Register

[Joe from NOLA]

It can be the sax, mouthpice/reeds that cause you trouble? It can also be the player who is "unstable".

I try to add some embouchure excercises that helps me to get better intonation (to "hit the tone clear", "renare tonträff" in swedish) and equality (better timbre) from the bottom to the top of the sax. I need a better feeling for intervals. A tuner can help me with the tone height but I have to trust my ears when it comes to timbre.

I know a few sax players who are unstable but play in tune.

 

[Richie Boy]

Good tips on this evergreen topic, and honestly I'd think it would be quite weird if someone didn't have intonation issues in the upper register, at least for a good long while. It usually takes many years to develop the kind of physiological control required for playing the "top tones" with control.

The book that helped me the most (aside from Rascher) was Dave Liebman's Developing a Personal Saxophone Sound, which is largely based off of Rascher and Allard, AFAIK. But any of those methods will be helpful. My tone role model for all that is the great Mark Turner, whose altissimo control is always extremely beautiful and effective. His solo on this track is masterful, IMO.

View: https://youtu.be/5q62A-fNmi0?si=fXFejVDrTLhWZH_U

Thanks, I’ll definitely look at the Liebman book you mention

 

[thomsax]

The get a better feeling for intervals (the differences between two tones) I do an excercise called "legato utan tunga" in swedish , "legato without tongue" in english? The tongue shold me inactive when doing this excercise. Listen and try to get eveness (equality) and to hit a tone clean (intonation). Work in half steps. Start on C and go up to to the highest tone F or F# and the go down to Bb or A. Boring? Yes, but I have no problems with doing boring things if it leads to freedom and a better situation. Most of life I have been doing boring things. As football player, chef ..... . I developed my own methods to deal with doing boring things. No drugs or alcohol .....

Metronome , or whatever you use, on 60 bpm. Start on C and play B/H and back to C (liten sekund/ minor second). Then play B/H to Bb/B and back to B/H ..... . Do the same up to to F/F#. Start on C to C# and back to C. C# to D and back to C#.

Next you play a whole tone step (major second) up and down. C to D back to C. Minor third C to D#/Eb back to , major third C to E back to C ......