Is it supposed to do that.

[What]

Hello all,

Well I received my Tenor Sax just the other day and have been doing the breathing exercises linked to me from this site and the finger exercises suggested on the forums here. Then I opened my beginners guide book and have a new question for you all.

The first few notes that the book suggest are G - C played with the octave key pressed. I noticed that when I press the key where my left ring finger rest down, it forces the octave to close again. Is this supposed to happen or did i get a damaged sax? Sorry for the laymen's description if it makes it harder to understand what I am asking. I am still learning what key is what.

Also one more while I am here. What do you all find is the best placement of the hands when putting the neck onto the saxophone. I am worried that I might bend something while I am sliding it on (trust me thats my luck too).

 

[Nick Wyver]

Bit of an odd book that starts you playing in the upper register.

Your sax is perfectly normal. You will notice, if all is well, that when you put your G finger down, as well as the upper octave key closing, another small key opens a bit further down on the sax. It's usually somewhat hidden by the keywork. This is the lower octave key and operates for the notes G# down to D.

 

[aldevis]

Bit of an odd book that starts you playing in the upper register.

Indeed

 

[MandyH]

as for the neck question....I stand my sax on the bed, or hang it on the neck strap first, then I hold the neck with my right hand (probably because I'm right handed) with thumb and middle finger on each side, cork inside the palm of the hand, and index finger down the back of the curve of the neck, finger tip on the collar of the tenon. Hold the neck fairly close to the curve, not way out near the cork.
I take a gentle hold of the top of the sax with my left hand, pretty much around all the rods and keywork, but not tight, just to steady it. I offer the neck to the hole in the sax and wiggle the neck gently.

Provided the thumb screw is loose enough at the top of the sax, the neck should just drop down into it.
If it's a tight struggle, you could take a really fine grade abrasive paper to the neck tenon, or wire wool and just rub it until the fit is smooth, but not loose. (someone will be along to tell me not to do that in a minute!)
don't apply grease or oil - just yukky!

When you offer the 2 parts together, you must make sure you are square and in-line otherwise it will be a struggle.

And to remove, do the opposite - loosen thrumb screw and take hold of neck in same way and one gently pull in-line with the hole and it should come out. I give it a little wiggle on the way out.

As you say, if you grip too tightly, you could squash the octave mechanism on the neck.

 

[aldevis]

as for the neck question....I stand my sax on the bed, or hang it on the neck strap first, then I hold the neck with my right hand (probably because I'm right handed) with thumb and middle finger on each side, cork inside the palm of the hand, and index finger down the back of the curve of the neck, finger tip on the collar of the tenon. Hold the neck fairly close to the curve, not way out near the cork.
I take a gentle hold of the top of the sax with my left hand, pretty much around all the rods and keywork, but not tight, just to steady it. I offer the neck to the hole in the sax and wiggle the neck gently.

Provided the thumb screw is loose enough at the top of the sax, the neck should just drop down into it.
If it's a tight struggle, you could take a really fine grade abrasive paper to the neck tenon, or wire wool and just rub it until the fit is smooth, but not loose. (someone will be along to tell me not to do that in a minute!)
don't apply grease or oil - just yukky!

When you offer the 2 parts together, you must make sure you are square and in-line otherwise it will be a struggle.

And to remove, do the opposite - loosen thrumb screw and take hold of neck in same way and one gently pull in-line with the hole and it should come out. I give it a little wiggle on the way out.

As you say, if you grip too tightly, you could squash the octave mechanism on the neck.

Fifty Shades of Blues?

I got a bit lost....
My only advice is to put the mouthpiece on the neck BEFORE you put the neck on the sax.

 

[kevgermany]

Agree with Mandy, the neck should slide in, with just a little friction.

nb, by wiggle she means twist, not rock backwards and forwards, this can bend things.

 

[sushidushi]

I usually have the sax on a stand when I put the neck on. I suppose one could hold it in the right hand where the thumb rest is, as you're not likely to bend anything that way.

 

[What]

Bit of an odd book that starts you playing in the upper register.

I am ordering something else as soon as I can. This book leaves a lot to be desired. It did not note that I needed to press the octave key on the fingering instructions, it just gave an extra fingering dot. I had to hunt through the fingering chart on the back and use process of elimination and prodding on the sax to make out what they meant. he octave key is never mentioned, but it's the only key that is not marked for the left hand, it's position matches roughly and nothing else makes sense at this point. So a new dvd or book for me on my next pay check, till then I will do what I can with what I have.

Thanks everybody for the help again. I was getting concerned there. I will have to try those neck insertion tips.The next slide in well with just a bit of twisting, but I just had some new sax jitters and all that.

 

[sushidushi]

Assuming the book shows the musical stave, is the G, for example, just above the top line, or on the second line from the bottom?

 

[What]

Assuming the book shows the musical stave, is the G, for example, just above the top line, or on the second line from the bottom?

Its the G that sits on the top on the stave.

 

[sushidushi]

Its the G that sits on the top on the stave.

That would certainly mean using the octave key then. Strange. It's worth getting another book for a different perspective, though I have learned over the past few months that playing ability isn't necessarily directly correlated to the number of books one owns.

 

[What]

That would certainly mean using the octave key then. Strange. It's worth getting another book for a different perspective, though I have learned over the past few months that playing ability isn't necessarily directly correlated to the number of books one owns.

True enough. Though I feel like this book might be needing a little padding to get me a well rounded education on the basics. I was thinking the DVD offered on this site. I know it's for alto, but that just means the notes will sound different if I understand correctly. Technique, rhythm, and all that should be the same.

 

[kevgermany]

Pete's DVD is good. Just as applicable to tenor as alto.