Question about slow-firing high G

[AndyB]

I'm having trouble on my tenor playing octaves from low G to high G. Any other octave pair pops right out but the high G comes out late if I try going from low G to high G with either legato or anchor tongued. If I tongue the high G hard like a top hat accent it comes out. But without accenting the high G, going from low G to high G comes out sounding like pffffffWEEE instead of GEEEEE.

Any hints?

Thanks!

 

[phooesnax]

Check your body octave vent. Is it opening slowly when you press your octave key and hold the G fingering? This is the cross over point where your key work transitions from the body octave vent to neck.

A small amount of cork grease on the cork where it slides or oil the pivots with light oil. These mechanisms vary greatly so a tech may be needed.

The two biggest problem with sax regulation are related to this problem and G sharp articulation.

 

[AndyB]

Thanks Jim. You were exactly right. It was a sticky pad on the body octave vent. I could hear is smacking when I worked it. I pulled an old dollar bill through a half-dozen times and its working fine now.

This forum rocks!

 

[SaxyMalcolm]

I'm having trouble on my tenor playing octaves from low G to high G. Any other octave pair pops right out but the high G comes out late if I try going from low G to high G with either legato or anchor tongued. If I tongue the high G hard like a top hat accent it comes out. But without accenting the high G, going from low G to high G comes out sounding like pffffffWEEE instead of GEEEEE.

Any hints?


Thanks!

Try playing the top G without the octave key and then slide (using your vocal tract only, with a feeling of general relaxation in your embouchure) down to the lower G as smoothly as possible (do the same with F#, F, E, Eb, D, C#, C, B and Bb also). This will train you throat to be in the correct shape for the pitches you want to play, also try singing the notes and try and remember the shape you are making with your throat to sing the pitch

M

 

[gladsaxisme]

Thanks Jim. You were exactly right. It was a sticky pad on the body octave vent. I could hear is smacking when I worked it. I pulled an old dollar bill through a half-dozen times and its working fine now.

This forum rocks!

It would have been even better if you had used a five pound note

PS would of said pound note but unfortunately that's got so little value now it's been made coinage

 

[johnboy]

PS would of said pound note but unfortunately that's got so little value now it's been made coinage[/QUOTE]

Tell me about it.
Hear in Spain we've watched the Pound slide against the Euro :crying: and both Nick and my wife have been convincing me I need a bari :shocked:

John.

 

[jonf]

Nick and my wife have been convincing me I need a bari :shocked:

John.

You do. Everyone does.

 

[Nick Wyver]

Nick and my wife have been convincing me I need a bari

What! You haven't got one??!! :shocked:

 

[AndyB]

Malcolm, I practiced that tonight. That is a great exercise. It really lets you feel the difference in the placement of the notes in the different octaves. Thanks a million!

 

[zootsaxenberger]

What! You haven't got one??!! :shocked:

its alright for you tall guys, us little'uns cant see over the top of a bari , let alone hold it