The Eejit Strikes Again

[Ivan]

I've been wrestling with intonation big-time recently which I thought was down to my new "improved" lips out embouchure a la C-the-Bear and the late F Kuti etc. etc. "Give it time and practice and I'll get some form of control," was my thinking

But actually tenor has remained good and on baritone I'm simply not experienced enough yet to tame it

The major problem in the past two months has been alto which is wildy, wildy out to the point I thought I'd completely and possibly permanently undone all my previous control on the instrument I've played the longest

Having another glum go at alto last night, watching the tuning meter start flat and veer from port to starboard while I sliced the atmosphere with uncontrolled screeches on certain notes I had a random thought about the expression on Bryce the Techs face when he last serviced the alto and saw that I store reeds in the bell of the horn.... he wasn't impressed

"I wonder," thought I. Off with neck, peered down the innards, adjusted the light, adjusted my glasses and Lo: a foreign body stuck high in the tube

Turns out it was a Forestone bari reed holder which is wide enough to lodge at the high F# pad keyhole level on an alto (dunno why it was in alto case.... even I can't think of a way to blame other family members)

Let that be a warning to you kids... if Uncle Ivan sounds like a throttled crow ask him to check his sax for debris

 

[Tenor Viol]

Been there - I keep leaving pull-throughs stuffed in the bell...

 

[MandyH]

never store anything in your bell!! 😉
actually, I made a very fetching quilted bag to put all sorts of stuff in (pencil, glasses etc) and it goes down my Bari bell, as there is no room in the bari case for such accoutrements
we had a concert once, and during the opening large band piece, I was aware that the bell-notes were not playing well. 😱
I changed the reed and still no luck. I was beginning to panic, as we were playing a quartet piece next, and I was needed. Just as I was about to cry....I realised that I had left the quilted bag down the bell!

 

[llamedos]

Restores your faith in human nature to realise you are not the only one....... I guess we have all done something similar some time or other!

Dave

 

[jbtsax]

This is why I am a big fan of traditional cases with storage compartments, preferably with lids that latch. 🙂

 

[Colin the Bear]

Back in the day before leak lights and everybody smoked, I was advised to block up the bell with balled up socks and blow cigarette smoke down the sax while holding a low Bb. It works quite well but you can guess what happened. Turned up at the practice and the tenor was very muffled.

"Man it sounds like you're playing through a sock"

Light bulb moment and produced a ball of socks. The band fell about laughing.

 

[MandyH]

This is why I am a big fan of traditional cases with storage compartments, preferably with lids that latch. 🙂

I have one of those (a Yamaha case), but I don't have arms like the incredible hulk to carry it around! therefore my shaped bari case has wheels!

 

[Melissa]

I know this too well, I got a sax back from Ray, it had a full overhaul, and I just could not get the bottom end to speak properly, 20 mins I tried and thought, something really is amiss here, called Ray and told him, he said play it over the phone, so I tried to, he scratched his head and then said, Mel, did you take my invoice out of the bell.... How incredibly embarassing 😳

 

[Jeanette]

I know this too well, I got a sax back from Ray, it had a full overhaul, and I just could not get the bottom end to speak properly, 20 mins I tried and thought, something really is amiss here, called Ray and told him, he said play it over the phone, so I tried to, he scratched his head and then said, Mel, did you take my invoice out of the bell.... How incredibly embarassing 😳

Oops 🙂

Jx