Saxophones Using the wrong keys.

[Bernie]

Coming back to the sax after a long break and a brief dalliance with the Lyons C clarinet, I find I am spontaneously using the low Eb key with the second octave, and the palm keys with the first octave.

Are these fingerings ever used by competent players, or is this just a bad habit I must stamp on?

 

[Nick Wyver]

Low Eb key with 2nd octave is the usual fingering for Eb2. Is that what you meant?
Palm keys with 1st octave are generally not advised because of tuning issues (flat) and thin sound. They're often used though for trills and similar.

 

[Ivan]

I've seen reference on this forum to a well known play who consistently used palm D for D2

It seems there isn't a good or bad way

If you leave your options open you might find that some choices have a better tone or pitch or are simply easier to get to in a hurry e.g. trilling between C#2 and D2 with the palm key

 

[Bernie]

Low Eb key with 2nd octave is the usual fingering for Eb2. Is that what you meant?

Yes, it is. Thanks Nick, I guess I am just confused.

Palm keys with 1st octave are generally not advised because of tuning issues (flat) and thin sound. They're often used though for trills and similar.

Ok, I think I am using them for "similar": a quick note between others in the 1st octave.

 

[Clivey]

I don`t think there is much wrong with using any of the alternative fingerings on a sxophone to take advantage of the differing Timbres especially when improvising or playing the same repeated note over a bar or 2 ( the same note, different sound) so to speak, LOL🙂 but it needs to be done by choice rather than mistake eh?

 

[BigMartin]

I've seen reference on this forum to a well known play who consistently used palm D for D2

I find myself doing this a lot. You do have to watch the tuning though.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Thanks for that Martin. Can only click one icon.

I just spent a very pleasant five minutes playing with the different D fingerings but nearly wet myself when the alto stopped playing completely😱

It took me some time to notice the palm D pad had fallen out

All sorted now.

 

[Nick Wyver]

You might well find that using the palm Eb key on its own gives you a more in tune D2. Or, at least, you might find it easier to lip that down a bit rather than lip the D palm key fingering up a bit.

 

[BigMartin]

You might well find that using the palm Eb key on its own gives you a more in tune D2. Or, at least, you might find it easier to lip that down a bit rather than lip the D palm key fingering up a bit.

I tend to play fairly loose, so there's room to lip up a bit. But I'll try the Eb too.

 

[jbtsax]

Thanks for that Martin. Can only click one icon.

I just spent a very pleasant five minutes playing with the different D fingerings but nearly wet myself when the alto stopped playing completely😱

It took me some time to notice the palm D pad had fallen out

All sorted now.

If this keeps happening, you may want to look into a larger different sort of pad. 🙂

 

[jbtsax]

There is nothing wrong with learning and using alternate fingerings so long as the regular fingerings are firmly established in your technique. It was hard to tell if this is what Greg meant from the video, but the way I use the D palm key is as a substitute for the octave key when playing regular D2 with all six fingers. It brings the pitch down and opens up the venting and voicing. If I want D2 to have a lower pitch and the same timbre, I add the low B key.

 

[Colin the Bear]

It's one of the originals that fell out..

You can get quite a nice rhythm going alternating the three D's

I must dig out one note samba.

 

[jbtsax]

It's one of the originals that fell out..

You can get quite a nice rhythm going alternating the three D's

I must dig out one note samba.

I meant if wetting yourself continues.

 

[BigMartin]

It was hard to tell if this is what Greg meant from the video, but the way I use the D palm key is as a substitute for the octave key when playing regular D2 with all six fingers.

No, I think he means to use both, It makes the note really pop out.

 

[Colin the Bear]

It's quite a nice effect holding 123 123 and octave and flapping the palm D.

 

[Bernie]

Low Eb key with 2nd octave is the usual fingering for Eb2. Is that what you meant?

Ok sorry everybody, I haven't learned the names of the keys yet, too busy playing the thing, but I will have to be more disciplined, anyway, I have actually been using the low C key for C2. It sounds at least as good as one of the two alternatives I have on my chart, but I feel sure it is not going to be officially sanctioned here.

I have started learning the names of the keys and doing scales with the palm keys and the other high notes this evening.

 

[Nick Wyver]

I have actually been using the low C key for C2.

Usually sharp. I think it sounds horrible too.

 

[Bernie]

Ok. Well quite a lot of the notes I play at the moment sound horrible, so this one doesn't stand out, but I will take account of your more refined judgement and will eschew the low C key for C2 henceforth and also forthwith.

 

[kevgermany]

Usually sharp. I think it sounds horrible too.

Also not stable on some saxes.

 

[Bernie]

What do you mean by "stable" there Kev?