What`s happening here?

[impulse]

After much home practice I got to play soprano sax with a group last night. All went well until after about a half hours playing & I`ve got no bottom C. Just seemed like a matress had been shoved up the bell. All other notes played OK. When I got home an hour later and tried the sax, no problem. I played for 10 mins. but couldn`t duplicate.
What`s happening here?. If the reed is closing off how come it only occurs on bottom C? If reeds get softer as you play I`m surprised this isn`t more of a known problem as professionals don`t want their reed strengths drifting as they play. Could it be mechanical and I`ve nudged a palm key or something? I`m reluctant to go to a stronger reed as the one I have is just right for my chops on the sop. My MPC is a Yam 4C. Cheers, Russ :erm:

 

[Linky Lee]

Just sounds like an intermittent mechanical fault.

I had one of those silica gel things that remove moisture in my case at one point, and it split. Loads of small balls everywhere! - It was terrible.

Anyway, I cleared it all out, or so I thought and I had a few practise sessions with no problems.

Then I was in concert and my low E and below wouldn't work! Nightmare.

I fiddled around off-stage in the relative dark for a while, and lo behold it a small tiny ball from the silica gel and been stuck somewhere on the sax, came loose and dropped precisely in between a bit of mechanism preventing keys to shut.

A slightly violent wiggle and shake sorted it out.

I wouldn't get worked up about reeds etc. just yet.
I think reeds close up on the higher notes before they do on the low ones. In my experience anyway.

Best of luck with future gigs! I've got myself a soprano gig lined up! Can't wait. First public soprano performance.

 

[impulse]

Linky_Lee wrote:
Just sounds like an intermittent mechanical fault

Thanks for your comments Linky & OK on the silica balls. I`m still inclined to think it was the reed because how come all was fine when the sax had a time to dry out? Also it felt like every hole in the sax was shut off. Good luck on your soprano gig. I`m sure you`ll love it. Russ

 

[therudest]

I think it could be cos 1 of your pads just got stuck...(just closed and won't open) it happened to me several times, and I was like wonderin' why the hell my g sounds like g# all the time))))))))...dunno bout bottom c and sopranos though...never ever held one in my own hands))))

 

[Bobby G]

G# is a very common one for the stickipad.....

I find, apart from the (debateable) use of lighter fuel on the pad and tone hole edge, well-lubricated bearings and good spring tension as cures for this problem, prevention is better. Fortunately, prevention is quite easy and enjoyable; just play your horn. A lot. Every day.

Piece of cake 🙂

I don't think this is Impulse's problem, though. You may not need a different strength reed, but replacing the one you've been using with one of the same strength might do the job.

I think the softening of a reed, after the initial softening of a brand new reed, is too gradual a process for it to suddenly affect your playing like that i.e. losing just one low note. It may be more useful, if not entirely accurate, to think of the softening process as an increase in reed flexibility when it is first moistened and played from new, followed by a slow and gradual thinning over time with use.

I don't know for sure how quantifiable this thinning or softening is, but a 2.5 could gradually drift towards being mire like a 2 or 2.25. Although it would slightly shorten the reed, using a reed-cutter to clip a fraction off the end of the reed would restore it to its former strength but not necessarily its best tone.

Cheers, Bob
Cheers, Bob

 

[impulse]

Well I`m almost too embarrassed to own up to this but as I`m a soprano beginner I suppose I must. I play sitting down and rest the tip of the bell on my knees. This has been working fine and supports the sop nicely. The problem was that in the excitement of playing (in my first gig) the bell was sliding slightly between my two knees. Just enough to close the two pads partially on the Bb holes. If they are only partially closed you get neither a Bb or a C. Sorry guys.

 

[impulse]

Well I`m almost too embarrassed to own up to this but as I`m a soprano beginner I suppose I must. I play sitting down and rest the tip of the bell on my knees. This has been working fine and supports the sop nicely. The problem was that in the excitement of playing (in my first gig) the bell was sliding slightly between my two knees. Just enough to close the two pads partially on the Bb holes. If they are only partially closed you get neither a Bb or a C. Sorry guys. :x

 

[therudest]

So it's mechanical))))...in the end))). 🙂

 

[Bobby G]

Darned straight sopranos. 😡 Have no truck with them, I say, get y'self a nice curved one, man. You know it makes sense.

Glad the problem's sorted, anyway.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Linky Lee]

Straight alto's are great, you can get low A quite easily.

Just put the bell on the floor and angle it at about 25 degrees and play your Bb. Marvellous. ANd you can use the Bb still by moving the sop off of the ground, and gliss between.

Who wouldn't want back ache? I mean a straight soprano?

 

[impulse]

Well Rudest,yep you`re right it was mechanical. But Bobby I just paid $3000 for this Yani, I`m little short for buying a replacement one yet. It sort of is a straight sop Linky, but with a curved neck. Does`nt look like one of those midget, short of metal casting types of my alto! Cheers Russ :S