Trouble with altisimo g

[jov1988]

I have been trying to get the high g down but it feels like it gets, stuck in the reed.I need a new fingering (on tenor). The one I use is:
Tf---|Bb---

[Bootman]

The answer is throat and airspeed. G3 can be problematic on all tenors. The fingering you're using works on all tenors. You will need more air support and if you imagine that you're singing this note, this will put your throat in the correct shape to play this note. It will take time to become comfortable playing this note.

[jov1988]

Now, exacley how are you supposes to put the throt? And how fast should the airspeed be?

[Bootman]

Can you sing the note strongly at the correct pitch? If not, then this is why the note will not sound when you play it. Sing the note, aim for the same timbre as you would desire when you play this ntoe. If you can do this, then you will find that you have a great High G that doesn't sound stuffy, like a wailing Banshee or someone running their fingernails down a Balckboard.

[rollen]

Try putting your throat in the position to make the UHHHH sound.
Pre-hearing the note also helps.

That being said. I think what will help as much, if not more than anything else, is to do long tones, and overtones.

[Flatted 5th]

The one I use is:
Tf---|Bb---
I am not sure I understand this fingering explanation but if your Bundy has a high f# key you can try:
left hand: octave and b
right hand:side bflat and f# which on my selmer vii are right next to each other, works everytime.

[jov1988]

The one ive been trying is: Right:octave,aux f, left:side Bb

[GHawk]

Bootman hit it. Also, make sure that the left-hand high F palm key is properly adjusted. When you press aux F the F palm key is raised. Sometimes adjusting the palm key/aux F link will make the note more accessible. You may need to experiment a bit in order to ascertain the proper height.

[tubbycub]

The one ive been trying is: Right:octave,aux f, left:side Bb

This fingering never works for me, all I get was either a squeak or squark. Based on some of the suggestions above, I am now using Right:octave, B; Left: side Bb, high F#. The altissimo G simply pops out without much effort.

[GHawk]

I use the Altissimo F# key as well, but the Bundy II doesn't have one.

[Wailin']

I agree with Bootman on this...throat position and air speed is important. :idea: Tongue position is also important...the g3 fingering that works for me is
LH--Octave key--B and RH side Bb and alt F# key...it only works when my tongue is the proper distance from my teeth...everyday I get a step closer to locking it in.

The fingering LH Octave key and RH side Bb doesn't work on my horn

[MojoBari]

Its a little awkard, but this one out of the Luckey book speaks good for me on problem tenors:

T 123G#/__6

need to check it with a sax in my hand but I think that is it.

[MojoBari]

Its a little awkard, but this one out of the Luckey book speaks good for me on problem tenors:

T 123G#/__6

need to check it with a sax in my hand but I think that is it.

Actually: T 123 low C#/__6

I use it on a Conn 10M, but it works on others too.

[Subtone Sam]

couple of other possibilities:

T1--|side Bb and high F# (works well on JKs)
T1-3|--3 (+Eb)
T1-3+G#|side Bb

[wersax]

This is arguably the most difficult note on the horn. I use front F alone for this; it's not sharp on my old Selmer. I think Bootman nails it with the throat/air speed comment..........paying close attention to the position of the tongue in the mouth will help in "discovering" the throat placement for this note.....the tongue, lips, throat, and air flow all work together. This is why the overtone exercises are so crucial..........

[TMadness1013]

Thanks for all your pointers...especially all the fingerings. I think my focus must be too high...because with each of those fingerings mentioned, I overshoot the G & end up with a C! Anything I can work on besides overtone practicing to lower my focus??? thanks!

[Bill Mecca]

if you're overshooting, you are tightening up. In one of Dave Leibman's books he said as you go up, "think down" it works.

[JL]

Bill Mecca & Bootman have it right. You have to back off a bit on the G to get it to speak without jumping up to a higher overtone. It takes just the right amount of airspeed and throat opening. Work at it and you'll get it.

[saxysai]

I, too, have an ENORMOUS problem with G! :( Usually during a practice session I can "work up" to it (like playing E, F, F#, then G), but I can never just hit the note. I can't get it to just pop out easily.

THis is becoming a major problem because I'm playing the Glazounov in my senior recital. :( In addition, one of the pieces my quartet is playing has several Gs.

I can play all the other notes. Just not G.

I'd really appreciate ANY advice!!!

[SAXISMYAXE]

High G3 tends to chirp or cut out. To avoid this and also avoid sounding too thin, it sometimes helps to arc the back of your tongue slightly to sound the note and bring it into tune.

[hornstar]

While some altissimo note fingerings are almost universal, others are unique to horn size and model. For example, some of the altissimo fingerings that are best on Selmers are flat on Couf/Keilwerth. Also, several fingerings that work best on tenor don't work well for bari/alto.

Like others, for me the best G on tenor is LH: Oct Alt-F RH: side Bb

However, my best G on bari (SBA) is: LH: Oct 1_3 G# RH: side Bb
I trill up to G# by adding the side C key with RH.
I trill down to F# by adding 12 with RH.

[GenericGuy]

Altissimo G is my most solid altissimo note. You just need to practice it a lot and include it in your scales when you practice. The best fingering I have found on all my saxophones for altissimo G is:
LH: T + 1 + 3 RH: 1 + side-Bb

You should also be able to use that fingering for the next overtone and produce an altissimo C.

Hornstar,
The tenor fingering you mentioned is the more-or-less universal alternate fingering for high F#... I have a feeling you may be lipping the note up to a G, or your tenor just has a unique personality.

[hornstar]

Thanks, GG, I know you mean to be helpful. I use altissimo extensively on tenor, and have settled on a set of fingerings that give me solid results consistently on Selmers (VIs and SBAs). I was sharing fingerings that work well for me, your results may vary.

[awholley]

Hornstar,
The tenor fingering you mentioned is the more-or-less universal alternate fingering for high F#... I have a feeling you may be lipping the note up to a G, or your tenor just has a unique personality.

Actually, I think you mis-read his post. The fingering he gave was the one I use for G as well. (Front F and side Bb). I add the low F key to that for F#. The way he wrote it, it could look like (front F, regular F and side Bb) -- or do you really use front F and side Bb for F#4 on tenor?

[hornstar]

I'm referring to the first F# out of the normal sax range, I honestly don't know if that's considered F#(3), F#(4) or what. On tenor, I usually use the following fingerings for this F#:

LH: Oct Alt-F Bis
RH: side Bb

and for G I use:

LH: Oct Alt-F
RH: side Bb

Using the above as my primary F# and G fingerings facilitates a smooth trill between the two.

Sometimes I use the following familiar forked fingering for F#:

LH: Oct 1_3
RH: side Bb 1__

Opening the side Bb for this fingering makes it less stuffy, but I find is not really necessary in faster passages.

[jazz_masta123]

I had this problem and the way that i fixed it ...was my instructor told me of a new fingering... its your B key with your High F# key.

[Phred168]

I've never had a problem, necessarily, with playing G3. However, no matter which fingering/throat positioning i use, it's always 15-20 cents flat. A3 is fine though. Whats the problem?

By the way, hi to all the folks who were here when i started on this board :) It's been a while.

[MojoBari]

Try using the A3 or G#3 fingering. You'll be sharp for sure.

Maybe you just hear it flat. You should be able to lip it up on any fingering if needed. Experiment with your own fingering variations to see if you can bring it up. Open some keys. What fingerings are you trying.

[brickboo]

I'm like Bootman. I have a Buescher Tenor. I have the "400." G is the hardest for me. I use just the octave and the F top fingering. I guess you call it the F alt?

After the G, I can do the A up to the D and it is of course easiest to do chromatically. I must tell you that it is much easier to accomplish this feat since I bought a #10 Runyon Quantum Metal with the insert, and the reeds make a big difference.

I use the plasticover black Rico # 3 1/2. I find them the most consistent. I tried the Hartman and other plastic reeds and IMHO they are ok if you’re just going to play in the middle of the horn forever.

Before reading this post today, I never could get the G#. But after fooling around while reading this post, I discovered how to do the G#. It's so easy that it is all but impossible for me on my Buesher to purposely try to play it wrong. Man if I could hit the G this easy I'd jump up and down for a month.

Maybe this is the fingering used for G# that I’ve never heard of. Maybe all of you guys use it. I don't know, but it is similar to the F# that is easiest for me on my Buesher that I bought in 1964. It didn‘t come with the F# key. I put it away in 1975, and started back playing maybe 3 years ago. I bet it is the best looking Original Buesher on Earth that’s been played for sometime.

Let me explain the F# fingering first. This might help.

F# is the Octave key, the middle finger C, alt F, RH Bb, and RH F key. I hope this is clear! This is the only way to blow it in tune on my horn.

When I tried the same thing but moved the RH Bb up to the RH C (alt C) or whatever you call it and the G# just jumped out. It is the easiest fake note I can hit now.

Boy if only the G wasn’t so hard. The G that I have been using was just the alt F key and it did play easier by gracing the G note from the middle finger Bb right next to the middle finger C.
But now by using the RH Bb side key it does seem to help me to sustain the G longer and clearer. But it is still hard with my Buescher.

[kasax63]

I find on my Martin Tenor I can hit the G3 fine using the altF, Bb fingering, but quite often I over shoot it, maybe to a G9(ha), basically an intune squeal. Anyone with a good suggestion on how to stop that?? I'm not really lipping it up and I use Bootmans "be the note,sing the note, play the note method, but man when it wants to go north it just does :shock:

[brickboo]

kasax63,

Play from the E to the F to the G in the middle of your horn several times so that you can hear the notes. Slowly at first and then faster. After doing this several times,


Try the same pattern at the top of the horn. Do not use the palm keys for any of the 3 notes E, F, G. Use only the alternate fingerings at the top of the horn. After a while try to hit just the G.

Do this every time you take the horn out. After the F note when you try to go up to the G3, grace the G3 from the alt Bb that is just next to the LH middle C. This is how I learned to be more accurate at hitting the G3. It always helps to grace the G3 note for me from that Bb key.

Don't forget, when doing this, don't use the palm keys for any of the notes E, F, G. Use the LH middle C with the LH index finger alt F key etc.

Boy I hope I'm not confusing you. To me it was impossible with a close Rubber Meyer mouthpiece. A more opened piece really helped me.

[kasax63]

Thanx Brickaboo-

I'm pretty sure I follow you. I'll give it a try tonight. You are right about the more open tip. A few months ago I went up to a .120 openning and G# is comming much easier. Since my last post I also discovered that if I tighten up more, I can hit it more consistantly without over shooting.

[Dentarthurdent]

I use the b key with high F# and side Bb together for altissimo G and it just pops out. For G# its just the same but with the side c instead of Bb.
Works for me (on tenor).

[kasax63]

No F# on an old Martin or Buescher! That would make life easier for sure, but I find the overall character of sound from these old Elkhardt, Indiana born horns is well worth the extra effort :wink:

[M Exner]

I think the G is one of the hardest to play consistently. I play it 1st and 3rd on both hands (with the octave) on both the alto and tenor. Should I dare try it on my soprano. :? Mike

[mwhaa]

i jsut got a high F# today and i use
Left:octave, Aux F middle finger
Right hand side Bb

this is on a 1920s conn new wonder with chu berry features so can i try the G by removing the middle finger?

[brickboo]

Mwhaa,
On my Buescher if I just use the side Bb for F# my horn plays it flat. To get it up to pitch I have to also use the F right hand key with the side Bb key.