[cyblord]

I'd really appreciated if someone could record a high "A" for me on an alto. I don't have my horn around these days, and would like to buzz on a mpc to keep my embouchure up.

Thanks!

 

[gary]

Do yourself a favour and buy a small inexpensive tuner.
(an alto A is a Concert "C" on your tuner.)
If you don't have a tuner, get one and it'll do you well over the coming years.

 

[cyblord]

aye aye, gary

 

[Agent27]

But shouldn't an alto mouthpiece by itself play A concert?

 

[CountSpatula]

That's what I was thinking...maybe he thought A concert which is an F# on alto

 

[cyblord]

But shouldn't an alto mouthpiece by itself play A concert?

I don't have the perfect chops, so I try to play as close to an A as possible (just for a reference)

 

[CountSpatula]

Cyblord...the standard on mouthpiece alone is a concert A, and if your playing an A on your alto sax that's a concert C...I think that's what Agent is trying to say.

 

[Agent27]

Yes, when somebody brings up the "mouthpiece exercise" and says "play an A on the mouthpiece", they mean to play a concert (piano) A and not an A on the saxophone.

You can go here and get a concert A.

http://www.onlinetuningfork.com/

For a longer sustaining note (and accordingly more annoying), click here:
http://www.saxlessons.com/Sine440.ram

I actually think this last one is a tad flat.

 

[cyblord]

okay, so let's get this clear here:

alto mpc A = concert A = F# on horn?

 

[cyblord]

the thing is, look at this page:

http://www.brucepearsonmusic.com/article/SaxEmbouchure.htm

the very bottom images

 

[Agent27]

Yeah, but those pitches refer to concert pitch. An alto mouthpiece should blow a concert A, a tenor mouthpiece should blow a concert G. He didn't make that distinction but he should have.

And yes a Concert A = F# on alto sax.

 

[gary]

Yeah, but those pitches refer to concert pitch. An alto mouthpiece should blow a concert A, a tenor mouthpiece should blow a concert G. He didn't make that distinction but he should have.

And just to confuse anyone looking to be confused, LOL, I was at a master class recently where the teacher, jazz tenor player, recommended playing these pitches 1/2 step lower on the mpc if you are looking for a jazz embouchure. He felt the slightly looser embouchure was more fitting.

 

[tonyh]

so are you saying that blowing the mpc on its own should sound like playing a high F# on the alto, and also are there tuners made for saxophones or do you need to use a guitar or piano tuner and know how to transpose the notes.

 

[gary]

so are you saying that blowing the mpc on its own should sound like playing a high F# on the alto, and also are there tuners made for saxophones or do you need to use a guitar or piano tuner and know how to transpose the notes.

Get yourself something like this: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Korg-CA30-Chromatic-Tuner?sku=210527&src=3SOSWXXA

Tuners are normally in concert pitch, so they can be used universally, and you will need to transpose if you are playing your sax into the tuner to check specific sax pitches. But if you are playing your alto mouthpiece to concert "A" you do not need to transpose. You just blow into your mouthpiece and look at the needle on the tuner and the little graphic and it will tell you if you are playing a concert "A" (or another pitch) and if it is a concert A whether or not you are sharp or flat.

For those unfamiliar with this mpc exercise: http://www.saxontheweb.net/Learning/tone_production.html

 

[altobeginner]

I was hoping this thread was about the altissimo high A!

If someone wants to record altissimo high A (preferably in a musical context), I'd listen to it!