[sivishankari]

To tell you the truth, this is really about a tenor, alto, and soprano, but I didn't want to clog three boards, so please forgive me.

I have three saxes, none of which I played for a two year period (wherin I played guitar) until recently, where I've felt a desire to play sax on my records.

Well, so I looked through my reeds to find one without splits, which I did. Then I got out my sax, got everything set, and blew.

That's where the trouble starts, because I played a Bb and out came a F#.

I cranked that damn mouthpiece as far as I could up the neck, and the note barely went up to a G.

And then I tried one of my other saxes, and then the next, and the same thing happened with all three!

Naturally, because of the length of time they weren't played, I assume that this is possibly related to time with care or use, but I cannot be sure.

Does anybody have similar woes?

 

[bandmommy]

No keys stuck down that should be open? Are you sure you remember your fingerings? Were you using a guitar tuner?
Not trying to be rude or question your intelligence, just tossing out some ideas.

 

[sivishankari]

I was in fact using a guitar tuner. Does that actually affect things?

I do remember my fingerings, and just to be sure I checked a fingering chart.

I've examined all the saxes, and no keys are stuck.

 

[SactoPete]

Well, a Bb should come out as an Ab on a guitar tuner... First and foremost, make sure the tuner is set to a=440, some of them are adjustable and easy to accidentally take out of calibration. That aside, you aren't a mile away... just a half-tone. Probably just your throat and mouth cavity combined with your embouchure are missing the target a bit. Just practice for a day or two and you'll probably have it fall in line.

For the record, if you play middle C on tenor or soprano, it should read Bb on your guitar tuner, and if you play middle C on alto, it'll show up as Eb on the tuner... now you know why Tenor and Sop are "Bb" instruments, and Alto is an "Eb" instrument

 

[sivishankari]

Fascinating.

I'd ask why it is, but I'd hate to waste more of your time.

Thank you, all!

 

[kymarto]

The sax is a transposing instrument. Alto is in the key of Eb, tenor and sop in Bb. That means that the note which you play is actually not the note in concert pitch. This is done to make the reading of music easier, but a tuner only shows you the concert pitch.