[mountainman]

The Christiansen arrangement of Stars and Stripes Forever for Sax Quartet ( where the soprano sax has the piccolo part) has a 4th line D flat trill at measure 70? I don't believe anyone who understood the sax would put a trill on that note so it must be a computer transposition? There are many other trills in the piece but this is the only impossible? one.

That said, the only way I have a prayer of playing the piece as written is to use palm D and then even with a neck strap holding the horn still enough to get the next note is a problem. Up until now I just play it straight. Anyone have another approach?

 

[hakukani]

Which Db? And what follows it to make it impossible?

 

[Dr G]

Use the palm key and don't whack it so hard.

Conversely, you could use a long Db.

So many choices...

 

[thejoyofsax]

Finger D. Lift your left hand index and middle fingers (yes, leave the octave key down). This will get you a nice Db, and you only have to get those two fingers back down for D. It works quite nicely for trills or tremolos that revert back to Db/C#, because you can also use it when fingering Eb, E, F, F#.

As an aside, I think you should always use a neckstrap when playing sop. Why sacrifice the added stability or put so much undue pressure on the thumb?

Let me know if you have questions about my fingering suggestion.