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how could I check if my sax is in tune?
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I would add also that often electronic tuners get a bit confused
with the rich harmonic content of the saxophone sound.
Especially when checking notes outside the middle range.
There are a pair of superior devices attached to the side of your
head that will indicate when you are in tune. They are called 'ears'.
with the rich harmonic content of the saxophone sound.
Especially when checking notes outside the middle range.
There are a pair of superior devices attached to the side of your
head that will indicate when you are in tune. They are called 'ears'.
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Saxophone is not like an electronic keyboard.
It does not automatically play in tune.
It's a bit like a violin in that respect.
It is up to the player to correct the tuning.
You can use a tuner to get an idea of where you're at, but up
on the bandstand, it's all down to you.
It does not automatically play in tune.
It's a bit like a violin in that respect.
It is up to the player to correct the tuning.
You can use a tuner to get an idea of where you're at, but up
on the bandstand, it's all down to you.
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its because when you get that high, the natural response is to tighten your emboucher because it requires extrordinary air control to even get the note out and you tighten up to allow to push air through. You really don't need to, you just have to move your air differently, now its impossible for everynote to just magicaly be in tune(unless your a leprachan) but its not just the sax itself. just practice with a tuner and learn how. Eventually you see what i mean(don't worry, i can't play that in tune either lol)
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hey this isent going to help much. when u play in tune you will just feel it it will hit the right pitch and youl just go awwww. and know. sence ur a new it will be hard but after u play for a while uwill get better at telling. when u play at school or something the director will proboly tune u on a concert Bb (which is a g on alto and a c on tenor) when he does that push or pull your mouthpiece on or off to lenthin or shortin the instriment. hope i helped
Grafton + TH & C alto || Naked Lady 10M || TT soprano || Martin Comm III
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I'm sure that may be very useful, but have you thought of using punctuation or spell checking?altobariguy said:
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Wow. That was bad. Thank you Pete.
Grafton + TH & C alto || Naked Lady 10M || TT soprano || Martin Comm III
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Hehe, glad you didn't take offense. I've learnt the hard way that posting on the internet is not the same as talking to your friends, even a slight difference in language and culture (e.g. U.S - U.K) can make it difficult to understand so it must be harder for those who don't have "English" as a first language.
Stay cool.
Stay cool.
...Dear Peter, thanks for pointing out his errors but I think it would be quite nice to have heard your thoughts on the actual matter. I am a big fan of yours although you don't know it and I have gained an awful lot from your www.petethomas.co.uk website over the years more so in the last 2. Francis (My 4seasonsband leader) often complains when we play that my sax is slightly out of tune but I never seem to get what he means and even pulling the mouthpiece slighty out or in on the cork never seems to make much of a difference (as most books suggest) most times. Anyway, we went to the studio on 25th of July 2011 to record a song as a memorial to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the USA and while in that recording studio, my apparently being out of tune became evermore so obvious even to me and the most frustrating part was my sax not responding to any remedies I tried to effect. That's why I googled this phrase and landed here. My sax is a black lacquered Trevor James, The Horn classic. Please advise me. Thanks! The track we recorded is titled "Where were you?" and it will be a free download and should be available really soon.
I've found the best way to play in tune is to play with other horns, pianos, guitars etc... All the idiosyncrasies of your horn and the way you play it will show up. Then when you practice by yourself you will gradually know what an in tune interval sounds like. When you occassionally check with a tuner you will be alot closer to the absolute pitch. It's all about confidence in your pitch and tone. Also there isn't any way to really know what you sound like until you perform with others. The most sobering and informative thing is to hear a recording of you soloing over an ensemble.
Check out Steven Duke's article on the subject of mouthpiece placement. Mouthpiece Placement, Tuning and Tone It is the one I most often see quoted on this site, and it helped me a lot. The idea is to get your octaves in tune with each other, this article recommends the B or Bb because that low B is the most difficult note to bend on the horn
Thanks! people, Mouthpiece placement, tuning and tone article was very useful, I really appreciate it. Although I haven't performed the experiments therein yet, I find that I can relate with many of his findings despite having been playing for 11years, I sometimes still have those same issues and like most others, I've been pulling the mouthpiece out rather than in due to thinking it was illogical to do so. Many thanks
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