Hello!
Another questoion in my 'newbie series'.
I 've found many posts in which beginners complain about low notes. I have no troubles with low notes on my alto starting at low Bb up to C# open.
I have problems with notes that engage the octave key. I can play relatively smoothly up to C# but when I hit the octave key with D fingering to produce the second octave D there is no change in pitch from the lower octave D unless I squeeze the mouthpiece really hard as I perceive it. As a result I can play those high notes at the edge of my physical abilities. I have to blow hard as well, I don't know why as I do it intuitively. I probably tense up as well as those notes look really difficult for me.
I saw some posts where it was mentioned that higher notes require tighter emouchure but I haven't seen a single post where it was really stressed. I've read lots of stuff on sax tone production including Larry Teal's 'Art...' book and watched some instructional videos like Walter Beasly's 'Tone...' but I don't remember that I noticed any emphasis on the tight embouchure for high notes. It sounds to me like those beginners with 'low notes' troubles get high notes naturally while the opposite troubles me.
Thanks for advice!
My equipment: Trevor James Classic alto with stock mouthpiece and #3 Vandoren reeds. The sax was checked by my teacher before he went on vacation. We didn't touch the high notes with him as a study material though but he played the whole range of the sax.
As I mentioned in my another post I yesterday tried #1.5 Vandoren reed that came with my sax kit and it was really much much easier to blow than #3 but it didn't help to produce the higher notes easier, only the low notes wich is the subject of my other post.
Another questoion in my 'newbie series'.
I 've found many posts in which beginners complain about low notes. I have no troubles with low notes on my alto starting at low Bb up to C# open.
I have problems with notes that engage the octave key. I can play relatively smoothly up to C# but when I hit the octave key with D fingering to produce the second octave D there is no change in pitch from the lower octave D unless I squeeze the mouthpiece really hard as I perceive it. As a result I can play those high notes at the edge of my physical abilities. I have to blow hard as well, I don't know why as I do it intuitively. I probably tense up as well as those notes look really difficult for me.
I saw some posts where it was mentioned that higher notes require tighter emouchure but I haven't seen a single post where it was really stressed. I've read lots of stuff on sax tone production including Larry Teal's 'Art...' book and watched some instructional videos like Walter Beasly's 'Tone...' but I don't remember that I noticed any emphasis on the tight embouchure for high notes. It sounds to me like those beginners with 'low notes' troubles get high notes naturally while the opposite troubles me.
Thanks for advice!
My equipment: Trevor James Classic alto with stock mouthpiece and #3 Vandoren reeds. The sax was checked by my teacher before he went on vacation. We didn't touch the high notes with him as a study material though but he played the whole range of the sax.
As I mentioned in my another post I yesterday tried #1.5 Vandoren reed that came with my sax kit and it was really much much easier to blow than #3 but it didn't help to produce the higher notes easier, only the low notes wich is the subject of my other post.