[sxphnplay]

All of my notes from palm key D up are flat. I was wondering if anyone had any solutions, or any ideas as to what this might be. I just really started hitting on overtones, building up those muscles, but the pictches range from 20 cents flat to a step and a half flat. Please, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[beezer]

These horns generally play well in tune. Try showing less cork.
Cheers, Dave

 

[daigle65]

Are you properly tuned?
How long have you been playing?
Do you have a teacher?

 

[sxphnplay]

Yep, everything else on the instrument is in tune, but as soon as i hit the palm key d, it goes flat. I have been playing for 7 years, and i am a college freshman studying saxophone performance.

 

[daigle65]

That's strange, if anything the palm keys tend to be sharp.

Could be the palm keys that don't open up enough, have your repair tech check it out or you could sand away some cork behind the those keys so they open up a bit more.

Could also be the mpc, try another one.

Have your teacher or someone else try your sax to see if they have the same intonation problems.

 

[sxphnplay]

That's strange, if anything the palm keys tend to be sharp.

Could be the palm keys that don't open up enough, have your repair tech check it out or you could sand away some cork behind the those keys so they open up a bit more.

Could also be the mpc, try another one.

Have your teacher or someone else try your sax to see if they have the same intonation problems.

I just had my professor try it out, and it was still flat. Ill have my repair tech check it out this weekend. Would the embouchure (having just started really hitting on overtones) make it that flat?

Im heading home for the holiday, so i will check and see if maybe the C* is that flat. Thanks!

 

[daigle65]

I just had my professor try it out, and it was still flat. Ill have my repair tech check it out this weekend. Would the embouchure (having just started really hitting on overtones) make it that flat?

Im heading home for the holiday, so i will check and see if maybe the C* is that flat. Thanks!

Well if it's still flat with your prof playing it, then it's most likely the instrument that's at fault. Probably the palm keys that don't open far enough.

 

[sxphnplay]

:scratch: ok. Thank you very much!!!

 

[zorroperro]

Well if it's still flat with your prof playing it, then it's most likely the instrument that's at fault. Probably the palm keys that don't open far enough.

That would be my call.

 

[HeavyWeather77]

I just had my professor try it out, and it was still flat. Ill have my repair tech check it out this weekend. Would the embouchure (having just started really hitting on overtones) make it that flat?

There might be some technical problems with the horn if it's playing conspicuously flat for everyone, not just you. However, I've found that yes, learning to open up and play overtones will tend to make your pitch drop. I don't think this is a bad thing; learning to open up your embouchure and use more air support/tongue position support makes your sound infinitely better for any style. When I got my Series III alto, which I use for everything, I had to have my tech remove the metal ring at the end of the neck so that I could push my mouthpiece in as much as I need to! I like a very open embouchure with strong air support because I favor a big, open, clear sound. It took me years before I could get the sound I like, though; it takes a lot of strength to compensate with air and tongue what you lose in your embouchure when you stop playing so tight.