[dowvid]

Hi
I do play on that soprano, Thomann, and also on a Mendini. I know, these are chinese saxos and not very well quoted here. But I got them for cheap, and I can't afford $1000s saxos.

On both, intonation is quite good till I reach the second A, B,C D,E F notes. I've found that I can adjust it with the side keys while fingering those notes. Then these are a little bit higher than it should, but better than without side keys.

I can get it right too if I adjust my lips, biting just a little on the reed. But I,m not supposed to bite, am I ?

Do you have other ways to adjust those notes without getting a Yani or Yamaha ?

Is it possible to do it by adjusting the height of the octave key, or other keys ?

I play mainly with Rico Royal B5 and a 3 D'Addario select jazz reed, and sometimes with aVandoren V16 S7 with the same reed.

I'm not a pro, but I'm retired now and do practice a lot, learning jazz impro. I began to play saxo when I was 15 but just played in and out while working and having my daughters.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[Dave Dolson]

There could be a number of different reasons why your two sopranos are flat at and above A2. For me, and I've been playing soprano as a first saxophone for over 60 years, I can still experience high-end intonation issues when the reed I'm playing at the time is not up to it. Meaning, a reed-change may help you get to pitch with those high notes. And I don't mean changing brands or strengths, I mean the actual reed you are using. They vary within a box, so change to a new/newer reed and that may help.

Of course, I've found some mouthpieces are better for me than others, too, so if you can't solve the issue with a reed change, maybe mouthpiece experiments can help.

Then you'll get to the horns themselves, either their adjustments or the horn not being able to play in tunre regardless of what you do. DAVE

 

[turf3]

My first guess, without any other information, is that you need to push the mouthpiece further in and play flatter. Flat short-tube notes are typical of the MP not being far enough in.

 

[dowvid]

My first guess, without any other information, is that you need to push the mouthpiece further in and play flatter. Flat short-tube notes are typical of the MP not being far enough in.

MP is all in, almost touching the octave key. Can't go further in.