wobble when playing palm keys - solution?

2296 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by maddenma, Oct 23, 2011

Woodshedfred

Discussion Starter · Oct 23, 2011

Hi

anyone got any suggestions about a problem I'm having?, or do you experience the same difficulty?

- when playing palm keys, especially high D, the sax wobbles with the consequence that tone production suffers, because the mouthpiece moves.

although it is manageable at lower tempi, when playing faster it is harder to keep under control.

I'm considering reducing spring tension on palm keys so I don't have to push as hard, reducing sideways thrust (sax is a Yani A991).

the other option appears to be extended practice of pressing keys lightly at all tempo.

thanks, fred

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maddenma

· #5 · Oct 23, 2011

It also strikes me that you may be moving your hand quite a distance to open the palm D, causing the sax to push to the right from the momentum of the movement.

Perhaps a key riser on your palm D would help with that, so that the key touch is close at hand and you aren't yanking the horn around to try and get to that key?

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maddenma

· #8 · Oct 23, 2011

Do a search on "Sugru" on the forum. No need to chop keys.

If you want a better looking key riser, you can have a tech make and install one from epoxy resin. I'm not fond of the look of Sugru.

Advantage of Sugru is that you can quite easily do it yourself. It's just ugly.

That said, both will stay in place quite well, and both will come off without damage if you want to sell the horn later -- something you won't get from a more permanent mod.

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