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Gospel Instruments => Gospel Horns => Topic started by: gerrard123 on May 31, 2010, 10:00:52 AM

Title: Help with intonationation and pitching on sax?
Post by: gerrard123 on May 31, 2010, 10:00:52 AM

PLZ PLZ PLZ.... IVve got poor intonation and pitching and need pointers!
blessing'z

Title: Re: Help with intonationation and pitching on sax?
Post by: betnich on May 31, 2010, 10:19:04 AM

- Have your sax checked out, especially if you are off on some notes and not others. Also, are you comfortable with your reeds? May be time for new ones, or a different grade or type.

- Posture and breath support is crucial to intonation in wind instruments. I play the flute and know that playing without enough air makes it sound flat on the low end. Exercises like doing scales and long notes might help.

Maybe you can consult with a sax pro or teacher....

Title: Re: Help with intonationation and pitching on sax?
Post by: KennyBB on June 02, 2010, 12:24:45 PM

You haven't said how long you've playing.  You need to be fair to yourself and if you've only been playing a short while then you may be using reeds which are quite light e.g. strength 2's.  If that is the case you might find that your intonation - general tuning is good up to a middle G but terrible when you start playing up to D's on the second ledger line. Patiently play slow and long semibreves across the whole instrument until you can notice the pitch of each note you play not waver without your control.  After a little while go to strength 2.5 and then strength 3 reeds.

If you have been playing a while - the answer is still the same but with obviously stronger reeds.  For really fast development try blowing overtones. Pitch a low B or B flat and without using the octave key play and octave up, then a fifth above that, then a fourth above that so that you are playing the notes B flat, B flat, F and B flat.

Stay blessed - KennyBB

Title: Re: Help with intonationation and pitching on sax?
Post by: gerrard123 on June 02, 2010, 01:11:35 PM

Ive been playing for jus over a year. I dont know if i focous on longtones thats what i keep seeing over the websites... and another questions. after you tune the sax with ur mouthpiece is the the whokle sax suppose to play in tunee or will u have the odd notes that go off??

God bless

Title: Re: Help with intonationation and pitching on sax?
Post by: docjohn on June 02, 2010, 03:06:16 PM

yo Kenny;how far up do you go on reeds? I should get my Tenor out and play some.I played few years in HS =college.don't think I ever moved past 2,

 2/12.

Also,what about mouthpieces

Title: Re: Help with intonationation and pitching on sax?
Post by: betnich on June 02, 2010, 04:31:42 PM

Don't know much about sax, but "odd notes that go off" might be a mechanical problem...

Title: Re: Help with intonationation and pitching on sax?
Post by: gerrard123 on June 03, 2010, 06:49:30 AM

so do u think i should get my sax sorted??