Saxophone Forum


by alhadro
(6 posts)
20 years ago

Buzzing High F

I have a Selmer Mark 6 Baritone Saxophone. Recently I have been noticing that there is an incredibly annoying metalic buzzing noise on my horn when i play the upper register. I have discovered that if i push down the High F pad onto the hole (harder) it stops buzzing. Also if the High F key is open (If i am playing a high F) it does not buzz. The rivet is not loose. The edge of the tone hole is not hitting the cup. Tightening or loosening the spring tension does not seem to help. It also does not seem to be anything connected to the high F palm key. What now?

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  1. by sax_maniac
    (984 posts)

    20 years ago

    Re: Buzzing High F

    Can you push down on anything else to relieve the buzzing? When you touch or press on the horn, you modify the modal stiffness of the horn - especially towards the top. It may be coincedence that pressing on the high F does the trick. There may be something else nearby causing the problem. I've chased buzzing noises, too. It can be tricky. If you can, try to have someone else listen around for it while you play.

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    1. by alhadro
      (6 posts)

      20 years ago

      Re: Buzzing High F

      I am pretty sure that is the high F pad. Nothing else seems to relieve the buzzing, and also if i place a slip of paper between the tone hole and the pad, yet still keeping the seal, the buzz stops. The frustrating thing is that it seems to come and go... I took it to my repair guy, and neither of us could replicate it.

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      1. by sax_maniac
        (984 posts)

        20 years ago

        Re: Buzzing High F

        Huh. Did your repair guy change the pad, and does it still do it with a new pad? Maybe a stiffer flat spring might do the trick.

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        1. by PIP
          (29 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: Buzzing High F

          I have been having the exact same problem except that it's with the low register (worst with the low c and b flat). As with this situation the repair guy couldn't replicate it. Any ideas?

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        2. by sax_maniac
          (984 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: Buzzing High F

          At the lower end, you can even rattle key guards and such. It's also possible to rattle a spring that is loose or in poor contact. The action might seem light or even ok, but in the rested position, the spring isn't firmly engaged with the keyrod. Just a couple more ideas. Sometimes, the only thing to do is just disassemble it part way or fully, cleaning things out while you're in there, and putting it back together again. Gotta be gentle, though, or you can do more harm than good if you're not used to that sort of thing.

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        3. by SaxMan
          (559 posts)

          20 years ago

          Re: Buzzing High F

          for the first one - try your auxilary F rocker.

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