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Forum » Sax Repair » High B, Bb are very flat


by Sinisterniik
(2 posts)
11 years ago

High B, Bb are very flat

I've got a serious intonation problem with my high B and Bb (I primarily use front Bb): They're both about 20-30 cents flat. The notes around them are all perfectly in tune. The second octave overtones on my low B and Bb are also perfectly in tune. I've used several different reeds, and I trust my mouthpiece (which I've been playing on almost as long as the horn).

The worst part is that I'm in the middle of a cruise ship contract that ports in Galveston on Sundays. I don't know any repairmen in the area, let alone someone that will look at my horn on a Sunday. Right now pretty much the only thing I can do is open my side Bb key to bring the pitch somewhat back to normal, but this is far from ideal.

Is the B key leaking? Is it something I can fix myself? Any ideas?

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  2. by Saxquest
    (420 posts)
    11 years ago

    Re: High B, Bb are very flat

    What brand of saxophone are you playing? Is side Bb flat too of just front Bb? What about 1 and 1 Bb? Has it always been this way or something that has just developed?

    Thanks,
         Mark Overton
         www.saxquest.com

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    1. by Sinisterniik
      (2 posts)
      11 years ago

      Re: High B, Bb are very flat

      Side Bb is less flat than the front, so I've been using it to compensate (although after playing around, it's not quite as flat as the B natural, and I've been able to tune myself a little sharp and cheat a bit). 1 and 1 is more flat than the front Bb, as is to be expected... I never use 1 and 1 anyway. This is something recent, and I've been playing on the horn for a while. It's a Borgani: http://www.borgani.eu/en/saxophone/tenorsax-pearlgold

      I've been playing a cruise gig, so it might have gotten damaged in transit without me noticing right away. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I don't have many B's in my music, so I hadn't noticed right away. At first I just attributed the intonation problems to myself, a bad reed, or playing with an unfamiliar horn section.

      I did manage to find a music shop not too far away from port, so I'm going to try and have the repair guy come in on Sunday. I'm skeptical that he'll be able to fix it in the short time I'll have, though.

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