Saxophone Forum


by CajunSax
(76 posts)
19 years ago

sharper n sharper???

I play Bari, Tenor, alto, & soprano like probably a lot of guys on here. I added Bari to my arsenal a few months ago and it seems ever since then that I have been getting a sharp sound on my Tenor. I don't know if it is related, but all I know is that I started blowing sharper & sharper to the point my mouthpiece is barely on the cork in order to stay in tune. Either that or i adjust with an uncomfortable jaw-dropping embouchure. So wierd this has happened. Could my bari playing effect my tenor embouchure or maybe it is something unrelated to that? I've been playing for about 15 years now and am stumped with this one. I know a lot of you would want to know setup info to answer so here ya go: Bari, Tenor, & Alto are all Mark VI's Soprano is a "Grassi" which is basicly a decent knock-off, but plays well and I've had it since high school (santa was good that year) - i am in the market for a mark VI soprano - i know there is one currently on saxquest but i prefer serial #'s

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  1. by peter090
    (155 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: sharper n sharper???

    Check the pitch playing just the mouthpiece. On a tenor if you are much above A above middle C you're most likely pinching. About the only thing I could think of that playing bari would be if you got used to lipping up because of the setup there and have started to transfer that to tenor.

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    1. by CajunSax
      (76 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: sharper n sharper???

      good lookin out peter090 i also had better luck with a little bit softer reed. I lose some response in the altissimo, but at least i'm in tune. Another question though...i've heard that an alto mpc should play at a concert "A" pitch, but you're saying that the same goes for tenor? Is there a different "Target pitch" for bari or soprano mpc's as well or should they all be concert "A"? Seems like the bari would be lower than the soprano and same goes for tenor...know what I mean? Thanks again. -D

      Reply To Post Yahoo!


      1. by peter090
        (155 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: sharper n sharper???

        This is the "chart" I have seen. Santy Runyon was the origin of this according to what I have read, though I first heard it from Lew Tabakin many years ago. The difference in pitch is surprising small. Sop Db Alto A Tenor G Bari Eb Runyon's idea is that you should be able to switch octaves without adjusting embochure and using only the octave key. For me these seem a hair too tight for the "best" sound.

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      2. by selmer 4evr
        (309 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: sharper n sharper???

        You mentioned the jaw dropping embouchure Hey this is the right one play all your horns this way """"PLAY THE BORE"""" FORGET THESET-UP on Alto your middle F should be perilously close to sounding as if it wants to drop an octave .

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