h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Heya I just thought I would bumble along and see if anyone can help me. I posted this on the Musicians Guild but seeing as nobody appears to be around there I'll ask everyone.

I play the clarinet, and I can play okay...not wonderfully but okay. Ive never had a teacher so I probably have all sorts of bad habits. If anyone can help me etc then do say.

Now the REAL problem is my saxaphone. I just got one *strokes the shininess* and I cant play the damn thing! I can do G,A,B,C and thats it! I can't even do F! It comes out as a buzz or a squeak! What's going wrong? Blowing harder didnt change it...I checked I was blowing right and yup its fine...am I doomed not to play anything other than G A B C?

Katkat

did you check the reed?

even a slightly stuffed reed can effect (affect?) playing, also check the springs under some of the keys, I found that once when I cleaned my flute rather vigourusly before a comp, that I had dislodged a spring so that one of the keys wouldn't work properly, put the whole thing out

Yup checked that maybe Im just doomed!!
Dooooommmed!

perhaps you are trying to hard?

Well I had another go this morning...clarinet still perfectly fine...saxaphone still making a vague bbzzzbbzzz noise...

maybe stopp playing the clarinet for a few days, an the sax, an then try just the sax, maybe you need to hold your mouth slightly differently for the sax, an the clarinet is interfering with learning the sax

Your're not trying to use a clarinet reed int he sax are u?

*blinks panicked* well how could I tell if I was? Would I be able to make any sound at all?

a buzz buzz sound? i had that once... if i remember what it was ill tell you... did youlook in the neck? maybe you have mold or somethin
cheers
ford

No way! This is a sexy new yamaha!! Tis my pride and joy!

Hmmm... try blowing more air through it... or... when does it buzz... at C# or at D or what?
cheers
ford

To be honest I think it's just me being a pants player.

It buzzes below middle G. Or squeaks of course if I blow lots!

YES! I KNOW YOUR PROBLEM!!!! wel i think i do... k, mine was doing the same thing... on the 'A' key do you have a pad attaching the button and the thing closing the hole?
cheers
ford

I'll have a look...I take it this is sticking?

um it might be sticking but thats not what im talking about
there is a little velvet pad thing on the 'A' key, mine fell off so the second right hand button didnt go down all the way... then it squeeed
squeeed? squeeked
cheers
ford

I found going from a clarinet to a saxophone really easy, can you find someone else to try your saxophone, to make sure it's not the instrument?

It could be your embrochure (mouth), cause on the sax you don't roll your lip in as much as in the clarinet and if you're rolling it in too much you won't be able to get any slightly more difficult notes. For instance, if you're trying to roll your bottom lip in too far on the sax then a lot of the notes won't come out properly.

Also, check if the read has gone crinkled (look down the read) in which case straighten it on the flat of the mouthpiece. Any sligh cracks or anything like that and it won't turn out properly either.

Cat

*gives sax to cat_eyes* here try this

I've found that my lips are much tighter on the mouthpiece when I'm playing higher notes. Try relaxing a bit more when you go low, and of course, check the mouthpiece/reed.