Help!! I'm finding the descending octaves and 6ths problematic. I can't seem to get them either clean or in time. There always seems to be a gap between the two notes. Any ideas?

I don't know the piece, but I think I know the problem. Descending large intervals can be tricky to get clean. You probably need to work on air support (that's no miracle diagnosis, pretty much every sax player, myself included needs to work on air support). You need to get the air moving as fast as possible through the instrument. Imagine you've got a ping-pong ball balanced on the airstream at the bell of the instrument, you need to keep that ball floating, there can be no let-up in the airstream. I don't know what the dynamic is at the bit you're finding tricky, but try playing it loud - does that make a difference? Keep your throat as open as possible, in a yawning position.

I'm not sure of the interval you're struggling with, but say it's G' to G. Work on an exercise where you play

G'-F#-G'-F-G'-E-G'-D#-G'-D-G'-C#-G'-C-G'-B-G'-A#-G'-A-G'-G#-G'-G

Play slowly at first, then speed it up. Identify the area where you start having trouble with the drop, isolate it and work on that interval, always thinking about a steady air-stream.

You need Barry-Clari's secret formila

My daughter has just played this piece for G5 Sax. The fingering is a bit of a nightmare, as I'm totally not musical I'll call it in the middle, you'll know the bit.

I think she did what T-Sax suggested and played it slowly breaking it down into little pieces and just repeated them building up the speed until she got it acurate and reasonably ok.

She did need some help from Barry to sort out support as she was relaxing too much, after playing Bari, on switching to alto.

What other pieces are you doing Noodle?

I'd say TSax has pretty much nailed it. I would think it's almost certainly a breathing issue. The airflow through your sax must both be constant and well supported.

I'll also say that there's also an outside chance you're using your throat to articulate noodle, so get that checked too.

Thanks TSax, will try that! The interval is A' - A and F# - A.


I've been playing Spanish Love Song, Saxsequential, Bright Young things, Swinging roundabout and the study after Festival sax (can't remember what it's called!)


Ok, thanks Barry. Hopefully I'll have the problem sorted before August!

I think the other study is Spooky Sax if it's the other G5 one. Youngest did Spanish Love Song and Saxequential.

I think it's called skillful sax. How did your daughter get on, not musimum?

It is skillful sax, my other daughter is playing the spooky one lol. She only took the exam last Saturday so no idea, we don't have any expectaions as she should have really waited until summer. The Student that's been helping her graduates soon so won't be around after early June so didn't want to chance until the middle of July without lessons (MS special visit which she would need ot do to get accompanist).

It doesn't help that she learnt the wrong diminished scale so didn't know the right one when asked by the examiner, it's bound to loose her a chunk of marks So long as she passes that'll be ok.
It's really only to secure her place in Sax Group, not that she's under any threat, it legitimises things for her.

I don't like Skillful sax, but it's good for my fingering apparently so I need to practice it! I won't be doing it for the exam. Am sure your daughter did ok. Diminished scale? Haven't learnt that one yet!

Diminished arpeggio, I think ... piece of cake, you'll find.

Nick

Thanks. I thought I'd just a dominant 7th. Something else to learn, it seems!

It was the D diminished, it wasn't the difficulty that caused the problem but learning the wrong scale The two from the G6 Syllabus were accidently marked off by mistake. She knows them if she ever does G6

Under the circumstances a pass will be fine.

Spooky Sax is difficult! Tried it earlier!


Oh dear. Have been practising D Diminshed today too! Thanks!

Happy to be of help