One of my college students is having problems with getting the low C#, C, B etc. on his sax. It's not a lack of air and he's not on a particularly high strength reed so I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for how to work at this. It's also not that he's inexperienced as we're working for his Grade 6 exam...so this problem is obviously getting in the way of some scales, and one of his pieces also. Thanks!

Have you tried his instrument yourself, or let him try yours? It could be a problem with the instrument.

That's the obvious suggestion. It may well be a small leak higher up the instrument. Can he subtone the notes - if so, a leak is less likely, and we're probably looking at breath support (a different matter, as you know, from lack or air!)

And what is a not particularly hard reed?

I'd try the horn yourself.

nick

This would be my first thought too. The more experienced you get the more capable you become at "blowing through" leaks, so even if you can play it he may still struggle. I'd take it to be looked at by a tech, it may well be that a service is due.

In terms of specific exercises it's all the usuals really, long notes (throughout the range of the instrument, not just at the bottom), overtones, scales over the range of the instrument. He could try the exercise of fingering F, E, D with the octave key and sounding the lower octave note.

Definitely try the sax. Remember that those pads down there are enormous and may need adjusting.

Steve

My first thought was the instrument too.

When I started learning it was nigh on impossible to get the lowest notes out of the battered old school instrument.

I remeber being amazed at how easy it was to get the low B/ Bb on my ne instrument and playing lots of pieces with these notes in - just because I finally could!!!!

Good luck sorting it out.