Today was my first true exercise day with my new Chinese Sax Alto. When I was doing long tones with only the neck I saw on the tunner the note G a lot. When I hook up the entire sax all notes were off by a mile! I was desperate thinking the sax was broken, but watching your video now I figure out that the problem lies on the piece that makes the sound (Me in this case hahaha). Thanks for share your wisdom!
I’m a profession Sax player and love your videos. I love the easy to understand reminders that if not for your videos I often would forget about. These things are fundamental, and the way your teach them are fantastic. Thank you for the videos man. Much appreciations.
Jay, I’m a complete noob on Sax but I’ve found your videos outstanding, clear, snappy and filled with good advice. Keep up the world class production (and web delivery) once I’ve got my key fingering and scales under control I’ll be back for Pentatonic and your other courses. The quality of your teaching technique is your best selling point.
The long tone tuning exercise is the first lesson in raga training on wind instruments, albeit using a different method in order to also train the ear. One would play the notes over a drone instrument such as tambura, trying to adjust so as to eliminate the 'beats' heard when the pitches don't match. I used a digital tambura which is right on pitch. Granted, it adds a 5th to the 1st & 8th's, but it works. A good ear for pitch helps one's playing immensely. Nice videos.
After 20 days of using this technique, my tone has dramatically improved. This taught me that it is not just the saxophone that needs to be in tune but also your ability to be able to hear a note that is out of tune. Look for those notes that are also naturally out of tune is also very helpful.
I don’t believe I could find a local instructor as great as this! Thanks Better Sax! These videos will greatly reduce bad habits, improve my stamina and self esteem.
I just wanted to say that this method has had a drastic impact on the quality of my practice time. It is interesting to see how certain notes are consistently out of tune (middle D and E on my tenor) and others always in tune. It has helped with my breathing, my tone, and my embucher.
I appreciate all you teach, just for the sake of providing the world better saxophone players. What you do is truly amazing and helpful. I wish I can play good enough at some point in my life in order to follow your example and encourage future beginners to get a better sound. I am most thankful for all your videos and hope that you are aware of the difference you make in beginner saxophone players lives.
The way I adjust where the mouthpiece goes on the neck is to play closed vs. open octaves. For example, alternate low C# and middle C# without changing embouchure. If those are in tune with each other, I know it's good. If the middle C# is flat to the low C#, push in, and vice versa. Of course it is important that key heights are correct. Some people open up the keys, thinking they will get a brighter sound. Others lower the covers thinking they will be able to play faster. That can mess up the intonation badly.
I downloaded this app but now I see how to use it better. I also play drones with iPractice to help build up my face muscles. A thought: if you offer your courses with payments in two installments I bet your subscriptions get a bounce.
I haven't played sax in a few months due to job searching, but I will definitely do some long tones to help me get back into it. Your video was a great reminder :)
The tips you provided along with the tuner application, really helped me fix my embrochure. Input to not press hard with the lower lip and also do not bite the mouthpiece is difficult to do for beginners like me. But slowly I realized that it was not good to do because it was burdening the jaw and tiring. Once again this is a very good lesson. Thank you for sharing basic knowledge.
Once again a very helpful and informative Video! Thanks for sharing Your SAX-Wisdom. Even absolute beginners (like me) can understand the way You explain things. I practice on my YAS-280 since 2 weeks now, had already 2 lessions here with a local sax teacher. At the last lession (the first lession with my own instrument), many of my pitches where way too flat. His tuner-App often says it's the lower note, played too sharp. So I stick the mouthpiece deeper, about 6mm of the cork have been visible. (I'd like to do more, but I saw Teacher's few hairs standing straight off. He says, usual on Yamaha-Saxes is 8-10mm of visible cork. 6mm is already extremely few, I should try in this position) But even with just 6mm of visible cork, I had to exteremely stiffen my tongue and still was tendencially flat. Teacher says: get a tuner (app or device), practice. So I bought me a tuner (found a used Korg Ca-40 solo Tuner) and practiced. At home, I also tryed more extreme mouthpiece-positions and it figured out I have to stick the mouthpiece so massive over the cork, until there is only one milimeter (1mm!) of the cork visible. In this position, many of my main notes are nice in tune. I could not belive this is the correct position so I experimented also the other way: When I pull the mouthpiece out a bit wider as "Yamaha-usual" (about 12mm of cork visible) the tuner says I play one note lower, almost perfectly in tune... Can that be possible? Have You ever heared from a Yamaha Sax that behaves like this? (mine is a brand new instrument) Would You advise to bring it to the dealer (it's bought in a wind instrument specialty shop, not on amazon) for checking it? Or just prctice on (in tune) with 1mm rest-cork, at least until the next lession? (I'd like to ask my teacher, but now are summer holidays in the music-school, my next lession is in 5 weeks at the earlyest...) P.s. I do not draw markings on my cork. I recognized 3 of the natural spots in the cork build a memorizable triangle that's pointing on one brighter small spot which sits perfectly under the edge of the mouthpiece. This bright spot (and the triangle pointing on it) that was my mark. (But for the 1mm position now, I don't need no mark any more. I am extremely unsettled...)
P.s. Just checked some things over (with the E-piano of my wife) and found out that the tuner itself was discalibrated... Some Joke has set the Frequency of the A to 444 Hz instead of 440Hz. But that difference is so small, that will bring me estimated 0,5mm or 1mm change in mouthpiece-position. (I'll check that tomorrow) So the main problem is still the same...
Update: focused my todays practice to long tones and pitch. Today with a correct set tuner: 4mm of Cork visible to get the notes bestly in tune. At least 4mm. That's more than I expected, but still far from the usual 8-10mm. Have You ever heared about a Yamaha-Sax that needs so deep set mouthpiece? (btw: I use the standard 4C mouthpiece and I mostly Reeds in 1.5 strength. Sometimes I try with 2.0 or even 2.5, but after 2 or 3 spints of 5 minutes long tones, I switch back to the softer (1,5) reed. I often do one hour of practice and my emboucher isn't developed enough (yet) to hold that with a stiffer reed. Teacher says: better having a few longer practice sessions with a softer reed than biting a too hard one or have sour muscles and no practice the other day.)
Surprised how few players mark the neck cork with a biro. Great advice. I can sit in with the rest of the section and know I will be in tune or pretty close straight away.
Hi Jay, First, you are all around amazing! In the early 70s when I started there was basically no information on the saxophone at the Philadelphia public library. I remember making greasy shiny wet mimeographs of etudes that came out purple and were basically unintelligible, they sure did smell good! Ha ha ha. Most sax greats died with all there secrets. You are the best player and most knowledgeable on line. Suggestion... How bout an episode, "Deep secrets of great saxophone playing". Deep subject. Thanks for the tuner tip! I'm going to go tune up now. Saxi🎷
I had no clue about the idea that tightening/biting and loosing your jaw was incorrect! You've definitely got me looking into this! Just a question, how exactly do you open your throat while playing? And if you need to make a flat note sharper (especially notes in the upper register, above G on the alto), what should you do? Ive always had my lower lip up to put pressure on the reed - is that the correct way of getting those notes?
Make an ahh or ohhh shape when playing to open up throat. Upper register is usually sharp and needs to be brought down. Unless you have a too soft reed. That can make high notes go flat.
Have you ever herd of adjusting how far the pads open? I have an alto sax where anything above the high g is almost half a tone sharp. I've notice if I hold the g and a down slightly, it improves the tune of high C d e, for example. Some pads have adjustment for how far they open and I'm thinking of decreasing that distance. Some can be adjusted with screws, others with the thickness of the cork pads they press against. Great video, I'm gonna checkout the charts and see how it works out. And that app looks worth trying aswell. I also noticed you put your mouthpiece clamp upside down from how I do..but I can't imagine it making much of a difference. I like what you said about maintaining a consistent mouth throughout the range.
This is a lesson for life, so useful! And the app you recommend has been a game-changer for me. Thank you so much for your generous sharing, much appreciated.
+Repulse Gaming Thanks! Replacing a pearl is an easy and cheap fix at any sax repair shop. If you get your own replacement, you can glue it in with super glue.
G'day Jay! thanks for the TE Tuner recommendation - it's a pretty cool app. I like the User Interface, as well as the functionality. However, I am finding that my tone sits about a semitone when looking at the Sound Wheel. So in my case, If I was to play a C note the tuner indicates that a point between the B note and the C note and similarly on other notes. At times its flat, at times a little sharp. I'm using Yahama YAS62III with a 4C mouthpiece and Vandoreen 2.5 reed. I have tried using my OttoLink mouthpiece and I'm getting similar results. I have been playing for couple of years now and I'm just tying to figure out whether the issue is myself or my recently upgraded equipment. Thanks, champ!
This is great! When I was playing against your sax in the beginner pentatonics my sax sounded SO out of tune, even after 3 days, that I was about to give up. Playing to a tuner is a fabulous idea. Then I can see the concert pitch notes while playing the saxophone nomenclature notes. The low notes are much easier for me to play than the mid range notes an octave up. Low notes I can always get; the higher notes especially the E sometimes goes bubblly. Is there any particular cause / remedy for this or is it just my bad beginner playing?
Hi Jay, I'm really digging your videos. I charted my YTS-23. I watched your embouchure video to review mine. After doing this chart, I found (by checking over and over, with consistent relaxed embouchure) that I'm in-tune on 18 notes (Bb, C,C#, D, F, B, C, C#-mid, G, F#, G, G#, A, B, C#, D, Eb, F), then flat on 7 notes (Eb-low, Eb-mid, E, F, Bb-high, C), then sharp on 6 notes (B-low, B#, G, Gb, A-low, E-high). Just about all sharps and flats are 3 arrows. I only have about 2-3 mm left of cork, my mp has squished the cork so much, not sure I can even push it in more. Lots of detail here, but only one question. Do you have an advice on if I get this horn serviced or replace it or do I just need to do more long tones, and try again in a few weeks? (I might go to a shop, and try this on some other horns, too.) I record myself sometimes, and now I know why parts of songs don't sound so great. I was really careful to keep a constant embouchure and relaxed throat through this whole exercise. (You are truly an amazing teacher. And Tonal Energy is an awesome app, indeed. Thank you for the videos.)
Gene, this is just the first step. You are on the road to playing in tune, but it will take a while. Probably nothing a repair tech can do to help you. I use the tonal energy app with the feature where it plays the note you are playing so that you can match the pitch. Practice with this when you do your long tones. My video about headphones goes into more detail... You'll find that you need to make little micro adjustments for a lot of notes on the saxophone to be in tune. It's best to have your ear dictate when and how to adjust.
Interesting, thanks. This is my second tenor. My first one was total junk - was given to me. Are you saying every sax will have some similar variance, and I should just get use to it, and learn to play it? I ask because other advice says, don't use a bad horn when learning, it will make learning harder.
Yes, all saxophones will have intonation irregularities. The more you develop your embouchure, air support and ear, the better in tune you will play. Yamahas play very well in tune and are ideal for learning so no need to get a new horn.
My Sax (Chinese brand) is half a note flat, throughout the range. I just realized this, after following your advice of playing long notes with a tuner. Is there a remedy? Now, I think I understand why it was hard playing the high notes. Without realizing it, I was correcting half a note up by putting a lot of pressure on the reed. Much less pressure is needed for the low notes. I am playing for just under a year, utilizing you pentatonic and fundamental classes. Thank you.
Isaac, you may need to change your reed. If a reed is too soft, it can affect intonation a lot. Also push your mouthpiece in further on the cork. The saxophone probably plays pretty close to in tune, but if you are using the mouthpiece that came with it, you should get something better right away.
Juan, hmmm, that note is usually sharp not flat. Check that the left hand keys are all opening to about the same height. Could be you need harder reeds though.
Mine tends to come up as Eb. lol. I look at the piano tone because it's definitely not C#, lol. 2.5 Legere. not entirely sure how to use that app. Maybe something on that, assuming total beginner...?
Jay, I have a question. Before I found your lessons, I had practiced on my own playing a large list of printed etudes, having some scarce knowledge. When I installed this tuner app - I found out I have unstable notes in high register, it looks like disaster, +|-20cents. I'm very upset.. I will now try to train the notes, but it's so exhausting to do that during hour or more. Can I combine this with other exercises? Probably keep training the etudes is ok? Another question: I can't stand long, have back pain... Can I practice sitting without losing in effectiveness? Thanks.
Yes you can practice sitting no problem. Don’t spend an hour working on intonation. Watch my short long tone exercise video and practice long tones with a drone. Try to play along with recordings so you have a pitch reference to get used to playing more in tune. You’re not the only sax player to have difficulty playing in tune in the upper register. We all do.
Any tips for someone who's getting back into sax after 15 years? I don't enough stamina in my lips to last anywhere close the whole routine 😅 It's going to come back as I play every day but currently it's very difficult!
Hey Jay. love your videos and have been to the shed but cannot find the intonation chart that you are referring to. any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Hello Jay. I love your videos. So methinks it is time to get a sax and start learning it. My question is " Can I tune an Alto Sax to 444Hz? I play all my music in 444Hz (guitar)...it's a personal preference of mine. It would be sweet if the sax could also be tuned to 444. Thanks for any help. :)
Hello Jay, thank you all your videos, they are really fantastic!!! I couldn't find the intonation chart in your site, after signing and receiving a link in my email. ???
My middle c key was extremely flat no matter what while the rest of the horn in tune, and so I just had a repair shop fix it. They put s cork under the key. That now I assume used to be there.
Mike Elam here. Already a member. Logged in. Tried to get saxophone intonation chart pdf download, but no luck. Everytime I try, even after I'm signed in, I keep getting asked to sign up and then get an "you're already signed up email. Oh well. P;ease advise.
@@doduyle8476 After one year playing everyday i'm most of the time in tune xD But it was all about the reed and the embouchure, not about pressure, but more about tongue position and air flow :)
Hi Jay - on alto I would shove my meyer as far down on the cork as it would go and developed my embouchre that way. On tenor still a work in progress. Figuring it out. QUESTION- HOW DOES MELISSA ALADA PLAY WITH THE MOUTHPIECE BARELY ON THE CORK - I MEAN IT IS WAY OUT THERE. ? > MAYBE HER KEY HEIGHT IS IN AN EXTREME SETTING? JUST CURIOUS AS HER SOUND IS SO BIG AND SHE IS IN SUCH CONTROL. She said she does at least an hour of long tones everyday for over 20 years now or so I guess.
Hi!! Loved your video, I am just working on getting out the notes in tune. I wanted to download the pdf chart but I can't find it. I click the link and it takes me to the page /shed to register (I already registered) The search bar won't find any chart. How can I get it? Thanks for your work
Can someone please help...I just started playing (30 years as a guitarist and I’m teaching myself the tenor sax). I’m following along to videos and I’m precisely a whole step flat. When I hit the three left had keys it should be a G but I’m getting an F (in tune no less). I’ve move the mouth piece back and for but that only seems to make a minor adjustment.
I have found my upper register is very sharp and lower register very flat (except Low B and Bb which are super sharp) so i dont really know where to have the mouthpiece on the neck. Middle register is fine and i tuned the horn to B (tenor).
I have a alto Dolnet Paris II Series, pretty cool at all.. but the second scale is a bit higher (of tune) than the first scale. It's still kinda ok, I can control it on the mouth, but the D of the second scale is almost D#, it's kinda bother me. I still can make it on the mouth, but it's a great difference. :/
Hi Jay - Another Fantastic Video! Thank you!! Just getting back into playing the sax after a 15 year break - I have been doing long notes for a few weeks now and am seeing marked improvement in tuning from Low C to high A. Anything below that is consistently sharp and anything above that is consistently flat. I am playing a Yanagisawa TWO10s and know you play Yani saxes too. You mentioned that you had the same tuning challenges on your horn... I am finding that being sharp, my low B and Bb are somewhat easier to fix, but am struggling with improving anything above High A. I am trying to avoid biting down to raise pitch and am trying to make adjustments in my throat and tongue but to no avail... I've tried higher and lower tongue positions, more open and more closed throat positions, and everything in between... sometimes to the point of closing the reed off.... Some notes are 20 cents flat! Do you have any other suggestions? What did you find worked best for you? Will overtone exercises help with this? Am I over thinking it and just need to keep going, and let time and practice do it's job? - I'm just worried I'll develop some bad habits.. I have also tried different reeds (legere 2, van blue box 2.5, van red box 2.5, d'add jazz select 2M), and tried the Yani mouthpiece that comes with the horn, and a 22 year old Vandoren V5 T25 that I played in my teens. I don't want to blame my gear, but would that have something to do with it? Would love to hear your thoughts Jay
HI Jay, another great video. Thanks. Question (I always approach things technically) You say to write down arrows with each 5 cents out of tune while using Toners Energy. Should I be watching it fluctuate (yes, I have a lot of work to do,) and write down the lowest or highest I see? The X cents at the end can be way off compared with how I played the note, especially if other noises are going on in the room. Or is there an average displayed somewhere I can read off. If so, I can't find it, and read the docs. How do you use the app to read off that value? Thanks.
Good question. I find the best way to practice intonation with this app is to put on headphones, and use the function where it plays the note you are playing. without looking at the image on screen I match my intonation with the note played by the app. This is good training for adjusting your intonation in real time when playing with other musicians. Watch my video about headphones to see how I do this. Experiment with the different display options in the app as well to see how well you are doing. The idea is to be aware of the notes that have a tendency to be more out of tune than the others so that you can make a mental note and be prepared to adjust when you land on them.
Any idea what would make the tuner read a whole note lower than what you're actually playing I don't know if my embouchure is bad or what but notes come out they're just not the right ones
I have a Yanigasawa Soprano and I only found out through playing it regularly that the instructorment is out of tune with itself. If I play a scale from my middle C to the bottom C with the same moth position, my bottom notes are a lot sharper. So I have to adjust my mouth position to keep in tune. Any thoughts?
hi, any idea why I can't play low notes other that using Subtone and with double cushion. If I try the full sound with my teeth resting on the mouth piece, the notes just break or stay high. Actually I never learned how to play with my teeth resting on the mouth piece, and everyone is saying you have to rest your teeth on the mouth piece and I hate it.
Jay, I'm a little confused hare because the notes that appeared on the screen were a whole step higher than the notes that you played, is this a transposing thing?
Hello Sir, I am following you on you tube for saxophone lessons. Very thankful to you. I have a query, when I play “A” on my saxophone, the tuner catch it as “C”. Can you please tell me how should I tune my saxophone to correct scale??
Your saxophone is an alto or a baritone which means your saxophone is an E flat saxophone. That means whenever you plan an A, a C comes out and whenever you play a G, a B-flat comes out or whenever you play an E, a G comes out. If that sounds confusing, basically your saxophone is in a different key (every sax is) from other instrument like piano or flute so it acts different. You can look a video up about it if you need
Hello I have a student yamaha tenor saxophone. I had no problem with entonation on my conn alto. But high notes on the left hand are way way way out of tune... Is it because of me? Would taking it to a repair shop help? Can it be fixed by getting a good mothpice. Right now I'm using the one that came with the sax. Thank you for the great value!
+Omer Karaman Yamahas play very well in tune. If your mouthpiece is also a Yamaha then it should play in tune as well. You probably have to work on your embouchure and breathing. Watch my videos on those subjects. ruclips.net/video/Buo8wg1xkvU/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/woQ00Zx-OoY/видео.html
Download Pano Tuner on Playstore/Appstore for free. I'm an Alto Sax user, this app is very accurate. You can tune your instrument accurately by looking at the offset from the pitch that you want to tune to.
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Today was my first true exercise day with my new Chinese Sax Alto. When I was doing long tones with only the neck I saw on the tunner the note G a lot. When I hook up the entire sax all notes were off by a mile! I was desperate thinking the sax was broken, but watching your video now I figure out that the problem lies on the piece that makes the sound (Me in this case hahaha). Thanks for share your wisdom!
I’m a profession Sax player and love your videos. I love the easy to understand reminders that if not for your videos I often would forget about. These things are fundamental, and the way your teach them are fantastic. Thank you for the videos man. Much appreciations.
Thanks for the support.
We often overlook the basics once we can play a bit. Always good to go back to basics.
Jay, I’m a complete noob on Sax but I’ve found your videos outstanding, clear, snappy and filled with good advice. Keep up the world class production (and web delivery) once I’ve got my key fingering and scales under control I’ll be back for Pentatonic and your other courses. The quality of your teaching technique is your best selling point.
Thanks Matt, much appreciated!
Update?
Couldn’t have said that better myself 👏
Hey how have u been doing in these 2 years? Have u improved? If so, how much, cause I am the total noob u were back then
@@hithere2426 couldn't find a practice space away from the house and my wife got fed up with my noisemaking. Sax is in the closet for the moment.😕
The long tone tuning exercise is the first lesson in raga training on wind instruments, albeit using a different method in order to also train the ear. One would play the notes over a drone instrument such as tambura, trying to adjust so as to eliminate the 'beats' heard when the pitches don't match. I used a digital tambura which is right on pitch. Granted, it adds a 5th to the 1st & 8th's, but it works. A good ear for pitch helps one's playing immensely. Nice videos.
I’ve learned more from you than the four years I studied in college.
After 20 days of using this technique, my tone has dramatically improved. This taught me that it is not just the saxophone that needs to be in tune but also your ability to be able to hear a note that is out of tune. Look for those notes that are also naturally out of tune is also very helpful.
I start doing this about 9 months ago. Big improvement. I really enjoy it, it's kind of therapeutic. Thanks Jay!
It' s a complete sax tuning class. It requires much practice, of course. Thank you.
I don’t believe I could find a local instructor as great as this! Thanks Better Sax! These videos will greatly reduce bad habits, improve my stamina and self esteem.
I just wanted to say that this method has had a drastic impact on the quality of my practice time. It is interesting to see how certain notes are consistently out of tune (middle D and E on my tenor) and others always in tune. It has helped with my breathing, my tone, and my embucher.
I appreciate all you teach, just for the sake of providing the world better saxophone players. What you do is truly amazing and helpful. I wish I can play good enough at some point in my life in order to follow your example and encourage future beginners to get a better sound. I am most thankful for all your videos and hope that you are aware of the difference you make in beginner saxophone players lives.
The way I adjust where the mouthpiece goes on the neck is to play closed vs. open octaves. For example, alternate low C# and middle C# without changing embouchure. If those are in tune with each other, I know it's good. If the middle C# is flat to the low C#, push in, and vice versa. Of course it is important that key heights are correct. Some people open up the keys, thinking they will get a brighter sound. Others lower the covers thinking they will be able to play faster. That can mess up the intonation badly.
Really helped out tuning my new saxophone and mouthpiece combo!
The tuning app was a great recommendation, so much better than the free ones.
+Angus Mac I love that app!
pls tel me what is that tuner and how to downlode it?
Real tuners are better
@@Matthew-ll3fp explain how Tonal Energy is not a real tuner.
I keep repeating myself, but your tutorials are just: GREAT!
This is absolutely the best video on saxophone intonation on RUclips. Thanks!
Thank you for your comment Quinn. Much appreciated.
@@bettersaxQuinn..maybe check out Sirvalorsax as well
Thank you for providing the assurance that I need to persevere to practice and get the correct intonation.
I downloaded this app but now I see how to use it better. I also play drones with iPractice to help build up my face muscles. A thought: if you offer your courses with payments in two installments I bet your subscriptions get a bounce.
I haven't played sax in a few months due to job searching, but I will definitely do some long tones to help me get back into it. Your video was a great reminder :)
+Mr_Beezlebub Thanks! Long tones are the best way to get back into playing.
The tips you provided along with the tuner application, really helped me fix my embrochure. Input to not press hard with the lower lip and also do not bite the mouthpiece is difficult to do for beginners like me. But slowly I realized that it was not good to do because it was burdening the jaw and tiring. Once again this is a very good lesson. Thank you for sharing basic knowledge.
Once again a very helpful and informative Video! Thanks for sharing Your SAX-Wisdom. Even absolute beginners (like me) can understand the way You explain things.
I practice on my YAS-280 since 2 weeks now, had already 2 lessions here with a local sax teacher.
At the last lession (the first lession with my own instrument), many of my pitches where way too flat. His tuner-App often says it's the lower note, played too sharp. So I stick the mouthpiece deeper, about 6mm of the cork have been visible. (I'd like to do more, but I saw Teacher's few hairs standing straight off. He says, usual on Yamaha-Saxes is 8-10mm of visible cork. 6mm is already extremely few, I should try in this position)
But even with just 6mm of visible cork, I had to exteremely stiffen my tongue and still was tendencially flat.
Teacher says: get a tuner (app or device), practice. So I bought me a tuner (found a used Korg Ca-40 solo Tuner) and practiced.
At home, I also tryed more extreme mouthpiece-positions and it figured out I have to stick the mouthpiece so massive over the cork, until there is only one milimeter (1mm!) of the cork visible.
In this position, many of my main notes are nice in tune.
I could not belive this is the correct position so I experimented also the other way: When I pull the mouthpiece out a bit wider as "Yamaha-usual" (about 12mm of cork visible) the tuner says I play one note lower, almost perfectly in tune...
Can that be possible?
Have You ever heared from a Yamaha Sax that behaves like this?
(mine is a brand new instrument)
Would You advise to bring it to the dealer (it's bought in a wind instrument specialty shop, not on amazon) for checking it?
Or just prctice on (in tune) with 1mm rest-cork, at least until the next lession? (I'd like to ask my teacher, but now are summer holidays in the music-school, my next lession is in 5 weeks at the earlyest...)
P.s. I do not draw markings on my cork. I recognized 3 of the natural spots in the cork build a memorizable triangle that's pointing on one brighter small spot which sits perfectly under the edge of the mouthpiece. This bright spot (and the triangle pointing on it) that was my mark.
(But for the 1mm position now, I don't need no mark any more. I am extremely unsettled...)
P.s. Just checked some things over (with the E-piano of my wife) and found out that the tuner itself was discalibrated...
Some Joke has set the Frequency of the A to 444 Hz instead of 440Hz. But that difference is so small, that will bring me estimated 0,5mm or 1mm change in mouthpiece-position. (I'll check that tomorrow)
So the main problem is still the same...
Update: focused my todays practice to long tones and pitch. Today with a correct set tuner: 4mm of Cork visible to get the notes bestly in tune. At least 4mm. That's more than I expected, but still far from the usual 8-10mm. Have You ever heared about a Yamaha-Sax that needs so deep set mouthpiece?
(btw: I use the standard 4C mouthpiece and I mostly Reeds in 1.5 strength. Sometimes I try with 2.0 or even 2.5, but after 2 or 3 spints of 5 minutes long tones, I switch back to the softer (1,5) reed. I often do one hour of practice and my emboucher isn't developed enough (yet) to hold that with a stiffer reed.
Teacher says: better having a few longer practice sessions with a softer reed than biting a too hard one or have sour muscles and no practice the other day.)
Great tutorial!
Thanks a lot for introducing Tonal Energy.
Trying to keep my alto in tune, listing to you, its much better, but have a lot of work ahead.
Surprised how few players mark the neck cork with a biro. Great advice. I can sit in with the rest of the section and know I will be in tune or pretty close straight away.
Thank you Jay! You’re the best
Hi Jay, First, you are all around amazing! In the early 70s when I started there was basically no information on the saxophone at the Philadelphia public library. I remember making greasy shiny wet mimeographs of etudes that came out purple and were basically unintelligible, they sure did smell good! Ha ha ha. Most sax greats died with all there secrets. You are the best player and most knowledgeable on line. Suggestion... How bout an episode, "Deep secrets of great saxophone playing". Deep subject. Thanks for the tuner tip! I'm going to go tune up now. Saxi🎷
Thanks Jay for your lesson always interesting and useful
Thank you so much my sound improved real quick. Thank you for the vid
I had no clue about the idea that tightening/biting and loosing your jaw was incorrect! You've definitely got me looking into this!
Just a question, how exactly do you open your throat while playing? And if you need to make a flat note sharper (especially notes in the upper register, above G on the alto), what should you do? Ive always had my lower lip up to put pressure on the reed - is that the correct way of getting those notes?
Make an ahh or ohhh shape when playing to open up throat. Upper register is usually sharp and needs to be brought down. Unless you have a too soft reed. That can make high notes go flat.
Have you ever herd of adjusting how far the pads open?
I have an alto sax where anything above the high g is almost half a tone sharp. I've notice if I hold the g and a down slightly, it improves the tune of high C d e, for example. Some pads have adjustment for how far they open and I'm thinking of decreasing that distance. Some can be adjusted with screws, others with the thickness of the cork pads they press against.
Great video, I'm gonna checkout the charts and see how it works out. And that app looks worth trying aswell.
I also noticed you put your mouthpiece clamp upside down from how I do..but I can't imagine it making much of a difference.
I like what you said about maintaining a consistent mouth throughout the range.
This is a lesson for life, so useful! And the app you recommend has been a game-changer for me. Thank you so much for your generous sharing, much appreciated.
Hey, which app is this?
If I understand well, "open your throat" means: lower your larynx and raise your soft palate.
uhh yeah
Yeah that helps
This is a fantastic lesson!!! Thank you very much Jay! This app is incredible!
I joined the website but was unable to find this chart on your website. Thank you for your help in making this video!
This is great, thank you for your Lessons. :-)
Thanks jay
Thanks for this free videos, they are well explained and I loved to take your tips to improve my sound, that’s what I’m looking for.
You are so good at the sax and your sax is so nice mine is missing a pearl lol
+Repulse Gaming Thanks! Replacing a pearl is an easy and cheap fix at any sax repair shop. If you get your own replacement, you can glue it in with super glue.
Jay I’m doing very well on my alto saxophone.
Very helpful
Thank you very much ❤️
G'day Jay! thanks for the TE Tuner recommendation - it's a pretty cool app. I like the User Interface, as well as the functionality. However, I am finding that my tone sits about a semitone when looking at the Sound Wheel. So in my case, If I was to play a C note the tuner indicates that a point between the B note and the C note and similarly on other notes. At times its flat, at times a little sharp. I'm using Yahama YAS62III with a 4C mouthpiece and Vandoreen 2.5 reed. I have tried using my OttoLink mouthpiece and I'm getting similar results. I have been playing for couple of years now and I'm just tying to figure out whether the issue is myself or my recently upgraded equipment. Thanks, champ!
So you have the transposition set correctly? If you play tenor make sure it is set to Bb instrument
@@bettersax Cheers Jay. I have an alto horn. I'll double check the settings ✌️
The smiley face on that app... lol. excellent tuning app!
Yup, Still my favorite.
This is great! When I was playing against your sax in the beginner pentatonics my sax sounded SO out of tune, even after 3 days, that I was about to give up. Playing to a tuner is a fabulous idea. Then I can see the concert pitch notes while playing the saxophone nomenclature notes. The low notes are much easier for me to play than the mid range notes an octave up. Low notes I can always get; the higher notes especially the E sometimes goes bubblly. Is there any particular cause / remedy for this or is it just my bad beginner playing?
Hi Jay, I'm really digging your videos. I charted my YTS-23. I watched your embouchure video to review mine. After doing this chart, I found (by checking over and over, with consistent relaxed embouchure) that I'm in-tune on 18 notes (Bb, C,C#, D, F, B, C, C#-mid, G, F#, G, G#, A, B, C#, D, Eb, F), then flat on 7 notes (Eb-low, Eb-mid, E, F, Bb-high, C), then sharp on 6 notes (B-low, B#, G, Gb, A-low, E-high). Just about all sharps and flats are 3 arrows. I only have about 2-3 mm left of cork, my mp has squished the cork so much, not sure I can even push it in more. Lots of detail here, but only one question. Do you have an advice on if I get this horn serviced or replace it or do I just need to do more long tones, and try again in a few weeks? (I might go to a shop, and try this on some other horns, too.) I record myself sometimes, and now I know why parts of songs don't sound so great. I was really careful to keep a constant embouchure and relaxed throat through this whole exercise. (You are truly an amazing teacher. And Tonal Energy is an awesome app, indeed. Thank you for the videos.)
Gene, this is just the first step. You are on the road to playing in tune, but it will take a while. Probably nothing a repair tech can do to help you. I use the tonal energy app with the feature where it plays the note you are playing so that you can match the pitch. Practice with this when you do your long tones. My video about headphones goes into more detail... You'll find that you need to make little micro adjustments for a lot of notes on the saxophone to be in tune. It's best to have your ear dictate when and how to adjust.
Interesting, thanks. This is my second tenor. My first one was total junk - was given to me. Are you saying every sax will have some similar variance, and I should just get use to it, and learn to play it? I ask because other advice says, don't use a bad horn when learning, it will make learning harder.
Yes, all saxophones will have intonation irregularities. The more you develop your embouchure, air support and ear, the better in tune you will play. Yamahas play very well in tune and are ideal for learning so no need to get a new horn.
My Sax (Chinese brand) is half a note flat, throughout the range. I just realized this, after following your advice of playing long notes with a tuner.
Is there a remedy?
Now, I think I understand why it was hard playing the high notes. Without realizing it, I was correcting half a note up by putting a lot of pressure on the reed. Much less pressure is needed for the low notes.
I am playing for just under a year, utilizing you pentatonic and fundamental classes. Thank you.
Isaac, you may need to change your reed. If a reed is too soft, it can affect intonation a lot. Also push your mouthpiece in further on the cork. The saxophone probably plays pretty close to in tune, but if you are using the mouthpiece that came with it, you should get something better right away.
Technique lessons i like.
Really helpfull
Hi, great video! On an alto sax, on which note should we start the exercise?
Jay, how do I correct my flat notes on long tones? Also is there any other way to correct sharp notes besides the ones in the video?
Excellent tuning video. I downloaded the app immediately. I have a problem with C# (all keys opened) where I is always flat. Any tips? Thanks.
Juan, hmmm, that note is usually sharp not flat. Check that the left hand keys are all opening to about the same height. Could be you need harder reeds though.
Better Sax thanks. I thinks is the Reed. I am using #2. Ill try with 2.5.
Mine tends to come up as Eb. lol. I look at the piano tone because it's definitely not C#, lol.
2.5 Legere.
not entirely sure how to use that app. Maybe something on that, assuming total beginner...?
Jay is always extraordinarily helpful, a great teacher.
Very good pedagogical points!
Thank you Mark.
I’ve been practicing on my sax, but my notes are consistently flat, so I always have to push the mouthpiece in a little bit to raise the pitch.
I noticed TE tuner from the thumbnail that app helps me sleep at night XD
You are amazing teacher.can you tell me the name of the tuner please
thanks man .
Very helpful. Thanks for this video
Jay, I have a question. Before I found your lessons, I had practiced on my own playing a large list of printed etudes, having some scarce knowledge. When I installed this tuner app - I found out I have unstable notes in high register, it looks like disaster, +|-20cents. I'm very upset.. I will now try to train the notes, but it's so exhausting to do that during hour or more. Can I combine this with other exercises? Probably keep training the etudes is ok? Another question: I can't stand long, have back pain... Can I practice sitting without losing in effectiveness? Thanks.
Yes you can practice sitting no problem. Don’t spend an hour working on intonation. Watch my short long tone exercise video and practice long tones with a drone. Try to play along with recordings so you have a pitch reference to get used to playing more in tune. You’re not the only sax player to have difficulty playing in tune in the upper register. We all do.
Great video !
this kinda helped
The longer you do this, the more it helps.
Any tips for someone who's getting back into sax after 15 years? I don't enough stamina in my lips to last anywhere close the whole routine 😅 It's going to come back as I play every day but currently it's very difficult!
Middle D is 35 cents sharp and Middle B is 15 flat. Just got it serviced but I am a clarinet player! Any advice?
Deadly app !!! Do u prefer to use the long line tuner (where u can see a graph) or the big smile tuner (where u cant see any graph, only the smile) ?
+fodemhouse I use the smiley face tuner.
Hey Jay. love your videos and have been to the shed but cannot find the intonation chart that you are referring to. any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Thanks for the video.
Can a mouth really adjust embouchure fast enough to play every note in tune quickly enough??
Hello Jay. I love your videos. So methinks it is time to get a sax and start learning it. My question is " Can I tune an Alto Sax to 444Hz? I play all my music in 444Hz (guitar)...it's a personal preference of mine. It would be sweet if the sax could also be tuned to 444. Thanks for any help. :)
My guess is that you tune from a 440 to a 444, so of course, literally just push you mouthpiece further up on your cork.
@@isaacbushnell2663 Thanks for the reply. Couldn't find the answer anywhere. Such a simple solution really. Glad it can be done. Cheers......
Yes but if you push in to 444Hz you will throw the sax out of tune with itself, it’s made to play at 440Hz.
Hello Jay, thank you all your videos, they are really fantastic!!! I couldn't find the intonation chart in your site, after signing and receiving a link in my email. ???
What's best setting in the Tonel Energy app to help make sure I'm playing correctly?
My middle c key was extremely flat no matter what while the rest of the horn in tune, and so I just had a repair shop fix it. They put s cork under the key. That now I assume used to be there.
Mike Elam here. Already a member. Logged in. Tried to get saxophone intonation chart pdf download, but no luck. Everytime I try, even after I'm signed in, I keep getting asked to sign up and then get an "you're already signed up email. Oh well. P;ease advise.
What app are you using for tuning your saxophone
My sax play always flat, even pushing all the mp on the cork... How do i know if my reed is too soft?
May be is your mouthpiece to long (not original or similar), and can not be pushed a little more..
it also depends on the pressure of you embouchure, try to push it harder so the sound will be sharper and hit the right tone
@@doduyle8476 After one year playing everyday i'm most of the time in tune xD But it was all about the reed and the embouchure, not about pressure, but more about tongue position and air flow :)
The Tuner app doesn't seem to be available in the UK????
Hi Jay - on alto I would shove my meyer as far down on the cork as it would go and developed my embouchre that way. On tenor still a work in progress. Figuring it out. QUESTION- HOW DOES MELISSA ALADA PLAY WITH THE MOUTHPIECE BARELY ON THE CORK - I MEAN IT IS WAY OUT THERE. ? > MAYBE HER KEY HEIGHT IS IN AN EXTREME SETTING? JUST CURIOUS AS HER SOUND IS SO BIG AND SHE IS IN SUCH CONTROL. She said she does at least an hour of long tones everyday for over 20 years now or so I guess.
I need the conversion chart can I play f sharp it comes out a on a tuner I need to know what I'm doing
Hi!! Loved your video, I am just working on getting out the notes in tune. I wanted to download the pdf chart but I can't find it.
I click the link and it takes me to the page /shed to register (I already registered)
The search bar won't find any chart.
How can I get it? Thanks for your work
Can someone please help...I just started playing (30 years as a guitarist and I’m teaching myself the tenor sax). I’m following along to videos and I’m precisely a whole step flat. When I hit the three left had keys it should be a G but I’m getting an F (in tune no less). I’ve move the mouth piece back and for but that only seems to make a minor adjustment.
You are not flat. The saxophone is a transposing instrument. Watch my video explaining how this works and you’ll understand.
Better Sax Thanks a lot. I thought I was going crazy. This makes a lot more sense.
I have found my upper register is very sharp and lower register very flat (except Low B and Bb which are super sharp) so i dont really know where to have the mouthpiece on the neck. Middle register is fine and i tuned the horn to B (tenor).
I have a alto Dolnet Paris II Series, pretty cool at all.. but the second scale is a bit higher (of tune) than the first scale. It's still kinda ok, I can control it on the mouth, but the D of the second scale is almost D#, it's kinda bother me. I still can make it on the mouth, but it's a great difference. :/
I could not resist the temptation to attempt to fix the flat G on the horn. Have you tried opening the F key a tad? Or using a thinner pad?
Hi Jay - Another Fantastic Video! Thank you!! Just getting back into playing the sax after a 15 year break - I have been doing long notes for a few weeks now and am seeing marked improvement in tuning from Low C to high A. Anything below that is consistently sharp and anything above that is consistently flat. I am playing a Yanagisawa TWO10s and know you play Yani saxes too. You mentioned that you had the same tuning challenges on your horn...
I am finding that being sharp, my low B and Bb are somewhat easier to fix, but am struggling with improving anything above High A. I am trying to avoid biting down to raise pitch and am trying to make adjustments in my throat and tongue but to no avail... I've tried higher and lower tongue positions, more open and more closed throat positions, and everything in between... sometimes to the point of closing the reed off.... Some notes are 20 cents flat! Do you have any other suggestions? What did you find worked best for you? Will overtone exercises help with this? Am I over thinking it and just need to keep going, and let time and practice do it's job? - I'm just worried I'll develop some bad habits..
I have also tried different reeds (legere 2, van blue box 2.5, van red box 2.5, d'add jazz select 2M), and tried the Yani mouthpiece that comes with the horn, and a 22 year old Vandoren V5 T25 that I played in my teens. I don't want to blame my gear, but would that have something to do with it?
Would love to hear your thoughts Jay
I’m am wondering should I require the stuff you have. only have my phone if so can someone direct me to a tutorial that doesn’t require the same gear
I could have sworn that at 4.16 ,you said avoid biting a pie.That would mess up your sax surely.haha
Lawrence Fairbairn Lol, "up high, and "a pie" do sound very similar, don't they? Imagine the difficulties for someone just learning English!
Pls what is the name of this application and how do I get it??
HI Jay, another great video. Thanks. Question (I always approach things technically) You say to write down arrows with each 5 cents out of tune while using Toners Energy. Should I be watching it fluctuate (yes, I have a lot of work to do,) and write down the lowest or highest I see? The X cents at the end can be way off compared with how I played the note, especially if other noises are going on in the room. Or is there an average displayed somewhere I can read off. If so, I can't find it, and read the docs. How do you use the app to read off that value? Thanks.
Good question. I find the best way to practice intonation with this app is to put on headphones, and use the function where it plays the note you are playing. without looking at the image on screen I match my intonation with the note played by the app. This is good training for adjusting your intonation in real time when playing with other musicians. Watch my video about headphones to see how I do this. Experiment with the different display options in the app as well to see how well you are doing. The idea is to be aware of the notes that have a tendency to be more out of tune than the others so that you can make a mental note and be prepared to adjust when you land on them.
Any idea what would make the tuner read a whole note lower than what you're actually playing I don't know if my embouchure is bad or what but notes come out they're just not the right ones
My saxophone is mostly and usually flat. Should I get it tuned up professionally at my local instrument repair?
Name of app pls?
I have a Yanigasawa Soprano and I only found out through playing it regularly that the instructorment is out of tune with itself. If I play a scale from my middle C to the bottom C with the same moth position, my bottom notes are a lot sharper. So I have to adjust my mouth position to keep in tune. Any thoughts?
What if your horn is majorly flat? How would you fix it?
hi, any idea why I can't play low notes other that using Subtone and with double cushion. If I try the full sound with my teeth resting on the mouth piece, the notes just break or stay high.
Actually I never learned how to play with my teeth resting on the mouth piece, and everyone is saying you have to rest your teeth on the mouth piece and I hate it.
Jay, I'm a little confused hare because the notes that appeared on the screen were a whole step higher than the notes that you played, is this a transposing thing?
Hei Jay, why you let to player alto sax ? I’m curious…
Hello Sir,
I am following you on you tube for saxophone lessons. Very thankful to you.
I have a query, when I play “A” on my saxophone, the tuner catch it as “C”.
Can you please tell me how should I tune my saxophone to correct scale??
Your saxophone is an alto or a baritone which means your saxophone is an E flat saxophone. That means whenever you plan an A, a C comes out and whenever you play a G, a B-flat comes out or whenever you play an E, a G comes out. If that sounds confusing, basically your saxophone is in a different key (every sax is) from other instrument like piano or flute so it acts different. You can look a video up about it if you need
Also, theres 4 main types of saxes. The Soprano and Tenor play in B flat. The Baritone and Alto play in E flat
Hello I have a student yamaha tenor saxophone. I had no problem with entonation on my conn alto. But high notes on the left hand are way way way out of tune... Is it because of me? Would taking it to a repair shop help? Can it be fixed by getting a good mothpice. Right now I'm using the one that came with the sax. Thank you for the great value!
+Omer Karaman Yamahas play very well in tune. If your mouthpiece is also a Yamaha then it should play in tune as well. You probably have to work on your embouchure and breathing. Watch my videos on those subjects. ruclips.net/video/Buo8wg1xkvU/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/woQ00Zx-OoY/видео.html
Jay, I don't have the money for a tuner on the app store, do you know any free alto sax ones?
Download Pano Tuner on Playstore/Appstore for free. I'm an Alto Sax user, this app is very accurate. You can tune your instrument accurately by looking at the offset from the pitch that you want to tune to.
Jay what note is best for tuning an alto saxophone
All of them😉.
How come you come you can't play a F at 420 Hertz on the alto sax