Klarinet Archive - Posting 000964.txt from 2003/02

From: CBA <clarinet10001@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Sax players - problem correction suggestion
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 02:51:23 -0500

Jim,

A few odd questions, but related...

Does this student play in a position where his leg or knee would
partially close one of the lower open keys? This could cause
some of the off sounding notes.

Also, I have students who rest their hands too close to the palm
keys on the left hand side, and too close to the side keys on
the right.

If it happens on BOTH horns, it makes me think it is a playing
position/finger position problem, and not the horns. Also, if it
doesn't happen consistently on either horn, but does randomly
happen on both horns, I would again say it is a playing position
or hand position problem.

Lastly, if the neck of the sax is loose where it meets the horn,
the student pushing up or down while playing could open up a
leak that only occurs in certain positions of playing. This
would essentially still be a playing problem, and not equipment,
but you could solve that one with some teflon tape or the like
where the connection of the neck is to the body.

The key is watching him play, and seeing if there is different
posture, or mouth or hand position when the problem starts.

Hope that helps...

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds - New York City
> On Thursday, February 27, 2003, at 09:33 AM, James Hobby
> wrote:
>
> > One of my students (HS senior, good technician, good tone,
> preparing
> > for his
> > university admission audition) on alto sax has developed a
> problem
> > over the
> > last three months that I can't find. This has happened with
> his old
> > sax and
> > his new graduation gift sax.)
> >
> > He's playing along, just fine. All of a sudden, his sound
> is half
> > tone/half
> > air. He can fiddle with the reed and get the sound back for
> a while,
> > but it
> > happens again in a little while. Tried different reeds.
> (Same
> > mouthpiece
> > that he didn't have the problem with before.) There's a
> slight leak
> > on the
> > low C pad that we have to get fixed. That's the only leak I
> can find.
> > (I've tried after the air/tone starts up and can't find
> anything.)
> >
> > Does this ring any bells? Suggestions to fix it?
> >
> > Thanks, Jim

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