Thanks for this video. I was having trouble with a pricey mouthpiece that was a perfect match for my vintage Buescher Aristocrat but was playing a semitone flat. By following your advice and changing the reed strength a bit and pushing the mouthpiece further, I got it in tune.
An observation from a trumpet guy who doesn't play sax. I know you play both... On trumpet the biggest tuning issue I see with newish/beginner players is tuning the note instead of the horn. If you play a tuning note while looking at the tuner, you *will* unconsciously make it play in tune. If the main slide is not right, you will usually drift the note to compensate. That is not only really hard work to maintain, but tone quality suffers as well. But if you close your eyes and find the sweetest centre-of-pitch sound you can get (which I refer to as "the sound"), and *then* check the tuner, you get a true sense of where the horn's tuning lies. Then when you tune normally with the main slide, you are tuning the whole horn. I expected to see this mentioned in the video. otoh I know nothing about saxophones. :-) Thanks.
Another GREAT video, Donna. Through trial and error, I'd discovered that reed and mouthpiece make a huge difference on intonation. I have good horns (Yamaha and Yanagisawa) but was having difficulty with the exact things you mentioned. Thanks for the good advice on mouthpieces and tuning from the neck (first time I ever heard of that... Brilliant! )
Good afternoon Donna l have been watch your videos a few years now. I thought you should've explained that you must warm up the instrument before tuning .I have been playing over thirty five years and l never had an issue with tuning using this method. Greetings from Georgetown Guyana South America.
Thanks, really look forward to trying this out (tuning from the neck) ... but what about the other factors, like temperature, humidity, personal embouchure. In my experience - Im an intermediate beginner :-) - I need a minute or two to warm up before I can produce stable pitch - could you offer some insights on how to take these factors into account when tuning from the neck (and/or tuning with the whole instrument)?
Warm-up the way you need, then do this. You don't need to tune from the neck all the time. It's important to do this with a new horn, new mpc, and if your pitch is all over the place
I don't like cane they are to inconsistent for me and I got tired of playing a lot then walking away then coming back then the reed is basically dead because it dried out I don't mess with cane reeds anymore me and cane reeds have broken up I'm not going back
Ok I know this seems rude but I mean it in a matter a fact way. First off when you play saxophone you shouldn't have your cheeks blown up. I know this seems like a small thing but as a alto player this makes me very mad (I don't do it otherwise I wouldn't of said anything)
What are you talking about??? I don't have my cheeks blown out.... And there are plenty of amazing players who do puff out their cheeks or have a looser embouchure
Thanks Donna, as a beginner two months in I found this very useful. Cheers!
Thanks for this video. I was having trouble with a pricey mouthpiece that was a perfect match for my vintage Buescher Aristocrat but was playing a semitone flat. By following your advice and changing the reed strength a bit and pushing the mouthpiece further, I got it in tune.
Great to hear!
An observation from a trumpet guy who doesn't play sax. I know you play both...
On trumpet the biggest tuning issue I see with newish/beginner players is tuning the note instead of the horn. If you play a tuning note while looking at the tuner, you *will* unconsciously make it play in tune. If the main slide is not right, you will usually drift the note to compensate. That is not only really hard work to maintain, but tone quality suffers as well.
But if you close your eyes and find the sweetest centre-of-pitch sound you can get (which I refer to as "the sound"), and *then* check the tuner, you get a true sense of where the horn's tuning lies. Then when you tune normally with the main slide, you are tuning the whole horn.
I expected to see this mentioned in the video. otoh I know nothing about saxophones. :-) Thanks.
Totally agree with you - I tune by ear and have my students do that as well for all instruments.
Thanks very much this was really useful - new subscriber!
Another GREAT video, Donna. Through trial and error, I'd discovered that reed and mouthpiece make a huge difference on intonation. I have good horns (Yamaha and Yanagisawa) but was having difficulty with the exact things you mentioned. Thanks for the good advice on mouthpieces and tuning from the neck (first time I ever heard of that... Brilliant! )
Great to hear :)
Neck-tuning, Thanks. Never knew it!
Thankyou for this study on tuning. It’s the best approach to tuning I’ve heard to date.
Glad you enjoy it!
Good afternoon Donna l have been watch your videos a few years now. I thought you should've explained that you must warm up the instrument before tuning .I have been playing over thirty five years and l never had an issue with tuning using this method. Greetings from Georgetown Guyana South America.
As a Brass player who has played many a parade in freezing temps, I always tell my students that - thanks for the reminder
Excellent video, very enlightening
which note should be used to tune a soprano sax tudel?
Be interesting to see what Donna thinks of synthetic reeds ? 😀
I play Legere Signature and American Cut - no difference regarding this video lesson
I was literally searching for this yesterday, lol.
Great Donna. Thanks for the information.
Thanks, really look forward to trying this out (tuning from the neck) ... but what about the other factors, like temperature, humidity, personal embouchure. In my experience - Im an intermediate beginner :-) - I need a minute or two to warm up before I can produce stable pitch - could you offer some insights on how to take these factors into account when tuning from the neck (and/or tuning with the whole instrument)?
Warm-up the way you need, then do this. You don't need to tune from the neck all the time. It's important to do this with a new horn, new mpc, and if your pitch is all over the place
THANK YOU QUEEN 🙏
A nice video, thanks so much👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏻
Great video as always. Just to clarify, when the neck is on mpc (after tuning) are you tuning C A F Low C harmonically or with a Tuner?
Either a really good tuner or using a drone in Conc Ab for Alto, Conc E for tenor
Good stuff! Isn't the Bari with the mouthpiece and neck an E? Just curious.
Thanks - it's conc D
Donna Schwartz thank you. I will practice that instead. It easier and more natural the other way. Have a great day!
Wow ur so informative 👏
So nice of you
Great video, thanks Donna! I love your Saxophone too! 🤤
Thanks so much!
master the reeds are according to the opening of the reeds yes or no?
You mean strength of reeds, yes?
Isnt it A? Why you tune it in Ab?
Nope - alto neck is Ab
I don't like cane they are to inconsistent for me and I got tired of playing a lot then walking away then coming back then the reed is basically dead because it dried out I don't mess with cane reeds anymore me and cane reeds have broken up I'm not going back
Ok I know this seems rude but I mean it in a matter a fact way. First off when you play saxophone you shouldn't have your cheeks blown up. I know this seems like a small thing but as a alto player this makes me very mad (I don't do it otherwise I wouldn't of said anything)
What are you talking about??? I don't have my cheeks blown out....
And there are plenty of amazing players who do puff out their cheeks or have a looser embouchure