Skip to main content

Home Alt Forums Problems With Your Sax? sax plays flat when it's cold

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 11 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #45026
    Joel Stern
    Participant

      I”m finding that my alto plays very flat when it’s cold in the room. Is there a safe way to warm up the sax in addition to blowing into
      it before playing ? After I’ve played for awhile it seems to lose the “flatness”, but I need the sax to play in tune immediately for a concert
      coming up.

      #45027
      Pete
      Participant

        Just push your mouthpiece in further till it gets warmer,
        I have not heard a good sax busker playing in the cold
        bad weather sounding flat. Don’t forget that metal will shrink
        in the cold, so it would sound flatter IMO.

        #45031
        Anonymous

          i’ve only played in two orchestra concerts, and the general idea is you turn up an hour before, take out your instrument straight away, so it comes up to room temperature, and then start tuning up 15 mins before starting like everyone else, with the conductor.

          If i am going for a sax lesson, which is 5 mins away in the car, i warm up/tune up the sax before i leave my house. What i do is leave the mouthpiece on the neck, with the reed on the mouthpiece in the case and cover it with a cloth.

          So when i setup the sax in the lesson i can play straight away.

          #45061
          Anonymous

            re. Warming up the sax

            Have you tried some of this on your sax?

            #45069
            Anonymous

              And if you like it extra hot!

              #45083
              Mel
              Participant

                Mindi does a good job. I also liked the Phil Collins Big Band video that comes up at the end of her video.

                Thanks Jeff!

                Mel

                #45136
                Anonymous

                  Nice catch Mel.
                  I hadn’t watched that video before. Excellent timing hey?
                  Great solos and a very clean and crisp sound from Phil’s band!

                  The chap in the striped suit performs a good example of circular breathing on the black lacquer Tenor.

                  #45315
                  Mel
                  Participant

                    Some more Haute sauce about 5 minutes in.

                    #45934
                    jak Swift
                    Participant

                      Man, Mindi has an unreal alto tone. If you are into circular breathing check out Lenny Picket playing Sunday Driver with Richard Tee. WHOAH !!
                      Ever played with Lenny , Johnny ?
                      Oh yeah….A slightly belated but Happy New Year to you all. Hard Blowin, and focused.
                      Best…jak

                      #45971
                      Jazz Cat
                      Participant

                        true re flat in cold; I keep/play my horns in my big finished basement, which here in colorado in winter is around 68 degrees… good tip re just pushing mp in more than usual, at least the first 30 minutes of practice, otherwise I’m nearly 1/2 step flat (really stands out when using backing tracks) … I always use a snark tuner clipped to music stand to check intonation, a Big help
                        https://www.amazon.com/Snark-ST-2-Multi-Instrument-Chromatic-Tuner/dp/B01H62TQ68/

                      Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 11 total)
                      • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.