Altissmo, can a wider MP help?

[Michael]

Hey Johnny,
I found how to hit the high F# key–I’m a beginner, please be patient with me. Everything I had seen, including 2 band books for the Saxophone the local band director gave me showed F as the highest note; which is why I had asked about playing just the high F if I decided to play the last part of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” an Octave. I had no idea that on the Saxophone we could play notes that are much higher than just the high F. Can a wider MP help me hit these Altissmo notes? I’m still on my No.4 MP and I have been feeling that I’m ready for a wider, MP now. Sticking with the hard-rubber as you had recommended. My thought was a wider MP will help me in the way of supplying more air from my diaphragm into the Sax, helping me to hit these higher notes. Right now, with a No.4, it’s very tough to do. Thank you! 😛

[jake]

It takes time! I use a yam 4c on my alto and am just starting to hit those upper notes. I bought the Top of the range book johnny had mentioned on his altissimo page. Those exercises will really help you. In the beginning it just takes you up and down the scale but by doing this you will develop the muscles and embrochure that will help with hitting those notes. It doesn’t even get into the altimsso notes until a few pages in until you develop good control of the normal range of notes on the sax. When I practice, I try to dedicate a few minutes to those exercises to keep strengthening those muscles. It has been just over a year for me now and I just hit an altissimo G. I was pretty stoked. It was nothing to write home about but to get that tone out after all of my failed attempts was an accomplishment to me. Keep practicing and routinely work on those upper notes and altissimos will start slowly coming. I often have times hitting the high notes right on so I may have to hit the note below it and work up. I can pretty much nail the high E so if I miss the high F, I will drop to the E and slur into the F and hold this tone and embrochure. I also noticed that I am starting to develop a sore on the inner of my bottom lip since I have been dedicating time the to high notes. I find myself biting down and squeezing the reed to hit them. I read a different post where Johnny stated that this was normal and should go away! Hope this helps.
I do find hitting the upper notes on the tenor a little easier than on the alto. I wonder if that is because I am giving it a bit more air since its a bigger horn. Really blow into that sax and feed it some air!

[Michael]

Thank you Jake, I know it takes time but just curious if a wider MP is one of those things that can help. I remember reading a post about the book “Top of the Range”, thanks for reminding me about it; going to check it out. So glad to hear you’re getting those Altissimo notes :), keep it up. Enjoyed your recent upload on the blog too!

[jake]

Thanks. I have a metal mp for the alto which is a 6, far wider than my yam 4c and i think it is harder to hit the high notes. not sure if its is because it needs much more air support or the difference in mp being a different type and metal. I do far better with the smaller 4c personally. Sounds a ton better too, for the alto that is. I love my metal mp for the tenor. Actually going shopping to my local music store to try and upgrade it! I want more edge on my sound. Was thinking of the Berg Larsen line. Thats the type Hank Carter from George Thorogood used and I like that edgy, nasty sound. Not really sure how much comes from the mp versus the player tho??

[Michael]

I had gotten ahold of a No.5 Otto Link MP a couple months back and used when I uploaded to the blog “What a Wonderful World”. I was able to hit the higher notes easier, don’t know why, but it produced a sound on the Alto that was too bright, particularly for that song. Johnny also cautioned me to stay away from Metal MPs this early in my playing and stick with the Hard Rubber MPs for now. Yes, the hard rubber MP simply sounds better on the Alto too–I definately noticed that difference between the metal Mouthpiece and the hard rubber. Seems like on the Tenor, whether someone uses a hard-rubber MP or a Metal MP, like the Dave Guardalas, it would depend on what kind of Music someone was playing too. I don’t think Tenor players who are playing rock music would use a hard rubber Mouthpiece. The hard-rubber Mouthpiece seems like it would be more suited to Jazz rather than Rock on the Tenor. The song Johnny plays “Mack the Knife” would be well suited for someone who was justed starting out with the Tenor and had a Hard Rubber MP. I bought the sheet music/backtrack and, provided you know the scales, the notes seems to be fairly easy on the Alto.

[john]

I thought my fingering chart went up to the high F# but it doesn’t. To finger it, use the fork F fingering which is the index and middle fingers of the left hand, then add the low F with the index finger on the right hand along with the low side key.
Hope you can understand this fingering without a chart!

[john]

You guys are making some great points! Yes it may be time to try a larger mp, the theory of it allowing more air into your horn is right.
As you go up to the higher notes you will get to one that won’t come out like the one previous. As Jake said, go back down one or 2 and slur your way up with more air. The slur makes it easier not to break the note because it allows for continous air, as opposed to using your tongue which will interupt the air supply. Of course you want to eventually be able to hit them both ways but start by slurring to ensure you get it happening at first.
If you can play a high C, then you can play a high C#…if you can play a high C# you can play a high D etc…. just use the exercise mentioned previously.

[john]

One of the really good standards on alto is the Meyer. I have a 6. You could try a 5 or even a 6… these are great mp’s especially for a good alto sound.

[Michael]

Thank you so much Johnny–I REALLY want to play the last few measures “Over the Rainbow” an Octave higher and I can hit a high F with my No.4 MP, I’ve had to slur these higher notes as you mentioned here; tonguing them was out of the question; at least on a No.4 MP (Speaking of tonguing notes, I posted a video on the blog where I focused on tonguing to prevent the notes from falling off the end, to keep the tone even all the way through as you had advised a couple of posts back. When you get the time check it out and let me know what you’re thoughts are, any improvements, where I need work, etc.. Thank you!)That’s why I had asked about just playing high F for that song, I didn’t know I could play higher than that on the Sax. I know, musically, how important it is to play F# if the scale calls for it, just didn’t know how the fingering for F# that high, didn’t even know we could play F# that high. 2 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
1. I’m planning to buy the book Jake reminded me about on Amazon; I read somewhere that there are like 16 notes/keys (something like that) as Sax players we can play in Altissmo. How accurate is that? Is that even correct? I’m having so much fun with this and I want to learn as much as I can. Learning more enables us to DO MORE with our Saxophones and have more fun.
2. My wife’s opinion is that, if the time has come for me to start working on, at the very least, a few of the Altissmo notes, that means I would soon be considered an Intermediate Sax player; what’s your take on this?

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