Saxophone Forum


by cammes
(16 posts)
19 years ago

Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been playing for seven years on alto and struggle with some of the altissimo range especially the G. I hit the A easily and some of the others. I was just wondering if your set up has anything to do wtih it and if you have to change your embrochure at all?

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  1. by jazzyjedi
    (13 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The secret, is just to practice. Practice playing overtones. It really helps you in the long run, since altissimo notes are just overtones. Yous set up shouldn't have anything to do with being able to play overtones, though I have noticed that it's sometimes easier to play them when ou play on a new reed, while it's still sorta hard. As for your embrochure, don't change it! If you're changing it, you're doing it wrong. It should stay the same. However, you do have to change the position of your tounge and throat. Your tounge needs to be arched high, close to the roof of your mouth, using fast moving, cold air. I can't tell ya how to change your throat. It's different for everybody. Even it it wasn't, I still counld'nt describe how you hold your throat. Anyway, try this and see. Main thing is, is that its just gonna take some time and work. But you'll get it!

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    1. by whitzonjazz
      (8 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      i agree with the jedi lol but another thing is the fingerings that you use. try 1,3,4,6. that's the fingering i use on alto. for tenor i use g#,Bb side key, and the teardrop or front 'f' key

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      1. by connsaxman_jim
        (2336 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        Altissimo, what is the secret? Embouchure control! Absolutely embouchure control! And this all comes with practice.

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    2. by jamterry
      (573 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      I will recommend a book for you guys who want to climb on top of your horn. Get "ted nash's studies in high harmonics" It has two sets of fingerings for tenor and alto. In the back it has some nice solos that are up in the nose bleed section. I bought this book when I still had my Conn shooting star. You might have to order it.

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    3. by wilson
      (9 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Meh, it's not even all that practical. It's cool to wail on sometimes if you can get a good sound but it's pretty much just an over-rated novelty.

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      1. by jamterry
        (573 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        I hope nobody ever calls my playing practical. I like to think practical is like checking the oil in your car. When I play I want to leave practicality. If you can't hit the notes, it is not practical, as in sour grapes.

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        1. by wilson
          (9 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          You hope nobody ever compares your playing to checking the oil in one's car? Sour grapes? What the hell are we talking about???

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      2. by mattdude
        (74 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        imo you're crazy wrong on this. listen to chris potter and tell me altissimo isn't practical!

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        1. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          Altissimo not practical? Leather underwear is not practical. Altissimo sounds great! Every sax player; especially tenor players, should learn to play up to altissimo A. Sure, it takes practice and embouchure control, but altissimo really screams!

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          1. by saxgod_0021
            (4 posts)

            18 years ago

            Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

            Relax your throat. That is how i was taught altissimo and I can play up to a D above a regular high D, and some notes higher than that, but i think that they are just high piched controled squeks.

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          2. by The_§ax
            (147 posts)

            18 years ago

            Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

            I really love good alto players that scream their altissimo notes out in solos, that's awesome.

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          3. by saxgod_0021
            (4 posts)

            18 years ago

            Re: Altissimo what is the secret !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

            Me to

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