Playing an 'average' arrangement

[Kareeser]

Hey... I was hoping you guys could help me with some playing issues.
(It's either I post here, or the alto forum, so I chose here, :P)

Anyway, my band director's an avid arranger. He's just not REALLY good at it. He plays one instrument, and he doesn't understand the concept of the thumb key. But more stories later.

His arrangement for me is full of eigth notes (the whole page) that go up and down the break.

Scanned picture of my score: http://www3.sympatico.ca/myclam/music.jpg (37kb)

A picture is included... The problem is, when I hit notes that require the release or the pressing of the thumb key, my tone becomes horrible and it is hard to play without running out of air quickly... Any suggestions? :S

[Hinzaldi]

I think you can better learn to play first, then critizise your director...
Hinzaldi

[gary]

Kareeser, there's nothing unusual about that passage. You've just got to get used to playing with jumps in and out of the registers with and without the octave key. Do you have a sax teacher? There are plenty of written exercises to help you out and the proper guidance should take care of any problems you're having.

In the meantime, practice the passage slowly and make sure you don't overcompensate with your embouchure when you change octaves. I mean, don't tighten your embouchure too much when going higher and don't relax it too much when going lower.

Take a note and play it without your octave key and while playing it touch your octave key and do nothing else. You should eventually be able to jump octaves with only the octave key and no exaggerated movements of your embouchure. If you can't jump octaves, your embouchure is too loose. If you jump octaves and then hang up there and can't get back down, then it's too tight.

A really good exercise to find the proper mouth support around your mouthpiece is to play Santy Runyon's mouthpiece exercise. You'll find the link to that on the Sax on the Web Home Page.

By the way, thanks for including the passage. That was helpful and smart.

[Kareeser]

Thanks for the excellent reply (both of you, ;))...

I'll try what you suggested, gary... in the meantime, I also noticed (after reading your reply) that I tend to stay up the octave when playing, and it's just a tad harder to get down again.

However, that'll be added onto my list of things to work on...

Thanks again.

[Transcriber-arranger]

Perhaps you should check your octave keys too to ensure that they are closing completely.

[bklittle]

Transcriber-arranger, I live in the same area as you, do you play in any groups?

[Transcriber-arranger]

Yes, but only rarely in DC. I list several groups I've performed with at

www.john-mcvey.com/DISmink