stuffy middle D on Chu tenor

[morgan]

man, that's one stuffy middle D on my Chu tenor. Is this endemic, or shall I start playing with key heights?

[Pete]

It's just stuffy, man.

Glad you could make it! :D

[paulwl]

Morgan: Try some fingerings. Try laying off on the octave key when you get the note. That can make D a little less sharp and easier to blow straight on.

If that doesn't work by itself try some of these:
• add low C#
• add palm D
• "covered": lay off left hand except for palm D, no OK, right hand stays down
• just palm D, no OK (if flat, add side C)

Hey, this new board is pretty easy to use. Registration was a snap. Now to wait for all the people to get here...

[morgan]

Sure, I know those fingerings. And I can fool around with the low C keyheight. Are you concurring that, yes, in general, Chu middle D's are an issue compared to other horns?

[paulwl]

Well, the Conn tenor is a fat-toned, spread horn, and it's also a dark horn.

Put the two together at the point where you have a closed tube AND open octave key, and you'll get a sound that might be TOO fat -- "flabby." (This is why nobody plays the "closed" Bb2 -- it sounds like a moose call.)

Feed it a controlled airstream and shape the note a bit with your chops, and the D should shape up. It's good exercise for you both.

[swapsax]

Clunky action, strange intonation yes but stuffy notes on a Chu??
Never found anything but openess and hugeness. Have you looked down
the bore to see if something homeless has made a home?

[morgan]

*sigh*

Bad reed, nothing else. Problem cured.

(slinks embarassedly back into corner)

[swapsax]

No problem. The last thing I try
is a new reed--I'll try a different horn first and then a mouthpiece
if that doesn't do it...you don't
have to wet up a horn or mp...

[danodownunder]

If the D is stuffy on any horn open up the low C key to at least as far as you can stuffyness will be greatly diminished if not removed and if you don't believe me the ask Emilio Lyons. This applies to all horns its great.

[retread]

Middle D on my 1936 10M was stuffy until an 89-year-old tech opened the C key. A previous tech claimed nothing could be done for a stuffy D. He was wrong.