5 Signs Your Sax Is Broken (and how to fix it)

www.scottpaddocksaxschool.com / Study sax with Scott Paddock
At some point, as saxophone players, we are all faced with the terrible question am I the problem, or is my saxophone broken? In today's video, I am going to show your 5 of the most common saxophone malfunctions and give you some pointers on how to fix them without going to the repair shop.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:45 Sticky Keys
3:02 Loose Springs
4:49 Sympathetic Vibrations
7:46 Octave Mechanism
9:06 Gargley Low Notes
BG France Micro Fiber Link: www.amazon.com/BG-A65S-Microf...
Key Leaves Spit Sponge: www.amazon.com/Sponge-Saxopho...
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The Sax School is an online subscription based membership made up of courses that are set up in the exact same way that I teach private lessons. The courses range from beginner through early advanced and guide you through a step by step approach to learning songs, scales, theory, technique, improvisation, and special sax skills that are appropriate for your playing level. ENROLL TODAY
INSTAGRAM: @scottpaddocksax
www.scottpaddock.com
Scott Plays:
P. Mauriat 67RX Influence alto sax
Barkley Brazil Kustom Pop 7 Blue mouthpiece
Legere American Cut 2.25 reeds
BG Silver Duo ligature

[@Unbekannt12]

Great video Scott! Lens wipes for glasses work really well for pad cleaning and are gentler in the pads than microfiber.

[@ScottPaddock]

Funny enough, I use my BG France micro fiber on my glasses sometimes 🤣

[@rd40082]

Great advice. Thanks

[@stefanie.4571]

Great video! And some new information for me. Thank you! 😊😊😊

[@ScottPaddock]

Glad you enjoyed it 😁

[@raseshgandhi6702]

Great information

[@jeroenneve5807]

I (inadvertently!) bent the octave mechanism when screwing on the mouthpiece. Your sax won't play at all. Luckily I was at my teacher's, and she immediately diagnosed the problem. The fix was very easy: gently bend it back until it properly seals again. Now I'm much more careful when putting on the mouthpiece, or when swabbing the neck. Don't grab the mechanism, and certainly don't squeeze!

[@ScottPaddock]

Ahhh!! That's another very common one. I'll have to add that in next time. Yes, that top octave key is very easy to bend out of shape.

[@stephenbashforth8257]

one issue you didn't mention is the loose pad: though far from ideal, one fix that can keep you playing (on a gig) is to use blue tack to hold the pad in place. by always swabbing out body and crook, you help to avoid the stick pad problem, and using key leaves to keep pads open also helps eliminate sticky pads

[@ScottPaddock]

Yeah, the Key Leaves definitely help! Funny enough, in all of my years of playing the sax, I've only had 1 pad fall out, and that was on an old Mark VI. I was on a gig, and actually used a piece of gum that I chewed to put the pad back in and finish the gig. Not an ideal fix at all, but it did the job and got me through the gig.

[@ChrisF_1982]

@@ScottPaddock I used superglue one time. I later found out that repair techs don't exactly like it when people do that.

[@eagomezgi]

One more thing is a missing cork. In most cases, it means metal to metal noise; but if it is the cork that sets how far you go when pushing the octave key, it stays open when the second mechnism should close it.

[@ScottPaddock]

Ahh! Yes, I missed that one too. Funny enough, I just had a missing piece of cork replaced on my tenor last week that was causing the front F key to not open enough. The click-clack of missing cork is oftentimes pretty easy to diagnose.

[@jessethesg]

thank you.

[@ScottPaddock]

You're welcome!

[@brianmatthews232]

Buy a low voltage LED leak light to find the leaks

[@DynamixWarePro]

Great video. I have a BG pad cleaning cloth and Key leaves spit sponge but you need to be careful with the Key Leaves cloth as one side is a bit rough for cleaning the tone hole and I accidentally used it the wrong side down and scraped the top of one of my pads and had to get the pad replaced. I have one issue I haven't been able to fix on my alto sax. I adjusted the G#/Bb adjustment screws to try and adjust the tuning/key heights on the lower notes, and now all notes but the low Bb will play. The low Bb won't play, and I am not sure how to adjust those screws to get that note playing again. I can't afford to send it to my repairer right now so would need to do it myself. On my soprano, when I play a A, B or C (one of those notes) I found its more likely to warble/gurgle. All other notes play fine. I don't see any leaks in the saxophone that I am aware of and the neck doesn't leak either. Not sure what is causing it.

[@ScottPaddock]

I didn't realize that about the Spit Sponge. I've never used one, as BG France has sent me a bunch of those microfibers over the years. Those adjustment screws can wreak havoc on your sax if they are in the wrong place. Ok, I don't suggest trying a do it yourself fix, BUT if you were to try and fix it yourself... Take a pic of the current position of the screws, so you can return them to that position with no problems. Then very, very, very carefully turn the bottom screws a 1/4 of a rotation. Play your sax, see if it makes it better, worse or the same, and then continue turning a 1/4 (or less) of a rotation until all of your notes play. If it doesn't work with the bottom screw, then try the top one, but return the bottom to the original position. Those adjustment screws require precise placement. Did you check your second octave key on your soprano? That could definitely cause some warbles.

[@michaelwendell7771]

Good rule of thumb,👍 ALWAYS before playing check your G# and both octave keys. Between songs raise upper palm keys and blow off moisture.....😉

[@greatgodlygood3964]

Hello I have a problem where my high g sound very flat when I play it which reads as a d in my tuner what should I do?

[@camdenfries4070]

Does anyone know why the low B key comes down when I press down the g-sharp key? If so are there any fixes or do I need to take it to the repair shop?

[@user-wl2ol9ny7r]

Upper C note (tenor) won’t play. Key pad not closing completely. Any idea? Thanks

[@HahnJames]

I have a curved soprano with a high F# key right next to the regular F# key. The spring came off that holds it closed so I couldn't play any notes in the lower register. I found the offending spring and could not get it back on its post. I had to take it to a shop. I have no idea how that spring came off its post.

[@ScottPaddock]

saxophone springs have a magical way of sometimes just popping off for no reason 🤣 Yeah, some of them are tough to get back on, especially in small spaces like on a soprano.

[@user-mq3bg1hq7k]

My g sharp is not closing when I play it

[@MIGHTY2ARABA]

When I pres G key it automatically move the octave key, my E key and Fkey not sounding correctly. Any advice? Thanks in advance

[@ScottPaddock]

When you press your high G key it should close the first octave key (the one on the neck) and open the second octave key (the one above your palm key keys). I'm not sure why your E and F would are not sounding correct. That could be several different things.

[@someoneudontknow0]

So my c and c sharp sound the exact same thing and i have no idea what is happening to it so does anyone have anyway advice?

[@ScottPaddock]

The spring that opens your C key is off of the hook. Look on the side of you sax near where the C key is. It's most likely behind the rails. Pop the spring back on and your C will work again.

[@SaxSmoothJazz-ej2zr]

hi there I have been playing and I found my notes below low D difficult to play and I'm not sure if it's my embouchure or my pad leaking?

[@gregory1925]

I have the same problem. Did you fix it?

[@gib321]

High A (tenor) with octave seems to "split" sometimes. Is that the same as vibration.

[@ScottPaddock]

A vibration doesn't feel like a split note. You'll literally feel something vibrate. A split note sometimes, could be the second octave key. Clean it off and see if it goes away.

[@gib321]

@@ScottPaddock I'll try that. Thanks for the reply.

[@swe9t490]

Hi Scott, I'm having a problem sluring from high A to high G. When I do it it makes a weird sound how do I fix it?

[@ScottPaddock]

Hmmmm, that should be pretty easy because you are just putting one finger down, so I'm not sure what the problem could be. Did you check the 2nd octave key? That could be a little sticky and coming up late, causing a small disruption.

[@swe9t490]

@@ScottPaddock I did figure out the problem. Your video was great btw

[@robstevens9590]

Good tips! On my alto the most common sticky key: G#, then occasionally high E and low C#. Sometimes after playing (for over an hour) the bis key sticks. On my curved soprano the octave key pad on the neck sometimes doesn't open properly.

[@ScottPaddock]

Yeah, I've had a sticky bis key before too! How do you like the curved soprano compared to the straight ones? I have a straight one with the slightly curved neck.

[@robstevens9590]

@@ScottPaddock The main reason I bought a curved soprano: easier to take as carry-on on flights, also it is easier to keep good posture. I don't think there is much difference in sound for the listener (compared to the straight soprano), but for the player it is closer & clearer.

[@schoolstudent2913]

Hello, my d note isn't working and fades into a dead sound after I play it for longer than a half note no matter how I play and im just wondering whats going on with it

[@ScottPaddock]

Chances are that you have a spring undone and when you are playing whatever key that spring is supposed to be keeping down is blowing open, and it takes about the length of a half note for that to happen. Look on the side of your horn and see if there are any springs off the post. If so, reattach. If that’s not it, it might be time to go to the repair shop. There is nothing that you would be doing to make the note suddenly stop.

[@ParanoidGoblinoid]

What do you mean by "gargley" low notes? Does it sound a bit like growling?

[@ScottPaddock]

They sound distorted and not full and easy

[@paysonbarnard3235]

My low notes on my tenor.sax are fluttering..I just got it and it’s used

[@ScottPaddock]

Fluttering low notes almost always means you have a leak. Take it to your repair guy.

[@bennettdebiase1008]

I know it's not recommended but sometimes the spring on g sharp key needs to be adjusted

[@ScottPaddock]

I don't usually adjust springs.

[@blackmusic9719]

My high key B is misbehaving sir when I play the key C it's goes down with the key B then give me an A sound

[@blackmusic9719]

Pls I need help

[@dpete8995]

Yep… both G# key and octave key…

[@deara3424]

When I go from low f# to g on my bari, it stays on f#, but when I go from g to f# it works great. What do I do?

[@ScottPaddock]

Sounds like one of your springs is off. When you go from F# to G, to keys should open up. The F# key and the one ABOVE the G (with no key touch). Look on the back side of your sax and see if there is a spring that is off the post around that area.

[@deara3424]

@@ScottPaddock Thanks! It ended up working and that problem also fixed my low A key. :)

[@ScottPaddock]

@@deara3424 Awesome! Glad I could help.

[@lennyappleton2840]

The bane on my existence… LOW B KEY AHAHHAHAHAHSHHSGSWHKWEIEH

[@ScottPaddock]

😂🤣😂 Low B is the least forgiving note on the sax. If there are any leaks, you are definitely going to hear it on that B. Make sure you've got your tongue down really low for those low notes, that will help!

[@lennyappleton2840]

@@ScottPaddock lol now I’m thinking my tongue is the bane of my existence holy moly thank you

[@SamuelAttias-th1uq]

Not buying another one

[@ScottPaddock]

😅

[@SamuelAttias-th1uq]

Good Riddance

[@Jack_Marston05]

I just use a dollar bill to fix my sticky keys

[@ScottPaddock]

That works, but who knows where the dollar has been and if it's dirty, it could be adding gunk to your pads.

[@CyanBRB]

My d with octave key sounds muffled

[@ScottPaddock]

Check your second octave key. Something is probably sticking