Saxophone high notes not working - how to fix them quickly

[@petermurphy5302]

Wow, my sax now fixed thanks to this! Saved me a lot of running around. Thank you.

[@ivydaitch443]

Thank you!!! I’m pretty sure my band stand partner was getting fed up with me not being able to get the high D F and E to work since he already hates me so this really helps!!!!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool.

[@oliviacatchpole8262]

That was so incredibly helpful, l thought I was just suddenly a terrible player and that's solved it, thank you!

[@caylebwilson7610]

Effective and easy fix. Great advice. Thanks a lot!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Glad it helped you!

[@jimmywim]

Love Steve's accent. Something about Yorkshire that just sounds so authoritative with this type of thing!

[@MrJoeBetts]

You can always trust a Yorkshireman! My mk vii tenor was customised by Steve and it's my forever horn

[@jayneneil1]

I'm really enjoying these technical videos you are doing more of recently. Keep it going! Just fixed the same problem on an old curved soprano that arrived with me yesterday.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Brilliant Neil. Glad you are enjoying these videos.

[@vincenthallw3582]

+McGill Music Sax School backing

[@DynamixWarePro]

I have an issue when I press the octave key and C and play that note on my Alto sax, I often get a vibrating sound, sometimes it happens on the high F as well. Do you know what could be causing it? Other high notes sound fine,

[@melm.5140]

it took me an complete afternoon to wonder what is wrong with my blow and only 1min thanks to your video... it's definitely a must see video !!!

[@wetgrass84]

I haven't touched my saxophone in many many years! And I was getting quite frustrated with not being able to hit those high notes! This video helped me solve this issue!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great to hear that!

[@danielvaizman3935]

So glad this works for tenor saxophones too, thank you

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cool. Glad it helped you.

[@mannyjamz]

Thank you! I took it in since the octave key was bent but this helps since I got it back and it seemes like it was doing the same thing and the key isn't sitting right unless I turn the neck out, it's been years and finally trying to fix it, I stopped because of this issue and honestly kind of gave up on it until now.

[@christascott4927]

Thank you soooooo much - this is an elementary band director's dream video!!

[@MrPvanc]

Thank you!!! I have spent two very frustrating days as a beginner thinking I would never play again and a little squeeze and back playing!!!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Brilliant!

[@carsonmartindale2462]

Thank you this helped a lot I thought I forgot how to play the sax

[@TheSouthernCrossband]

Just started on the sax a short time ago, using an extremely old (around late 1930's / early 1940's Czech made) instrument I picked up. It was great until a couple weeks back, and it started doing this, I was dreading taking it for a service, because I was told they start at $150, up to over a grand to get looked at and fixed. This video seems to have addressed the exact problem, and when I watched it and followed the basic instructions, it is no longer jumping octaves and being painful. Nothing is worse for a guy who plays many instruments, than to suddenly have one decide not to play the game, when I was making great progress until two weeks back. I thought it was maybe the reed/ reeds, but new Vans on it tonight and the problem persisted, so I googled the problem and I'm wrapped that it was such an easy fix, and in spite of the video not really zooming in at all, anyone who at least knows the mechanics of the instrument at a basic level should be able to follow these instructions easily.. Great problem solver. Cheers

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Awesome! Glad this video helped you.

[@gregmilka7452]

Worked like a charm! Thank you!

[@MartinezRBA]

Priceless! Thanks for sharing this very useful information

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

You’re welcome!

[@zabellesax]

Thank you, I am having this problem with my tenor, and guilty of manhandling the crook and i am having problems going from high d to high g, its double playing and making squeaking sounds. I will try these things on my sax, as I am heading to the repairer yet again.

[@saxophonesabnavis8225]

Nigel you have a very high sence of humour . It could have been really excellent if a close up shot would have taken while Mr Crow was showing his demo . But however it’s highly informative . Thank you very much for this tip

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cheers, thanks for watching!

[@sritao8]

Massively helpful.Problem solved,and so well explained.Thanks.

[@petergottschling]

Thanks Steve and Nigel, this really solved my recent problem with my alto (besides from playing tenor meanwhile). I already realized that the octave key was causing the trouble and was about to head to the repair shop from where I got it. After some tender bending it works now as before. However, the reason for it was not the taking off of the neck but putting on and off the mouthpiece. For not messing it up in the future, I finally ordered the sliding cork grease -- which I should have done a while ago. I also figured out a less destructive way for taking off a tight mouthpiece: putting a thumb in the neck for holding (where hopefully the thumb doesn't stick afterwards). In any case, thanks for this video; especially in these times where the repair shops aren't regularly open.

[@sierraf2768]

OMG thank you so much I hate that and I'm coming up to a concert soon and needed to know how to fix it asap thanks again

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

No problem. Glad it helped you.

[@michaelmarston5695]

YEA!!!! Totally fixed my issue. Thank You.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Awesome!

[@chrismoeser923]

I knew that something was off, thanks for this instruction. I'm back to sounding normal.

[@patricerogers296]

Very helpful!!

[@DeonGeorgeHarison]

it works thanks! i almost go spend $$$ for repair outside

[@inespacheco00]

When u said octave key I saw my and it is up I pres it down and I play g and it worked I subed and liked

[@dazzab4244]

Fantastic information. Thanks Steve and Nigel.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Cheers Dazza.

[@gerryluu987]

Hoax Linh Koch Moi Nhat

[@bayandadlamini3824]

This helped so much. Thank you

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great to hear that Baya.

[@pas0003]

Great video Nigel! Thanks! Had exactly this issue with my saxophone, even though I was super careful with the octave key and never "manhandled" it. My issue was actually weirder as everything except for the middle D sounded fine on the 2nd octave, but now that I fixed it... oh.. so much better! It doesn't feel like the saxophone is fighting me anymore :D

[@haroldchoi]

Thank you Nigel and Steve, i was having this problem for the last 1 month, and almost wanted to give up playing saxophone. Then I checked out your video and wow!! you made me enjoy playing saxophone again! Just a question if you could help me with, I think the octave neck curve changes because i grab the neck while screwing on the mouthpiece. I can't think of anyway of fitting the mouthpiece on without me holding the neck tightly, maybe you have some ideas?

[@jamesbarratt593]

Stand my sax in its case and then push with a little twist the neck piece down. To remove I put my hand flat on bell and whilst standing down in case remove it with as little twisting motion as possible.

[@funinglobe]

Dropped kids buffet horn with open cover case....nothing works since. Tried resealing by bending leaking keys...yet high notes still ugly for d e f. Cannot figure out until the 1.5mm tip by these lovely british accents . I new subscriber ！！！！

[@Ted.W]

The 2 simply guitar ads I couldn’t skip just to watch this

[@jonaschung9543]

When I press my octave key it stays.

[@sedenions]

i pulled some of the cork off the mechanisms that lift when you hit high notes. will this be a problem and if so what is the closest repairer in philadelphia, pa?

[@tatumnavrkal2532]

Nigel, could you do a video about how to play scoops and grace notes on saxophone? I have them in our jazz band song and I’m having trouble playing them and staying on the beat.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Great suggestion Tatum.

[@SAMMY-qw7xi]

am Samuel from Nigeria. I am an upcoming saxophonist. I have been trying to improve on my tone for some time now. Please when is the octave key meant to to pressed while playing a song? A friend told me the octave key should be pressed along with every note on the lower register of the saxophone. I need your expert opinion. Thanks

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Hi Sammy. Good question. The octave key is used for every note above middle C (2nd finger, left hand). Keep it pressed down to get every note above this. Hope that helps you.

[@campbell5576]

Hi-! I play soprano saxophone. But- Erm. When I press the octave key and play- No high notes come out it's just the low notes.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Doesn’t sound good Daniel. If it was working previously then check the tips in this video, look for any obvious damage or it could even just be a stuck pad. I hope you get it sorted.

[@cfcvlogs8844]

I think it's because you might be taking up too much mouth piece with your mouth.

[@VideoNash]

thanks

[@ArceezRC]

Wow, just encountered this issue and thought it was my el cheapo sax. "Bent" octave key/rocker back and now no squeaks.

[@Pinchshot39]

Thanks!

[@shouldawent2elliot]

Man i thought Nigel knew everything about this but hey nice work!

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Ha!

[@angellatonny6379]

He's a professional teacher or a sax player whole gave a professional repairman a chance to market his work but that doesn't mean that he didn't know how to fix such problems.

[@dcshaun1104]

Thx I have had a problem playing high notes for a few years now and I thought I was just playing wrong Now I have been able to fix it

[@Grace-km1df]

If ur octave key wiggles side to side, is that also a contributor?

[@gohan55550000]

Whenever I try to play a high A, it makes a weird sound and I have to play it really hard to make it sound like the other notes.

[@devenconnell9216]

That’s actually why I’m watching this video

[@simostziakouris4604]

@@devenconnell9216 anyone knows what might be the problem?

[@gamingwithjas6750]

Same. I can play every note above and lower than it but no matter what when I play high a it makes a weird gargle ugly sound and I've taken into the shop and nothing has fixed it

[@Ugo392]

3:07 look of Nigel after the sound 😁😁😁

[@5jazz]

thank you sir ur a ledgend

[@Lurkkedd]

thanks so much I though I had to buy a new one 😂

[@bibeksundas2248]

My alto saxophone is missing the open note. Its sounding flat. Could you pls help me to fix it.

[@livecute8128]

I have issue with my alto saxophone which is the octave key when you press it goes back and forth but with mines when I press it. It goes forth and then goes back slowly how do you fix that problem?

[@rafaelfischer1872]

Thank you! Really

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

No problem Rafael, hope it was helpful.

[@Hulkamazing]

Mine is doing exacly what your's was doing but, its just my low D F natural and E

[@Joeman_Joeman]

still struggling to play high D, it just sounds low d even tho my thumb is on octave key

[@meep7949]

hello, I don't know if you still reply but I'm having trouble with my notes. All my notes are very high and sometimes would come out at the right pitch and sometimes they would come out high, I don't know how to fix it because my octave key is at the right place. Please help me.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Sorry to hear that Meep. If your octave key looks right then check over the rest of your sax to make sure all the other pads are closing when they should. Hope you find the probelm.

[@meep7949]

@@McGillMusicSaxSchool thank you so much this helped me out, my sax teacher also told me the same thing, it also looked like my embouchure. Thank you so much!

[@lukevich7311]

I'm trying to play middle d on the bari but it's just not working for some reason. Everything else is fine except that.

[@CloudBreakProduction]

Hi Nigel IAM from India and I have an Allora Vienna series soprano saxophone and it's new,and after playing it I found out that the high Gnote is not playable.I mean to say only the Gnote is not working with the octave key.Could you tell me how could I fix it.Thanks Rick Chakravarty.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Hey Rick, sorry to hear that. I would follow the instructions in this video, but also check the second octave "vent" key which is operated by the octave key thumb press. Make sure that is opening - could be the problem.

[@CloudBreakProduction]

McGill Music Sax School thanks I will let you Know if it works .Thanks again.

[@mrjp1819]

Very instructive ... But you could not use a better camera that could go closer and be sharp. So you can see what you do not quite understand .. Johnny from Denmark

[@rawkoifish]

I have an issue when I press the octave key and G, the lifter won't go up. Do you know how to fix this?

[@danferguson71]

the side key opens in G

[@liseernie]

can you do the same with a sop

[@gabrielist]

Thank you so much. My sax is not fixed

[@monogw513]

What do I do for bari sax?

[@AUGUSTALLEN28]

I wish the high E and F keys would have been covered.

[@daowu1480]

When I press the high E side key it stays there unless you lightly pull it back

[@doormatcat]

There's probably some stickky stuff in the key that it closes. What Iearned is that you can get a money bill and put it in between the key and the sax then you close the key with the money still in and then slide the bill out slowly. This will stop making it stick if I'm correct.

[@doormatcat]

Sometimes I can't get my altissimo notes going, and it's incredibly annoying.

[@Gen1Bmw]

Your suggestions didn't work. I can see that my octave key isn't moving when I press the altissimo key down. if I just operate the altissimo key it moves. But if I add keys and the octave key at the same time there is no lifting happening. Really annoying. This reoccuring problem can make me put the saxophone back in it;s case for years! I have never mishandled my saxophone both my saxophones are brand new and within a few short sessions on my saxophone I have this problem. So I disagree that I caused this issue because I did not. Certainly not by mishandling my instrument. Octave tube is a big hassle and is really putting me off. Pushing back into a C shape did nothing for me unfortunately.

[@ManLikeThato]

On my saxaphone I’ll be able to play D,E,F just fine but then after like 30 seconds it’ll start sounding terrible

[@jameskinney8702]

I'm a beginner and I cant get E F or G out

[@maximum-trollage]

My octave key moves but it doesn't play an octive higher on the notes C A B and G Edit : at 5:00 that what happened to me if it does work

[@fluffyshark7732]

Could someone help me? I have a problem with my saxophone and have no clue how to fix it!

[@Alexo1954]

You have no clue how to fix it? You don't describe the problem No one will be able to help you if you don't say what your problem is, will they?! The internet is amazing but doesn't include mind-reading.

[@pho0shi]

Alexo1954 no need to be rude little boy.

[@Alexo1954]

@@pho0shi I wasn't being rude. I was pointing out the obvious.Being rude is calling someone a little boy when age, gender and size have nothing to do with it.

[@Alexo1954]

@@pho0shi The other thing is this: if you were sick and went to a doctor, you would not just tell the doctor you were sick and expect him/her to figure it all out. They'd ask you about your symptoms, right? So, it's the same about a saxophone problem. You have to tell Dr Saxophone about your symptoms.

[@herikuswandy9636]

When i play a high B i get a high B flat i don't know what's the problem.

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

Hi Heri. It’s really important to make sure your middle range notes are in tune first of all. If your high notes like octave B are still really flat, then you could try a slightly harder reed, plus a bit more support with your embouchure. Working on some slow melodies will generally sort this out. Good luck.

[@yajairacardenas1555]

I have a concert tomorrow and it counts as my midterm grade 😭

[@laptopm1113]

thank youououououououo

[@McGillMusicSaxSchool]

You're welcome!

[@ianrs4685]

knocked my new sax over this morning, flipped, fixed, it now side f post phew, anger management

[@ianrs4685]

leak light when it gets dark

[@_dontaskmyname_4720]

Plot twist: Your reed brand just sucks