How To Play Soprano Sax In Tune? The 13 New Answer

Many students (especially adults!) from all over the world ask me the same question – should I start learning soprano saxophone? The soprano, of course, is a beautiful and exotic instrument, introduced by smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G.

But is the soprano a good choice for a beginner?

In the video below, Jeremy dives into the subject and shows you what the instrument is capable of!

The challenges…

Poll. Playing the soprano saxophone correctly is difficult and requires a lot of practice. The main reason for this is that the mouthpiece is smaller and therefore more sensitive to small changes in the approach. When you’re starting from scratch, this can be especially difficult to control!

occasions. The soprano is characterized by its uniqueness, but unfortunately that uniqueness also means that opportunities to play in bands and orchestras can be quite limited, especially if that’s your only instrument. This can be particularly important for students who may wish to join their school’s ensemble.

Price & Availability. Another issue for many will be price. Unfortunately, most major saxophone manufacturers do not make “student model” soprano saxes, meaning prices for a new soprano sax can start at around $1500. While there are cheaper alternatives on eBay and Amazon, these instruments can sometimes come with their own build quality and reliability challenges.

The advantages…

The sound. The main advantage of the soprano saxophone is obvious! It is a beautiful and unique instrument with an exotic sound. How can you compete with that?

The size. Because the soprano is smaller, it’s lightweight, responsive, and a lot of fun to play. In the video I compare the soprano saxophone to driving a race car; it may be unforgiving, but that’s all part of the fun…

in summary

In general, the best advice I can give to beginners interested in starting the soprano sax is to start with the alto sax first, for the reasons outlined in the video.

This is especially important for school-age players who want to get involved in school bands and orchestras.

However…

If you’re an adult and you love the sound of the soprano saxophone AND you’re up for a challenge – I say go for it!

It may take longer to master some of the basics of the instrument, but if you’re in no hurry to join a band, you might as well try. After all, it is the love of the instrument that drives us all to practice and get better at our instrument.

When it comes to saxophones, there are four main types: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. Among these, the alto and tenor saxophones have become favorites among musicians, composers, and listeners. Professional musicians, including John Coltrane (tenor) and Charlie Parker (alto), brought the two types of saxophone into the mainstream. While both saxophones are often featured in professional bands and orchestras and play a similar musical role, they are also inherently quite unique.

size

The most obvious difference between the two instruments is their size. The tenor sax is slightly larger and heavier, while the alto sax is smaller, lighter, and easier to handle than a tenor. Also, an alto saxophone’s neck ends up slightly up, while a tenor’s neck bends down slightly. Aesthetics aside, the size of the two instruments makes a difference in the tones they produce. Because the alto sax is smaller, its notes are higher and brighter than those of the tenor sax. The tenor saxophone produces a soft, rich and deep sound. While experienced musicians can get a wide range of sounds out of both instruments, younger musicians with smaller hands and less lung capacity tend to find it easier to play the alto saxophone.

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Transposing Instruments

Both the alto and tenor saxophones are transposing instruments, meaning neither of them sound like the piano and other concert-tone instruments. In written music, the pitch of a transposing instrument is written differently than what is actually produced; For example, playing a written C on a transposing instrument will produce a different pitch than C. Because they have the same key positions, fingerings, same number of notes, and both require a reed and mouthpiece to play, they are more similar in nature than most think. Because the alto and tenor saxophones are the two most popular instruments in the saxophone family, many professional musicians learn both to make themselves more marketable.

Differences in register

Although the alto and tenor saxophones use similar fingerings and approaches, they differ significantly in terms of pitch. The alto sax is an E-flat major instrument, which means that a written C played by an alto sax will actually sound like an E-flat. The tenor saxophone, on the other hand, is built half an octave lower. It is written in B flat, which means that a written C sounds like a B flat to the tenor. While this is a major difference between the two instruments, it’s only noticeable when you try to play your tenor sax with notes written for an alto sax and vice versa.

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Accesories

Because the alto and tenor saxophones are inherently quite similar, the essential accessories you need to purchase are virtually the same across the board. Regardless of the type of saxophone your child chooses, you will need to purchase the following accessories: a sturdy case, extra reeds, a mouthpiece, and cleaning cloths. While a metronome and music stand are optional accessories, you may find that your child will enjoy their time learning a new instrument more when these accessories are available. If you need advice on the care and maintenance of your saxophone, ask your music teacher or a local repair technician for advice specific to your saxophone.

What’s better for a new musician?

The alto saxophone’s smaller size makes it the perfect option for younger students. Because it requires a smaller and tighter approach, the technical details behind the alto sax make it easier for new players to understand before playing other, larger types of sax. If your child is young, the minimal physical requirements make the alto sax an excellent first sax for younger musicians as well. When choosing a saxophone based on genre, almost every type of saxophone is used in jazz music, but the tenor tends to be the one that is used the most; So if your child seems primarily interested in playing jazz, the tenor saxophone is a better choice.

Once you’ve decided which one is right for you, check out our saxophone buying guide.

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Regardless of your skill level, the saxophone is a spirited instrument when it comes to playing in tune. There are many things that can affect the exact tuning of any pitch, from your embouchure to the age of your instrument or the spacing between key pads and open holes. But the first step to playing with the right intonation is to tune the instrument itself. There are a few factors that affect mood. So the more times you go through the process of reconciliation, the easier it becomes.

In this post, we’ll first walk you through how to tune a saxophone, then discuss some more tips to stay in tune. Let’s get in.

Guide to tuning the saxophone

The following steps apply to all different types of sax, although we recommend that beginners probably start with the alto sax.

Step 1: Warm up the saxophone

The first step before even attempting to tune your saxophone is to warm up.

While the sax is sitting in its case, it gets cold and the materials don’t vibrate or get touched.

But when you play, your warm breath and vibrations heat the metal, which in turn causes the sax to expand.

This is true for all instruments, not just the saxophone, and the general rule is that as an instrument gets bigger, its pitch gets lower.

For this reason we must first warm up as if we are tuning it up and then start playing, the sax will warm up, expand and then get out of tune.

Playing a few long notes or scales that hit the high, middle, and low ranges of the instrument helps each part of the saxophone get up to playing temperature.

Step 2: Get a tuner

Next we recommend buying a digital tuner as it is the best way to ensure you are in tune correctly.

Something like the following is what you are looking for.:

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However, if you don’t have a dedicated tuner, there are many tuning apps available for phones and tablets.

If you’ve never used one, a tuner registers the pitch of the note you play and tells you how far above or below concert pitch it is.

This often shows up as a needle on a gauge telling you you’re sharp or flat.

Sometimes tuners even have a green zone in the middle where the needle is close to pitch, and red zones at the bottom and top where your pitch is high or low.

Step 3: Play into the tuner

Members of the saxophone family have different tendencies, with alto and bari saxes generally being more stable across the instrument, while tenor and soprano saxes can really vary in different ranges.

For alto or bari, a concert A (which is written an F#) and a concert B flat major (written G) are great tuning tones to play.

For tenors and sopranos it is good to play Concerto B (a written C) and Concerto F (a written G).

With the tuner on, take a deep, healthy breath and play the first note in the middle range of the instrument.

Notice where the tuner registers the pitch and then try playing a different tuning note in the same octave and then use the octave button to see where the higher pitches register.

Step 4: Adjust the mouthpiece

The last step to tuning the instrument is to move the mouthpiece slightly until the tuner tells you that you are in tune.

If you are below the note (flat), you need to push the mouthpiece further onto the cork.

If you are higher (sharp), you need to pull the mouthpiece out a bit.

Adjust the mouthpiece a little at a time so you don’t overshoot by twisting it back and forth and gently pulling or squeezing.

When you start playing, you may not be able to perfectly tune your tuning notes and their octave counterparts at the same time.

Focus on tuning the notes in the middle range of the instrument, then you can use other methods to adjust the range of the instrument.

How mouthpieces can affect mood

When we pull or push the mouthpiece onto the cork, we actually cause the saxophone to lengthen or shorten.

This means that the air you blow into the saxophone has to travel more or less, which is the main thing affecting the pitch of the sound produced.

But mouthpieces can also affect pitch because they are constructed with the materials used, the tip fairing, the baffle and other parts, all of which affect how well the saxophone plays in tune.

In general, a saxophone mouthpiece with more internal space is considered more “open” and needs more air to keep the note’s pitch from flattening out.

Tip facing is how far apart the tip of the mouthpiece and the tip of the reed are.

A high path lets a lot of air through the instrument, but requires stronger muscles to maintain an even pitch. A short fairing requires less muscle power, but also does not protrude.

The baffle is the surface inside the mouthpiece opposite the reed that slopes down towards the player.

A thick baffle makes the mouthpiece chamber smaller and the sound bright and penetrating.

A thin baffle opens up the chamber and makes the sound warmer and rounder.

There are also mouthpieces for different styles, although jazz mouthpieces are shaped very differently from classic mouthpieces and are often made of metal instead of hard rubber.

approach and airflow

The way your lips are formed around the mouthpiece is called the attachment and can have a huge impact on mood.

The saxophone requires a firm but relaxed embouchure at the corners and a strong, steady flow of air.

Too tight or stiff an embouchure causes a pinched sound and thin airflow that flattens the pitch.

Too open or too loose an embouchure doesn’t stabilize the reed for an even pitch and can leak tons of air (often called “overblowing”), resulting in a loud, sharp tone.

Once the instrument is in tune, the best way to tune each pitch is with your strum, either by slightly tightening your muscles to raise the pitch, or by opening and lowering your jaw while holding your strum firmly to pitch to lower without making them unstable.

practice tuning

Just like a musician practices technique, practicing tuning is important, and developing your hearing to determine if you’re in tune takes time.

Playing along to reference pitches is the best way to practice manipulating your embouchure to bring the pitch up or down.

You can use some of the videos on YouTube to practice tuning your saxophone by ear.

Just play with them and try to hear if you’re sharp or flat and adjust accordingly, focusing on getting your attack in tune with every pitch in every octave.

Summary of the Saxophone Tuning Process

We hope this guide to tuning a saxophone has helped give you direction on what to aim for.

It’s important to work at, because developing a feel for intonation on your instrument is an essential part of becoming a better musician.

Although it may seem difficult at first, tuning your instrument will become easier with every game as you train your ears and muscles.

The alto sax is easier to play than the soprano sax, making it a good choice for beginners.

A simple comparison of the lengths of the soprano and alto saxophones shows that they are about the same length, namely 70 centimetres. However, the alto saxophone has a curvature, so that the alto saxophone is about 1.5 times longer than the soprano saxophone and therefore heavier. When performing, most of the weight of the alto sax is carried by the strap, and from a maintenance perspective, the alto sax is also a good first choice.

The sopranino saxophone is the second smallest member of the saxophone family. It is tuned in the key of E♭ and sounds an octave higher than the alto saxophone. An F sopranino (an octave above the F alto saxophone (also called mezzo-soprano)) was described in Adolphe Sax’s patent,[2] but no known examples were ever built.

The sopranino saxophone has a sweet sound and although it is one of the least common saxophones in regular use today, it is still manufactured by several of the major music production companies. Due to their small size, sopraninos are not usually curved like other saxophones. However, Orsi makes curved sopranino saxophones.

curved E♭ sopranino sax, a straight E♭ sopranino sax, a C soprano sax, and a B♭ soprano sax. From top to bottom: a, a, a C soprano sax and a Bb soprano sax.

The original patented saxophone family, as developed by Adolphe Sax, included Eb and Bb saxophones in the voices of sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, double bass and sub-contrabass instruments (although he last one never built) as well as the same seven in C and F, although only soprano, alto and tenor were ever made. Since the late 20th century, however, a B♭ piccolo or sopranissimo saxophone (called a soprillo and tuned a fifth above the sopranino) and a B♭ sub-contrabass instrument (called a tubax, also made in C) have been developed by the German instrument manufacturer Benedikt Eppelsheim.

The most notable use of the sopranino occurs in the orchestral work Boléro by Maurice Ravel (although Ravel called for a “soprano saxophone in F”, the part is usually performed on E♭ sopranino). In recent years, rock band Violent Femmes has incorporated sopranino sax into the band’s live performances, as well as into their most recent albums. Saxophonist Blaise Garza plays a curved sopranino sax on the 2019 song “I’m Not Gonna Cry” by Violent Femmes.[3] Outside of classical and rock music, notable jazz and improvisational musicians who use this instrument include Carla Marciano, James Carter, Anthony Braxton, La Monte Young, Roscoe Mitchell, Christophe Monniot, Joseph Jarman, Paul McCandless, Lol Coxhill, Roger Frampton, Hans Koller . [Citation required] Wolfgang Fuchs, Douglas Ewart, Larry Ochs, Vinny Golia, Thomas Chapin, Martin Archer, Jon Irabagon,[4] Massimo Falascone, Gianni Gebbia and Ian Anderson (attributed to the instrument on the Jethro Tull albums A Passionplay and child of war). The sopranino saxophone is also used in the six piece Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra, currently played by Kelley Hart Jenkins.

Would you like to perfect the intonation and tuning of your saxophone? There are a few things you can do instead of using a visual tuner. (I cringe every time I see a musician “tune it up” by playing into a tuner – and look at it. Why train your EYES to tell you what to EAR?)

Instead, try the following:

1. Play long notes with a drone.

This is great because it offers a solid, extended pitch that you can adjust. With practice, you’ll quickly feel the pitch vibrations you’re playing against the drone and gauge how far you are from that sweet center where all waveforms align.

Try Cello Drones on a computer or the Samvada app on a phone.

Bonus: It’s fantastic for ear training. Experiment with holding each chromatic interval against each drone pitch. Notice the difference you feel when playing in unison versus a perfect fifth versus a minor second or tritone.

2. Transcribe solos and play along

I often recommend working with this Chris Potter solo for my intermediate level students who want to improve their soprano saxophone intonation. If there was a bet between Potter’s intonation and a tuner, my money’s on Chris. Matching the pitch of soloists you copy is a great contextual practice tool. (Provided it’s a great soloist!) Aim for solos that appear on slower songs and/or where the soloist plays longer and legato. Working with a Sonny Stitt solo north of 300 BPM probably won’t help you here. At first anyway.

In the end, it’s all about developing a strong sense of where the middle of a note lies. You have to get that from within, not some visual gauge on a tuner.

It’s also worth noting that most professional jazz saxophonists (myself included) tune their mouthpiece a hair back, meaning it’s almost sharp. This is because you then open your throat and drop your jaw for an “in-tune” sound that is more robust. On the other hand, if you were on the flat side, the only way to raise the pitch would be by squeezing, which produces a pinched tone.

Check out this vlog where Ben mentions this:

Which of these is “in the mood”?

First, try this little experiment. The two audio files are two different versions of the first notes of an alto saxophone solo. In each audio clip, listen to the first long note of the alto saxophone (they are each slightly different in pitch).

example 1

example 2

I’ve tried this on quite a few people and there’s not always agreement on which is “in tune” and which isn’t. Or whether they are both in tune or both out of tune. The survey showed that most people prefer Example 1.

Now watch the video to see the intonation of each take. Do you prefer the out of tune?

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Why is this?

Most people who have tried this prefer example 1. In this example, there are two possible reasons. One is that in a blues style, playing in perfect tune is not always necessary, or even a good idea. Much of the feel of the blues saxophone is based on “blue notes”. In some cases, this means playing a note roughly a semitone lower, so a major becomes a minor (although the rhythm section plays major chords). But it can also be a much more minor change in tuning (playing more or less flat). In this case, it’s a lot lower (30 cents) than most people would find acceptable.

Another reason is that players often use a different form of intonation, namely just intonation (see below: When is “In Tune” Out of Tune?)

How to Play a Saxophone in Tune

“Easy!” I hear you say, “Just buy a saxophone that’s in tune.” If it just could be that easy. The most revered saxophone of all time, the Selmer MKVI, is known to have some “quirks” in tuning. Granted, saxophone design and manufacturing technology has come a long way since then, and most modern saxes (yes, even a lot of the cheap Chinese saxes that people tend to hate) have pretty decent tuning, but I doubt it’s a sax there that you can say is “in tune”, unlike an electronic keyboard.

Even a violin can have four notes perfectly in tune, but due to acoustic imperfections at the core of its design, a saxophone has what is politely called a tuning bias, so while you can tune one note and get it perfectly right, it doesn’t guarantee all of them will too are in tune with other notes without the player being “persuaded” in any way.

OK, while we’re on the subject of violins, we often think of bad violinists who are terribly out of tune. But once those four strings are in tune, playing any of them as an open string (whether bowed or pizzicato) will result in a more or less tuned note (it’s everyone else in between that we have to worry about!). But on a saxophone, just that one note you tune in to can vary so much depending on how the player plays it (shape and pressure of embouchure, dynamics and quality of air assist) and the type of mouthpiece.

So many variables

Why isn’t my saxophone perfectly in tune? Well, a very short answer is that the saxophone is an acoustically imperfect instrument. It has a conical bore, which is acoustically “correct” and tapers to a point on the neck. Obviously this is not possible since the mouthpiece is there. Ideally, some of the “missing volume” of this imaginary extension of the neck is compensated for by the volume of the mouthpiece chamber. Good, except that such chambers usually produce a sound that no longer meets the tonal demands of today’s players.

During the 20th century, the saxophone evolved into one of the most versatile instruments in the world, offering an enormous variety of tonal colors and playing styles. However, the main body of the instrument is very similar to that invented by Adolph Sax. The biggest change has come in the design and structure of the mouthpiece, due to the demand from jazz and rock players for different and louder saxophone sounds.

Most jazz and rock musicians today play very different mouthpieces: smaller chambers, wider tips, higher baffles. All of this can have significant effects on a sax’s tuning: a particular problem can be when trying to use a modern small-chamber, high-baffle mouthpiece with a vintage sax designed for use with large-chamber and lower-baffle mouthpieces baffle was developed.

Step 1: Tuning the Saxophone (Sort of)

Traditionally, instruments are tuned to A (F# to alto and Bb to tenor) for a concerto. So, assuming the player has a reasonable ability to blow the instrument, shouldn’t all other notes be in tune? Unfortunately, this is hardly the case since the saxophone is not an acoustically perfect instrument (see box). Saxophonists need to work a bit with their embouchure to get many of the other notes in tune.

Since all saxophonists should learn very quickly, to tune the saxophone we move the mouthpiece further up the neck to play sharper and further away from the neck to play flatter. However, this only makes sense if we know how to blow the instrument competently, but assuming you have a reasonable understanding of the approach there are a few other things to consider.

Blowing very loudly often causes the sax to go flat, so tune with a moderate dynamic.

Using vibrato can cause the sound to flatten out a bit.

If you are a player who always uses vibrato, then tune with vibrato. If you never use vibrato, tune without. If, like most players, you play with and without, it makes sense to tune with vibrato and then be aware that you may need to relax your embouchure a bit when playing without to avoid sharpness.

Electronic tuners Can these help? Yes and no. Tuners are good for tuning your tuning note or as a reference: ie to see if certain notes are more out of tune than others. But they should never replace your ears. Playing scales or long notes and constantly watching a tuner can be counterproductive, but it can be very rewarding to occasionally glance at it after a note begins to check if you’re in tune or not. It’s important not to get stuck on perfection. Don’t Worry It’s very often ok to be within +/- 5 cents of the exact pitch and sometimes more depending on the music you’re playing. The more you worry about your intonation, the worse it can get at times.

Step 2: Tune the rest of the notes

The very simple explanation of how to do this is to apply a little more embouchure pressure on flat notes and a little more relaxed embouchure on sharp notes. Basically you’re compensating for the inherent tuning errors of the saxophone (NB: if you feel you need to over-compensate, there may be some important instrument-related issues to look out for, which we’ll discuss later).

Although certain notes tend to be sharp or flat (see below), the only way to develop the skill you need to play the right melody is to use and develop your ear. Some lucky people are born with perfect or extremely good pitch and can immediately tell if a note is sharp or flat and by how much, others need to train their ears to become more discerning.

tuning tendencies

Individual notes

Assuming we’ve tuned a note of the sax (as mentioned above, it’s traditionally Concerto A, but it doesn’t have to be – you may get better results by tuning to a different note), the next thing you need to know is, the “tendency” of certain notes to be too high or too low in relation to that note. This can vary from instrument to instrument, but here’s a rough rule of thumb:

Upper register Lower register Notes from D (lowest note of upper register) up are sharp, with the exception of F#, but D (and possibly Eb and E) especially tend to be sharp. Notes from C# down in the lower register tend to be flat (especially open C#), with the exception of A, B, and C, which should be in tune. Lower Bb and Bb that can be sharp.

tuning tendencies of the instrument

These are not hard and fast rules, but they can be used to pinpoint problems

Sharp Flat Mouthpiece Position Pushed In Pulled Out Dynamic Soft Loud Onset Biting Too Much Relaxed Head Opening Closed Open Reed Thickness Hard Soft Key Height Open Closed Temperature Warm Cool

When is “In Tune” Out of Tune This can get very complicated, but it’s worth taking some time to understand the concept of pure intonation versus equal temperament. All modern keyboards and other fixed-pitched instruments are tuned so that the octave is divided into 12 equal semitones (equal temperament). Before there was music that required complex key changes, people used a scale that didn’t divide the semitones into equal 1/12ths. The reason for this is that some intervals (particularly thirds) sound much more pleasing to the ear when the interval is based on the notes of the overtone series, but with this system, as soon as you change the key, every note in the scale is now very easy at A different pitch compared to the new tonic. This is not a problem for a group of singers, but it is impractical for a fixed-pitch keyboard, so the equal semitone system was invented. In the absence of a keyboard, it’s entirely possible (and desirable) for musicians to unconsciously use just intonation, as it feels more natural. Another reason not to worry too much about tuners is that the way you “hear” an interval can actually be better than your tuner tells you it should be. That’s my excuse anyway!

Using a tuner vs. tuning by ear

There are a few things to consider.

Using a tuner:

Always watch the tuner while playing notes. This is fine for initial testing of the instrument, although keep in mind that there might be some red herrings. e.g. Is the mouthpiece compatible or is your approach underdeveloped such that you blame the instrument/mouthpiece rather than yourself? Or vice versa: you blame yourself when it comes to a transmission problem.

This is fine for initial testing of the instrument, although keep in mind that there might be some red herrings. e.g. Is the mouthpiece compatible or is your approach underdeveloped such that you blame the instrument/mouthpiece rather than yourself? Or vice versa: you blame yourself when it comes to a transmission problem. Check it out occasionally to “spot check”. This is good after checking if your starting grade is good. For example, you could check that your G is in tune (either with a tuner or by ear against a known pitch such as a keyboard, tuning fork, tuning CD, etc. Then play a scale, an arpeggio, and then randomly check your final note.

Use your ears (against a “benchmark” known pitch like tuning drones or keyboard)

Play consistent with a benchmark pitch. You should easily hear any discrepancies as there is often a slapping sound as the waves “clash”. Whether you can hear how out of tune or whether you’re pitched or pitched depends on how developed your ears are. Some people are born with a very good sense of tone, others have to develop it through ear training.

You should easily hear any discrepancies as there is often a slapping sound as the waves “clash”. Whether you can hear how out of tune or whether you’re pitched or pitched depends on how developed your ears are. Some people are born with a very good sense of tone, others have to develop it through ear training. Play in harmony with a benchmark pitch. Playing in thirds or fifths is very good practice, but ideally requires a well-developed sense of pitch. You can adjust your approach and use your ears to hear when the interval sounds right. When using this method, you need to be aware that since you are not playing in unison with a predefined equal scale, you may instinctively tune into just intonation – in which case spot checking with an equal tuner could give you the wrong pitch In fact, you’re only playing intonation, which could be construed as a good thing. (No one said this wasn’t a complicated subject!)

A closer look at some of these aspects of tuning

vibrato

Vibrato is usually produced by a regular relaxation of the jaw in a more or less regular pulse that creates a sort of ripple effect. When the jaw is relaxed, the note falls from regular pitch, resulting in a pitch that is flatter on average. It’s arguable that this isn’t quite as flat as the logic might imply, as our ears may be compensating to hear the higher pitch of the ‘wave’ rather than the middle, but I’ve found them to be a little flatter in general is. One thing about vibrato is that it can help mask suboptimal intonation – although that shouldn’t be a reason to use vibrato!

reed strength

I said softer hands tend to play flat. This doesn’t mean you’re playing flat when using soft reeds, as long as you stick to the same reed you use when tuning your saxophone. If you tune with a hard tongue then switch to a soft one, don’t be surprised if you suddenly sound flatter. One benefit of soft reeds is that they often give you more flexibility to sharpen or flatten the note as needed

Intonation Checklist

Is the saxophone itself out of tune? There are some saxophones that are just badly built. If in doubt that the saxophone is out of tune, take it to a good repair shop. It has to be someone who is also a player. Alternatively, a good teacher should be able to diagnose an out of tune sax.

There are some saxophones that are just badly built. If in doubt that the saxophone is out of tune, take it to a good repair shop. It has to be someone who is also a player. Alternatively, a good teacher should be able to diagnose an out of tune sax. Is it a high instrument? Up until the mid-20th century, there was more than one tuning standard—high and low tones. Low pitch was adopted as the standard. If you have an old saxophone, it can be pitched high (almost a semitone higher) and will never play in tune with modern orchestras or keyboards.

Up until the mid-20th century, there was more than one tuning standard—high and low tones. Low pitch was adopted as the default. If you have an old saxophone, it can be pitched high (almost a semitone higher) and will never play in tune with modern orchestras or keyboards. All notes either high or low? This indicates that the mouthpiece is in the wrong position. (back to step 1)

This indicates that the mouthpiece is in the wrong position. (Back to step 1) Is the mat height set incorrectly? A good repairman will also be able to assess this here. If this is the problem, it can usually be fixed very quickly.

A good repairman will also be able to assess this here. If this is the problem, it can usually be fixed very quickly. Is the problem only noticed by others? This could mean it’s time for you to do some hearing work. Ideally, you should be able to hear the pitch of a note in your head before you play it, so you’ll know immediately if the note is sharp or flat. If you have trouble with this, try ear training, sight singing exercises. Joining a choir can be tremendously helpful in learning how to tune notes.

This could mean it’s time for you to do some hearing work. Ideally, you should be able to hear the pitch of a note in your head before you play it, so you’ll know immediately if the note is sharp or flat. If you have trouble with this, try ear training, sight singing exercises. Joining a choir can be tremendously helpful in learning how to tune notes. Is it actually a problem? This may be debatable, but there are some styles of music that don’t require perfect intonation. (See also the Just Intonation box above) Some of jazz’s greatest legends, Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean and Ornette Coleman, were notorious for not playing in perfect tune. (See my Charlie Parker Sessions blog). Note bending can be a big part of a blues style, and often notes are flattened to varying degrees so that while technically “out of tune” they are perfect for the style.

Is it better to be sharp or flat?

The human ear tends to perceive flat tones as more unpleasant than high tones. As mentioned in the blog above, Charlie Parker was often quite smart, but is considered by many to be the greatest saxophonist or musician that ever lived.

In the words of one of my colleagues:

“Better sharp than out of tune!”

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