Do you ever find yourself hitting the wrong notes on your saxophone, for whatever reason? If you’re new to this, you might be wondering if are saxophones capable of going out of tune? Let’s see what makes a saxophone go out of tune and how we can we fix it.
To put it concisely, saxophones are susceptible to tuning issues. Saxophones are delicate instruments that can go out of tune when dismantled or exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations.
Causes
Temperature
Temperature changes are the most common cause of saxophone tuning issues. Saxophones may go out of tune when the temperature at which they are tuned varies drastically from the temperature at which they are played.
When you play your saxophone in cold conditions, the results will be very different than when you play it in warm temperatures. Cold saxophones have low pitches, whereas warm saxophones have high pitches.
As a general rule, if the temperature in the environment where you tuned your saxophone drastically changes, you should re-tune your saxophone to match the current temperature situation.
Disassembling
When you disassemble or dismantle your saxophone, you are essentially removing every setting that has been applied to the instrument. As a result, every time you put or assemble your saxophone, you must re-tune it. This is similar to other instruments such as guitars and drums.
Tuning
If your saxophone appears to be out of tune, you can take it to a music store to get checked out. You may even adjust it yourself by following the given steps.
Step 1: Warming Up
There is one thing you must do before you begin tuning your saxophone. You should work on your saxophone. This is because a saxophone becomes cold when it is stored in its case.
The warmth of your breath and hands, along with the vibrations of the instrument, warms up the saxophone while you play.
Step 2: Playing into a Tuner
A tuner is used to record the pitch of the note being played. It shows how far the note is above or below the concert pitch. You can purchase a digital tuner as these are the best way to be sure you’re in tune. However, there are several tuning applications for phones and tablets.
While the tuner is on, take a deep, healthy breath and play the first note in the instrument’s middle register. Make a note of where the tuner records the pitch, then try another tuning note in the same octave with the octave key to see where the higher pitches register.
Step 3: Mouthpiece Adjustment
Lastly, keep moving the mouthpiece slightly until the tuner indicates that you are in tune.
Press the mouthpiece farther into the cork if you are below the note (flat). You’ll need to gently take the mouthpiece out if you’re higher (sharp).
Concentrate initially on getting the notes in the instrument’s middle range in tune, and then use other methods to fine-tune it.
The Crux
Yes, saxophones can go out of tune. But don’t be worried. You can tune it yourself or get it tuned by a professional to achieve that crisp sound.
