Why is my alto saxophone only playing high notes?

Assuming the issue is not the player, the most likely causes of a saxophone only playing high notes are a leak in the instrument or an octave key that is stuck open. In both cases, however, you should take your saxophone to a specialized repair person.

What is the octave key on alto sax?

On a saxophone, the octave key is positioned next to the left-hand thumb rest. Pressing the octave key opens the top tone hole in the neck of the saxophone. Alternatively, whenever the G key is fingered, the top tone hole closes and a small tone hole is opened near the top of the body.

What is altissimo on alto sax?

Altissimo is a funny word that is best defined as the high notes on the saxophone that start when the regular fingering scale ends. The saxophone normally goes up to a high F or F# (sometimes even high G) and the fingering chart ends there. The big question is HOW do I play those really high notes.

Why is my octave key not working alto sax?

Common Causes. Octave key issues are most commonly caused by how the saxophone neck is handled when assembling the instrument. The octave key stretches over the top of the saxophone neck, and it can easily be bent out of shape if you squeeze the neck too hard. This is going to cause the octave key not to work properly.

Where is the octave key on a saxophone?

The octave key on top of the neck should stay closed. Locate the high G octave pad. On most saxophones, it is beneath the levers at the top of the body, opposite the palm keys. It should open when you finger high G and close all the way when you finger high A or above.

How do you fix a saxophone that won’t play octaves?

Inspect the octave key to determine the problem. Watch the pad while pressing the key and letting it go to see whether it opens far enough or does not close completely. Remove the neck from the saxophone.

How do you play high G on a saxophone?

Play a high G. The octave key on top of the neck should stay closed. Locate the high G octave pad. On most saxophones, it is beneath the levers at the top of the body, opposite the palm keys. It should open when you finger high G and close all the way when you finger high A or above.

How do I align my octave keys?

Bend the top part of the octave key with your fingers to align the pad. Hold the key open and press down if the pad is not closing all the way. Press up if the pad is not opening all the way.