Noob Sax Question

I play guitar and keys and would like to take up sax. My question is... When we play live, we play tuned down a half-step. Can a saxaphone be tuned by extending how the mouthpieve fits to accomodate that? I am just thinking of the mental gymnastics I would have to do to transpose the Bb of the sax to concert pitch and then down a half-step again.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Anonpostguy

Excellent question. The answer is no because a saxophone has to be tuned properly in order for every pitch to be spot on or close enough to being so in the horn's 2.5 octave conventional range. This is especially crucial once you begin to introduce overtones in your playing to properly tune your sax and play the altissimo notes (you can raise your octave range by at least a half octave once you get the basics of the technique down).

Back to tuning the mouthpiece to the saxophone: You move it forward incrimementally until Fingered low C with overtone induced embouchure should match fingered middle C in its 2 basic fingerings (fingered middle C or B with the C right side trill key open.

The Boehm system that all modern woodwinds use is a true chromatic range in any octave and key you play in and the saxophone has perhaps the most comprehensive key work to attain that. You can play in any key you want providing that you know your way around the keys

Crap, mental gymnastics here I come. Thanks, for the quick reply. I appreciate the input.

Anonpostguy

My pleasure and by playing guitar too, I appreciate your asking it.

Here's the way to mentally conceptualize what is going on using a guitar analogy: you tune a string at the 12th fret by matching the harmonic and true base tone for its proper scale length to play all the notes in tune and just being micro tones off either sharp or flat can affect tuning even on the most well made instruments. A guitar can be one of the most effective instruments to play chromatically and in any key if you know your way around the strings. Hope that adds some clarity for you.

If its any consolation, playing with the rest of the band tuned down a half step will make it much easier to transpose and play. Eg. if the song is in Eb, you'd play in F on a Bb Tenor Sax. Which is pretty easy all around, just one flat to worry about.

Eb alto sax would be even easier, as you'd be in the key of C.

Word.

I request that my band detune a half when they request some sax lovin'.

I'm not the most confident rock/funk sax player yet, so this gives me more time to practice before whippin it out.