I have been struggling with altissimo since my freshman year of high school. After your overtones video, I got a better understanding of voicing and now I am able to play so much higher (currently a sophomore). I really appreciate your videos so much. Keep it up!
Your the only channel I've been able to see that shows the fingerings past A. Thank You, now that I've gotten past the 50th dirt road, I can finally start practicing beyond altissimo A.
I would NOT recommend trying to learn Altissimo unless you have played both long tones and overtones to the point that you could do it in your sleep(not literally of course). Altissimo, while not a hard concept, is not extremely hard to do, but it is extremely hard to do correctly. Making sure you stay in tune is essential. If you develop bad habits, all it's going to do is make you very inconsistent with sound now and have to undo those habits later. Long tones help you develop a sense of tone, and then building on that overtones help you to manipulate that tone. Playing in tune is key. Then playing overtones. And then, if you think you have that down, start working on Altissimo slowly. Learn a new note a day, or better yet every week. Focus on making it smooth and in tune. TL;DR work up to altissimo and take it slow
Thanks for the advice .... I can’t seem to get the correct fingerings based on the chart as I don’t understand the top black forward slash Image ... please can you help ?
Jacob, that made my day, thank you. And yes! I'm putting together the Sononauts debut album! Super nerdy arrangements of 80s music, video game themes, and more! Got a killer rhythm section lined up. Thanks for asking, I'll keep you updated!
Wally, Thank you for this excellent tutorial. I would like to ask you: at 03:07, on your demo playing C, D and E, what is your fingering for the D? The D and E you play are so clear, I'm amazed. I have a hand injury that makes playing my LH palmkeys very difficult, and if I could find a way to play those notes using your front-key fingerings, it would be a HUGE help. I already played the E your way, and it's beautiful. I'm going to play it that way from now on. It would be perfect if you could tell me how to finger the D.
This is a great reference video for altissimo on alto sax ! I currently training myself to use Dr Wally's fingerings for E, F, F# , and altissimo G to aid in the transition to the higher altissimo notes. Finally a system I can work with for alto. I think I will try this approach on tenor as well, since I've been having difficulty with altissimo there too. Thanks DW !!
Excellent! Be patient with yourself - there's no rush to learn altissimo. Work daily to improve the response and focus of those front fingerings. Experiment with tongue position and when it "sings" - REMEMBER that voicing and repeat! Good luck!
@@drwallysax - Your so right DW; if I try too long, I lose the A and start to lose the G#, so like you said, a little a day and eventually it will become ingrained. Then a while down the road when I’m damn solid up through the A, then I could worry about learning to overblow the palm keys to get up to that paint peeling D woohoo lol PS> I might have a problem with the neighborhood dogs by that point. Right now I also have to break the habit of my old E and F palm key fingerings, and that high F# key.
@@drwallysax - Good news.. even better early success up to altissimo A on tenor for me. Btw, I get the altissimo Bb by just lifting the left hand middle finger from the A fingering. Then, based on what you said in your video, I’m assuming palm D (and the octave key) for altissimo B .. correct ?? PS> I will stay within the 3 octaves for quite some time to come, but looking to get the extended picture. Also, it’s fantastic for me that the front E and F fingerings are the same for both alto and tenor. This stuff is nowhere near as terrible as I thought, but I do put a lot of effort into technique within the standard sax range.
@@shipsahoy1793 so lifting the middle finger, you're actually fingering altissimo Bb - but your voicing is sounding an A. Not a big deal, but a firmer reed would likely remedy that. Still, great stuff! Keep it up!
I know I’m a little late to this video, but if anyone else is having a problem with their front E and F being slightly flat, try and add the G# key to both of those. It made them much better for me!
Thanks for making this video. Your altissimo is very musical. The fingerings do work well. One small nit: you skipped A#, for which I usually use your same fingering for A, and then lift the middle finger leaving only the left-hand ring finger.
This is excellent stuff! Thanks for that G fingering - I play Yamaha too and that one works better for me that what I've been using on alto before now. For me, the 'keys to the kingdom' with altissimo was spending time on overtones; yes it does feel different than when using alt fingerings but it is really useful to get you aware of the general principles of voicing. Great for your tone as well!
Thanks Mark. I agree. Oddly, I’ve had students who have zero success with overtones, yet perfectly fine altissimo 🤷♂️ I do it religiously for tone (as you mention). Happy weekend my friend!
Hey, that's awesome Gary! The "stepwise" approach works for me and the majority of my students. I hate quick fixes that fixate on embouchure and throat adjustments (leading to BIG problems down the road). I like to aim for control and homogenous tone with my students - rather than quick squeaks! Happy practicing, and have a great weekend!
Wow, that's a beautiful altissimo. The voicing thing can't be said enough, too - I tried different mouthpieces and ultimately a high step baffle doesn't make much difference. It might be slightly easier to get the note but it's harder to get a note that doesn't sound thin. Your method is basically what I stumbled on by trial and error, I wish I'd see this video when I first started trying to build altissimo. I'm still just starting, though, so it definitely is still helpful! I'm looking forward to more!
Common problem! most players tend to overshoot the voicing. Keep slurring from the F#. Make the F# focused and clear. Then keeeeeep slurring to the G. Maintain that voicing - then start the G with a gentle breath attack.
These finally worked for me on a Selmer Tenor SAII except last 2 notes C# and D ended up as a C and C#. I'll take it! thanks for this great video. It took me 3 months of overtone exercises and a month to trying altissimo. I also had to tinker my F key adjustment to vent only one bit. My family, my neighbors and my dog hate me now.! My kind of humor as well!
Hey Max! I don't have any offhand, but "High Tones" by Eugene Rousseau has a fairly comprehensive list of fingerings for Soprano through Baritone. Other than that, keep practicing building bridges from front keys upward. Happy practicing, and have a great weekend!
The first video that really explained simply how to reach altissimo! Thank you soooooo much! Allot of videos say they can't give you a fingering, or that it's all about the imagination, which is true, but here he also gives you fingering. Soooooooo useful. Going to practice now :)
Awesome! This finally worked for me after trying so many different tutorials! I think it was the "increase air velocity" line that finally made it click for me, it's so hard to understand until you finally figure it out for your self
I figured out how to do that at an honor band, and since we were middle schoolers, everybody was making tritones with their best friend or playing the highest notes they could. No regrets.
Yeah I’m gonna need that next video if I’m going to play concertino da camera for my high schools solo ensemble next year. Or I could just wimp out and play the high parts down an octave.
Don't wimp out! So many people take the middle movement altissimo out (even college profs) with the "it's more musical down the octave..." Nonsense! Higher faster louder is always better!
It's the beginning of the second movement of Ibert's "Concertino da Camera." Most people take it down an octave - I just LOVE it up there. It's risky, but in a big concert hall, it just sings. Happy practicing, KojsonK!
Thanks This is great info currently doing front altissimo E, F & F# I do this once a week for 15 mins. My tongue gets a bit ache for a while. Can do plam keys no problem. What is the preferred method Front or Palm cannot decide. Love your videos a bonus. ❤👌
Hey Dr Wallace, your altissimo is truly wonderful. Thank you for the exercises, I will certainly use them. May I ask you to explain what you were referring to about the Jumbo Java, sorry I didn’t get the reference. Also, whenever I’ve tried playing front E it never works, I can film front F fine but not E it doesn’t come out.
Hi Samuel - first, thanks. The Jumbo Java is a mouthpiece made by Vandoren with a HUGE baffle. Speeds the air column increasing air speed - making altissimo much easier (more of a rock/fusion mouthpiece). As for front E, I'm not entirely certain. Have you tried slurring from D?
My first guess with front E not speaking - not all your fingers are closing simultaneously. (or a small leak). Let me know what your teacher finds! Side note: I love Proraso aftershave.
Gee that’s interesting, I’d doubt a leak with a new horn but I’ll try pressing harder or more simultaneously. I sure will tell you what they say. They make some great aftershave, you don’t happen to be a wet shaver do you?
@@Samuel-ge7im I am, but less so with two young kids. Many mornings I'm raking an electric Braun across my face while pouring Lucky Charms. But on weekends, It's a Merkur with Barrister and Mann soap! You?
Thank You for this lesson, I've been practicing altissimo for a while now, and these fingerings work very well, the G sounded a little flat at first, I was using just the front key alone, which worked, but was a little pitchy. Where do we go from here? Fingerings for D#/Eb and on up, or, at some point do we, just practice overblowing the notes on up? Thanks Dr. Wally....I miss the suit and tie though.
I am having trouble getting the front e out, I am able to go from front f to front e though. If you or someone else could help me out it would be appreciated
Thanks as always for the lessons. These are so valuable and useful, and I love the light-hearted approach - it makes it so enjoyable. I'm just starting on the altissimo journey - but I am making steady progress! I'm on Tenor at the moment, and going from F# to G is very hard, but notes beyond G seam a little easier - not sure if that is just me or my instrument, or if it is a more general thing.
I just get a big “fuuunff” when I try to go for F# 😭 I can hit a few high altissimo notes I’ve found, but I didn’t figure what the note names are yet, just the sounds. One is using front F fingering but it’s a higher note. 🤔 I will figure out what note it actually is. I will keep working overtones and the altissimo notes I can do and keep expanding them.
@@drwallysax thanks for the follow up! I saw today that when using the front key there is a tiny leak that isn’t there when my index finger pushes the C key. I will adjust it tomorrow. I still don’t think it will fix it because I tried pushing that pad closed with my right hand and couldn’t notice much difference. I was practicing your overtone exercise today and it’s hard! Very hard to get Bb third overtone or D second overtone and nowhere near being able to go between them. So I know where I need to focus and one day altissimo will come. P.S. I bet you are a Paul Desmond fan. When you were talking about projecting with a band your tone reminded me of him.
@@drwallysax thanks for the follow up! No I can’t slur into it. I have been working on it and your overtones stuff this week. I found that there is a tiny leak under the first small pad when I use the front key because it’s not being pushed down quite as much as when I finger C. I was waiting to reply until I adjusted that but I can’t seem to remember to bring my tiny screwdriver to work where my alto is. I’m 99% sure that won’t help as I pushed it close with my right hand directly on that pad key and it didn’t help. Also, I get the same thing on my tenor and on my other worse alto (but I could get an F# sometimes on that horn). It’s me. Just need practice and time and I will get there.
@@drwallysax hey dr WW! Thanks for the follow up!! I took about three-four weeks off due to a broken clavicle. After being back at it about a week my embouchure needs lots of work to get back in shape, however, I’m making improvements. After sticking with 3’s and rotating the reeds, and working on lots of overtones I can get front E and F a lot better. I can also get F#, but I have to find it. It is easier to het higher notes. The biggest key in this regard for me has been awareness of my larynx, and everything going on with my oral cavity. Jamie at get your sax together was a big help in that! It’s incredible that there are such good teachers creating online content that a student can pick and choose the best and get explanations from different perspectives and all kinds of different exercises, ideas and inspiration.
G is different indeed-all I hear is top D with a ghost of G coming through behind the squeaks... Tried alternative fingerings, but G still doesn't budge yet... Thank you for the explanation, will be trying later
Still don't quite understand overtones yet I have reasonable flexibility up to D4. It's pretty possible to play altissimo with very little control over overtones.
It works! I hit altissimo G for the first time - briefly and squeekly. Touching the tongue tip to the upper palate seemed to help, but now I know it's attainable. Thanks Dr W. I'm just on day 2 of your Fundamentals Course.
Im an advanced beginner, i have no problem with 3 octaves on my zephyr alto. I recently switched to 1941 king zephyr tenor and all my altissimos are gone...is it just with me? Or are zephyr tenors have bad reputation for altissimos?
The saxophone itself has very little affect on altissimo production - but does influence intonation tendencies. It's more likely a voicing issue going from alto to tenor. Overtone scales (look for my overtones video) is a great way to start approaching the correct voicing on tenor!
@@drwallysax thanks a lot. Im working on it by bit. Keep going with this channel, youre helping so many here...and yup your videos are spot on. Kudus!!
I'm having problems playing the front E altissimo. any tips? I play the f just fine but the e I struggle with a lot for some reason, even though my intuition says that it should be easier to play than the f. I'm used to the alternate fingering of high e but when I play the front E, I can play when I slur from d, but not starting off. please help haha
Does the front e work in Bari or is my bari just messed up? When I use the front e on my bari it just plays an out of tune f then when I switch the the front f it plays the in tune F then I add the Bb side key and it goes to F# Edit: I can play a lot of altissimo on my alto but on my bari nothing comes out above an F#
Gorgest Boi wish it were. 10 years of higher education and a dissertation that I still get depressed thinking about. But hey, I get to put “Dr.” on silly internet videos!
Thanks! I use a gold plated M1 neck (original neck with the 875). My horn is an 875EX and came with the G1. Much prefer the M-series. happy practicing!
Leycroft 50 that’s a great question, and I’m afraid I don’t know the answer! Let me reach out to a friend who’s a Yamaha artist and sax nerd. I’ll get back to you!
Hey Leycroft, reached out to Dr. Stephen Page (the nerdiest Yamaha guy I know). He's looking into it - if I don't hear back, I'll shame him on social media.
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Your channel needs to blow up!! So much insightful information accompanied with humor and top notch video quality!!
That's kind Nathan, thank you my friend. We've got a cool little community growing here. Thanks for being a part of it.
That altissimo was like BUTTER🤤
D'awwwww, that's kind Roger. Wait, butter's good, right?
@@drwallysax Is that even a question?? Of course it good... butter than most things... Play me out now
@@rogerdominguez5721 ha!
Olive oil?
@@drwallysax lol
I have been struggling with altissimo since my freshman year of high school. After your overtones video, I got a better understanding of voicing and now I am able to play so much higher (currently a sophomore). I really appreciate your videos so much. Keep it up!
I am so excited to learn pieces that I have been dreaming to play (the Creston Sonata and Concertino Da Camera)
Hell yes!!!!!! This made my day. Keep up the great work, and let me know if you have any questions. Creston Ahoy!!!
Whos here to learn how to play the totk solo?
What position do you use when you play altissimo A# and E?
Finally one tutorial on altissimo that actually worked thank you so much🙏
Yay! Happy practicing!
"Annoy the neighbours" More like annoying myself. My saxophone sounds so thin no matter what I do.
You can fix that, listening is 1/2 the battle!
Good timing, I am just staring to learn altissimo, thanks for making this Dr Wally!
Good luck, and hit me up with questions!
Same here today I start altissimo thankfully I found you.
@@seandmaccormack.8528 Excellent! Have patience and take lots of breaks!
Your the only channel I've been able to see that shows the fingerings past A. Thank You, now that I've gotten past the 50th dirt road, I can finally start practicing beyond altissimo A.
I would NOT recommend trying to learn Altissimo unless you have played both long tones and overtones to the point that you could do it in your sleep(not literally of course). Altissimo, while not a hard concept, is not extremely hard to do, but it is extremely hard to do correctly. Making sure you stay in tune is essential. If you develop bad habits, all it's going to do is make you very inconsistent with sound now and have to undo those habits later. Long tones help you develop a sense of tone, and then building on that overtones help you to manipulate that tone. Playing in tune is key. Then playing overtones. And then, if you think you have that down, start working on Altissimo slowly. Learn a new note a day, or better yet every week. Focus on making it smooth and in tune.
TL;DR work up to altissimo and take it slow
Thanks for the advice .... I can’t seem to get the correct fingerings based on the chart as I don’t understand the top black forward slash Image ... please can you help ?
@@teegee6021 you should have a key right above your B key ..on the front (that is the top black "slash" )
Definitely one of the most beautiful Alto players I've heard by far, with that I've gotta ask, any new content coming from the sononauts anytime soon?
Jacob, that made my day, thank you. And yes! I'm putting together the Sononauts debut album! Super nerdy arrangements of 80s music, video game themes, and more! Got a killer rhythm section lined up. Thanks for asking, I'll keep you updated!
Saxophone Academy Sounds good, can't wait!
Is it more difficult to play altissimo on a jazz mouthpiece or is it just me?
Some mouthpieces are way easier than others but can be classical or jazz based. High baffle mpc seem to work well.
Wally, Thank you for this excellent tutorial. I would like to ask you: at 03:07, on your demo playing C, D and E, what is your fingering for the D? The D and E you play are so clear, I'm amazed. I have a hand injury that makes playing my LH palmkeys very difficult, and if I could find a way to play those notes using your front-key fingerings, it would be a HUGE help. I already played the E your way, and it's beautiful. I'm going to play it that way from now on. It would be perfect if you could tell me how to finger the D.
This is a great reference video for altissimo on alto sax ! I currently training myself to use Dr Wally's fingerings for E, F, F# , and altissimo G to aid in the transition to the higher altissimo notes. Finally a system I can work with for alto. I think I will try this approach on tenor as well, since I've been having difficulty with altissimo there too. Thanks DW !!
Excellent! Be patient with yourself - there's no rush to learn altissimo. Work daily to improve the response and focus of those front fingerings. Experiment with tongue position and when it "sings" - REMEMBER that voicing and repeat! Good luck!
@@drwallysax - Your so right DW; if I try too long, I lose the A and start to lose the G#, so like you said, a little a day and eventually it will become ingrained. Then a while down the road when I’m damn solid up through the A, then I could worry about learning to overblow the palm keys to get up
to that paint peeling D woohoo lol
PS> I might have a problem with the neighborhood dogs by that point. Right now I also have to break the habit of my old E and F palm key fingerings, and that high F# key.
@@drwallysax - Good news.. even better early success up to altissimo A on tenor for me. Btw, I get the altissimo Bb by just lifting the left hand middle finger from the A fingering. Then, based on what you said in your video, I’m assuming palm D (and the octave key) for altissimo B .. correct ??
PS> I will stay within the 3 octaves for quite some time to come, but looking to get the extended picture. Also, it’s fantastic for me that the front E and F fingerings are the same for both alto and tenor. This stuff is nowhere near as terrible as I thought, but I do put a lot of effort into technique within the standard sax range.
@@shipsahoy1793 so lifting the middle finger, you're actually fingering altissimo Bb - but your voicing is sounding an A. Not a big deal, but a firmer reed would likely remedy that. Still, great stuff! Keep it up!
@@drwallysax 👍
😎👨🏻
I know I’m a little late to this video, but if anyone else is having a problem with their front E and F being slightly flat, try and add the G# key to both of those. It made them much better for me!
Thank you very much for the video! In which position do you play Altissimo A# and E?🎷
Thank you so much Dr. Wally!! with this video, i learned how to play my very first altissimo G and G#! and it took me 15 minutes!
Thanks for making this video. Your altissimo is very musical. The fingerings do work well. One small nit: you skipped A#, for which I usually use your same fingering for A, and then lift the middle finger leaving only the left-hand ring finger.
An A# once pushed me down on the playground. I don't talk about A#. (and thanks for the kind words!)
@@drwallysax LOL! I love the wit and very cool nerdiness you bring. This is how I feel (in my mind only) trying to teach/do videos for my students.
This is excellent stuff! Thanks for that G fingering - I play Yamaha too and that one works better for me that what I've been using on alto before now. For me, the 'keys to the kingdom' with altissimo was spending time on overtones; yes it does feel different than when using alt fingerings but it is really useful to get you aware of the general principles of voicing. Great for your tone as well!
Thanks Mark. I agree. Oddly, I’ve had students who have zero success with overtones, yet perfectly fine altissimo 🤷♂️
I do it religiously for tone (as you mention). Happy weekend my friend!
Ummm.. I can't do altissimo f# pls help me with my embouchure
Man I got F# but it was dirty. G just won't come out. I change to the fingering and if I get anything I get a huge squeak.
Thanks for this Dr. Wally. Most logical, stepwise approach to altissimo I've tried. It's working, very slowly;) At least now I know I can achieve it.
Hey, that's awesome Gary! The "stepwise" approach works for me and the majority of my students. I hate quick fixes that fixate on embouchure and throat adjustments (leading to BIG problems down the road). I like to aim for control and homogenous tone with my students - rather than quick squeaks! Happy practicing, and have a great weekend!
Wow, that's a beautiful altissimo. The voicing thing can't be said enough, too - I tried different mouthpieces and ultimately a high step baffle doesn't make much difference. It might be slightly easier to get the note but it's harder to get a note that doesn't sound thin.
Your method is basically what I stumbled on by trial and error, I wish I'd see this video when I first started trying to build altissimo. I'm still just starting, though, so it definitely is still helpful! I'm looking forward to more!
Hey, thanks Adamatari! Let me know if I can answer any questions or help out on your journey. Happy practicing my friend!
I have the problem of altissimo G shooting up to altissimo D when I play. How do I fix this?
Common problem! most players tend to overshoot the voicing. Keep slurring from the F#. Make the F# focused and clear. Then keeeeeep slurring to the G. Maintain that voicing - then start the G with a gentle breath attack.
Saxophone Academy thanks!
I printed a paper of his logo without even knowing it was his😅
Im trying to smash out the solo simply the best which as a altissimo b and i really hope this helps cause I hate just playing the e
Can't do from f# up pls help me with the embouchure
I don't have a front E or F. Can I still do this?
Incredible sound. Reminds me of an oboe with a little bit more kick.
Thanks NyanPoptartCat. May your day be filled with rainbows and sparkles my friend.
These finally worked for me on a Selmer Tenor SAII except last 2 notes C# and D ended up as a C and C#. I'll take it! thanks for this great video. It took me 3 months of overtone exercises and a month to trying altissimo. I also had to tinker my F key adjustment to vent only one bit. My family, my neighbors and my dog hate me now.! My kind of humor as well!
Yes! (I actually cheered out loud at home)! Congrats Thiery!!!
Very cool video! Do you have any tips and fingerings for Baritone altissimo?
Hey Max! I don't have any offhand, but "High Tones" by Eugene Rousseau has a fairly comprehensive list of fingerings for Soprano through Baritone. Other than that, keep practicing building bridges from front keys upward. Happy practicing, and have a great weekend!
The first video that really explained simply how to reach altissimo! Thank you soooooo much! Allot of videos say they can't give you a fingering, or that it's all about the imagination, which is true, but here he also gives you fingering. Soooooooo useful. Going to practice now :)
real deal playing, fantastic control!
Awww, thanks Derek! When's your next episode coming!?
@@drwallysax Hopefully soon! Kitchen remodel has been noisy
Greetings from Berlin and thanx for your help!
Ibert! I just learned it last year🎉
Awesome! This finally worked for me after trying so many different tutorials! I think it was the "increase air velocity" line that finally made it click for me, it's so hard to understand until you finally figure it out for your self
Hey, congrats! Glad it's clicking - keep it up!
Great video! Been struggling on altissimo for the longest time!
Thanks Bob, good luck and keep me posted! Always happy to answer questions with bad dad jokes.
While playing this I accidentally made an F# 5 or something, an octave higher than the F# taught. No idea how I did that
Sympathetic vibrations from a parallel timeline. Watch out for your evil clone.
I figured out how to do that at an honor band, and since we were middle schoolers, everybody was making tritones with their best friend or playing the highest notes they could. No regrets.
@@drwallysax I sense some Dan Harmon influence?
@@TheAcidJazzSituation I've watched all of Community at least 3X.
Where would I find the fingerings
Hello . Great Dr Wally I like you videos thanks Manuel galan
Thanks Manuel! Happy practicing!
Awesome but please less reverb 😱
Thank you but, one thing is altissimo played by you, one another if played by me 😅
Keep at it! My goal is for my students to be better than me. So go practice!
What about B flat/A Sharp?
Yeah I’m gonna need that next video if I’m going to play concertino da camera for my high schools solo ensemble next year. Or I could just wimp out and play the high parts down an octave.
Don't wimp out! So many people take the middle movement altissimo out (even college profs) with the "it's more musical down the octave..." Nonsense! Higher faster louder is always better!
Yo dude thanks so much I did a super high G, I’ll work harder!❤
Hey, congrats!! Keep at it my friend :)
What if we can not whistle?
Mai putina vorba , mai multa treaba
Wow! That sound!
You. I like you.
Great video! What piece were you playing in the beginning? Sounds very familiar to my ears.
It's the beginning of the second movement of Ibert's "Concertino da Camera." Most people take it down an octave - I just LOVE it up there. It's risky, but in a big concert hall, it just sings. Happy practicing, KojsonK!
Thanks This is great info
currently doing front altissimo E, F & F# I do this once a week for 15 mins. My tongue gets a bit ache for a while.
Can do plam keys no problem. What is the preferred method Front or Palm cannot decide.
Love your videos a bonus. ❤👌
For me Front F is easier than front E. Is this me or my gear? love the videos.
That's not uncommon (I think), try slurring down from F, hold the E, then restart with a breath attack.
Think I'll go practice.
Good man
Hey Dr Wallace, your altissimo is truly wonderful.
Thank you for the exercises, I will certainly use them.
May I ask you to explain what you were referring to about the Jumbo Java, sorry I didn’t get the reference.
Also, whenever I’ve tried playing front E it never works, I can film front F fine but not E it doesn’t come out.
Hi Samuel - first, thanks. The Jumbo Java is a mouthpiece made by Vandoren with a HUGE baffle. Speeds the air column increasing air speed - making altissimo much easier (more of a rock/fusion mouthpiece).
As for front E, I'm not entirely certain. Have you tried slurring from D?
Ah I see what you mean.
I have it’s weird, even on my new Sax, mouthpiece and reeds it occurs, I’ll ask my teacher when I have my next lesson.
My first guess with front E not speaking - not all your fingers are closing simultaneously. (or a small leak). Let me know what your teacher finds! Side note: I love Proraso aftershave.
Gee that’s interesting, I’d doubt a leak with a new horn but I’ll try pressing harder or more simultaneously. I sure will tell you what they say.
They make some great aftershave, you don’t happen to be a wet shaver do you?
@@Samuel-ge7im I am, but less so with two young kids. Many mornings I'm raking an electric Braun across my face while pouring Lucky Charms. But on weekends, It's a Merkur with Barrister and Mann soap! You?
hi there, thanks for a great video - could you share your suggested fingerings for altissimo Bb please.
Sure, I use ring finger on left hand, octave key, and right hand down. Kind of like low D with octave key and "b" and "a" keys lifted. Make sense?
Saxophone Academy thanks! I'll try that in the morning. It's a bit late right now... 😉🙌
Late?! It's never to late for the fourth octave! Get your horn out and go go go!! You can always find a new place to live once evicted.
@@drwallysax he he that's so funny!
works great - tx!
Thanks for your Info and humour. LOVE it. Just wondering why my head/skull reacts with tortuous noise/pain on G, G# and A.
Playing a SA80 tenor.
Hurrah, these fingerings work for me, but the sharp G is more stable with front F instead of finger 1 (YTS 62).
Amazing lesson Dr. Wally!! Does anyone know what classical mouthpiece he uses? I'm just curious
Lol. You're so dramatic. Love it!
How daaaaaarreeee you say that about me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!! *cries dramatically*
uah! you go so up! altissimo, benissimo, bravissimo... for me this is science fiction movie, mamma mia 🎷🚀✨🌟🌟🌟✨🚀🎷
Thank You for this lesson, I've been practicing altissimo for a while now, and these fingerings work very well, the G sounded a little flat at first, I was using just the front key alone, which worked, but was a little pitchy. Where do we go from here? Fingerings for D#/Eb and on up, or, at some point do we, just practice overblowing the notes on up? Thanks Dr. Wally....I miss the suit and tie though.
I am having trouble getting the front e out, I am able to go from front f to front e though. If you or someone else could help me out it would be appreciated
You’re the best. I saw your channel and subscribed right away. I’m in love with you 😃
Thanks as always for the lessons. These are so valuable and useful, and I love the light-hearted approach - it makes it so enjoyable. I'm just starting on the altissimo journey - but I am making steady progress! I'm on Tenor at the moment, and going from F# to G is very hard, but notes beyond G seam a little easier - not sure if that is just me or my instrument, or if it is a more general thing.
PDT
I just get a big “fuuunff” when I try to go for F# 😭
I can hit a few high altissimo notes I’ve found, but I didn’t figure what the note names are yet, just the sounds. One is using front F fingering but it’s a higher note. 🤔 I will figure out what note it actually is.
I will keep working overtones and the altissimo notes I can do and keep expanding them.
are you able to slur to it from front F?
@@drwallysax thanks for the follow up!
I saw today that when using the front key there is a tiny leak that isn’t there when my index finger pushes the C key. I will adjust it tomorrow. I still don’t think it will fix it because I tried pushing that pad closed with my right hand and couldn’t notice much difference.
I was practicing your overtone exercise today and it’s hard! Very hard to get Bb third overtone or D second overtone and nowhere near being able to go between them. So I know where I need to focus and one day altissimo will come.
P.S. I bet you are a Paul Desmond fan. When you were talking about projecting with a band your tone reminded me of him.
@@drwallysax thanks for the follow up! No I can’t slur into it. I have been working on it and your overtones stuff this week. I found that there is a tiny leak under the first small pad when I use the front key because it’s not being pushed down quite as much as when I finger C. I was waiting to reply until I adjusted that but I can’t seem to remember to bring my tiny screwdriver to work where my alto is. I’m 99% sure that won’t help as I pushed it close with my right hand directly on that pad key and it didn’t help. Also, I get the same thing on my tenor and on my other worse alto (but I could get an F# sometimes on that horn).
It’s me. Just need practice and time and I will get there.
@@craigiefconcert6493 any improvement?
@@drwallysax hey dr WW! Thanks for the follow up!! I took about three-four weeks off due to a broken clavicle. After being back at it about a week my embouchure needs lots of work to get back in shape, however, I’m making improvements.
After sticking with 3’s and rotating the reeds, and working on lots of overtones I can get front E and F a lot better. I can also get F#, but I have to find it. It is easier to het higher notes.
The biggest key in this regard for me has been awareness of my larynx, and everything going on with my oral cavity. Jamie at get your sax together was a big help in that!
It’s incredible that there are such good teachers creating online content that a student can pick and choose the best and get explanations from different perspectives and all kinds of different exercises, ideas and inspiration.
G is different indeed-all I hear is top D with a ghost of G coming through behind the squeaks... Tried alternative fingerings, but G still doesn't budge yet... Thank you for the explanation, will be trying later
Good luck and keep me posted!
The a note doesn’t work
You may need more practice or try other fingerings, it varies between horns
Still don't quite understand overtones yet I have reasonable flexibility up to D4. It's pretty possible to play altissimo with very little control over overtones.
I agree. I teach overtones for voicing in the normal range. Altissimo feels very different.
You’ve done it again my man, perfect lesson
It works! I hit altissimo G for the first time - briefly and squeekly. Touching the tongue tip to the upper palate seemed to help, but now I know it's attainable. Thanks Dr W. I'm just on day 2 of your Fundamentals Course.
Heeyyy! That's great, congrats Michael!
Good stuff.
Thanks George, happy new year my friend!
Thank you Dr. WALLY!
Hey, you're welcome Brian! Lemme know if you have any questions!
*sad bari sax noises*
Just bite hard and pray!
Im an advanced beginner, i have no problem with 3 octaves on my zephyr alto. I recently switched to 1941 king zephyr tenor and all my altissimos are gone...is it just with me? Or are zephyr tenors have bad reputation for altissimos?
The saxophone itself has very little affect on altissimo production - but does influence intonation tendencies. It's more likely a voicing issue going from alto to tenor. Overtone scales (look for my overtones video) is a great way to start approaching the correct voicing on tenor!
@@drwallysax thanks a lot. Im working on it by bit. Keep going with this channel, youre helping so many here...and yup your videos are spot on. Kudus!!
whats your classical piece? Is the Solstice a good altissimo piece?
I'm using a Larry Teal, made by Selmer. Solstice is a great mouthpiece all around!
Great video !!
Thanks Rogerio, happy practicing!
Thanks, very helpful, have taken good notes:) 😃
Glad it was helpful!
Bb?
No thanks, I had a big breakfast.
I'm having problems playing the front E altissimo. any tips? I play the f just fine but the e I struggle with a lot for some reason, even though my intuition says that it should be easier to play than the f. I'm used to the alternate fingering of high e but when I play the front E, I can play when I slur from d, but not starting off. please help haha
Can you slur down from front F?
@@drwallysax yes I can. I just have a problem starting from front E
Well hello there
Hello! Happy Wednesday!
Excellent
Thanks for this video. Does reed hardness play a role in getting an altissimo note out ?
Absolutely, the stronger the reed, the easier the altissimo!
@@drwallysax Thank you. I learn new things every day. And thanks again for all the wonderful lessons.
Does the front e work in Bari or is my bari just messed up? When I use the front e on my bari it just plays an out of tune f then when I switch the the front f it plays the in tune F then I add the Bb side key and it goes to F#
Edit: I can play a lot of altissimo on my alto but on my bari nothing comes out above an F#
It's been a number of years since I needed altissimo on Bari, but I remember it should work? Do you own the Rousseau high tones for saxophones?
Saxophone Academy I do not, should I get that book?
@@athebeast1769 not necessary, but it has comprehensive fingerings for soprano - Bari. See I you can find a free pdf via the googles
I like this channel the mooost 😍😍
Awww, thanks Mouhab!
Your chanel is gold. Ty
That's very kind, but probably copper with moments of silver. I'm glad to have you as part of the Academy, Gorfgarf! (that's fun to type....gorfgarf).
Wow!! Excelente!!!!
Do you actually have the title “dr. Wally Wallace”?
I paid $19.95 on the internet. I printed off the .pdf certificate. I assume it’s legit.
@Saxophone Academy lol it’s that easy...
Gorgest Boi wish it were. 10 years of higher education and a dissertation that I still get depressed thinking about. But hey, I get to put “Dr.” on silly internet videos!
Another superb video can i enquire which neck Dr. Wally uses of the Yamaha range ?.
Thanks! I use a gold plated M1 neck (original neck with the 875). My horn is an 875EX and came with the G1. Much prefer the M-series. happy practicing!
Thanks which neck would the M series be most like ? of the current models C1 E1 or V1 .
Leycroft 50 that’s a great question, and I’m afraid I don’t know the answer! Let me reach out to a friend who’s a Yamaha artist and sax nerd. I’ll get back to you!
Thanks Dr. Wally your a gent .
Hey Leycroft, reached out to Dr. Stephen Page (the nerdiest Yamaha guy I know). He's looking into it - if I don't hear back, I'll shame him on social media.
link to the pdf doesn't work
I tested it - did you get an error message of some kind?
Seems to be working, server may have been down for a moment. Let me know if you still can't get it to work. Happy practicing!
Excellent stuff Doc!
Thanks ponch! Have fun annoying your neighbors...and family....and pets. (my wife hates my altissimo practice)
Talk about using earplugs when working altissimo? Think piccolo damage(!)
bruh altissimo is less about the tongue and more about the vocal tract and soft pallet
nope.