Double 'D' problems

[Dazza]

Hey guys. I have been practicing two new songs and getting them down pretty well over this weekend but with one annoying exception. I am playing “Goodnight Sweetheart” and jump from B to low D but it just wont stick. Trust me I get good tone right through the low notes easily from low Bb to E but jumping down between B and D the D won’t sound no matter how much I adjust my jaw, focus on good breathing. It just wants to sound in the higher octave and not a clear tone at that! So frustrating…..any clues. I reckon a visit to the sax Doctor might be needed.

[john]

does the D sound when you play it straight on?
or when you play it off of other notes?
in other words, is it just a problem coming off the B?

[Dazza]

Yes Johnny,

Just when I come down from B and Bb not so much on A and I get a nice tone when landing on it from notes adjacent to it. Is it maybe a reed quality issue? Is it vibrating in a certain way that cant cope with the change in speed for the low notes. I am playing a 5C Yamaha MP with it as well. As that is a variable I might head to the shop to get some more reeds and try that as a possibility.

[john]

I would guess it’s a combination of your speed and accuracy…
we need to have the air, tongue release, and fingering happen all at the proper time…if one of these is off it won’t work. It’s not so bad on most notes but you have found a problem interval for you.
I would practice slowly from several notes going down to D: G D, G# D, A D, Bb D, B D
go slow enough to make them all work, I bet by the time you get to B it will be better because you’re putting this specialized focus on it.
If it doesn’t work smoothly do it slower and more accurately until it does. also try tonguing everything and then no tonguing at all.

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