I just noticed this end of Nov. after playing the bari since September. I posted this tip on the sax school FB group. Having a baritone has made me a better tenor player. For example, every song guitar players love to play in E, instead of me playing in F# on tenor, now I have to play in C# on bari. As I keep working the low register on the bari, I’m really working the left and right pinkies on the tables. What I rediscovered is that any key on the left table will get you a G#. Not just the G# key. So, in the key of C#, G# is the fifth, so if you are going to scale or arpeggio down in C#, it’s nice to use the right pinkie to hold down the C# key for your G#. Then you are ready to hit that low C# and it doesn’t interfere with the other notes on the way down. You can go down C#, G#, F, low C# with less fuss. Also, it seems like the low C# is more reliable if the left hand table key is already in place. Similarly with low B or Bb. I play “Help the Poor” in our set list on bari. Bm for bari. I end each section and the finale with a run down to low B. B, A, F#, F nat, E, D, B. I get that left pinky on the B key early before the low C key closes and it works out well.
Excellent! My guitar teacher taught me the grease tip to reduce string slide noise. Works great! Forehead grease works well too (& no-one thinks you're picking your nose)!
I find it easy to play C# to B by first laying the pinky flat on both keys (this produces the C# with a miniscule tone difference), and then releasing the C# key by curling the pinky. The reverse applies for the B-C# move. I also play the guitar, and the move is similar to playing temporary double stops on adjacent strings.
This is pure gold, Jamie! - my hands are quite small and low Bb has been a trial. I haven't seen any advice about the 'rollers' to date and didn't know they existed for a purpose. Can't wait to try this out. Another tricky one - is there any way to avoid fingers sticking up when using the palm keys? It just seems so awkward... Many thanks for these tips, absolutely an insight into pro ways! :)
@@GetYourSaxTogether This is a great recommendation, Jamie - I bought some palm key risers and also for the side keys and it is much more comfortable, as well as easier to locate when playing, allowing the fingers to bend naturally rather than end up too straight. Thank you so much for the tip - they are the Protec ones (models A351 and A352) and don't spoil the look of the keys either, wonderful!
Thanks for another great video. There’s one more technique I use where you use the side of your pinkie when you go from B to Bb and back again. Using the rollers you use the edge of your pinkie and don’t fully commit to Bb.
Well, this was a very well-timed lesson. Has stopped me in my tracks with a bad habit I was developing. Had got #C but my technique meant I was creating problems for moving further down the scale. Many thanks (again!!).
Nice job. I have 2 more: 1) If your improvising think ahead with regards to these pinnings and other techniques. Flying by the seat of your pants improv often results in sloppiness or lack of intent. 2) Another way of going from B to Bb is to position your pinky on the roller with the Bb slightly depressed. Then it’s just a subtle scooting motion to get the Bb down. This is all depending on how your horn is set up. If anyone has any tricks for RH pinky let me know. I’ve got some tension there that I’ve been working on lately. Thanks again!
The dreaded C# to B transition. Couldn’t for the life of me figure this one out as my pinky would jam as you mentioned. I knew the grease trick some players use on the reed at the end of a session to transform the reed into anything but wood, but didn’t know about using it to lube up the pinky. If only the real world knew the sacrifices we saxophonists make for their listening pleasure…….Uh, on second thought, maybe not. 😂 Awesome video! Been struggling with this. Thanks, Jamie.
Thanks for the tips. Power to the pinkie. You shouldn't call it a "momentary" beaver paw, you should call it an "accidental" :) Anyway, I was looking at this problem the other day, basically getting to low B from one of the other low notes, and I found to my complete surprise that if I press the G# key instead, I get a low B. I have a Yanagisawa Baritone sax and a friend tried it on his Yanagisawa Soprano sax and it didn't work for him. I wonder if this is a bari-only feature. I like the grease-up tip. I wonder if a touch of cork grease would work better if you apply it before playing. Thanks again
lol, Wally Wallace. Your name came up in a recent (good natured) online exchange I had with him. He's a fan! (mostly 😁) . Regarding your "G# can be played with any of the other pinky keys", I discovered that by accident about a week ago! It actually came up in "Walkin' Shoes". There is a triplet sequence like this: E#,F#,G#. E#,F#,G# that ends on a low C#. You can finger C# through the whole thing. I think, during practice, I forgot to lift my C# while trying to coordinate it all, and the G# still sounded properly. And i thought, "oh so that's why it's all connected down there!"
Thanks Jamie, my little pinkie is actually broken and i can’t straighten it out, it is the shape you made when playing the b flat, so i really struggle with those notes, g# is fine and i can make b and c# but b flat is out of my range, luckily i’ve never has to play one in any of the songs i’ve played, maybe one day though. I’ll try flicking the wrist and see if that helps
Hi Jamie - I was hoping this would help my poor pinky performance but they have been scarred from previous surgeries (both hands to - ugh!) I can't do the C# to Bb transition because it won't bend far enough, so I'll stick to what I've been doing. Oh BTW: The nose grease is an old time tradecraft secret too. It's good for a quick grease to anything that may be sticking/making noise (like a latch on a door, etc.) My dad taught me that ages ago. It's a great tip for everyone!
What a great lesson! Is there a right-hand version? Eb to low C# or C is a bit of a beggar for me. Beaver-paws! Love that! Nose-grease, though? Grossss!
Jamie, I've checked your merchandise site and I can't seem to find any bottles of "Jamie's Magic Nose Oil". You're probably already sold out, so let us know when that's available. 😆
Great video. Love the greased pinkie tip. I play the flute so knew it, but was gratified to hear you mention it and give a nod to flautists😁. Do you do private lessons by the way?
Thanks Jamie! Great tips! I sort of knew them by intuition… great to have them clear like this! Q: About the 4 ways of G#, Any specific practice tips on how to get them really implemented in you’re playing? Get them under you’re finger sort of..?
Great method that looks like it will work with practice (like everything else)! But, to bis or not to bis, that is the question. I have been working etudes (your fast finger exercise is great) and find myself trying to decide which fingering for Bb is better, particularly when playing in the key of Eb. In that case going from Ab to Bb to C quickly is problematic. The bis key seems more economical in that case, but is difficult to move cleanly through from Ab to C. But, the side key Bb adds another key to get in the way of precise articulation. What do you think?
I must admit (playing for about 4 years) I've not found much music that uses the low B or Bb so if ever anything came up with it, then I'd have to give it some thought. Even low C# makes me have to think, I think the only piece of music that I regularly play with that is the theme to the Godfather. Even worse is the high F#!
The outtake says it all... You did reveal one thing I NEVER heard or thought of, nose grease. And I even know flute players... Guess I don't know the right flute players... Great lesson. Now all we need is a really cool riff using them to create a Mario Lick type challenge. Hahaha...
When I purchased a Yamaha 62iii saxophone the low B natural key was raised quite a bit higher than the C#, is that common on saxophones? It made moving from C# to B natural difficult. I had it lowered and with some practice it’s much more manageable.
Just letting you know that I dobbed on you to Dr Jason "Wally" Wallace. PS: Is Dr Wally REALLY a Doctor? because he claimed in his recent video that the BIS key was invented by a small man in New Zealand named Donald Bizbee Buzzington! Some say he's making things up as he goes ie: improvising the facts and truths. PS: You two should record RU-vid videos together. Cross market this niche market here. Thanks for all your great videos and hard work creating them all.
