C Melody Saxophone Forum

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C Melody Saxophone Forum / C-Tenor (C-Melody) Saxophones / Why is that little key on my sax?

soybean
User ID: 0401124 Nov 27th 1:49 AM
Please explain the reasoning behind the small key below the thumbrest on so many C-mels. I've heard it called a "vent" key, but what does it do? When i got my Buescher, that key was blocked off by the previous owner so it could not open.

alan (uk)
User ID: 0651814 Nov 27th 6:45 AM
It's another way of playing Eb, and (allegedly) easier to trill... Because of the extra mechanism involved, and the fact that modern players don't learn that fingering, it's often corked off, or 'reverse sprung'.

Played (when working) by keeping the 'D' finger down and lifting the 'E' finger, to make Eb. You'll notice that the 'E' pearl isn't on the 'E' cup/pad, but on an arm, as part of that mechanism.

Probably more than you wanted to know ? Temporarily take the cork off and you'll see what happens when you finger 'D' and lift the 'E' finger, unless it's totally out of adjustmwnt.

jazzbug1 2007
User ID: 0735934 Nov 27th 9:08 AM
The reason that little key is corked or reverse sprung is that they have a big tendency to leak.
York and Martin (anybody else?) came up with a much more positive mechanism, putting a fouth pearl at the bottom of the line and working the Eb trill key into the bottom stack as a direct closer, operated by the same pinky as the reguler Eb key, instead of the traditional reverse lever set up on other horns. The only C Melody I have seen with this clever design is the York. Martin adopted this in the mid 30s. By the time of the war (I heard there was a second one) everybody dropped this feature, as it speeds up a trill very slightly over using the traditional Eb key.

ukebert
User ID: 1300074 Nov 27th 12:32 PM
I've never found it significantly quicker than normal Eb I have to say. The G# trill key however I do.

Captain Beeflat
User ID: 1738604 Nov 27th 1:42 PM
soybean.
Just leave it corked.

soybean
User ID: 0401124 Nov 27th 1:45 PM
(2007) Ahh, thanks fellas. Now, it makes sense. I would never have thought to trill that way.

soybean User ID: 0401124	Nov 27th 1:49 AM Please explain the reasoning behind the small key below the thumbrest on so many C-mels. I've heard it called a "vent" key, but what does it do? When i got my Buescher, that key was blocked off by the previous owner so it could not open.
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 27th 6:45 AM It's another way of playing Eb, and (allegedly) easier to trill... Because of the extra mechanism involved, and the fact that modern players don't learn that fingering, it's often corked off, or 'reverse sprung'. Played (when working) by keeping the 'D' finger down and lifting the 'E' finger, to make Eb. You'll notice that the 'E' pearl isn't on the 'E' cup/pad, but on an arm, as part of that mechanism. Probably more than you wanted to know ? Temporarily take the cork off and you'll see what happens when you finger 'D' and lift the 'E' finger, unless it's totally out of adjustmwnt.
jazzbug1 2007 User ID: 0735934	Nov 27th 9:08 AM The reason that little key is corked or reverse sprung is that they have a big tendency to leak. York and Martin (anybody else?) came up with a much more positive mechanism, putting a fouth pearl at the bottom of the line and working the Eb trill key into the bottom stack as a direct closer, operated by the same pinky as the reguler Eb key, instead of the traditional reverse lever set up on other horns. The only C Melody I have seen with this clever design is the York. Martin adopted this in the mid 30s. By the time of the war (I heard there was a second one) everybody dropped this feature, as it speeds up a trill very slightly over using the traditional Eb key.
ukebert User ID: 1300074	Nov 27th 12:32 PM I've never found it significantly quicker than normal Eb I have to say. The G# trill key however I do.
Captain Beeflat User ID: 1738604	Nov 27th 1:42 PM soybean. Just leave it corked.
soybean User ID: 0401124	Nov 27th 1:45 PM (2007) Ahh, thanks fellas. Now, it makes sense. I would never have thought to trill that way.