So, this will have been my first year in band, on the Alto Saxophone. Well, I’m using the school’s, meaning it’s gone through many an owner. I picked up on playing it correctly pretty fast, and I have a concert tomorrow night, but I’m having some trouble. When I sat down to practice, I noticed that I can play a note perfectly, but in different areas the same exact note will squeak. I had been told by my Band instructor that it was me, and the way I was playing. I proved him wrong by playing on another student’s sax. It seems to be only my sax that does this, because I play perfectly on anyone Else’s. It also tends to sound nasal-y on some notes (though sometimes it’ll play right, and sometimes it won’t!)

Can anyone explain this, and possibly tell me a quick-fix in case it pops up tomorrow night? Thanks!

The guy above me is trying to say that the OCTAVE KEY gets stuck, causing you to stay in the upper register (playing basically the same note, but an octave higher). This is only the problem if you are squeaking on notes in the lower register, and after playing a high note. This would probably be caused by: a loose screw/screw tightened too much, a bent key, a sticky key or a combination of those. Your band director should be able to look at your sax, and play around with it a little and figure out which of the above it is. He/She can very likely fix it, but you may have to take it to a music store. If your band director wont listen, have an older person in your section take a look.
Also, you may be bumping a side key with the palm or side of your index finger by accident, just from holding the sax not-quite-right. This is probably what’s happening if the above description doesn’t fit, and since you’re a first year sax player, its just a little habit that can be fixed extremely easy, that lots of new players have. Don’t worry.