Saxophone beginners Chart with all standard and alternative fingering

[MLoosemore]

Given the recent threads discussing the Bis key and others, I wondered...

has anyone ever produced a fingering chart which shows ALL standard and alternative fingerings??

in a readily understandable form...

 

[MellowD]

Given the recent threads discussing the Bis key and others, I wondered...

has anyone ever produced a fingering chart which shows ALL standard and alternative fingerings??

in a readily understandable form...

Larry Teal "The Art of Playing Saxophone" has them in real good pictorial format and spread over several pages so they are a nice size to read off - all except the new high G key.

 

[MLoosemore]

The new High G????? Can you expand on this please.......... only kidding

 

[kevgermany]

http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/

 

[sushidushi]

The new High G????? Can you expand on this please.......... only kidding

http://cafesaxophone.com/showthread.php?t=8824

 

[MLoosemore]

http://cafesaxophone.com/showthread.php?t=8824

Silly me.... complete forgot about that thread ;};};}.... Well it has been a couple of days

 

[MLoosemore]

http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/

Thanks Kev, hadn't found that site before.... Should keep me amused for hours over Christmas

 

[MLoosemore]

http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/

Yep, it has answered my concern that I was using a fingering which was not 'approved' when coming down the scale.

but apparently 'nothing?' is infra dig. If it works then it might be OK...

 

[kevgermany]

Yep, it has answered my concern that I was using a fingering which was not 'approved' when coming down the scale.

View attachment 2087

but apparently 'nothing?' is infra dig. If it works then it might be OK...

That fingering is OK on some of my saxes, but not all, tends to be unstable/out of tune. You can use it if it works, but be prepared to have to switch on other instruments. Better to use the first fingering - LH2 and no octave key - the standard fingering and works on all saxes. Or use the second if the first is inconvenient.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Ooooh! 23G# for C. That's a new one on me. I'm off to try it now. I've piece it might come in handy for.

 

[sushidushi]

Am I being oversensitive when I feel upset to see that I use so many 'basic' fingerings? I wonder if I need to make playing this thing even more complicated... 😱 😉

 

[Colin the Bear]

The point of different fingerings is to make playing easier. Basic fingerings are the meat and potatoes of playing and they are fine most the time. However occasionaly a fast passage with a difficult run, trill or decoration is more than your hands can cope with.

The above fingering for C lets me through a run that comes up and then down through G# and C. Using a standard LH2 fingering for C, the move to G# involves moving 3 fingers. With this fingering I can move just LH1. Faster safer and more fluid (with practice)

Alternatives give you options to get you out of trouble is all.

 

[jbtsax]

Ooooh! 23G# for C. That's a new one on me. I'm off to try it now. I've piece it might come in handy for.

Me too. Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense. Adding the G key to a middle finger C would cause it to be flat and stuffy, but opening the G# would increase the venting and make the sound more acceptable.

 

[kevgermany]

Am I being oversensitive when I feel upset to see that I use so many 'basic' fingerings? I wonder if I need to make playing this thing even more complicated... 😱 😉

Stick with it. My problem (one of many) is remembering to use an alternate fingering. I tend to get locked into one way of playing a note and then struggle to use the alternate when I need it.

 

[MLoosemore]

Looks as though my beginners question has opened up a worthwhile discussion for the seasoned players 🙂

 

[Colin the Bear]

I think I've learned more in the few months of being a member here than I have in years. Genuine beginners questions provoke responses from members who reveal a wealth of experience, knowledge and opinions stimulating me out of my comfort zone, to continue on the journey of exploration that is the saxophone.

I am constantly directed to holes in my knowledge in areas that I thought were complete.

This thread has pointed out to me that if I'm not going to make a comprehensive study of the finger patterns, a complete fingering chart should be in my reference library, to consult in times of difficulty.

Alternatives may take time to embed in the memory and some may be rarely used but are very useful.

 

[jbtsax]

Looks as though my beginners question has opened up a worthwhile discussion for the seasoned players 🙂

That is why beginners are the most important people on this forum IMO.

 

[MLoosemore]

Thanks for the appreciation jbtsax.... now for an extension to the topic...

How do you finger the following? I can't find it on any chart... but perhaps it's just me

sorry added a second note to the image which I missed off by mistake

 

[Colin the Bear]

E#? If you considered it an F natural would you know how to finger it?

123 / 1 should cover it.

 

[jbtsax]

That note is E# which is the enharmonic of F natural. Enharmonics are notes that have different names but the same pitch (same fingering). Other enharmonics would be B# and C or Cb and B. The easiest way to understand enharmonics is to look at a piano keyboard. Sharps raise a note 1/2 step, and flats lower a note 1/2 step. In the question you posed, if you find E on the keyboard and go to the adjacent key just above it you get F natural.

(Colin types faster than I do and gets to the point with less verbosity.)