Beginner High F sharp

shaunc

Member
13
Came across a piece of music requiring the High F sharp and I can't for the life of me remember how to get it. I looked up some fingering charts but got a bit confused and they didn't seem to work.

I have a Hanson SA-8 Alto. I think it should have a high f sharp key somewhere. I was trying to press the key above the "B" key but I couldn't get anything out of it, whereas I can play the normal high F, so I'm not sure it was right.

I'm sure someone out there can tell me what I'm doing wrong.
 
Having another little play I have discovered a little boomerang shaped key nestled below the right side keys. That appears to open the upper most pad which is F# I think

Again, I am learning all this stuff myself so i could be wrong

mamos
 
There are two different fingerings for High F#:

F%23-v1.jpg


and:

F%23-v2a-Wrong.jpg


Hopefully I put the rings around the right keys.

My alto looked too grubby to photograph when I pulled it out of it's case, so gave it the once over, I might have to play it now :w00t:

And welcome to the forum, hope you're enjoying your Hanson.

Best wishes,

Chris
 
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Great pics as usual Chris. But not quite right.

The top one is spot on., This uses the palm keys D, Eb, side E and palm F as shown (which is standard F fingering) , plus the F#key which is the long metal one in the top right pic, often boomerang shaped these days.

Older horns don't have this, so we use the "fake fingering" which you have almost right in the lower picture. But you have missed out the C key which needs to be down as well as the top (aux) F Key and the side Bb.
 
Great pics as usual Chris. But not quite right.

Older horns don't have this, so we use the "fake fingering" which you have almost right in the lower picture. But you have missed out the C key which needs to be down as well as the top (aux) F Key and the side Bb.

Hopefully this is now right:

F%23-v2b-Wrong.jpg
 
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Yes, but should include the B (LH1) or bis key (the little one)

Good thing you're here Pete. I hope I've got it this time, I can play the note just seem to be having difficulty putting rings around the right keys.

F%23-v2c-Wrong.jpg
 
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I can play F# on a sax without hig F# key:
- as above
- front F + C + F + side B
- front F + F
Octave key on all.

I think older saxes, like Conn 10m, King Super 20, Martin Committees .. , is more complex, and richer in overtones than new saxes. It can be good but harder to master. I think it's good. How the altissimo tones comes out depends on the player. mouthpiece, reed and sax.

Thomas
 
If I'm using altissimo fingerings I use:
Octave key, Lh1, Lh3, Rh1 (so like top-line F natural but without left-hand middle finger) - but you need to set your chops up for altissimo. For G, swap Rh1 for Rh3.

Check out Top Tones for Saxophone (Sigurd Rascher) - but make sure you do the exercises!

Nick
 
Thanks for all the answers and thanks to Chris for the excellent photos. I've just tried to play the F# using the top photos and got it. Had to work my way up through F though!!

I thought the alternative on the bottom (the one with all the corrections) was more complicated but looking at it again it doesn't look so bad so I might give that a try.

Chris, the Hanson seems to be going okay. It certainly seems more solid than my first one although I'm no expert and I can't really compare it with anything else.
 
Thanks for all the answers and thanks to Chris for the excellent photos. I've just tried to play the F# using the top photos and got it. Had to work my way up through F though!!

I thought the alternative on the bottom (the one with all the corrections) was more complicated but looking at it again it doesn't look so bad so I might give that a try.

Chris, the Hanson seems to be going okay. It certainly seems more solid than my first one although I'm no expert and I can't really compare it with anything else.

Hi Shaun, (or should it be shaunc?)

Well, we got there in the end! It's good that we've got Pete as well as many other very knowledgeable players to keep people like me from miss-directing others :blush:.

I find I tend to use the second fingering if it's a quick passing note, not sure I'd depend on it where tone and intonation are needed, but then again I try and stay under top E most of the time, oddly enough my teacher doesn't share my thoughts on that.

Best wishes,

Chris
 

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