Fingering Scheme for Saxophone

Fingering Scheme for SaxophoneThe fingering scheme below describes the text and key images used to represent fingerings in the fingering charts.All Keys Pressed and All Holes CoveredSoprano/Alto/Tenor/Baritone/Bass SaxophoneTEb D Ff1Bb23G# C# B Bb|E C Bb1f#2F#3Eb C

Left Thumb KeysT Octave KeyThe octave key is the only thumb key found on most saxophones. It is used as a vent for most second and third octave notes and for almost every altissimo fingering.Left Hand Main Keys1 First Finger Key (B)2 Second Finger Key (A/C)3 Third Finger Key (G)f Front F KeyThe Front F key is the topmost left hand key and is pressed by the first finger. It was designed to provide an altissimo fingering for F6as an alternate to using the palm keys. The key is used for various other altissimo fingerings as well.Bb Bb (Bis) KeyThe Bb key is pressed by the first finger to play first or secondoctave Bb in passages without Bnaturals. It is located between the main keys for the first and second fingers.Left Hand Palm KeysD D Palm KeyThe D palm key is used for playing thirdoctave D, Eb, E, F, and F# and for trilling to second or thirdoctave D. It is the outermost key in the group of three palm keys and is operated by the knuckle of the first finger.Eb Eb Palm KeyThe Eb palm key is used for playing thirdoctave Eb, E, F, and F#. It is the topmost key in the group of three palm keys and is operated by the first joint of the first finger.F F Palm KeyThe F palm key is used for playing thirdoctave F and F#. It is the lower key in the group of three palm keys and is operated by the first joint of the second finger.Left Hand Little Finger (Pinky) KeysG# G# KeyThe G# key is the topmost key in the little finger key group and is used primarily for playing first and secondoctave G#.C# Low C# KeyThe low C# key is the outer key in the little finger key group and is used primarily for playing low C#.B Low B KeyThe low B key is the inner key in the little finger key group and is used primarily for playing low B.Bb Low Bb KeyThe low Bb key is the bottommost key in the little finger key group and is used primarily for playing low Bb.Right Hand Main Keys1 First Finger Key (F)2 Second Finger Key (E)3 Third Finger Key (D)F# Alternate F# keyThe F# key raises first and secondoctave F by a semitone as an alternative to using the right hand middle finger for the corresponding F#.Right Hand Side KeysE E Side KeyThe E side key is the upper side key and is used to play thirdoctave E, F, and F# as well as to trill second and thirdoctave C# to D#.C C Side KeyThe C side key is the middle side key and is used as an alternate and trill fingering for first and secondoctave C.Bb Bb ("Bis") Side KeyThe side Bb key is the lower side key and is used for the basic and trill fingering for first and secondoctave Bb.f# High F# KeyThe high F# key is a fourth side key on newer models and is used primarily as a thirdoctave palmkey fingering for the lower altissimo F#.Right Hand Little Finger (Pinky) KeysEb Low Eb KeyThe low Eb key is the upper right hand little finger key and is used for playing first and secondoctave Eb and acts as a vent in many altissimo fingerings.C Low C KeyThe low C key is the lower right hand little finger key and is used primarily for playing low C.Baritone Saxophone KeysA Low A KeyBaritone saxophones often have a second left thumb key to extend the range down to A.Main Holes and Other Symbols|:Separates left hand keys and holes from right hand keys and holes.Trilled KeysKeys to be trilled are indicated inred boldface textand byredkey images (e.g.,).For a fingering involving more than one trilled key, the trilled keys are to be trilled simultaneously unless specified as alternating in the fingering description. Alternating trill keys are also indicated by a combination ofred boldface textandred boldface italic text.Eb Alto SaxophoneLeft Hand

Right Hand

Images courtesy ofLeblanc.

Basic Fingering Chart for SaxophoneFirst Octave: A3to C#5This fingering chart includes the primary fingerings learned by all saxophonists. These fingerings are the same on all sizes of saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass) unless specified otherwise.NoteWrittenFingeringDescription

A3A 123|123CBasic. Also press the low A key. For models with a thumb low A key.

123A|123CBasic. Also press the low A key. For models with an RH 4 low A key.

A3B3123Bb|123CBasic.

B3C4123B|123CBasic.

B3C4123|123CBasic.

C4D4123C#|123CBasic.

D4123|123Basic.

D4E4123|123EbBasic.

E4F4123|12Basic.

E4F4123|1Basic.

F4G4123|2Basic.

123|1F#Chromatic, use in combination with F4or F5.

G4123|Basic.

G4A4123G#|Basic.

A412|Basic.

A4B412|BbBasic.

1Bb|For ease of playing in passages without B natural.

1|1Use in combination with F4or F5.

1|2Sharp, use in combination with F#4or F#5.

B4C51|Basic.

B4C52|Basic.

1|CChromatic.

C5D5|Basic.

Second Octave: D5to F6This fingering chart includes the primary fingerings learned by all saxophonists. These fingerings are the same on all sizes of saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass) unless specified otherwise.NoteWrittenFingeringDescription

D5T 123|123Basic.

D5E5T 123|123EbBasic.

E5F5T 123|12Basic.

E5F5T 123|1Basic.

F5G5T 123|2Basic.

T 123|1F#Chromatic, use in combination with F4or F5.

G5T 123|Basic.

G5A5T 123G#|Basic.

A5T 12|Basic.

A5B5T 12|BbBasic.

T 1Bb|For ease of playing in passages without B natural.

T 1|1Use in combination with F4or F5.

T 1|2Sharp, use in combination with F#4or F#5.

B5C6T 1|Basic.

B5C6T 2|Basic.

T 1|CChromatic, use in combination with B4or B5.

C6D6T |Basic.

D6TD|Basic.

D6E6TEb D|Basic.

E6F6TEb D|EBasic.

T f23|Less stable, use in combination with C6and C#6.

E6F6TEb DF|EBasic.

T f2|Less stable, use in combination with C

Lower Altissimo: F#6to A6This fingering chart includes both basic fingerings and alternatives that are more appropriate in some passages. Some alternate fingerings are designed for fast passages, while others modify the tone, colour, or pitch at normal and extreme dynamic levels. These fingerings are the same on all sizes of saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass) unless specified otherwise.NoteWrittenFingeringDescription

F6G6T f2|Bb

T f2|#f#

T f2|1

T f2|Bb123

T f3|Bb12

T f2|Bb1

T f2G#|BbStable formpand louder on tenor and baritone models, and formfand louder on alto models.

T fBb|

T f1Bb|Bb

T 13|Bb1

T 13|1EbGood for tenor.

T 13|1

T 1|12

T 1|12Eb

T f|1

T f|#1Good for alto.

T f|#Good for alto.

T f1|#Good for tenor. Use in combination with F6(T f1|) and G6(T f|f#).

T f|BbGood for alto.

TEb DF|E #Good for alto.

TEbF|E #Lower pitch.

TDF|E #Lower pitch.

T F|E #Lower pitch.

T 1Bb|#Use in combination with G6or the range D5Bb5.

T 1BbG#|E

T 12|f#In tune, easy response, and useful in fast passages. For all saxophone models

T 1|Bb#1EbFor alto models. Stable and in tune, but awkward in fast passages.

G6T 13|3

T 13|3Eb

T 2|12

T 2|12Eb

T fBb|Bb

T 1BbG#|Bb f#Good for alto.

T f|BbGood for tenor.

T f|f#Good for tenor.Works well in chromatic passages and in combination with F6 (T f1|) and F#6 (T f1|f#).

T f|

T f|1

T f|Bb1

T f|Bb1Eb

T f|Bb12Eb

T f|123

T 3|Bb1

T 1|Bb f#

T 3|13

T 13|13In tune and responsive on alto when mouth is tight and jaw is lowered.

T 13|Bb13Good for alto.


T 13|C1

T 13|C Bb1Great for baritone.

T 13|f#1

T 13|1Eb

T 13|Bb1Eb

T 13|1F#

T 13G#|BbIn tune.

T 123|123C

T 123|123Eb

T 123|C1

T 123|CEasy and in tune.

T 13|BbFor baritone.

T 13|Slightly flat. Good for baritone.

G6A6T 13|

T 2|2

T 2|2Eb

T 23|2

T f|EGood for alto and tenor.

T f|Bb

T fG#|Bb

T 1|C1Good for alto.

T 13|C2Good for baritone.

T 13|C1

T 13|C Bb1

T 13|C f#1Eb

T 13|C12

T 13|C3

T 13|C13Good for alto.

T 13|3

T 2|1

T 2|f#1

T 2|

T 1|Bb f#Good for alto.

T 1G#|Bb f#Good for alto.

T 12|C12

T 123C#|123C

T 123Bb|123C

T 123|C Bb

A6T 23|

23|

T 23|CGood for tenor.

T 23G#|Good for baritone.

T 23|1

T 23|2

T 23|3

T 23|12Good for alto and tenor.

T 23|13

T 23|C23Great for baritone.

T 23|123

T 23|123Eb

T 23Bb|123C

T 123B|123C

T 123|123

T 123|C123

T 123|CFor alto and tenor.

T 23|f#Eb

T 23Bb|C BbGood for alto.

T 3|CGood intonation. Good for baritone.

T 3|1

T 12|1

T 12|12

T 1|C BbGood for alto.

T 1|BbGood for alto.

TD|

Middle Altissimo: Bb6to C#7This fingering chart includes both basic fingerings and alternatives that are more appropriate in some passages. Some alternate fingerings are designed for fast passages, while others modify the tone, colour, or pitch at normal and extreme dynamic levels. These fingerings are the same on all sizes of saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass) unless specified otherwise.NoteWrittenFingeringDescription

A6B6T 3|C

TD23|123

TD23|Bb123

TD23|Bb123Eb

TD23|Bb12Eb

TD23|C2Eb

TD23|Good for alto and tenor.

TD3|C2Eb

TD3|

T 3|

T 3|CGood for tenor.

T 3|C23

T 3|12

T 3|C123For tenor.

T 3|C123EbFor tenor.

T 3|C12

T 3|1Good for alto.

T 3|C Bb1

TD23G#|Good for baritone.

T 23|1Good for alto.

T 23|C2

T 23|12Eb

T 23|f#12Eb

T f23|123

T 123Bb|123C

T 123|123C

T 123|123Eb

TD123|C123

T |C Bb

TD|

T |

B6C7TD|

TD|C Bb

TEb D1|12

TEb1|12

TEb3|23

TEb23|C Bb

TD1|1Eb

TD3|CGood for tenor.

TD3|12

TD3|C123For tenor.

TD3|C12

TD3|

T 13|13For alto and tenor.

TEb D3|123

TEb D12|123

TEb D23|123

TEb D23|13

T f123|123

T 123|123Good for alto.

T 123B|123C

T 123C#|123C

TD23|C

TD23G#|C

TEb23G#|Good for baritone.

TD23|1

T 12Bb|12

T 12|12

TEb D12|12

B6C7TEb D|

TEb D|Eb

TEb DG#|

TEb D|C Bb

TEb D23|C

TEb D23|E

TEb D3|

TEb D3|CGood for tenor.

TEb D3|12

TEb D3|E123

TEb D13|Bb123

TEb D13|Bb123C

TEb D3|C123For tenor.

TEb23G#|EGood for baritone.

TD|E

T 12|12Eb

T 1|12

T 1|12Eb

T 1F|12Eb

T 1|1Good for alto.

T 13|13

T 13|13Eb

T 13|1

T 13|Bb1


T 13|23

T f23|1Useful for alto in quick transitions with D7, fingered by the same fingering.

T 23|C1

T 23|123Good for tenor.

T f|1

T f3|1

T f|12

T 123Bb|123C

T 123|123C

T 123|123

C7D7TEb D|E

TEb|

TEb1|12

T 1F|12

TEbf3|1

TEbf3|Bb1

TEbf|12Eb

T f|1

T f2|Bb1

T f2|Good for tenor.

T f|1Eb

T f|E1

T f|C123For tenor.

TEb Df3|E123

TEbf3|E123

TDf3|E123



T 13|Bb1Eb

T 13|E1

T 13|Bb2Eb

T 13|

T 123B|123C

T 123C#|123C

T 123|123Eb

TEb D23|C

TEb D23|E

TEb DF3|

TEb DF3|CGood for tenor.

Upper Altissimo: D7to D8This fingering chart includes both basic fingerings and alternatives that are more appropriate in some passages. Some alternate fingerings are designed for fast passages, while others modify the tone, colour, or pitch at normal and extreme dynamic levels. These fingerings are the same on all sizes of saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass) unless specified otherwise.NoteWrittenFingeringDescription

D7TEb1|

T f|Bb2C

T f|Bb

T f|Good for alto and tenor.

T f|E

T f|C3For tenor.

TEb DF|EGood for alto.

TEb DF|BbGood for alto and tenor.

T 13|E

TEb DF3|EGood for tenor.

T 2|Good for tenor.

T f23|1Useful for alto, especially in quick transitions with C7, fingered by the same fingering.

D7E7T f2|1

T f2|1EbGood for alto and tenor.

TEbf|C

T f|CGood for alto.

T 3|Good for tenor.

T 3|CFor tenor.

T 2|

T 2|1

T 2|2

TEb DF|E f#Good for alto.

TEb DF|E CGood for alto and tenor.

T f23Bb|123C

E7F7T 2|12

T 2|12Eb

T |13

T |13Eb

T |123

TD3|Good for tenor.

TD|Good for alto and tenor.

T 13|C Bb1Great for baritone.

TD12|Bb23

T 13|12

T 2|2

T 2|2Eb

T f|1

T f|3For tenor.

T f3|For tenor.

T 23|123CAn effective harmonic fingering. The 10th harmonic on C4.

E7F7T 13|13Weak on tenor.

T 13C#|13Good for alto.

T 13|13Eb

TD1|Bb23

T 13|1

TEb D3|Good for tenor.

TEb D2|12

TEb D2|12Eb

TEb D2|2Good for alto and tenor.

TEb1|Good for alto.

TEbf3|For tenor.

TEbf|3For tenor.

F7G7TEb D13|13Good for tenor.

TEb D|12Good for alto.

TEb D2|E C12

TEb DF3|Good for tenor.

G7T 2|12Good for tenor.

TEb2|12Works for alto.

T f2|12Good for alto.


T 3|C3Good for tenor.

T f23|1Useful for alto. Requires fast air stream.

G7A7T 2|2

T |Good for alto and tenor.

T 1F|BbGood for alto. Can be reached by the 12th harmonic on C#4or the 14th harmonic on Bb3.

A7TD23|3


T f|Good for alto.

A7B7TEb D23|23

T |BbGood for alto and tenor.

B7C8TEb DF23|E C23

B7C8TEb D23|23

C8D8TEb D23|23Lip up from C8to achieve C#8.

D8TEb D23|23Lip up from C8to achieve D8.

D8E8

Documents

Fingering Scheme for Saxophone