 The Fingering Forum
|
Author: mdimm
Date: 2003-08-22 11:27
hello everyone,
i've owned and played an alto since a few years, but i have no idea in terms of notes what i'm doing. i just like the sound of it.
to play a piece of minimal music i'd like to know how to play a c and an f, on the lower octaves.
is there anything for absolute beginners on the web like a picture that says "push these keys to get a c"?
or can anyone let me know how to play these two notes (although i guess it would be nice sometimes to be able to choose other notes!)
many thanks in advance
mdimm
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mdimm
Date: 2003-08-22 11:36
i looked at http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/sax_fing.html
to play a low c do i simply close the "C · C Side Key" and all keys above this as well? when i compare this note to the note on my tuner, it doesn't seem to match the c.
is this the basic principle of the saxophone, to close the key for the note you want and all the keys above it? or is it more complicated than that?
can someone recommend some resources for extremely basic questions like mine?
thanks!
mdimm
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mikeyboy
Date: 2003-08-22 13:31
When U play a C on Alto it won't match to the C on the tuner. It probbaly matches to E. The Alto is in Eb, while the tuner is easier to tune C instruments . What exactly is your experience? And the fingering charts on this site R excellent.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Timothy Reichard
Date: 2003-08-22 14:13
mdimm wrote:
-------------------------------
- to play a low c do i simply close the "C · C Side Key"
- and all keys above this as well? when i compare this note
- to the note on my tuner, it doesn't seem to match the c.
If you play a written C, you will hear the Eb above that C, and your tuner will show Eb. That's what is meant in saying that the alto sax is "pitched in Eb." So every written note will sound 3 half-steps higher. Alto sax music is intentionally written 3 half-steps *lower* than concert pitch so that the right notes sound. When looking up fingerings, look for the *written* note. If your music has a C, then use the fingering for C.
- is this the basic principle of the saxophone, to close
- the key for the note you want and all the keys above it?
- or is it more complicated than that?
It's more complicated. Check out the basic fingering chart at
http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/sax_bas_1.html
and look for C5 (I presume this is the C you were trying). You are given two choices:
1. –2–|–––
This means press the middle finger key ("2") on the left hand and don't press any others. This is the basic fingering for C5.
2. 1––|C–––
This fingering means to press the index fingering key ("1") on the left hand and the side C key (subscripted "C") with the right hand, but don't press anything else. This fingering is useful in chromatic scales.
In time, the sax fingerings here will also be shown with pictures of the keys as has been done with other instruments (ex., flute). Hopefully this will be easier to understand.
Tim
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
