How to play Bb on saxophone -And other alternate fingerings
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
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If you want fast fingers on saxophone, you need to know about alternate fingerings. In this free tutorial, I will show you alternate fingerings on saxophone, whether you play alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, or soprano sax.
This saxophone lesson video includes 3 essential fingerings for B flat plus 6 other alternate fingerings you need to know. There's also a free alternate finger chart PDF for you to download.
Learn different ways to play notes on saxophone to make your fingers faster, whether you are a beginner saxophone player or an intermediate player. Don't miss my free saxophone notes finger chart.
Download my free finger chart for all saxophones here: saxschoolonline.com/articles/...
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IN THIS VIDEO
00:00 - About this video
1:18 - Bb Fingering Basics
4:45 - Other Bb Fingerings
6:29 - Bb Pro Tip
7:37 - Other Alternates - Side C
9:08 - Alternate F# and G# trick
11:53 - High F# options
14:38 Other "Effect" fingerings
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Great stuff! For the long Bb, I use that often when I have a lead in from Bb to B…good example is NY State of Mind…for the “Some folks like to get away” the Some and Folks are Bb lead ins to B…Also, with the middle D and palm key you can keep the middle C fingered and still get the D…helpful if you have to go from C to D and back to C….it’s a little flat, but if it works well especially when playing quickly…
Hello Nigel. Great video! Until now, I have always used the front Bflat key. I will use your proposal and mark new melodies I learn with the key best suited to this particular tone.
Glad this helped you Arne- I hope you enjoy using those other Bb alternatives!
Your tone is fabulous! Beautiful playing! And thank you for the very valuable information and examples! Cheers! ❤
Thankyou! Glad you enjoyed the lesson.
Thanks Nigel, loving Sax School and these videos. As I play bass guitar I like the subtle differences in tone of these alternate fingerings to playing the same note in different positions on the fretboard of the bass. I’m finding that the two instruments although completely different, correspond in so many ways and each helps me understand the whole musical concept of playing, also using bass clef musical scale for bass and treble clef for sax, has somehow just opened my eyes a lot to the functional theory of playing. Excellent stuff in this vid, cheers from 🇦🇺🎷
Cheers Dean. Great to hear it helped you.
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Thanks, Nigel. Really useful video.
Using front B flat most of the time.
Great video.Thanks!
Cool. Me too Stan.
Coming from the clarinet, I mostly use side Bflat. That#s the way I learned ist, clarinet has no Front Bflat key. I find it difficult to put my finger just right between B and A. Often then the claps do not close properly. But I am practicing now to use both ways because sometimes side Bflat is too slow. And, of course, in a piece written in F, Front Bflat is easier because you can leave your finger there.
Hi I've got an alto sax. I've just beginning. Your lessons are fantastic!
Awesome. Great to hear that Ian!
Thank you very much. I´ve learned a lot from this video. Usually I use the side Bb, but I´m going to try the other fingerings out.
Great. Glad it helped you Erik.
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Thank you so much 🎉🎉🎉
THANK YOU SO MUCH TEACHER!!!!
thank u
Excellent! Thanks Nigel
Thanks Phil!
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I haven't seen anyone on UA-cam mention using side C in combination with Bis Bb. Pressing both of them simultaneously still gives you a C, but its very useful in passages that go back and forth between C and Bb.
I use long Bb or B bis all the time. I should consider side Bb more often.
There was a great place to use side C in the version of “Sunshine of Your Love” I recently recorded for sax school group.
I didn’t know that any table key will make a G into a G#. I’ll look for ways to use that.
I keep trying to teach myself to use that side pearl F# but I’m too old to learn it. I bet that would be handy in “Yakety Sax”.
Wauw you are quick!
I started with bb long, then i learnt side and now i use front mostly.
Side c i never use. Side f# i use sometimes if before is f. G# played wit c# key i use in autumn leaves for tenor sax. I don't have high f# but i like deep sound of my tenor so i don' miss it ;)
Awesome! Great to hear you are using all those! That’s really good technique.
You're killing it, Nigel!
Cheers!
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Great lesson on alternate fingerings.
Cheers thanks!
For Bb especially, using all possible fingerings, and often as an overtone too - when playing a chromatic sequence without using the register key (to produce an improvisation with grace notes or slides which would otherwise sound 'clunky').
As I’m also a clarinetist, side Bb is very comfortable. I’m working on using bis more often, and I probably use 1&1 more often than most sax players.
Good strategy Joseph. The Bis fingering is super efficient when you get used to it.
Nigel! Long time watcher - your vids are a blessing. Do you have any tips as to how to get tone consistency on the D E with octave key pressed on tenor? I sometimes find that the tone gets slightly darker (less crisp I suppose) but once I move from F up to high C it sounds nice and brassy! Horn was serviced too so I was wondering what you would suggest. Thanks!
Great question. It could just be the way your sax is set up (key heights for example). The best remedy for any tone inconsistencies is long tones and slow melodies. Also doing intervals between a note you like the sound of, and a problem note while trying to match the tone is a helpful.
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool thanks Nigel, great to see you always respond to your fans. That’s A+++ I will continue and also check out your new ‘easy on me’ vid that just came out!
I use side Bb 74% of the time, Bis Bb 25% (trying to use it more, but coming from clarinet side Bb is a hard habit to break), long Bb 1%. But there is another place you didn't mention where long Bb is best. Trilling between Bb and B!
Hi Nigel, I’ve always used the long Bb and just started to get used to the front Bb, usually when in key of F maj, however, since I got a new sax at Christmas I’m finding the long Bb doesn’t sound right, not sure why ? Is it possible that it’s the make/ model ? Will have a go at the side Bb now and see how that goes 🫤
I use bb side and bb front following the score, the phrase and the tempo. If the score is in F Major, I will probably as you said use the bb front with my finger permanently on the small key.
in Klezmer for example with this part of a score: high D, high C sharp, high D, High C sharp, high B flat, high A, high D sharp, high B flat, high A, high B, high A sharp, High B, high A, High G, high F sharp, high A, high G... I will use the bb side
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I use side and long as I can't easily use the front due to muscular problems with my hands. Do you have any good exercises to increase finger reach and flexibility?
Good question. I like to use short circular patterns for this - like 5note groupings from chromatic scales up and down, starting from different notes. Hope it helps!
To help speed up a fall off, which alternative fingerings would you use or could help those of us without your supersonic fingers?
What if you’re going from a high b flat to an altissimo f, been trying to figure that out for a song but have to move the index finger delays the sound and the side keys aren’t that efficient either
I use the front B mostly. I am confused Re the last alternative fingering you demonstrated, it’s probably me but didn’t understand it.
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I noticed a different reaction when opening a key vs. closing a key. It is smoother when opening the key.
Cool.
I typically use long bb
To be honest, I only know the long Bb key before watching this video. By the way, great video
what tenor you playing nowadays Nigel
I’m still on my trusty old Dave Guardala tenor in this video but am in the process of getting a custom sax made.
Nigel, did you ever settle on a new tenor, or still looking? Just curious.
Great question. Yes I did decide but covid has slowed production so I’m still waiting….hopefully have an announcement soon!
This would be great if you would think about the blind. As blind people we don't know what Here is. Or over there. A little more explanation would Be Great. Thanks Phillip K. Daigle. For this Reason is why I haven't signed up for your courses.
Thanks for the comment Phillip and excellent point. Out of interest though we do have some blind students in Sax School, one is on our ACCELERATOR one-to-one coaching program. Message me if you’d like more info : support@mcgillmusic.com.
Long Bb has come from the Flute background. Technically you don't need it, I think its more a traditional feature.
Maybe I missed it. You touched on the front F key with F#, but did not point out that there is an alternative to high E and high F using the front F.
Yes, the front fork F is the first aid to getting into the altissimo. The side-c is the secret octave key for the upper altissimo.
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Front Bb
Nice one.
Hi Nigel, This video is most helpful. For years I only knew long B flat (because my teacher has played sax at school but not studied sax beyond). It took a lot of mental effort to play side and front Bflat. The idea of playing study pieces with each Bflat fingering to be familiar with the alternates is a good practice. The D alternate fingering (LH middle finger "C" and the Eflat palm key is good for C to D trills or semiquaver c to D passages ; it works in the upper octave - but if the alternate fingering is used on a sustained note you need to work on the intonation.
Glad you found this helpful Stephen. Have fun with these other options. I hope you start using them more!
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vay.fyi
cool
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side - too old to change
Ha! I hope you’ll start trying some of these other ones.