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1/18/12 Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Sa ophone

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By KEVIN DANENBERG | Published: SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

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I ve been interested in the altissimo register since high school when I first heard Gig Calendar
Tower of Power recordings featuring Lenny Pickett. There are so many sources of Music

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information out there for people who want to learn to play altissimo (see below for a Videos
few useful links). In this post, I want to share the set of fingerings that I ve found
most useful in my own tenor playing. I favor fingerings that work well together to Recent Posts
facilitate melodic lines. Some of these aren t the best available options in terms of
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intonation or tone, but sometimes the better sounding fingering is a bit awkward Flush Film Festival
within a passage. Given this philosophy, here are the altissimo fingerings I use. Try Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor
them out in a melodic context so you can see how they flow together. Saxophone
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Also, if you are new to altissimo, please learn the fundamentals of overtone
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production first before jumping into fingering charts. You shouldn t have to bite or
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strain to do any of this. Sigurd Raschèr s book is where I started.
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It s a little unclear, but the palm keys indicated in the charts, from left to right, M Sites
are D, Eb, and F.
Notation is as written for saxophone.
Note names are in reference to saxophone range (ie. F3 is the third F from the
lowest available note).

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This note sounds a little dodgy, but in passing this a
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nice alternate fingering to the standard palm high F
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and front F fingerings. Works well chromatically Galore 0 comment(s)
through G#3. Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor
Saxophone 0 comment(s)

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A nice alternate to front F. Easy transition between Saxophone saxophone
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I usually use front F, but the alternate fingering

facilitates some passages.

#3

A3

In passing, I just play left hand 2 and 3 (A and G

keys). Adding the pinky G# key raises the pitch and
adds pop. You might like to add right hand 123 (F, E,
and D keys) instead.

SOURC ES: Sigurd M. Rasch r. Alternate, Lenny Pickett.

A#4

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1/18/12 Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Sa ophone

Left hand 3 (G ke ) is optional here, but I find that it

adds pop, and it often minimi es finger motion in
lines.

#4

As with C4, left hand 3 is optional.

I mostl use the front F. The alternate fingering pops

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1/18/12 Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Sa ophone
a little better, and flows in sequence with A#4
through C#4. However, using front F resets our
hand position nicel to get at D#4.

SOURC E: Alternate, Lenn Pickett.

#4

D#4 through F#4 are simpl A#4 through C#4

repeated, overblown b a fourth.

D#4 through F#4 are simpl A#4 through C#4

repeated, overblown b a fourth.

D#4 through F#4 are simpl A#4 through C#4

repeated, overblown b a fourth.

#4

D#4 through F#4 are simpl A#4 through C#4

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1/18/12 Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Sa ophone
repeated, overblown by a fourth.

For me, this is the highest note to easily pop out.

SOURC E: Sigurd M. Rasch r.

#4

I find this fingering to be a little muted.

SOURC E: Lenny Pickett.

A4

SOURC E: Sigurd M. Rasch r.

A#5

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

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1/18/12 Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Sa ophone
SOURC E: Norbert Stachel

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURC E: Norbert Stachel

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURC E: Norbert Stachel

#5
None

I haven t worked out a decent way to get at this note

yet. If you have any suggestions, please share!

This is a harmonic of low Bb flat that just ants to

come out.

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1/18/12 Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Sa ophone

So rces & Reso rces

I created the fingering diagrams using Bret Pimentel s wonderful Fingering
diagram builder Thanks, Bret!
Music notation created with Sibelius software
A lot of these fingerings came from Top-Tones from the Saxophone: Four-
Octave Range by Sigurd M. Raschèr. I highly recommend this book. Work
through all the overtone e ercises. The are critical for developing
altissimo technique!
Another great book is Larry Teal s The Art of Saxophone Playing , with many
alternate fingerings up through F4. The reed adjustment chart within is priceless!
These Saxophone Fingering Charts are ridiculously thorough. Go through them
and find what works best for you.
The University of New South Wales has a detailed site about Saxophone
Acoustics . It s worth learning about acoustic impedance and studying their
database profiling acoustic response well into the altissimo range.
Thanks to Norbert Stachel for his expert mouthpiece refacing work and advice
that has really helped with my altissimo.

I d love to hear your comments and suggestions!

5 H OD W H G 3RVW
This entry was posted in Sa ophone, Uncategori ed and tagged altissimo, fingering chart,
Lenn Pickett, Norbert Stachel, Sigurd Rascher, tenor, top tones. Bookmark the permalink.
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