Alto Sax Question Options

[mack4]

Hi

I have just got myself an alto sax, one thing I cant understand yet is the tuning. I got a beginers book on how to play the sax which came with a scale and fingering chart but going by the chart the sounds of the notes are lower than they are written on the clef i.e. in the treble clef the note C sounds as an Eb but to me it just sounds like a C.

Can anyone explain this to me? At first I thought it might be so you dont have to learn the alto clef but as I said the note C sounds like C rather than Eb

[saxlover]

Right. When you play a C on the saxophone, which is just middle finger of left hand, it sounds like the Eb below. You play what is on the page, don't worry about anything else.

You need to learn treble clef, nothing to do with alto clef.

[SteveHopwood]

Hi

I have just got myself an alto sax, one thing I cant understand yet is the tuning. I got a beginers book on how to play the sax which came with a scale and fingering chart but going by the chart the sounds of the notes are lower than they are written on the clef i.e. in the treble clef the note C sounds as an Eb but to me it just sounds like a C.

Can anyone explain this to me? At first I thought it might be so you dont have to learn the alto clef but as I said the note C sounds like C rather than Eb

I played with a tenor sax over the weekend - I played Eb whilst she played C. From what saxlover says, are you sure you have the correct book?

Nat, which book should should mack4 be using?

Steve (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[saxlover]

What book has mack4 got, first of all?

[kenm]

Questions that might lead to explanations:

1) What makes you think it sounds like a C? have you compared it with C on a piano are do you have absolute pitch?

2) How did you get your saxophone? Was it advertised as an alto in Eb?