I am a self taught sax player who plays flute/clarinet and consequently have been perfectly happy using the long Bb fingering or the side key. I have recently been using the Bb button and trying to get used to using it but some doubt has crept in as to whether I am using it correctly. The tutor books that I have are not clear on which fingers to use. Consequently I have been using the left index finger to depress the B and the Bb button at the same time -rather like the flute Bb lever. I have recently gained a beginner sax player and I am very keen to teach correct sax fingerings.
Please help - what fingers do you use on the Bb button??

Use the index finger on both the b and the "bis" key at the same time. It's not good practice to slide from bis Bb to B natural, so avoid using it if there's a B natural within the same passage and no opportunity to adjust fingerings.

Thanks for that Tsax. My daughter is also a self taught sax player (plays clarinet too) and she had me doubting myself!!

Like you Garkleine I'm self taught on sax, but also play clarinet. I have great difficulty remembering to use the Bis key - I find it quite awkward to press both with my 1st finger as my fingers are small. Having said that I also tend to forget about the thumb Bb on flute (again pretty much self taught) so really there is no hope for me.

I self-taught myself sax for quite a few years (after playing clarinet at school) - I could finger all the notes but I really only started to learn to play saxophone when I got some decent lessons, it made a huuuge difference to my sound.

Coming from clarinet I never really used to use the bis key - I was far more comfortable with the side version and the position of the bis key on my first sax made it difficult to play until I had it altered. Then I learnt to use it - and overuse it! My hand position somehow feels more comfortable with the index finger that little bit lower so I really have to watch myself or I get my fingers tied in knots. I've never found the long fingering to come automatically, I only really use it if I've identified a passage where it would make life easier and I've made a conscious effort to put it in.

I teach the long and side fingerings most often - they are pretty foolproof and don't require last minute adjustment if a b natural dares to sneak into an otherwise flat piece!

there seems to be a lot of self taught sax players about. I'm another one! I really struggle to do the correct fingering for Bb at all - I tend to use the long fingering on the flute but transferred to sax if that makes sense. but one of my aims is to correct this bad habit!

True, but the advice I've been given from people who are first and foremost sax players is to use the bis fingering as the default. When you get used to it it is easier and feels more natural than the alternatives, you just have to watch out for those sneaky B naturals.

Thanks for all of your replies on this matter.
I have started my only saxophone beginner on the Saxophone Basics book (I picked this because I really like the Clarinet Basics) and when Bb is introduced it gives the Bb button as the fingering to use and then the side key as an alternative - doesn't mention the long fingering at all and that is the one that I like to use!
This beginner is doing well and I have entered her for grade one in April but she does find using the bis(?) key awkward and I needed to know that I was teaching her correctly about this. My clarinetist daughter is so used to the side key that she hardly ever uses the Bb key but it seems to me that first instrument sax players should be using it.
Thanks again