Second Octave - Alternate Fingering Chart for Saxophone - The Woodwind Fingering Guide

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Alternate Fingering Chart for Saxophone

Second Octave: D5 to F6

This fingering chart includes both basic fingerings and alternatives that are more appropriate
in some passages. Some alternate fingerings are designed for fast passages, while others
modify the tone, color, or pitch at normal and extreme dynamic levels. These fingerings are the
same on all sizes of saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass) unless specified
otherwise.

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Note Written Fingering Description Src.

T 123|123 Basic.  

D123|123 Better tone. PS2

T 123B|123 Better in tune.  MR

D5
T 123Bb|123 Slightly flat.  MR

Use in combination with

Eb–2–|–––
C5 . AS2

Use in combination with

D–––|––– AS2
C 5.

T 123|123Eb Basic.  

Bigger, richer tone. Slightly

T Eb D123|123Eb AW
D5 awkward at fast speed.
E5 –––|E––– Useful in passages in E and
PS4
B major.
Matches timbre of upper
F–2–|––– JP2
first octave notes.

https://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/sax_alt_2.html[08-05-19 09:28:01]
Second Octave - Alternate Fingering Chart for Saxophone - The Woodwind Fingering Guide

T 123|12– Basic.  

Full sound, slow response.

Harmonic over A3. For
E5 T 123A|123C AP
baritone with RH 4 low A
F5 key.
Use in combination with
–F––| E––– D 5. In–tune and clear PS4
tone.
E5
T 123|1–– Basic.  
F5

T 123|–2– Basic.  

Chromatic. Use in
T 123|1–F#–
F5 combination with F4 or F5.  
G5 For soprano, alto, and
T 123|––3 JV
tenor.
For soprano, alto, and
123Bb|–23C JV
tenor.

G5 T 123|––– Basic.  

T 123G#|––– Basic.  

Use in combination with

T 123C#|––– fingerings involving the low  
C key.
G5
Use in combination with
A5
T 123B|––– fingerings involving the low  
B key.
Use in combination with
T 123Bb|––– fingerings involving the low  
Bb key.

T 12–|––– Basic.  
A5
T 12–|–2– Flatter. Anon

T 12–|Bb––– Basic.  

Use in passages in flat keys

T 1Bb––|––– where there is no B4 or B5.  
Use in combination with F4
T 1––|1––  
or F5.
A5
B5 Use in combination with
T 1––|–2–  
F 4 or F 5.

https://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/sax_alt_2.html[08-05-19 09:28:01]
Second Octave - Alternate Fingering Chart for Saxophone - The Woodwind Fingering Guide

T 1––|––3   MS

Use in fast passages in

T 1–3|––– combination with G4 or G5. PS4
Dark and cloudy tone.

B5
T 1––|––– Basic.  
C6

Use in passages in flat keys

T –2–|––– where there is no B4 or B5.  
Use in combination with B4
B5 T 1––|C–––  
or B5.
C6
Use in fast passages in
T –23G#|––– combination with A 4 or PS4
A 5.

T –––|––– Basic.  
C6
D6 Better tone and more
T –––|123 PL
stable.

T D–––|––– Basic.  

Use in combination with

D6
T Eb–2–|–––
C6. AS2

Use in combination with B5

T Eb1––|C––– LG2
and C6.

T Eb D–––|––– Basic.  

T Eb–––|––– Lower pitch. PL

T Eb D–––|C––– For tenor. PH

D6
Slightly muffled and
E6
slightly flat on tenor
models. Best used for mf
T 1––|E C––– and softer dynamics. More JH2
muffled on alto models.
Useful in combination with
B5.

T Eb D–––|E––– Basic.  

T Eb–––|E––– Lower pitch. PL

T D–F––|–––   SS

Use in fast passages with C6

T f–23|–––  
or C 6.

https://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/sax_alt_2.html[08-05-19 09:28:01]
Second Octave - Alternate Fingering Chart for Saxophone - The Woodwind Fingering Guide

T f–––|–––    
E6
F6 T Df–––|–––    

For tenor models. In tune

and usable at all dynamic
T f–––|E––– RS2
levels. Use in combination
with similar F6 fingering.
Use in combination with
T f123|––– altissimo F6. Great for SS
baritone.

T 123G#|E–––   WK

T Eb D–F––|E––– Basic.  

Use in combination with

T f–2–|––– C6.  

T f–2–|E––– Sharper.  UL

T f–23G#|Bb––– For tenor. PH

T f–2–|–2– For baritone. KB3

T 12–|E–––   TM

T 12–G#|E–––   ET2

E6 T Eb–F––|E––– Lower pitch. PL

F6
T D–F––|E––– Lower pitch. PL

T –F––|E––– Lower pitch. PL

T –––|f#–––   PD

For tenor models. In tune

and usable at all dynamic
T D Ebf–––|E––– levels. Use in combination RS2
with similar E6 fingering.
Good for tenor. Use in
combination with F#6 (T
T f1––|––– f1––|f#–––) and G6 (T IH
f–––|f#–––)
Continue to Lower Altissimo Register >>

https://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/sax_alt_2.html[08-05-19 09:28:01]
Second Octave - Alternate Fingering Chart for Saxophone - The Woodwind Fingering Guide

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