The Art of

Saxophone

An enjoyable and thorough series of exercises, songs and explanations.

Provides the beginning student with a firm foundation for study of the
Saxophone.

by Andrew Scott
Book and
Audio Set
 The
Art of
Saxophone
An introduction to the
saxophone

by
Andrew Scott

andrewscottmusic.com

Copyright Notice
This publication is copyright 2007 by Andrew Scott.
You may not resell, distribute, publicize, display on a website, exploit
commercially or use any part of this publication for any other purpose
than private study.
2
Contents
Parts of the Saxophone ...................... 3
Lesson 1
Assembling the Saxophone ........................... 4 - 5
Making a Sound on the Mouthpiece ................ 4
The Note A ........................................................ 7
Tonguing ........................................................... 7
Lesson 2
The Staff, Treble Clef ....................................... 8
The Half Note (Minim) .................................... 8
Bar Lines, Half Rests ........................................ 9
The Quarter Note (Crotchet) .......................... 10
The Time Signature ......................................... 10
Quarter Rest, Final Bar Line ........................... 11
Lesson 3
How to Tune the Saxophone ........................... 12
Lesson 4
The Note B ....................................................... 14
Repeat Sign, Bar Numbers.............................. 15
Two Note Samba ............................................. 16
Basic Blues (duet) ........................................ 16
Lesson 5
The Note C ....................................................... 17
Easy to C .......................................................... 17
ABC Exercise ................................................... 17
The Dotted Half Note ...................................... 18
Boomerang ...................................................... 18
Half Measure ................................................... 18
Lesson 6
The Note G ....................................................... 19
Country Modes ................................................ 20
Cool Dude ........................................................ 20
Satellite Song .............................................. 20
4 Note Blues .................................................... 21
The Common Time Signature ......................... 21
All too Common .............................................. 21
Lesson 7
The Note F ....................................................... 22
Bayou Stomp ................................................... 22
Fine Old Time .................................................. 22
Heavy Metals ................................................... 23
Beam Me Up .................................................... 23
The Slur ........................................................... 24
Legato Lullaby ................................................. 24
Lesson 8
b
The Note B ..................................................... 25
Flat to the Boards ............................................ 25
Love Me Tender............................................... 26
Flat Signs After a Clef ...................................... 26
Ode to Joy ........................................................ 26
Mango Tango ................................................... 27
Batucada Blues ................................................ 27
Lesson 9
The Lead-In ..................................................... 28
The Banks of the Ohio ..................................... 28
When the Saints Go Marchin In .................. 29
Lesson 10
The Three Four Time Signature ..................... 30
Three to the Bar............................................... 30
The Tie ............................................................. 30
Barcarolle ........................................................ 31
Tied Down ....................................................... 31
The Whole Note............................................... 32
Good Evening Friends ..................................... 32
Rhythm Review ............................................... 32
Count Me In ..................................................... 32
Lesson 11
Breathing and Blowing.................................... 33
Lesson 12
The Note E ....................................................... 35
Waltz of the Saxophones ................................. 35
Mary Ann ...................................................... 36
Lesson 13
The Eighth Note (Quaver) .............................. 37
Shave and a Haircut ........................................ 37
Micks Mexican Mix ........................................ 38
Eight Enough ................................................... 39
Lesson 14
The Natural Sign ............................................. 40
Natural Riff ...................................................... 40
Staccato ........................................................... 41
Staccato Waltz ................................................. 41
The Mexican Hat Dance .................................. 42
Staccato Blues ................................................. 42
True Blues .................................................... 43
Lesson 15
The Dotted Quarter Note (Dotted Crotchet) .. 44
Dotted Ballad................................................... 45
Cornpicking ..................................................... 45
Cuban Nights ................................................... 46
Most of You ..................................................... 46
Sonata Theme .............................................. 47
Lesson 16
The Note D....................................................... 48
The Carnival of Venice .................................... 50
O Susanna ........................................................ 50
For Hes a Jolly Good fellow ........................... 51
Last Minute Blues ........................................ 52
Glossary ........................................... 53
Fingering Index ................................ 54
Transposing Table ............................ 56
 3

Parts of the Saxophone

mouthpiece

ligature cork

reed
neck

tightening screw

neckstrap

saxophone body

bell

The saxophone is made up of

the pieces illustrated on this page.
The instrument here is an alto
saxophone. The tenor saxophone
looks basically the same.
4

Lesson 1
Preparing the Reed
The reed must be damp for it to vibrate properly. Some players soak their reeds
in a glass of water for a few minutes before playing, but you can usually get away with
holding the thin end in your mouth for about thirty seconds.

Fitting the Mouthpiece

Apply some
cork grease to
the cork at
the top of the
neck. Push
the mouthpiece on with a twisting action until it covers about half
to three quarters of the cork. Line up the flat piece of the
mouthpiece with the hole at the other end of the neck.
The mouthpiece should slide smoothly but very firmly over the cork.
You may not need to apply grease every time you assemble the saxophone.

Fitting the Reed Making a Sound with the

After you have dampened the reed, Reed on the Mouthpiece
place it on the mouthpiece. Secure it
Hold the neck with your hands.
loosely with the ligature, then adjust it so
Keep your fingers away from the lever
that there is only a hairline of
which lifts the pad.
mouthpiece showing behind the tip.
Tighten the ligature screws. Make an O shape with your lips.
Put the end of the mouthpiece into your
mouth so that your bottom lip becomes
a cushion to support the reed.

Your top teeth should touch the
mouthpiece about one centimetre from the
end.
Blow gently and smoothly. The
mouthpiece should make a buzzing noise.
Buzzing Sounds
When you can make a sound, vary it
by tightening and loosening your lips.
You can hear this on
Track 2 of the CD.
5
Buzzing Sounds Track 2
This track contains the sound of the
reed and mouthpiece attached to the neck.
The pitch is bent down and up as the
player loosens and tightens his lips.
Attaching the Neck to the
Body
Loosen the tightening screw at the
top of the saxophone body. Insert the
neck and swivel it so that the mouthpiece
points away from the bell. Tighten the
screw.
Put your neckstrap on and clip the
saxophone to it.
Adjust the length of the strap so that
the mouthpiece is level with your mouth.
The neckstrap supports the entire
weight of the saxophone. If you
need to lift the
saxophone with
your right
thumb your
neckstrap is
too long.
6

Fingering Diagram for the Note A

Blue Shapes
Finger holds key
closed.
Thumb Rest
Left Thumb here all the
time.
T 1

2 2
Left
1 3 3 1
4 4
2 Hand
Keys
T

Left Hand Right Hand

Right
Hand
Keys

White Shape
No finger necessary.
 7
The Note A Holding the Saxophone
Place your fingers in position for the Whenever you pick up the body of
note A as shown on page 6. the saxophone, make sure you hold it
with one hand under the U bend at the
Blow into the saxophone.
bottom, and the other gripping the bell.
You are now playing the note A. Try not to squeeze any keys or rods
because too much pressure can bend
Tonguing them.
Use your tongue to start and stop the
notes. As you play the note A, whisper
the word doo, several times.
The tip of your tongue will push
the end of the reed against the
mouthpiece, blocking the flow of
air. When you release your
tongue, the air flow will start
instantly, creating the syllable
doo.
This technique is called
tonguing. Saxophone
players use it all the time to
make notes start and stop
cleanly.
Listen to Track 3 on the CD.

Tongued Notes Track 3

First you will hear four A notes played

without tonguing. Then follow four notes with
tonguing. You can hear the difference. Without
tonguing, the attack on the note sounds more like a foo than a doo.

Tips
Fingers which are not pressing a key closed should hover above their home
keys, ready to close the key when necessary.
Your left thumb should always remain on the thumbrest. If you let it
dance around you wont be able to balance the instrument as well.
8

Lesson 2
The Staff (or Stave)
A staff (plural: staves) is a set of five lines and four spaces upon which music can
be written. The lines and spaces are numbered from the bottom.

5th line
4th space
4th line
3rd space
3rd line
2nd space
2nd line
1st space
1st line

The Treble Clef

The symbol at the left end of the staff is called a treble clef. Every line of
saxophone music has these clefs to show you how notes are named. There are other
clefs, such as bass and alto clefs, but for saxophone playing you only need to know this
one.

The Half Note The Half Note A

(or Minim) The position of a note in the staff tells
us its name.
The half note (or minim in some
countries) symbol looks like a hollowed
out egg, with a stick on one side. A half
note has a value of two beats.
2nd space

The note above, written in the second

space of the staff, is the A note you
learned in the previous lesson.
 9
Exercise 1 Track 4
This exercise contains three A notes, each to be held for two beats. On the CD
there are another two beats on the hi hat cymbal after the third A, then the exercise
is repeated three times. The second and third repeats contain only the hi hat and bass
drum.
Play the three notes below, tonguing each one.
There are four beats introduction to most of the exercises on the CD.

rest for 2

Think: 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

Numbers in bold type are placed under notes that you tongue.
Numbers in light type are under beats that you sustain or just count.

The Bar Line

Notes can be grouped in measures or bars. Bar lines divide groups of notes into
equal numbers of beats.

rest for 2

2 beats + 2 beats = 4 2 beats + 2 beats = 4

The Half Rest (or Minim Rest)

Rests indicate that you dont need to play any note. The following symbol drawn
on the middle line of the staff is a half rest (or minim rest). It means: play nothing
for two beats, but keep counting.

Exercise 2 Track 5

This exercise on the CD is played four times - twice with the saxophone and
hi-hat, and twice with just the hi-hat.

Think: 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
10
The Quarter Note (or Crotchet)
A quarter note symbol is a solid egg shape with a stick. The quarter note has a
value of one beat.

Exercise 3 Track 6
On the CD, this and the next three exercises are played twice.

Think: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

The Time Signature

A time signature is a symbol that tells you how many beats should be played in
each bar, and what kind of beats they are.

The pair of fours above are known as the four four time signature. They mean
that each bar contains four beats. These beats can be any combination of quarter and
half notes or rests, or other notes that you will learn later.

Exercise 4 Track 7

Think:
 11
The Quarter Rest (or Crotchet Rest)

The quarter rest symbol is a squiggly

device meandering between the 1st and
4th spaces of the staff. Its value is one
beat of silence.

Exercise 5 Track 8

The Final Bar Line

The thick and thin lines at the end of the next exercise are a final bar line. They
indicate the end of a piece of music.

Exercise 6 Track 9

Tip
It is normal to feel some abrasion on the outside of your lower lip as a result
of the reed rubbing against it. As your lips get used to the aggravation, the skin
there will become stronger. If it cracks and starts to peel, try using a lip balm,
and avoid the saxophone for a couple of days.
12

Lesson 3
How to Tune the Saxophone
You will need to be able tune the saxophone to make it sound at its best when you
play with other instruments or recordings.
You can do this by playing a note and then comparing it to a reference tone.
Step 1
Listen to Track 1 on the CD, following the music on the chart below.

Tuning Track 1

Step 2
Start Track 1 again. Play your A, then listen to the saxophone on the CD.
Step 3
Was your A at exactly the same pitch, or was it higher or lower?
Step 4
If your note sounds the same as the CD note, your saxophone is already in tune.
Go to Step 7.
 13
Step 5
If your note sounds lower than the CD, your saxophone is said to be flat. Raise
its pitch by pushing the mouthpiece further onto the cork, then repeat Steps 2 and 3.
Step 6
If your note sounds higher than the CD, your saxophone is said to be sharp.
Lower its pitch by pulling the mouthpiece out along the cork, then repeat Steps 2 and
3.
Step 7
As a final check, play your A at the same time as the saxophone on the CD. If
the two notes are in tune they will sound like one instrument. If not, there will be a
harsh, irritating beating sound, somewhat like two blowflies sparring. Return to Steps
2 and 3.

Pushing the mouthpiece on

raises the pitch.

Pulling the mouthpiece off

lowers the pitch.

Tuning Tips
1. Dont be too concerned if you cant tell whether you are sharp or flat.
Development of the ear takes its own time.
2. Hot weather makes the saxophone sharp. Cold weather will make it flat.
You will need to adjust your mouthpiece more on very hot or cold days.
14

Lesson 4
The Note B

The location of a note on the staff tells

us its name. The note B is written on the
middle line of the staff.

T 1

Note Stems
Notes written below the middle line have
their stems on the right of the note head
going up. Notes written above the middle line
usually have their stems on the left going
down. Notes on the middle line can have
their stems in either direction.

Note head

Middle
or 3rd line
Stem

B Exercise Track 10
 15
The Repeat Sign
The two dots before the
final barline are a repeat sign.
They mean: play the piece
again from the start.

B & A Exercise Track 11

This and all the following exercises on the CD are played twice - once with the
saxophone and accompaniment, then again with just the accompaniment.

Bar Numbers
(or Measure Numbers)

Bar numbers (also called measure numbers) can be used to help you quickly find
your place in a piece of music.

B & A Exercise 2 Track 12

Chord Symbols
The letters and numbers above the staves in the following songs are chord symbols.
A guitarist or keyboard player can use them to accompany you. The top row of symbols
is for accompanying an alto or baritone saxophone. The bottom row is for tenor or
soprano.
16
Two Note Samba Track 13

Basic Blues Track 14

Shuffle Style

A piece of music for two instruments is called a duet.

 17

Lesson 5
The Note C
The note C is written in the third space
of the staff.
T

22
3rd space

Easy to C Track 15
Bossa Nova Style

ABC Exercise Track 16

Fast Latin Style
18
The Dotted Half Note
(Dotted Minim)
A dot written after a note lengthens it by half of its value. A half note, with a dot
after it, is played for three beats instead of two.

quarter note half note dotted half note

(or crotchet) (or minim) (or dotted minim)
1 beat 2 beats 3 beats

Boomerang Track 17
Jethro Style

2 3 2 3 rest

2 3 2 3 rest

Half Measure Track 18

Merengue Style

2 3 4 2 3 4

2 3 4

Are you still tonguing each note?

 19

Lesson 6
The Note G
The note G is written on the second
line of the staff.

T
11
22
33
2nd line

G Exercise Track 19
Afro Style

G Wiz Track 20
Boogie Woogie Style
20
Country Modes Track 21
John Denver Style

Cool Dude Track 22

Goodnight Style

Satellite Song Track 23

Bogey Style
 21
4 Note Blues Track 24
Chuck Berry Style

The Common Time Signature

This symbol is known as the common time

signature. It is frequently used instead of the four four
time signature, and has the same meaning - four beats
per bar (or measure).

All Too Common Track 25

Medium Rock Style
22

Lesson 7
The Note F
The note F is written in the first
space of the staff.
T
11
22
33

1st space

11

Bayou Stomp Track 26

Rockabilly Style

Fine Old Time Track 27

Country Jethro Style
 23
Heavy Metals Track 28
Heavy Metal Style

Beam Me Up Track 29
Scott Joplin Style
24
The Slur
A slur is a curved line written over or below several notes. When a slur is applied
to notes it means that you play them smoothly. To do this, keep blowing as you change
the fingering for the different notes. Only tongue the first note of the group enclosed
by the slur.
Another word for playing smoothly, often used in music, is legato.
Slur Exercise 1 Track 30

Slur

Slur Exercise 2 Track 31

Legato Lullaby Track 32

Alberti Style
 25

Lesson 8
The Note B Flat (B ) b
This note is lower than B, but not as
low as A. Its pitch is halfway between B T 1
and A.
2
b
The sign in music notation is
pronounced flat.
The flat sign is written after the note
b
in text, (e.g. B ) but before it on the staff.
Use the base of your
right hand first finger 1
on this side key.

There are several different fingerings

b
for B . Most players prefer this one.

Flat to the Boards Track 33

Reggae Style
Flat signs apply to all Bs in the bar. Bars 1 and 5 of this song each contain only
one flat sign, but two B b notes.
26
Love Me Tender Track 34
Blueberry Hill Style

Flat Signs after a Clef

Flat signs are often written on the staff, after a clef. When this happens, as in Ode
to Joy, you play every note on the middle line as B . b

Ode to Joy Track 35 Ludwig van Beethoven

Classical Style

Ludwig van Beethoven lived in Europe from 1770 to 1827. This piece is an an excerpt
from his 9th Symphony.
 27
Mango Tango Track 36
Tango Style

Batucada Blues Track 37

Batucada Style
In bars 5 and 6 of this song you may prefer to use the second fingering for B b shown
on page 55.
28

Lesson 9
The Lead-In (or Pick-up)
Songs do not always begin on the first beat of a bar. A lead-in is a group of notes
that occurs before the first complete bar of a song, as in the next song.

The Banks of the Ohio Track 38

Country Style

On the CD there are five beats to introduce this song. Count: 1 2 3 4 1,

then play.

Lead-in

The final bar of a song that begins with a lead-in contains the beats that were left out at the start.

Tip
If your reeds become wrinkled after you moisten them in hot weather, you
can iron them flat. Use your thumb to press the thin end against the flat part
of your mouthpiece for about half a minute.
 29
When the Saints Go Marchin In Track 39
Trad. Jazz Style

On the CD there are five beats to introduce this song. Count: 1 2 3 4 1,

then play.
30

Lesson 10
The Three Four Time Signature

The numbers 3and 4

after a clef are called the
three four time signature. They mean that there are only
three beats in each bar, instead of four.
A waltz is a piece of music written in three four
time.
Three to the Bar Track 40
Waltz Style

On the CD there are three beats to introduce songs in three four time.

2 2

2 3

The Tie
At first glance a tie seems identical to a slur. The difference is that the tie connects
two notes of the same pitch, whereas a slur connects two or more notes of different
pitches.
To play a tied note, keep counting as you blow, but dont tongue the second note.

The Tie Track 41

Think: 2 3 1 2 3
 31
Barcarolle Track 42 Jacques Offenbach
Parisian Waltz Style
Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) began his musical career as a cello player. His most
famous composition is the Can-Can.

Tied Down Track 43

Bogey Style

2 4 1 2 4
32
The Whole Note (or Semibreve)
In the last song, Tied Down, you created a note
with a value of four beats by joining two half notes
together (bars 1-2, 5-6, etc). There is another way to
write a four beat note, called a whole note (or
semibreve).
2 3 4

Good Evening Friends

b
Play B natural in this exercise, not B . B natural is plain, everyday B - the second
note you learned.

2 3 4

Rhythm Review

Count Me In Track 44
Achy Breaky Style
 33

Lesson 11
Breathing and Blowing
When it comes to taking deep breaths, many people think that it is necessary to
make some effort. This is not always so. After you have mastered the technique shown
in this lesson, you will understand how deep breaths can be given, not taken.
There are two stages of breathing - the in-breath and the out-breath.

Breathing Begins with Blowing

Without your saxophone, slowly blow out as much air as you can. When your
lungs are empty, hold your abdominal muscles tightly so that no new air enters your
body. Hold your muscles tight for as long as you can, until you are almost desperate
for air, then let go suddenly.
If you are still reading, you must have breathed! Did you notice how easy it was
to take your breath compared to the effort you made to blow out?
Repeat this procedure a few times until you can feel that the energy used to
breathe in is far less than the energy you use to blow out.

Use energy to
blow out.
34

Nature Abhors a Vacuum

When you empty your lungs, you

create a low pressure system inside your
body. Outside the body is a high pressure
system. Nature tries to equalise these two
systems by helping you to take a breath.
The quickest way to get more air into
your lungs is to relax and let the
principles of physics work for you.

Relax to
breathe in.

Breath Marker
The following symbol appears at certain places in the music to tell you when to
take a breath: 
Breathtaking

Tip
Dont try to suck air when you are breathing in. Just relax. Allow Nature
to fill your lungs. Save your energy for blowing the saxophone.
 35

Lesson 12
The Note E

1
2
1st line 3

E is written on the first line of the

staff.

1
2

Waltz of the Saxophones Track 45

Chopin Style
36
Mary Ann Track 46
Bossa Nova Style
 37

Lesson 13
The Eighth Note (or Quaver)
An eighth note (or quaver) is equal to half a quarter note.
Beam
Tail When two or
more eighth notes
are joined together
their tails become a
beam.

Eighth Note Exercise 1 Track 47

rest rest rest rest rest

Think: one and two

Eighth Note Exercise 2 Track 48

rest rest
Think: four and

Eighth Note Exercise 3 Track 49

Shave and a Haircut Track 50

Hip Hop Style
In bar 2, will you be playing B natural or B flat?
38
Eighth note Exercise 4 Track 51

Eighth note Exercise 5 Track 52

Micks Mexican Mix Track 53

Music Box Style
Five beats introduction.
 39
Eight Enough Track 54
Country Rock Style

Tip
Clean and dry your saxophone by pulling a cloth through it after each
practice session. Pay particular attention to the mouthpiece and reed. You will
need to take the reed off to clean the mouthpiece properly. Failure to do this will
result in a buildup of stale, green mould. Do you really want that in your mouth
next time you play?
If your mouthpiece has already reached the disgusting stage, merely soaking
it in a basin of warm soapy water will not work. Scrub it clean with an old
toothbrush.
40

Lesson 14
The Natural Sign

n A natural sign cancels the effect of a flat sign. Natural signs only last until
the end of a bar. Then, the flat sign after the clef comes back into play.

Natural Exercise 1 Track 55

n b
n
In the second and fourth bars of this exercise you play B natural (B ), not B .
B is the first B you learned, on page 14.
b
In the first and third bars, play B .

Natural Exercise 2 Track 56

Natural Exercise 3 Track 57

Natural Riff Track 58

Miles Davis Funk Style
 41
Staccato
You have seen that a dot written after a note
lengthens the note (page 18).
A dot written above or below a note means that
you play the note short and detached from other notes.
This method of playing is called staccato. It is the
complete opposite of playing legato, or smoothly.
To play notes staccato, think of the letter d when you tongue the note, instead
of the syllable doo.

Staccato Exercise 1 Track 59

Staccato Riff 1 Track 60

Heavy Rock Style

Staccato Riff 2 Track 61

Bossa Nova Style

Staccato Waltz Track 62

Jazz Waltz Style
42
The Mexican Hat Dance Track 63
Fiesta Style

Staccato Blues Track 64

Funk Style

Staccato dots can also be applied to eighth notes. Play them very short.
 43
True Blues Track 65
Cut-Time Funk Style
44

Lesson 15
The Dotted Quarter Note
(or Dotted Crotchet)
Adding a dot after a quarter note increases its length to one and half beats.

quarter note dotted quarter note half note dotted half note
(or crotchet) (or dotted crotchet) (or minim) (or dotted minim)
1 beat 1 beats 2 beats 3 beats

Dotted Quarter Note Exercise 1 Track 66

2 2 3 4 2 2 3 4

Dotted Quarter Note Exercise 2 Track 67

4 rest 4 rest

Dotted Quarter Note Exercise 3 Track 68

2 4 2 2 4

Dotted Quarter Note Exercise 4 Track 69

2 3 2 3
 45
Lengthening dots Staccato dots
1 beats each 1 beat each
Dont confuse a dot after a note with a
dot above or below it.

Rock Riff 1 Track 70

Dotted Ballad Track 71

Country Ballad Style

Cornpicking Track 72
Chet Atkins Style
46
Cuban Nights Track 73
Merengue Style

Most of You Track 74

Breezin Style
 47
Sonata Theme K331 Track 75 Wolfgang Mozart
Classical Style
Wolfgang Mozart lived in Austria for most of his life, which was tragically short. (1756-
1791) He composed more than 600 pieces of music. This theme is an extract from one
of his many piano sonatas.
48

Lesson 16
The Note D

Octave Key
4th line
1
2
3
D is written on the fourth line of
the staff.
This is your first note with the
octave key.
Keep your thumb on the thumb
rest as it moves on and off the 1
octave key. 2
3

D Exercise 1 Track 76

D Exercise 2 Track 77

D Exercise 3 Track 78
 49
D Exercise 4 Track 79

D Exercise 5 Track 80

D Exercise 6 Track 81

D Exercise 7 Track 82
50
The Carnival of Venice Track 83
Italian Waltz Style
Five beats introduction.

O Susanna Track 84
Folk Style

Three beats introduction.

 51
Rock Riff 2 Track 85
Heavy Rock Style

For Hes a Jolly Good Fellow Track 86

Old Style Waltz

Above bar 24 is the instruction D. C. al Fine (pronounced fee-nay). This is

an abbreviation of Da Capo al Fine, which means that you play the song again from
the start until you reach the word Fine (bar 16).
Five beats introduction.
52
Last Minute Blues Track 87
Count Basie Style

Tip
You may notice that your bottom teeth are gouging a groove on the inside
of your lower lip. This is not a good sign and means that you are folding your
lip over your teeth like a flap of skin between your teeth and the mouthpiece. Try
to shape your lower lip more like a cushion. Think of an O shape as you place
your mouth around the mouthpiece.
 53

Glossary
accidental - a sign indicating a note from outside a particular key. E.g., the natural
sign in bar 4 of Cuban Nights on page 46, or the flat sign in bar 1 of Staccato Blues
on page 42.

arpeggio - the notes of a chord played one at a time.

chord - a group of two or more different notes played together.

dissonant - clashing, not harmonious.

D. S. al Coda - go back to the sign , play again as far as the Coda sign ,

then jump to the second Coda sign, and play to the end.

embouchure - the position of the lips and mouth when playing a brass or wind
instrument.

key - a pitch that forms the tonal centre of a piece of music.

harmonize - to combine notes to produce a pleasant sounding blend.

lick - a short musical phrase.

measure - same as bar.

octave - the interval between two notes where

the frequency of one is either half or double that
of the other. E.g., the two A notes on the staff
at right are one octave apart. Notes that are one
octave apart usually have the same letter name.

phrase - a group of notes that form the musical equivalent of a sentence.

vibrato - a throbbing in the sound of a note. On the saxophone this is achieved by

tightening and loosening the pressure on the reed from the jaw.

register - a range of notes on a particular instrument.

riff - a short musical phrase, usually repeated or varied several times within a
song.

sustain - to hold a note or chord for its full value.

syncopation - emphasis given to a normally unaccented beat.

transpose - to change music from one pitch or key to another.

54

Fingering

#
A or B b B C #
C or D b

F # G #
or G b G or A b A

C #
B C or D b D
 55

Index

D D # or E b E F

1st finger
holds both
keys

#
A or B b

#
D#
F
or
or E b E F G b
56
Transposing Table
The table below shows you which note you must play to sound the same as another
instrument, such as a guitar or piano, or another saxophone.
For example, if you are playing an A on the alto sax, the guitars note will be C,
and the tenors note will be D.
If you play A on a tenor sax, the guitar should play G, and the alto must play E.

Concert Alto & Tenor &

Instruments Baritone Soprano
E.g. Guitar, Saxophones Saxophones
piano

C A D
C # or D b A # or B b D # or E b
D B E

D # or E b C F

E C # or D b F # or G b
F D G

F # or G b D # or E b G # or A b
G E A

G # or A b F A # or B b
A F # or G b B

A # or B b G C

B G # or A b C # or D b