How to read music for the saxophone #1 

Hi. Glad you enjoyed it. It is part of a series of 5 videos each building on the last. Maybe check out the others if you are learning to read sheet music. Thanks

Hi. Each type of saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor and bari) has a different size tubing which means they sound different notes when using the same fingering. To make it easier to switch between the different types of saxophones they all have the same fingering names. So it would be easy for someone playing a tenor to play an alto. They would know all the notes and scales and will only need to transpose the melody. If all the fingerings were named according to the sounds they produced like on a piano, then it would be more difficult when switching instruments. So we all use the same fingerings when playing a scale but the sound being produce would be different. If you playing from sax sheet music there is no problem. If you are playing with other instruments then you have to transpose so that you are playing in the same key as them. Hope that makes sense. Thanks.

@@Saxcomprehensive Thanks for the reply. So I suppose we’ve chosen to make room for trouble with notating side of things instead of hindering the playability of the instrument? If thats it then it makes sense..

@@time_371 Hi. To be honest, once you start learning the instrument it really doesn't matter that its a transposing instrument. If you play from sax sheet music then its already transposed for you, so if a C is written on the sheet music then you finger a C on the sax regardless of what sound is actually coming out. Most people play by ear so again the notation does not matter. It only become complicated when a sax player and a piano player for example uses the same sheet music. In this case one of the players will have to transpose so they are both playing in the same key. If you are thinking of learning the sax, you shouldn't let this worry you. This system has been used to years and besides saxophones are not the only transposing instrument. I have found that the notation system works. Just make sure that if playing with other instruments that you have music written for the sax or play by ear. Thanks.

Hi. If you have sheet music written for the alto saxophone like a Charlie Parker omnibook then you would read the music as normal. If the written note is a C then finger a C on the saxophone etc. There is no difference since the sheet music is written for the alto saxophone and the sound coming out of the saxophone would be as the composer intended. If you are reading music written for another instrument like a piano then you would have to transpose it so it can sound as the composer intended. Read and play the sheet music in an alto saxophone book as described in the video. When you finger a C on the alto sax the sound coming out of the sax will be Eb. This is taken in account when writing the music so we do not need to do anything when playing saxophone sheet music. However a saxophone and piano playing the same note would sound different and that is why the written music for both instruments would be in different keys. I hope this answered your question.

Hi Ekow. Sorry I do not offer lessons but there are many great saxophone channels on RU-vid and many of them offer zoom lessons.

@@Saxcomprehensive Is there anyone that you can recommend for mr please

Hi. It is a long process to master it but if you practice a little every day playing from sheet music it will get easier. I spend a least a hour a day playing along to RU-vid transcriptions or from the Charlie Parker omnibook and I have noticed that because I do it so often it is getting a lot easier when I start a new piece of music. Don't give up, it will be worth it in the end. There are apps and games that make learning sheet music fun. Maybe find one online.