Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Saxophone

I’ve been interested in the altissimo register since high school when I first heard Tower of Power recordings featuring Lenny Pickett. There are so many sources of information out there for people who want to learn to play altissimo (see below for a few useful links). In this post, I want to share the set of fingerings that I’ve found most useful in my own tenor playing. I favor fingerings that work well together to facilitate melodic lines. Some of these aren’t the best available options in terms of intonation or tone, but sometimes the better sounding fingering is a bit awkward within a passage. Given this philosophy, here are the altissimo fingerings I use. Try them out in a melodic context so you can see how they flow together.

Also, if you are new to altissimo, please learn the fundamentals of overtone production first before jumping into fingering charts. You shouldn’t have to bite or strain to do any of this. Sigurd Raschèr’s book is where I started.

Altissimo Fingering Chart

• It’s a little unclear, but the palm keys indicated in the charts, from left to right, are D, Eb, and F.
• Notation is as written for saxophone.
• Note names are in reference to saxophone range (ie. F3 is the third F from the lowest available note).

F3

This note sounds a little dodgy, but in passing this a nice alternate fingering to the standard palm high F and front F fingerings. Works well chromatically through G#3.

F#3

A nice alternate to front F. Easy transition between alternate G3 below.

G3

I usually use front F, but the alternate fingering facilitates some passages.

G#3

 

A3

In passing, I just play left hand 2 and 3 (A and G keys). Adding the pinky G# key raises the pitch and adds pop. You might like to add right hand 123 (F, E, and D keys) instead.

SOURCES: Sigurd M. Raschèr. Alternate, Lenny Pickett.

A#4

 

B4

 

C4

Left hand 3 (G key) is optional here, but I find that it adds pop, and it often minimizes finger motion in lines.

C#4

As with C4, left hand 3 is optional.

D4

I mostly use the front F. The alternate fingering pops a little better, and flows in sequence with A#4 through C#4. However, using front F resets your hand position nicely to get at D#4.

SOURCE: Alternate, Lenny Pickett.

D#4

D#4 through F#4 are simply A#4 through C#4 repeated, overblown by a fourth.

E4

D#4 through F#4 are simply A#4 through C#4 repeated, overblown by a fourth.

F4

D#4 through F#4 are simply A#4 through C#4 repeated, overblown by a fourth.

F#4

D#4 through F#4 are simply A#4 through C#4 repeated, overblown by a fourth.

G4

For me, this is the highest note to easily pop out.

SOURCE: Sigurd M. Raschèr.

G#4

I find this fingering to be a little muted.

SOURCE: Lenny Pickett.

A4

 

SOURCE: Sigurd M. Raschèr.

A#5

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURCE: Norbert Stachel

B5

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURCE: Norbert Stachel

C5

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURCE: Norbert Stachel

I haven’t worked out a decent way to get at this note yet. If you have any suggestions, please share!

D5

This is a harmonic of low Bb flat that just wants to come out.

Sources & Resources

• I created the fingering diagrams using Bret Pimentel’s wonderful Fingering diagram builder Thanks, Bret!
• Music notation created with Sibelius software
• A lot of these fingerings came from Top-Tones from the Saxophone: Four-Octave Range by Sigurd M. Raschèr. I highly recommend this book. Work through all the overtone exercises. They are critical for developing altissimo technique!
• Another great book is Larry Teal’s The Art of Saxophone Playing, with many alternate fingerings up through F4. The reed adjustment chart within is priceless!
• These Saxophone Fingering Charts are ridiculously thorough. Go through them and find what works best for you.
• The University of New South Wales has a detailed site about Saxophone Acoustics. It’s worth learning about acoustic impedance and studying their database profiling acoustic response well into the altissimo range.
• Thanks to Norbert Stachel for his expert mouthpiece refacing work and advice that has really helped with my altissimo.

I’d love to hear your comments and suggestions!