Altissimo Fingerings for Tenor Saxophone


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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

Fingering diagram for F3. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 3, pinky G-sharp.
F3, written on the treble staff.

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

Fingering diagram for F#3. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 3, RH 1.
F-sharp-3, written on the treble staff.

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

G3

Fingering diagram for G3. Keys pressed: Octave, front F.Alternate fingering diagram for G3. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 3, RH 3.
G3, written on the treble staff.

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

G#3

Fingering diagram for G#3. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 3, side C, RH 3.
G-sharp-3, written on the treble staff.

 

A3

Fingering diagram for A3. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 2 3.Alternate fingering diagram for A3. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 2 3, pinky G-sharp.
A3, written on the treble staff.

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

Fingering diagram for A#4. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 3, side C.
A-sharp-4, written on the treble staff.

 

B4

Fingering diagram for B4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D, LH 3, side C.
B4, written on the treble staff.

 

C4

Fingering diagram for C4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D E-flat, (optional LH 3), side C.
C4, written on the treble staff.

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

Fingering diagram for C#4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D E-flat, (optional LH 3), side E.
C-sharp-4, written on the treble staff.

As with C4, left hand 3 is optional.

D4

Fingering diagram for D4. Keys pressed: Octave, front F.Alternate fingering diagram for D4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D E-flat F, side E.
D4, written on the treble staff.

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

Fingering diagram for D#4. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 3, side C.
D-sharp-4, written on the treble staff.

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

E4

Fingering diagram for E4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D, LH 3, side C.
E4, written on the treble staff.

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

F4

Fingering diagram for F4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D E-flat, LH 3, side C.
F4, written on the treble staff.

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

F#4

Fingering diagram for F#4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D E-flat, LH 3, side E.
F-sharp-4, written on the treble staff.

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

G4

Fingering diagram for G4. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 2, RH 1 2.
G4, written on the treble staff.

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

SOURCE: Sigurd M. Raschèr.

G#4

Fingering diagram for G#4. Keys pressed: Octave.
G-sharp-4, written on the treble staff.

I find this fingering to be a little muted.

SOURCE: Lenny Pickett.

A4

Fingering diagram for A4. Keys pressed: Octave, palm D, LH 2 3, RH 3.
A4, written on the treble staff.

SOURCE: Sigurd M. Raschèr.

A#5

Fingering diagram for A#5. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 2 3, pinky B-flat, RH 1 2 3, low C.
A-sharp-5, written on the treble staff.

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURCE: Norbert Stachel.

B5

Fingering diagram for B5. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 2 3, pinky C-sharp, RH 1 2 3, low C.
B5, written on the treble staff.

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURCE: Norbert Stachel.

C5

Fingering diagram for C5. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 2 3, RH 1 2 3, low C.
C5, written on the treble staff.

Try arpeggiating up to these at first.

SOURCE: Norbert Stachel.

C#5

C-sharp-5, written on the treble staff.

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

D5

Fingering diagram for D5. Keys pressed: Octave, LH 1 2 3, pinky B-flat, RH 1 2 3, low C.
D5, written on the treble staff.

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

Sources & Resources

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