Forum of the Saxes

JazZz · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

From experience, all begginers should learn their circle of 5's asap..

For alto's, Concert C (0 Sharps/Flats) is our A Scale, and that's where it starts. The circle of 5th's goes Right from wherever you start, if you go Left it magically becomes the Circle of 4th's.

Once you have this mastered, it will help so much with everything. Everything builds on the circle of 5ths. This is major, the minor circle should be learned once this is perfect!

Just some helpful advice!

JPSaxMan · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:54 pm Post subject:

*Golf clap*

Very well said.

Just one thing of clarification, where it says C; no #'s or b's means that it's the C scale and the scale contains no flats.

The flats go in order of B, E, A, D, Gb, Cb so if you have an Eb scale which has three flats the three flats are going to be Bb, Eb, and Ab (that actually applies only to the Circle of Fourths as far as I know) Shocked

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Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

JazZz · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

JPSaxMan · Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 11:48 pm Post subject:

OH! It DOES apply to the fifth's *smacks self in head*...I just got my flats (or sharps) mixed up Embarassed

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JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

MySaxMax · Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 22

Circle of fifths.... we have a playing test in jazz band on this. He gives each person a random concert scale from the circle and we have to play it's first five notes. I have figured out that if he says Concert C for me (alto) my first note would be three 1/2 steps down. A. so does that mean I'm playing the A scale? A, B, C#, D, E? and for Ab I'm playing the E scale? first five notes being E, F#, G#, A, B? And then when he says play the Db concert scale I would be playing Bb, C, D, Eb, F? And just like that? 3 1/2 steps down and play THAT scale?

JazZz · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

Here is a quick reference of concert pitches to Sax pitches:

Concert = Alto/Baritone (Eb)
C = A
G = E
D = B or Cb
A = F# or Gb
E = Db or C#
B = Ab
F# = Eb
Db = Bb
Ab = F
Eb = C
Bb = G
F = D

Concert = Tenor/Soprano (Bb)
C = Bb
G = F
D = C
A = G
E = D
B = A
F# = E
Db = B or Cb
Ab = F# or Gb
Eb = Db or C#
Bb = Ab
F = Eb

I know the Alto one is correct, but if there's a problem with the tenor one just holler. This should help you MySaxMax, and don't stress about the test, just practice and the scales should come naturally, the more you stress the more hesitant you're going to be. If you mess up, just mess up with confidence, it's better to mess up with superb sound than mess up with weak playing.

P.S. If anyone wants me to post the C Mel or F Mezzo Sop. charts, you have to really beg, especially for C Mel.

Tully · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Woodinville, WA

The tenor one is off: everything for tenor should be one whole step above the concert key, not below it.
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JPSaxMan · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:27 pm Post subject:

Uhh...tenor is two half steps below the piano. I assume piano is the concert pitch, so if that's the case, JazZz is right.
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Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Altosaxophonerules · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 130 Location: Canada

Play your tenor into the tuner and see what comes out in Concert Pitch. (I'm was goin' to do that, but tenor's in repair shop)

Tully · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Woodinville, WA

You're right, tenor sounds a whole step, or two half steps, below concert pitch. However, this means that to compensate, everything must be transposed up a whole step. If a tenor player were to play a concert D, i.e. D on the piano, he would have to play his E because it sounds a whole step lower.

Likewise, alto sounds a minor third above concert pitch, so it transposes down a minor third to compensate (the alto chart is just fine, BTW).
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JPSaxMan · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:15 pm Post subject:

Hold the phone...

You're right....I just tested it out. WTF....now I'm confuzzled. Oh well, I never had a problem before so maybe I'll just keep doin what I've been doin Mr. Green

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JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

JazZz · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 170

haha, like i said, i'm no expert at anything tenor. I was just taking a whack at it to see how it would go. I guess i'm just a bit ignorant when it comes to other instrment pitches Cool

Well, i guess i'll get out my tenor and alto side by side and see it it's right, sorry for all the confusion.

Jacob · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:43 pm Post subject:

Tenor = whole step (2 half steps) above concert pitch (C)
Alto = 5th above tenor/min. 3rd below concert pitch

And learn the Cycle of Fifths forwards and backwards. Also, don't forget to shed stuff around the Circle of FOURTHS (i.e. C, F, Bflat, Eflat, Aflat, etc).... and chromatically.

The goal is to be comfortable in all the keys. Theoretically, G flat concert should be just as comfortable than C. The more you work around all of the keys in whatever method you use, the easier the harder scales will be.
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