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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Altissimo & Multiphonics / Your highest altissimo note.(above C5)

Next 20 Messages

Tenor-SAX
User ID: 1181464 Aug 26th 4:51 AM
What's your highest altissimo note (only above C5)?

Please write also the fingering.

For example:
C5= Eb D–23|–23
or:
Eb D–F23|E C–23
or any other good way....

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Aug 27th 12:20 PM
I'm trying to work out fingerings from C#5 to G5. IMHO above G5 its all air stream support, fingerings don't seem to matter since I can get the same tones using just mpc. and neck (on tenor). I can only seem to get a few discontinuous tones above G5, just jumps to around A6, C6, and very rarely, some higher tones that I'd guesstimate around G6 to C7.

The only fingering I can swear by above C5 is one for D5. Its the same fingering I use for C5 - Rascher's C5 fingering but with added air. I also use it for C6 out of habit. I am playing around with modified Rascher's fingerings from an octave lower for C#5 to G5. Arrggghh!

A guess at what's happening - strong lower harmonics from the mpc./neck area dominate higher order ones from the sax above the C5 - G5 area making it a difficult, jumpy, game to play. The practicality of it seems questionable, also.... thoughts?

ChristopherD Aug 27th 2:22 PM
Yes, but what notes do you get when you give your hot rod some gas?

Oops, I shouldn't be here since I don't play above C5!

I play lower than you, nyah nyah.

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Aug 28th 12:45 PM
The empty wallet note!

Chris D did you try playing the sax WITH the mpc. yet?

BTW I don't actually play above C5 just make racket, LOL!

ChristopherD Aug 28th 5:10 PM
I think I will when Jon Van Wie returns it to me.

mutha potamus Aug 30th 4:15 PM
Just a hint on how I do it...I cheat. I hit overtones on everything above...

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Aug 30th 4:18 PM
MP - what?

mutha potamus Aug 30th 4:51 PM
G4.

Toby
User ID: 0004344 Aug 30th 5:07 PM
Not to be a spoil-sport but, who does fast and accurate scales up here? Hitting the note is one thing but making it musical and part of an expression is another.

mutha potamus Aug 30th 8:07 PM
When you get the scales down, try intervals & other odds & ends...

Tenor-SAX
User ID: 1181464 Aug 31st 9:34 AM
Hi,

Can U please write the fingerings for C5 and above? (for tenor)

10x guys

Screech
User ID: 0624334 Aug 31st 10:32 PM
I can run a scale up to C5. Musical... no, I stay below G4 for the time being. Below G4 I can do the intervals, etc. BTW I am also working on a Lenny Pickett type "jumpy-gliss" from C5 to C6+

TenorSax - for C5 (from Rascher): octave key, 1st finger left hand on B key, first 2 fingers of right hand on F and E keys. Also works as D5, maybe E5, and C6. I haven't seen any fingerings above C5 except for these. Still working on it..... ;)

Tenor-SAX
User ID: 1181464 Sep 1st 5:47 AM
Screech,
So you say it is not possible to play chromatic scale above C5?

What is this Lenny Pickett "jumpy-gliss"?

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Sep 4th 8:11 AM
TS yes that is what I'm saying... (past G5 anyway)wait, let me put on my flame suit and get buckled in - fire away folks! The jump-gliss thing is what he does on SNL is like a glissando but not one that goes in whole steps, rather it seems to jump by thirds, fourths, fifths, whatever. If there were chromatics available I suspect we would have heard Lenny use them by now.

My suspicion is that chromatic scale may be possible C#5 to G5. Commente'? Whoops one more thing add low e-flat key to Rascher's fingerings above, forgot, sorry.

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Oct 5th 8:58 AM
FYI according to the Korg... and yeah... I know I'm above its range according to its literature, my highest "note" is C7. Please don't expect me to reproduce it at will. I can't.

FYI #2 - still working on C5 to G5 fingerings, haven't given up yet.

Kevin Oct 5th 4:45 PM
C7???........you realize that is 6 full octaves?.....low C is C1.

Of course, it is possible to play chromatically up to your highest note. And the higher you go, the more fingerings there are available to you.

Screech
User ID: 0624334 Oct 6th 7:56 AM
I can only play chromatically up to about E5. Yes there may be more theoretical fingerings available but not very many that work. My guess is that harmonics from high areas in the horn like the neck and mpc. start to dominate above C5. Heck, outside of a little amplification, the sax body is useless for C6 even. I've given up on chromatic stuff above G5, but I still think its possible C5 to G5. I have just found out last night that harder reeds (4 vs. 2.5) are affecting pitch above C5.... arrrgh.... back to the drawing board. Oddly, harder reeds seem to be taking pitch down (more fundamental in the mix, perhaps?)

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Oct 10th 10:27 AM
Kevin the last thing I want to do is damplen anyone's enthusiasm - if you have an idea that you think will work go for it... we're all ears!

One more tidbit, regards more possible fingerings the higher you go: Yes, there are lots of possibilities based on harmonics series from many starting points, BUT keep in mind that the sax is an imperfect model for the harmonic series, harmonics get generally sharper (from calculated)as you go up.

And finally I am glad to report that I'm making progress on repeatability of tones above C6.

ChristopherD Oct 10th 1:58 PM
A few more words from a 4-octave infidel:

I name myself thus because that is pretty much my range - the 4 ocatve range spelled out in Rousseau's book. Ok, maybe I've eeked (squeaked?) out C5 or D5 a few times too. This is a range I'm very content with, but I still think it's cool to see you guys pushing the envelope.

Screech, I got my Dukoff LD9 (now 8) back from Jon. It gives more confidence in the altissimo but not really more range than I've had on other mouthpieces. Great sound, though.

Screech
User ID: 9753653 Oct 10th 2:58 PM
ChrisD, wow! I'd like to hear more about Jon's tweaking. I've thought about sending out my Runyon. BTW how's the new sax? And that cold MN weather...?

Next 20 Messages

Tenor-SAX User ID: 1181464	Aug 26th 4:51 AM What's your highest altissimo note (only above C5)? Please write also the fingering. For example: C5= Eb D–23\|–23 or: Eb D–F23\|E C–23 or any other good way....
Screech User ID: 9753653	Aug 27th 12:20 PM I'm trying to work out fingerings from C#5 to G5. IMHO above G5 its all air stream support, fingerings don't seem to matter since I can get the same tones using just mpc. and neck (on tenor). I can only seem to get a few discontinuous tones above G5, just jumps to around A6, C6, and very rarely, some higher tones that I'd guesstimate around G6 to C7. The only fingering I can swear by above C5 is one for D5. Its the same fingering I use for C5 - Rascher's C5 fingering but with added air. I also use it for C6 out of habit. I am playing around with modified Rascher's fingerings from an octave lower for C#5 to G5. Arrggghh! A guess at what's happening - strong lower harmonics from the mpc./neck area dominate higher order ones from the sax above the C5 - G5 area making it a difficult, jumpy, game to play. The practicality of it seems questionable, also.... thoughts?
ChristopherD	Aug 27th 2:22 PM Yes, but what notes do you get when you give your hot rod some gas? Oops, I shouldn't be here since I don't play above C5! I play lower than you, nyah nyah.
Screech User ID: 9753653	Aug 28th 12:45 PM The empty wallet note! Chris D did you try playing the sax WITH the mpc. yet? BTW I don't actually play above C5 just make racket, LOL!
ChristopherD	Aug 28th 5:10 PM I think I will when Jon Van Wie returns it to me.
mutha potamus	Aug 30th 4:15 PM Just a hint on how I do it...I cheat. I hit overtones on everything above...
Screech User ID: 9753653	Aug 30th 4:18 PM MP - what?
mutha potamus	Aug 30th 4:51 PM G4.
Toby User ID: 0004344	Aug 30th 5:07 PM Not to be a spoil-sport but, who does fast and accurate scales up here? Hitting the note is one thing but making it musical and part of an expression is another.
mutha potamus	Aug 30th 8:07 PM When you get the scales down, try intervals & other odds & ends...
Tenor-SAX User ID: 1181464	Aug 31st 9:34 AM Hi, Can U please write the fingerings for C5 and above? (for tenor) 10x guys
Screech User ID: 0624334	Aug 31st 10:32 PM I can run a scale up to C5. Musical... no, I stay below G4 for the time being. Below G4 I can do the intervals, etc. BTW I am also working on a Lenny Pickett type "jumpy-gliss" from C5 to C6+ TenorSax - for C5 (from Rascher): octave key, 1st finger left hand on B key, first 2 fingers of right hand on F and E keys. Also works as D5, maybe E5, and C6. I haven't seen any fingerings above C5 except for these. Still working on it..... ;)
Tenor-SAX User ID: 1181464	Sep 1st 5:47 AM Screech, So you say it is not possible to play chromatic scale above C5? What is this Lenny Pickett "jumpy-gliss"?
Screech User ID: 9753653	Sep 4th 8:11 AM TS yes that is what I'm saying... (past G5 anyway)wait, let me put on my flame suit and get buckled in - fire away folks! The jump-gliss thing is what he does on SNL is like a glissando but not one that goes in whole steps, rather it seems to jump by thirds, fourths, fifths, whatever. If there were chromatics available I suspect we would have heard Lenny use them by now. My suspicion is that chromatic scale may be possible C#5 to G5. Commente'? Whoops one more thing add low e-flat key to Rascher's fingerings above, forgot, sorry.
Screech User ID: 9753653	Oct 5th 8:58 AM FYI according to the Korg... and yeah... I know I'm above its range according to its literature, my highest "note" is C7. Please don't expect me to reproduce it at will. I can't. FYI #2 - still working on C5 to G5 fingerings, haven't given up yet.
Kevin	Oct 5th 4:45 PM C7???........you realize that is 6 full octaves?.....low C is C1. Of course, it is possible to play chromatically up to your highest note. And the higher you go, the more fingerings there are available to you.
Screech User ID: 0624334	Oct 6th 7:56 AM I can only play chromatically up to about E5. Yes there may be more theoretical fingerings available but not very many that work. My guess is that harmonics from high areas in the horn like the neck and mpc. start to dominate above C5. Heck, outside of a little amplification, the sax body is useless for C6 even. I've given up on chromatic stuff above G5, but I still think its possible C5 to G5. I have just found out last night that harder reeds (4 vs. 2.5) are affecting pitch above C5.... arrrgh.... back to the drawing board. Oddly, harder reeds seem to be taking pitch down (more fundamental in the mix, perhaps?)
Screech User ID: 9753653	Oct 10th 10:27 AM Kevin the last thing I want to do is damplen anyone's enthusiasm - if you have an idea that you think will work go for it... we're all ears! One more tidbit, regards more possible fingerings the higher you go: Yes, there are lots of possibilities based on harmonics series from many starting points, BUT keep in mind that the sax is an imperfect model for the harmonic series, harmonics get generally sharper (from calculated)as you go up. And finally I am glad to report that I'm making progress on repeatability of tones above C6.
ChristopherD	Oct 10th 1:58 PM A few more words from a 4-octave infidel: I name myself thus because that is pretty much my range - the 4 ocatve range spelled out in Rousseau's book. Ok, maybe I've eeked (squeaked?) out C5 or D5 a few times too. This is a range I'm very content with, but I still think it's cool to see you guys pushing the envelope. Screech, I got my Dukoff LD9 (now 8) back from Jon. It gives more confidence in the altissimo but not really more range than I've had on other mouthpieces. Great sound, though.
Screech User ID: 9753653	Oct 10th 2:58 PM ChrisD, wow! I'd like to hear more about Jon's tweaking. I've thought about sending out my Runyon. BTW how's the new sax? And that cold MN weather...?