[tubbycub]

Many people had told me that the best fingering for the tenor Altissimo G3 note is LH front F - RH Bb. But I seem to have some difficulty getting the note out using this fingering, the note will sound soft and weak at best or nothing at all.

However, I have great ease and success using the RH B - LH Bb, F# instead. This can be an awkward fingering especially if I am progressing to and from the high F or F#. Trying using this on the 'Smooth Operator' solo and you'll know what I mean.

So, I am wondering if anyone here has experience this issue before?

My setup is listed in my signature and on Vandoren V16 3.

 

[amoram]

Use the fingerings that are best for you! If it sounds ok and you can finger it, just use that one

 

[DeUtCheaxelplaya]

yeah G3 is supposedly pretty hard to get anyway so i suggest to practice or to find a new fingering

for me when i was trying to get A3 for a peice (which i didnt end up playing anyway) it took me a while to get it consistantly

 

[BlueLight]

for F you can always use that second fingering and add LH A and for F# you can just add put another finger on the bis key.

 

[byas-a-drink]

you may try:
xox/oox (with octave key)
it works fine combine with F xxo/xxo F# xoo/xoo Eb and so on

 

[JL]

Many people had told me that the best fingering for the tenor Altissimo G3 note is RH front F - LH Bb. But I seem to have some difficulty getting the note out using this fingering, the note will sound soft and weak at best or nothing at all.

RH front F and LH Bb.......no wonder you find that awkward! But of course we know you mean LH front F & RH Bb. I agree with others to use whatever fingering works best. I find the front F / side Bb to work great for alt G, but it takes some practice getting the air stream right. Once you get it, the note will sound strong.

 

[Steve J.]

This can be an awkward fingering especially if I am progressing to and from the high F or F#.

Simply finger high F or F# by keeping l.h. index finger on B and open the F palm key with l.h. fourth finger. Its the same key openings as front F or F#. No sliding or awkawardness involved.

 

[martysax]

There are many fingerings to use, once you can confidently hit them.

My two tenors hit G3 best with different fingerings:

My 388### Super 20 plays it best with XOX,XOO and side Bb;

My 118### MarkVI plays best with just the front F key.

I can usually lip G2 up to a G3 rather easily on my MarkVI as well.

 

[tubbycub]

Thanks to everyone for the kind inputs, especially to JL for pointing out my typo-error...LOL

Will try out all the suggestions

 

[mlscnr]

My Super 20 tenor played G3 quite easily with the 'standard' LH 1-3, RH 1-3, side Bb. So does my Kessler alto.

Or, in the nomenclature others are using: xox/xox side Bb

 

[SuperAction80]

For G3 on tenor, I use Front F, Side Bb, and the high F# key. That sounds kind of weird, but it works well once you get used to it. Actually, I use an alteration of the Front F# fingering as well. I use the high F# instead of the side Bb because that latter fingering always makes me flat on Selmer Tenors. You will find a lot of goofy fingerings for altissimo and you'll just have to memorize what works best for you and your horn.

After you get a solid sound for a particular note, in this case G3, work with it in arpeggios, extended scales, and chromatic patterns. Get your fingers and chops used to the top tones. I feel that altissimo should not be viewed as "an extended range", but rather just part of the regular range. I've been much more successful with altissimo when I started treating it like the normal range in my practice routine.

 

[sognar7]

RH front F and LH Bb.......no wonder you find that awkward! But of course we know you mean LH front F & RH Bb. I agree with others to use whatever fingering works best. I find the front F / side Bb to work great for alt G, but it takes some practice getting the air stream right. Once you get it, the note will sound strong.

by front F/ side Bb are people meaning the fork fingering for F or just the front F key itself?

 

[Bossman]

XOX|XOO works best on my mark vi

 

[heath]

Front F and side Bb for my tenors, both Selmers.

I can hit it with just the Front F, but it's a little flat. I like to throw in the side Bb to make it a little sharp and lip down slightly to give it a bigger sound.

You need to simplify your fingerings for the altissimo register. There's no sense in getting used to a funky fingering that slows you down.

 

[JL]

by front F/ side Bb are people meaning the fork fingering for F or just the front F key itself?

By "front F" we mean the small front key just above the "B" key (the one you hit with your top left hand finger). It is also used for "altissimo" F.

 

[Nitetimer]

1st finger on the left hand (B) & the high F# key is another one.

The front F & side Bb combination can be difficult if the palm key opens too much. In the case of the G3 note it really functions as an octave vent so the lower the better. Of course if it doesn't open enough the front E will be stuffy. Kind of a trade off on some horns. Personally I'd take a good G3 over a front E any day.

 

[hornstar]

I agree with byas-a-drink: xox/oox with the octave key is the stongest fingering I've found for G3 on a VI tenor. If that doesn't work, there may be a leak. If you depress the right hand low D key only, press down on the pad above right hand F to verify that it is completely closed. If it's not, look in the back where the low D engages rod going to the pad above low F, it may need a sliver of cork.

 

[thejoyofsax]

you may try:
xox/oox (with octave key)

+1

Try here for a bevy of options:

http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/sax/

 

[disgruntleddave]

I haven't played tenor much, or recently.

I found the fingering I use most on alto (Front F, RH1, side Bb) works but not great.
Another fingering I use on alto, specifically when I want to split the tone, is LH13 RH13, which also works on tenor, also for splitting.
I can also use just front F, but on alto the tuning is quite difficult to control. I found it much easier on tenor and eventually starting using only front F for G3s.

 

[JL]

xox/oox with the octave key is the stongest fingering I've found for G3 on a VI tenor.

Hey that one does work great. I've always used front F + side Bb, but this one works at least as well and makes it easy to move to A3 & back. Just to clarify:

LH 1 3, RH 3 (or XOX/OOX), plus octave key. Thanks!