Octave Key - Fingering and Exercises
With
James RaeJames Rae introduces the octave key and your first note that uses it - D - with fingering and exercises to get your thumb working.
Copyright © 2023 Universal Edition (London) Ltd. All compositions by James Rae except where otherwise indicated.
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Lesson transcript
Introduction to the Octave Key and the Note D
This section of the book introduces the use of the octave key and the note D. It's a very important section, as D is the first note we encounter that involves the octave key.
Understanding the Octave Key
- The octave key is located at the back of the saxophone.
- It's the only key we operate with our thumb.
- To use it, rest your thumb on the rest and pivot it across.
Tip: It might feel a bit strange at first, but you will get used to it.
Playing the Note D
D is played with:
- Fingers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 at the front
- Plus the thumb at the back
Sound Characteristics
- D has a slightly different sound compared to other notes on the saxophone.
- If you compare it with a B, D has a slightly veiled sound.
- It is the first note in what we call the upper register of the saxophone, which involves putting fingers down to go up, contrary to what we've done so far.
Exercises
Exercise One: Counting Exercise on D
- This exercise acts as a workout for the tongue.
- You can play it quite fast while maintaining:
- A relaxed throat position
- A curved finger position
Exercise Two: Approaching D from Below
- Starts with G moving up to D:
- A, D, B, D, etc.
- This may feel tricky at first, but with practice, it will become easier.
Exercise Three: Finger Coordination
- Each bar here is repeated to reinforce technique.
- It acts as a workout for the D and the thumb.
- This is challenging because you have to move several fingers at once to go one step. For example:
- From C to D requires moving both front fingers and your thumb.
Observation:
- Keep your fingers very close to the instrument at all times.
- Any excess movement is wasted if you take your fingers too far away; it doesn't produce any effect.
Key Technique
- The only movement that accomplishes anything is the movement of the keys.
- Try to keep your fingers just touching the keys as you move them around.
- This practice leads to a very rapid technique.
Analogy:
Think of a good typist. Their fingers hardly leave the surface of the keyboard, apply the same principle to the saxophone.
Exercise Four: Approaching D from Below
- Follow the same routine as previous exercises, focusing on approaching D from below.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
James Rae was born on Tyneside in 1957. He studied clarinet, bass clarinet, piano and composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1975 to 1979, under professors Yona Ettlinger, Stephen Trier, Meriel Jefferson and Patric Standford respectively. Since leaving the Guildhall, he has pursued a highly successful and varied career across three areas: performing, writing and teaching.
James Rae has worked in many West End and Royal National Theatre productions, including Sir Peter Hall's award-winning Oresteia with music by Sir Harrison Birtwistle, and has received many freelance engagements with some of the country's leading orchestras and ensembles. He is the leader of the Phoenix Saxophone Quartet, who over the years have given many recitals and BBC broadcasts, and have recorded the complete works of Carey Blyton on two albums, 'The Return of Bulgy Gogo' and 'Sherlock Holmes meets Dr Who'.
As a composer, James Rae is one of Europe's most published writers of educational wind music, with over 250 publications to his credit, mainly published by Universal Edition. His music includes instrumental study books, sonatas, tutors, baroque, classical and jazz transcriptions, plus many volumes of duets, many of which feature on all the major wind examination syllabuses worldwide. He has also written four musicals for schools with Mike Cornick, and his larger commissions include The Turn of a Wheel, a major work for concert band that premiered in November 1999 for the North Tyneside Concert Band, of which he was a founder member as a boy, and the overture Moving On in 2012.
James Rae has worked extensively as a syllabus consultant and composer for both the Associated Board and Trinity College London, and has been highly involved in developing the woodwind sight-reading requirements for both exam boards. As a teacher, he has held many posts in both the state and independent sectors, and currently works at King's College School Wimbledon, where he directs the Wind Orchestra and Concert Band, and Shrewsbury House School in Surbiton, where he coaches three large bands and a chamber group. That teaching experience runs right through his saxophone series for MusicGurus, which takes you step by step from your very first notes to a confident, stylish player: First Notes, New Keys & Low Notes, Expanding Your Range, Scales & High Notes, Extended Range & Rhythm, and Polish & Style.
