The Note B - Fingering and Exercises
Lesson time: (6min 15sec)
James Rae shows how to finger the note B on the saxophone, with simple exercises to build a steady, even sound.
Copyright © 2023 Universal Edition (London) Ltd., All compositions by James Rae except where otherwise indicated.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Saxophone: First Notes
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Saxophone Lesson: Introduction to Note B
The First Note: B
The first note that we introduced on the saxophone is B.
- Location: B sits on the middle line of the stave, right in the center.
- Finger Position: Think of it as the B line.
Fingering B
- Left Hand: B is fingered by using our first finger on the second key down.
- Sometimes the first key is a disc and sometimes it's a spatula, like on this instrument.
- Important: Do not play the very first key.
- My left hand's first finger is pressing the second key down, which is the B key.
- Thumb Position:
- The left hand thumb always sits on the black plastic disc (usually black plastic; sometimes they're metal on other models of saxophone).
- The right hand thumb goes under the thumb hook.
Hand Position
- Relaxed Position: In the relaxed position, the hands should adopt a curved shape (like grabbing a tennis ball or an orange) rather than a flat shape.
- Control:
- It's much easier to control your fingers when they're slightly curved.
- This also helps avoid accidentally touching the side keys, which can make the sound very stuffy.
Avoiding Side Keys
- There are three side keys down here, also called palm keys.
- Tip: Imagine they are electrified to remind yourself not to touch them. Keep your fingers curved to avoid this.
First Exercise: B's Minims and Semibreves
- Pulse Setting: Set yourself a pulse for the exercise.
- Sound Development: It won't win the Eurovision Song Contest, but it's great for your sound development.
- Breathing Technique:
- Always aim to keep the sound absolutely level.
- Avoid taking a breath with every note. If you notice in the book, there's a breath mark, often indicated by a tick or a comma.
Playing Phrases
- Play the first three notes on one breath as if singing: do, do, do (not do, do, do).
- Breathe in phrases, not per note.
Breathing Technique
- A saxophone is powered by wind, so:
- Breathe right to the bottom of your lungs.
- Never pull your shoulders up; always keep your shoulders down.
- Exercise: Try to make the saxophone rise when you breathe in, indicating correct use of the diaphragm.
Exercise Two: Crotchets (Quarter Notes)
- This exercise is similar but focuses on crotchets.
- Tonguing: You will need to get your tongue a bit busier since the notes go past more quickly.
- Practice: With time, your tonguing will improve and become more rapid.
About the instructor
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. read more