Fingering Techniques for Saxophone

When it comes to fingering, I generally tell my students to imagine that they're holding a tennis ball in each hand. This is important because I want the fingers to be:

• Nicely curving
• Not flat
• Not contracted like claws
• Just gently curving

Visualization of Proper Fingering

Let me demonstrate what I mean by this.

• If I'm fingering a low C and I take my hands off the saxophone, one after the other, you'll see that you could fit a tennis ball into my hand.
• The same applies to my left hand; if I lift it up, you can see that a tennis ball would fit comfortably there.

Key Insight: The fingers must be gently curving. Let the springs do the work for you!

Understanding Key Pressure

All keys operate on a spring mechanism, which means:

• If you relax, the spring will push your finger away from the key.
• Many beginners make the mistake of pressing much too hard and applying excessive pressure.

If the saxophone is well-adjusted (which it should be if it's new, and ideally in good condition if it's secondhand), you only need to use very moderate pressure to ensure that the pad seals correctly.

Important Note: If pressing hard is necessary to make a note sound, this is a sign that the instrument is not in good adjustment. You should take it to a technician for adjustments.

The Right Approach to Key Action

Rather than thinking about pressing down, consider allowing the springs to do the work by pushing your fingers away from the keys.

• As you play, notice how my fingers stay very close to the keys, touching or almost touching.
• It's a very light action, similar to a hammer action initiated at the knuckle joint.

Common Mistakes in Finger Positioning

I often see players using flat fingers, in this kind of position:

• This is not good!
• You will never be able to play quickly with your hands in that position.

Remember: Curve your fingers gently.

The Importance of Relaxation

As I mentioned earlier about the neck and shoulders, it's virtually impossible to have relaxed hands and fingers if your arms, neck, and shoulders are tense.

• It's crucial to stand correctly:
  • Get your shoulders relaxed.
  • Keep your neck relaxed.

This allows your wrists, hands, and fingers to be relaxed while playing.

Practice Tips for Fingering

One last point about fingering relates to your practice habits:

• Practice slowly.
• Playing at a slower tempo helps to relax your fingers.
• Trying to play too fast too quickly can encourage tension in your fingers.

Surprisingly, by practicing more slowly, you'll actually be able to play faster. I know that sounds strange, but it's true.