Acoustics of the saxophone

Bb tenor saxophone

F#6

Music Acoustics UNSW

Conventional Fingering

Impedance

Fingering
a key depressed
a key not depressed
a hole covered
a hole uncovered
a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched
Details in fingering legend.

Acoustic schematic
a closed tone hole
an open tone hole

Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance
Non-specialist introduction to saxophone acoustics

Notes are the written pitch.
Frequencies are the sounding frequency, for Bb saxophone.
Unless otherwise stated, the impedance spectrum is for a Bb saxophone.


Impedance spectrum of a Bb saxophone measured using fingering for F#6.

Played with this fingering (not available on all instruments), this note is the highest note in the second register, meaning that it plays (normally) at the second peak on the impedance spectrum. There are no more tone holes to open to shorten the effective length of the tube and thereby raise the first and second peaks.

This fingering uses a register hole. This causes a leak in the bore that weakens the first impedance peak (although both peaks will play comfortably with different embouchures). Above the second peak, the curve is irregular: see the discussion in cut-off frequency.

Compare with the impedance spectrum for a soprano sax on written F#6: same fingering but sounding one octave higher.

Sound


Sound spectrum of a Bb saxophone played using fingering for F#6.
For more explanation, see Introduction to saxophone acoustics.

This sound spectrum includes transient excitation from the beginning of the note, and so has traces of a subharmonic being excited, seen in the range above 3 kHz.

Sound Clip

You can hear F#6 played.

Alternative Fingering

tenor saxophone

Impedance

Fingering
a key depressed
a key not depressed
a hole covered
a hole uncovered
a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched
Details in fingering legend.

Acoustic schematic
a closed tone hole
an open tone hole

Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance
Non-specialist introduction to saxophone acoustics

Notes are the written pitch.
Frequencies are the sounding frequency, for Bb saxophone.
Unless otherwise stated, the impedance spectrum is for a Bb saxophone.


Impedance spectrum of a Bb saxophone measured using alternative fingering for F#6.

Played with this fingering, this note is in the third register, meaning that it plays at the third impedance peak. It is also bordering on the altissimo or very high range. The weakness of the third peak (due to the relatively large cone angle of the saxophone) explains why notes in this range are hard to play and require the player to assist the weak impedance peak of the bore with a strong impedance peak of the vocal tract. See this page for an explanation and some interesting results.

Sound


Sound spectrum of a Bb saxophone played using alternative fingering for F#6.
For more explanation, see Introduction to saxophone acoustics.

Sound Clip

You can hear Fsharp6 played with alternative fingering.
Fingering legend
How were these results obtained?

Contact: Joe Wolfe / J.Wolfe@unsw.edu.au
phone 61-2-9385-4954 (UT +10, +11 Oct-Mar)
© 1997-2009 Music Acoustics UNSW