Bb tenor saxophone
C#5
| Acoustics of the saxophone |
Bb tenor saxophone |
C#5 |
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Fingering Acoustic schematic Non-specialist introduction
to acoustic impedance Notes are the written pitch. |
Note how similar this spectrum is to that for F#3.
(Of course, the clarinet overblows a 12th.) The only substantial difference
is the reduction in the first peak. The purpose of the speaker key is just that:
to destroy the fundamental resonance so that the instrument will not 'drop down'
to the lower register. See register
hole for details.
At frequencies below about 1.1 kHz, this curve looks rather like that for B4
or C5, but raised in frequency because the tube is effectively
shorter because of the open tone holes. At higher frequencies, however, the
waves propagate past the open tone holes with greater ease, and the situation
is more complicated, which gives rise to the irregular shape around 1.2 kHz.
(See cut-off
frequencies.)
For a general discussion of the clarino register, see the description on B4.
Sound spectrum
of a Bb saxophone
played using fingering for C#5.
For more explanation, see
Introduction to saxophone acoustics
You can hear C#5
played.
Alternative Fingering |
Bb saxophone |
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Fingering Acoustic schematic Non-specialist introduction
to acoustic impedance Notes are the written pitch. |
You can hear XX
played with alternative fingering.
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Contact:
Joe Wolfe
/ J.Wolfe@unsw.edu.au |
a key depressed
a key not depressed
a hole covered 
a hole uncovered
a
part of the mechanism that is not normally touched 
