I'm having trouble with some intervals, such a Bb to high E in particular today! Any suggestions for that and also any comprehensive chart of ideas for fingerings for difficult intervals?
I can do bis key and split one (like flute) for Bb, and the two I use for high E are probably what you're talking about (fork and the one with side keys)
For me the front E fingering is always rather stuffy. I only use it when I know I'm going to be playing up into the first altissimo notes. But if there is a specific phrase where it was easier I'd use it.
Bis Bb to Front E is probably the least taxing way to play those two notes (in regards to having to move a bunch of fingers).
Hi Littlewailer-that's what I think, too- but I am interested in Merlin's other possibilities- it's just really awkward. On alto those upper notes tend to go be flat- but I'm going to a new tech guy Wed. so maybe it's the horn- my breath support seems to be OK, just so difficult to lip up significantly in a fast passage with a difficult interval.
Bb to high E is definitely one of the more difficult intervals for me, too. I recently had to play a chart with Bb to high E in the middle of a soli, uptempo, and I was fumbling around. Usually what I do in those kinds of situations is try all the different fingerings to find the one that's most comfortable, taking into account the notes before and after the difficult interval--ie, if the Bb is preceded by an A, it might be easiest to use the side key Bb fingering, if the E is followed by an F it might be easiest to use the front E, etc. From then on it's just working with the metronome, trying to bring it up to tempo.
My first thought would be to play bis Bb, and play high E fingered as G#, but with the side E key also depressed. It takes a little practice to get that high E to pop out but it's well in tune on all my saxes. Of course this depends on what comes after.
+1. That's the best way to do it that I know of. As with any fingering combinations, the trick is to practice it slowly, then gradually speed it up. Eventually it gets easy.
I agree totally with Merlin. Going to front anything from a note where you're holding the B key (LH1) is extremely difficult to do cleanly, because you'd have to lift that finger and raise it to the Front F key without getting a note like like C# to pop out for a split second in between.
I agree with pretty much everything already said. Bis Bb to the "regular" high E is the easiest option. No shifting of anything in the right hand, and you'll find that going to front E is going to be nearly impossible from bis Bb. Going to front E from any of the other Bb fingerings is going to be unnecessarily difficult.
Another possibility that comes with a caveat is to use bis Bb and then finger high E by pressing the high F key alone with LH 3 (your ring finger). Pitch may be an issue, but on a lot of horns this can work.
I think I just recommended the Rubank Advanced Method for Saxophone Vol. I to someone here last week, but in any case this book (i) is dirt cheap and (ii) has pages and pages of intensive fingering exercises for tricky intervals. It also includes a comprehensive general fingering chart, if that would help.
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