How to Play Altissimo on Saxophone (alto and tenor)

#bettersax #saxophone #saxophonelessons
Jay Metcalf gives a lesson on the trick that helps overcome barriers in playing altissimo so that you can play with consistency and confidence in the altissimo range.
🔥 Join the Reed Revolution and try the new BetterSax Jazz Cut Reeds HERE ➡ geni.us/reed
🎁 Access the FREE BetterSax SHED with tons of sax lessons, pdf downloads and backing tracks HERE: bettersax.com/shed
===========================
⚡️Featured BetterSax Gear
“Designed BY Saxophonists FOR Saxophonists”
===========================
🎷BetterSax Saxophones: ➡︎ geni.us/saxophones
🎷BURNIN’ Mouthpieces: ➡︎ geni.us/Burnin
🎷Jazz Cut Reeds: ➡︎ geni.us/reed
🎷Must Have Accessories: bettersax.com/store
===========================
🎓Want to Study Saxophone with Jay Metcalf?
===========================
🔥 Join the BetterSax Studio for personalized video feedback from Jay as well as new lessons and downloads every month ➡️ bettersax.com/course/studio
💪🏻Get lifetime access to BetterSax courses that have helped 10s of thousands of saxophonists at every level around the world ➡️ bettersax.com/products/
===========================
Connect with us!
===========================
IG: ➡︎ / bettersax
Tik Tok: ➡︎ / bettersax
Facebook: ➡︎ / bettersax
===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the BetterSax Podcast HERE:📱
===========================
➡︎Apple: apple.co/3rmr9no
➡︎Spotify: sptfy.com/OWAr
Our mission here at BetterSax is to help saxophone players improve steadily, while enjoying the process of learning. We aim to help people find sax gear for every budget that delivers exceptional value and performance.
This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.
Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our videos on the BetterSax KZbin channel. bettersax.com/terms

[@ntxmt]

BTW - The pentatonics patterns course is great. I'm going through it and really enjoying it. I like the cut to the chase method of getting to where I can play rockin' solos. Thanks bro. Well worth the price of the course.

[@momijipress583]

I played alto sax in high school band back in the '60s, and although I never had lessons, decades ago I stumbled across Sigurd Rascher's "Top Tones" book, but could never figure out how to do more than a couple overtones on the low Bb. From the '90s I slowly learned by trial and error in weekly church worship band rehearsals to do simple improv on alto and then tenor. Last year (at age 65), I found Jay's pentatonic courses, and committed to practice at least 15 minutes every day. I also took his advice on doing just a bit of overtone work in each practice session. After about three months, it just started to click and I started finding the altissimo notes. However, it's taken patience for a year to get to where I can now RELIABLY play all the altissimo notes on Jay's fingering chart and I'm getting close to actually using them live. It's basically the brain, the air flow, and the inner mouth muscles and tongue figuring out what they need to do to produce each note. For me, the proper positioning of the tongue along with that high intensity puff of air from the diaphragm to get the reed vibrating the overtone immediately is key. Practicing the overtones daily will help your body figure out what needs to happen for those higher tones. It's definitely NOT biting. And the correct hardness of the reed for the mouthpiece is also an important factor. Right now I'm having the most success on my tenor with a Vandoren V16 T7 mouthpiece and a Legere 2 1/4 reed. For daily altissimo practice, I love the consistency of the synthetic reed. So don't give up! You can crack the code!

[@bettersax]

Sounds like you’re getting the reward for sticking with it over the long term.

[@momijipress583]

@@bettersax Thanks, Jay. Your courses, regular videos (you went the extra mile with that Rigotti reed video!), and the Anytune Pro+ app for slowed down repetitive rehearsals of challenging licks have revolutionized my practice time. It's taken months for me to learn your Amazing Grace improv tiny piece by tiny piece, but when I first heard it I said "I need to learn that!" Through that piece I've learned fingering habits to facilitate clean playing of faster licks that I wish I'd learned decades ago.

[@xindorio7966]

Im kind of knew to the saxophone scene but.im getting better a lot faster that expected. Do you think with your experience that I should go for a better mouthpiece

[@GeorgeSKLeong]

This has to be one of the best tutorials on altissimo and the high G given here works like a charm on my alto. Thank you, Jay

[@MichaIsraelKovler]

As always - an excellent tutorial on the subject! Finally starting to get those high notes. Thanks Jay, it really helps.

[@gdoggcasey]

I just got a sax yesterday and have been having so much fun learning. I have been soaking in so much info from so many different people, and they are all great. Your stuff seems to be on another level though. I already signed up for the beginner course and the crash course (got the pentatonic scale memorized and looking forward to the next video) and I can see myself getting really stuck in and getting better. Keep up the great work!

[@victorhwang2258]

I hit altissimo G on the tenor for the first time while watching this video for the first time!!! Thank you so much for the insight! Been trying for over a year.

[@robertzantay5923]

I’ve been playing saxophone for a long time maybe 50 years professionally, and I recently changed from a hard rubber to a metal mouthpiece and suddenly I can get all the Altissimo notes but I couldn’t connect them until I did what you suggested of learning the front keys as opposed to the Palm keys. This allowed me to immediately connect all the notes from high E to the C above that. Now I need to check out the more in tune fingerings. thank you so much, great stuff!

[@bettersax]

Great!

[@1otisoti]

I owe you a debt of gratitude for this,I`ve been pinching for 30 years,always knew it was not correct b/c the overtones weren't present...I practicing according to your instruction here...need to get the "plaid" out but it`s coming..thanks again man..

[@venitaalexander3759]

I love your lessons, ever since I fell in love with the sax, I have followed your classes. Thank you for all your advice. 😊

[@PrinceSwaggy]

I tried Altissimo G on Alto and I endeded up reaching a Altissimo C

[@BfMoriturus]

Well, you hit the next overtone series ;)

[@Shark_and_Bait]

Good job tho

[@lewcus4318]

Baritone Saxophone for bari I use the leak key as altissimo a🤣 I have a yanigasawa tho

[@waterbiscuit9222]

I did too, I think. it may have not been C, but I went higher than I should.

[@isaiahd9947]

I have a leaky pad that makes my altissimo G an altissimo B

[@saxcowboy]

Overtones help tremendously with throat position etc and pre hearing the tone helps as far as being in tune. Great lesson Jay!

[@craigmmiller35]

I have several of the Better Sax courses and practice them daily. These are some of, if not the best courses for building solid core skills. I consider myself an intermediate level player and I still get a ton of great workouts from the pentatonic and improv courses. So I have to believe the info in this video and on the the worksheet will be helpful as well.

[@bettersax]

+Craig Miller Thanks! great to hear from you.

[@spontaneousgroovincombusti2902]

Jay, you are a dear man with the heart of a true teacher.

[@rudolphwouters9499]

Wow, a whole new world opens up with these high E and high F fingerings, great. Thanks!

[@danfarmer7243]

This is the best video on altissimo I have seen. Great work Jay!

[@bettersax]

Thank You Dan.

[@georgekalowa7206]

The lessons have helped so much

[@travenmichaels7229]

You are by far the most helpful instructor that I have found here on KZbin so far. Thanks so much for your work and knowledge sharing, your videos help me immensely. I owe much of my duo's success to your digital mentorship! I'm starting to get my altissimo out thanks to this one! :)

[@bettersax]

+Traven Michaels That means a lot to me. It's very rewarding to hear feedback like that.

[@instrumentalistjade8367]

i agree... some videos tell its a piece of cake to do altissimo.. but no.. its hards

[@grahamlyons8522]

Traven: I agree.

[@hdwscoot9884]

You should try saxophone academy ( not saying Jay is bad he’s great)

[@Danjocross]

Wow. What a great video. I've struggled with these high notes for years! This video really simplified and clarified what I need to do differently! Thanks so much. I'll let you know how it works out for me.

[@MM-th4zu]

Great lesson, thank you so much! 😀

[@JeremyLCrabtree]

I realize I'm two years late to this party, but... The one thing I find very helpful, that you didn't mention, is being able to "audialize" the notes you want to play. That is, you should be able to hear, in your mind's ear, the notes you're trying to play. Even with the fingerings, altissimo notes don't just pop out. You have to know what the note should sound like, and be able to adjust your embouchure and throat to make it speak. The long tones help train your muscle memory to be able to reproduce it on demand. (disclaimer: I've played or ~29 years, but I'm still just an amateur)

[@BrunoNeureiter]

Did you mean audiate?

[@amj.composer]

@@BrunoNeureiter Listen to the pitch in your head. It's the MOST important thing when singing or playing a brass instrument, it's slightly less important on woodwinds, but since altissimo deals with harmonics you really wanna imagine the pitch in your head (or audiate).

[@joseceraia]

I completely agree " You have to think that note you want to play on the right pich ", just like with overtones.

[@prithvikumarnandakumar2386]

Bro u r the best you have always helped me when I needed help and I play better every time I see ur vids thanks alot

[@thomaskipfer1008]

My State University Professor would not help with this lesson. It was up to me to develop this altissimo register on my own. Now, thanks to this short Vid... I can now get altissimo register. You're the rockin' guy! Tom K

[@67randl]

Thank you for this video. I’m a professional clarinettist, needing to improve my sax skills for an upcoming show. Finally got the feeling in embouchure needed for altissimo after watching your tutorial 😊

[@TheDesertRat31]

Just found your channel. This is a good lesson. I stumbled on this method. I wish I had figured it out earlier. Anyway, another key "trick" for me was finally figuring out how to get my throat position correct to speed up the air column for hitting the overtonez/altissimo notes. I found using the throat position you get when pronouncing the letter Q. Getting the back of your tounge high in the throat with the initial attack, then the lift in the tounge immediately after initiating the sound: "ke-yew." As opposed to saying the letter K. Same attack, but the back of your tounge drops for the "ay" sound. The air column slows down. Just like holding your thumb over the end of a garden hose, the tounge position in "Q" creates the restriction to speed up the air column. The front of your mouth stays open and allows for a good embouchure without pinching.

[@joshcharlat850]

I'll be doing this soon. Thank you. Very clear.

[@GGflute]

I MUST TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD LESSONS! BEFOR,WNEN I WAS YUNGRE I PLAYED ON PIANO AND FLURE.WHEN I WAS 33 YEARS OLD I VE BAYED MY FIRST SAX B@S -GERMANY.AND I UNDERSTAND,THAT TENOR SOUND IS MY SOUND! AND I GO FOREWORD,TO BE BETTER DAY BY DAY! YOU ARE AN GOOD TEACHER!THANKS AGAIN!

[@davidcohler2728]

muchas gracias! me sirven mucho tus clases!! Excelente forma de enseñar!

[@Dizziesaxchick]

This is such a great resource. Thank you.

[@arielmcanulty9007]

This was a big help! I am playing in Rocky Horror Picture and my parts on tenor are just filled with altissimo notes!

[@waterbiscuit9222]

than you so much! I wanted to learn that, because reasons, and found this course, downloaded the pdf, and hit a high Bb, and I think c on accident with the g fingering. really helpful, earned you a sub.

[@no-hd6db]

*_Leo P Wants To Know Your Location_*

[@kalebjames22]

Yeet Inc. good one but he plays baritissimo

[@Pbug323]

Kaleb James it still was a good one

[@aspartameonmycoat]

I straight up came from the video of Leo P at the BBC proms

[@ethanweber5182]

Kaleb James you mean baritone? BarAtissimo is a subway sandwich

[@carson3838]

Bark Simpson it’s a joke

[@flintlong2937]

Man, I'm loving this! Thanks, so much!

[@a.j.501st]

Yeah, I have been getting out several altissimo notes on tenor quite consistently. But not G, though. So this will help. Thanks a lot.

[@miguelvelez6883]

I enjoy every lesson. Many other tutorials confuse me alot. Thanks for your patience I really value your expertise.

[@davideiotti9725]

Thanks!

[@Nottinghamkungfutaichi]

Although I'm a total novice with Alto Sax you have a great way of explaining the methods, thanks

[@WalkOverHotCoal]

Thank you very much for the video. I especially appreciate the last tip, ie. to work on something else and be better at it first. Horse before the cart. However, this Altissimo bugger is driving me crazy. As soon as I drive past the F#, I hit the ceiling, and I wanted the G and G#. Various fingering charts I tried ended up with indifferent results. The reason is explained in this video. Because I am so attached to the Palm keys to hit the F#, to suddenly change all that finger positions for G and G# become a chaotic event. The author's suggestion to abandon the Palm keys and use the front keys makes much sense. It is a paradigm shift, but I believe it is a worthwhile investment.

[@leonardoll30]

Thank you for sharing this video. I've been playing alto saxophone for 3 years and a half. I bought a tenor and I think it's easier to play altissimo notes on alto than on tenor. Actually, the notes sound higher than the note I try to play. For exemple, when I try to play a G, I play Something much higher, as I'm playing my alto. :)

[@peterz8008]

Great video! Taught me the notes on alto sax.

[@marcosavalente]

Great!! Thank you so much.

[@user-hd7vj8ed1o]

Thx for the lesson, really helpful! I finally found m G:)

[@ananasbrass]

Я всё ещё ищу и ищу😱🤣

[@pigsterplays4721]

This helped so much I can play high f sharp consistently now and I'm getting close to playing g

[@joaoribeiro7334]

Front E - 2:44 Front F - 4:08 Front F# - 7:13 Front G - 9:42

[@jeffreyharrison4045]

Thanks Jay!

[@jadeyabo965]

love you man!

[@thierryroullier8401]

Thanks! depending on reed type that G is coming out unevenly. Practice makes perfect! thanks for all your trainings.

[@nolanerck4612]

thanks, within a short amount of time I have achieved being able to hit e-f (sometimes f sharp and g) whenever and being able to get to a weird in between a and b flat through scale.

[@lisettestephanio6612]

Thank you very really help me you are the best mr jay

[@dniym-vw5mp]

Me watching this a day before I even start playing tenor

[@hello16yearsago43]

Practice!

[@JonathanTheTrombonist]

I *might* get an alto sax this summer, but I don't even know

[@mdiskandarabdulhamid4618]

Lol same

[@dniym-vw5mp]

hey guys switched to bari this year 😗

[@xxthe_rainxx7445]

@@dniym-vw5mp that’s so cool! I’m happy that you stuck to saxophone (:

[@alexandrinadelosmares5954]

Thanks, it helps me lots!!!

[@esfahan1961]

As usual a very helpful and well explained lesson Jay. Don't know how you managed to publish it in the middle of Thanksgiving celebrations. If that ain't called dedication, I don't know what it is :)

[@bettersax]

+Thierry Martin Thanks, I'm burning the candle at both ends!

[@estebanvenegas89]

Ill work hard to just start with This :0 love ur vids :))

[@dannynavarro1971]

Don't know how long you have been doing youtube videos, but wished I would have had these videos prior to being a music school drop out. You're videos are awesome! Even though I don't play anymore, I watch and enjoy them.

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@Ionlylistentodevayuga]

I just hit an altissimo g and c, thanks for the video!

[@MildleySaxySaxGuy]

i have a tenor and alto sax. i can get up to a G with ease on my tenor but on alto its harder for me. I can do it yes but its quite hefty to do. I also seriously cant get to a G# or above so this video certainly will help me improve. Thank you!

[@calendil]

thank you!

[@ChaChaWillis]

I think the main problem with altissimo is that many people try to get those altissimo notes out immediately after they learn high f and f#. They dont try to refine their tone with the high notes and make them sound clear and nice. All the points you made in your video are very solid and amazing. What I mentioned at the top is what I'm seeing with my high school

[@MYFAVORITECHRISTMAS]

Thank you!

[@olembajohnpaul3740]

Thank you sir

[@paulrafferty4324]

Thank you.

[@Fiscalwatchdog69]

Thank you so much

[@PrinceSwaggy]

Thank you so much I can hit double alt A's now

[@MrTbill10]

it works!

[@joshcharlat850]

For sure it is a project for down the road. I DO do the overtones because it seems very effective improving sound.

[@tsax4life940]

Very helpful

[@paulchen6939]

thanks a lot !!!

[@gerraldroycediang2353]

Thank you sir. God bless 🙏

[@UWeKMayrIII]

Make sure you add to these kind of explanatory videos that the keycombinations C/B/Bb and QF (opens just as far as when using high Fkey seperately) and the lowerhand combination to Bbkey are working properly. Any minor disfunctions in those combinations will hold you back in reaching a good result.

[@ricaard]

I love playing D by fingering a G, and blowing to the next harmonic overtone. It's very reliable, and I love the sound.

[@SAMMYSAXMUSIC]

Thanks :) My old horn has no F# key and this fingering combo works for the F# (severl do) but not the high G.

[@charlasax]

Love You , u are wonderful 🎷🎷🎶

[@raphaelsimard8053]

ohhhh niceeeee!

[@coffeewalker561]

After watching this video I hit high G within 20 minutes, I highly recommend this video ❤️👍🏾

[@imlacsina]

hey man! thanks for the instructions. I'm trying to hit altissimo E using the f key but pressing down button #3 covers the top octave hole. I'm able to hit altissimo F# easily though. What do you think is the problem?

[@raseshgandhi6702]

Very very lovely❤❤❤

[@Salty24]

"Maybe work on Something Else" - That's a brilliant thought. Thank you.

[@aidan4473]

Does this work on soprano and Bari too? I’m also a tenor tho so this was very helpful

[@jay7331]

Is the octave key supposed to open on the neck when playing front E? I can get the front F but not front E.

[@bettersax]

No the octave key stays down when you use the third finger in the left hand (G)

[@ntxmt]

Hi Jay. Thanks for the great lesson. How about putting up the score for your into lick? I really like it? On your website in the members are would be fine! thanks.

[@VideoNash]

thanks

[@billyroque7857]

Lenny Pickett, anyone? Thank you for the lesson. Very informative.

[@Sasfoot]

I tried so many techniques in my playing days almost 20 years ago and could never hit altissimo register notes. My main issue was difficulty hitting high E & F using alternate fingerings. I could only ever get them with the palm keys.

[@johnmicolaxamana5279]

For me it's also depends on the condition of your saxophone and what reeds are you using. Sometimes I hit the G in tenor but I don't know what is the A B but I know the C D E in 4th octave

[@venicesky5428]

I'm playing 1st alto on this tune called Roman Notes, and there's a part where it goes to an altissimo A. No matter what I do, I can never seem to get even close to an altissimo G/A. Hopefully this video will help!

[@michaelszelwis8302]

Hi Jay, Thanks for the great video! Behind the download link you included at the end, there seems to be only a page with fingerings on it, but not a work sheet which you mention in your video. In there a chance to get this work sheet? Thanks in advance. BR, Michael

[@stephanbaschung8609]

Hi, I've got a Tenorsax Selmer Mark VI (SerieNr. 164XXX), and the fingering doesn't work to play high G. I am familiar with sharp f, but I use the "Alto-fingering " on my tenorsax. Do you have any suggestions for me to try other fingerings? Thanks and many greetings from Switzerland!

[@angwer2940]

Hi Great video....any chance you could provide the fingerings for C# up to E altissimo? Many thanks

[@isaiahdray]

everyone’s support in the comments convinced me to subscribe 🙌

[@abedinsubashi]

What horn do you play? And also can you make a vid on the notes above G. I can play fine up to G but everything above that note is a mess

[@elytraaaaa]

I think it's a yanigasawa

[@samseltoter560]

I just yesterday learned how to play every altissimo note on my alto sax, and for some reason they are all easier than the front E.

[@glenfordtanwing5085]

Jay I need more understanding on the high front e fingering please help, thanks

[@user-gb4bo2zy1f]

hi. thanks for the information G. (by fingering) Better please tell me where you can find the fingering of 3 and 4 actors on the tenor saxophone. thank.

[@guntherzwahlen3990]

Without reading so much comments here below in one ore more where possibly this is already pointet out I recomend strongly to adjust front-F-buton on the saxophone in the way that while pressing it (by index finger of course), the high-F-key is opening just a tiny little bit wich is bringing out high G very much easier. There for one might have to change the fingerings for high E(+G#little finger), F, F# a bit. I got this suggestion from Eugene Rouseau´s book "Saxophone high tones" as well as from saxrepairmen around here (Zürich).

[@JTRAIN]

I had no problems playing altissimo on tenor saxophone

[@MrTexsax]

That was great!

[@bettersax]

Thanks!

[@impractical1158]

I don’t have any attachment keys on my saxophone which is a tenor but this would still work with the front fingerings you’ve shown? I’m going to have to experiment with that

[@Romankudinov11]

THAN\KS

[@bradystewart6420]

I have been working on altissimo for a while now. But for some reason can only play high E F and F# with the palm keys, but not with the front fingerings. Any tips?

[@shipsahoy1793]

I guess we could consider any note above high F on any of the saxophones is the first altissimo note of that sax. In that case, close to an octave is fairly doable, especially chromatically and slowly (although the G# on tenor is really annoying lol) and oh that god forsaken E and F that are an octave above high E.🤯. I agree that there is so much more to work on than altissimo. If I want to work on playing a tune that hits a few altissimo notes that I feel I could do, I’ll work on consistency for those, but I gave up on serious altissimo work. The altissimo notes Coltrane hits on his So What solo come to mind. And there’s a Lou Donaldson tune that the title somewhat escapes me at the moment, but there’s an arpeggiation lick in the key of A that he works in the altissimo range that’s cool as well.👨🏻

[@James87987]

I'm a bit stuck. I can get alt G no problem and have been using it for a year now but I can't get any notes higher than that. It feels like starting all over again. I try to hear the note in my head that im aiming for and have tried various fingerings but it just doesn't happen. Great lessons Jay. Thanks.

[@bettersax]

Les, check out the Overtones video I just published. This is the thing you need to practice to go to the next level.

[@James87987]

Thanks Jay, will take a look.