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NoteAtlas

C5 on the Alto Saxophone

To play C5 on alto sax: Left hand: 2.

Full chart
BackPalm keysLeft handSide keysL pinky tableRight handR pinkyOctave key: openOctFront F key: openfFPalm D key: openDPalm E♭ key: openE♭Palm F key: openFLeft index key: open1Bis key: openbisLeft middle key: pressed2Left ring key: open3Side E key: openESide C key: openCSide B♭ key: openB♭Left pinky G♯ key: openG♯Left pinky low C♯ key: openC♯Left pinky low B key: openBLeft pinky low B♭ key: openB♭Right index key: open4Right middle key: open5Right ring key: open6High F♯ key: openF♯Right pinky low E♭ key: openE♭Right pinky low C key: openC
Now showingBeginner note
C5
Left hand: 2
Written
C5
Sounds
E♭4
C5 on the treble staff

Play along: hear the note for 2 beats, then you play it for 2.

Press or cover
  • Left middle key
Tip · C5

This is the second-to-top note of the first register and can feel airy, so keep the air moving and the throat open rather than pinching to find the center.

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Speed72BPM
Tip · C5

This is the second-to-top note of the first register and can feel airy, so keep the air moving and the throat open rather than pinching to find the center.

Sound and display

Alternate fingerings for C5

Each alternate has its own link. Send it to a student and the page opens with that fingering on the big diagram.

More for advanced players

Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

C5 is written C5 and sounds concert E♭4.

Left middle finger alone — the index finger comes off, which catches out nearly every beginner. This is the second-to-top note of the first register and can feel airy, so keep the air moving and the throat open rather than pinching to find the center.

  • Primary fingering: Left middle key
  • Written pitch: C5 · Concert pitch: E♭4
  • Sounding frequency: 311.13 Hz

What to press, key by key

  • Left middle key

Alternate fingerings for C5

  • Side C (left index + side C key): Left index key + Side C key. In chromatic passages and B–C trills, where it avoids swapping the left index for the middle finger.

Questions

How do you play C5 on alto sax?

To play C5 on alto sax: Left hand: 2. C5 is written C5 and sounds concert E♭4. Press: Left middle key.

Is C5 written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. On E♭ alto sax it sounds concert E♭4.

Is there another fingering for C5?

Side C (left index + side C key): In chromatic passages and B–C trills, where it avoids swapping the left index for the middle finger.

Alto Saxophone fingering data last updated . Every diagram here, in the printable PDF and in the chart image comes from one dataset, so the paper and the screen cannot disagree.