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NoteAtlas

High F on the Alto Saxophone

To play High F (F6) on alto sax: Left hand: octave key + palm D key, palm E♭ key, palm F key, side E key.

Full chart
BackPalm keysLeft handSide keysL pinky tableRight handR pinkyOctave key: pressedOctFront F key: openfFPalm D key: pressedDPalm E♭ key: pressedE♭Palm F key: pressedFLeft index key: open1Bis key: openbisLeft middle key: open2Left ring key: open3Side E key: pressedESide 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 showing
High FF6
Left hand: octave key + palm D key, palm E♭ key, palm F key, side E key
Written
F6
Sounds
A♭5
F6 on the treble staff

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

Press or cover
  • Octave key
  • Palm D key
  • Palm E♭ key
  • Palm F key
  • Side E key
Tip · High F

The front-F alternate is the one to learn next — it is far easier in F arpeggios and it is the doorway into the altissimo register.

B♭3Low B♭B3Low BC4Low CC♯4Low C♯D4Low DE♭4Low E♭E4Low EF4Low FF♯4Low F♯G4G♯4A4B♭4B4C5C♯5D5E♭5E5F5F♯5G5G♯5A5B♭5B5C6C♯6D6High DE♭6High E♭E6High EF6High FF♯6High F♯
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Speed72BPM
Tip · High F

The front-F alternate is the one to learn next — it is far easier in F arpeggios and it is the doorway into the altissimo register.

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteHigh ELeft hand: octave key + palm D key, palm E♭ key, side E keyNext noteHigh F♯Left hand: octave key + palm D key, palm E♭ key, palm F key, side E key, high F♯ keyFull chartAll 33 alto sax notesThe whole fingering chartScaleConcert B♭ majorWritten G major, fingering under every noteTrainerNote trainerRead treble clef notesPrintPrintable PDFLetter · A4 · blank

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Alternate fingerings for High F

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

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Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

High F is written F6 and sounds concert A♭5.

All three palm keys plus the side E key and the octave key: the top of the standard range on a saxophone without a high F♯ key. The front-F alternate is the one to learn next — it is far easier in F arpeggios and it is the doorway into the altissimo register.

  • Primary fingering: Octave key + Palm D key + Palm E♭ key + Palm F key + Side E key
  • Written pitch: F6 · Concert pitch: A♭5
  • Sounding frequency: 830.61 Hz

What to press, key by key

  • Octave key
  • Palm D key
  • Palm E♭ key
  • Palm F key
  • Side E key

Alternate fingerings for High F

  • Front (fork) F: Octave key + Front F key + Left middle key. In F arpeggios, when coming from C6, and as the standard launch fingering for altissimo. Slightly less stable in tone than the palm-key F.

Questions

How do you play High F on alto sax?

To play High F (F6) on alto sax: Left hand: octave key + palm D key, palm E♭ key, palm F key, side E key. High F is written F6 and sounds concert A♭5. Press: Octave key, Palm D key, Palm E♭ key, Palm F key, Side E key.

Is High F written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. On E♭ alto sax it sounds concert A♭5.

Is there another fingering for High F?

Front (fork) F: In F arpeggios, when coming from C6, and as the standard launch fingering for altissimo. Slightly less stable in tone than the palm-key F.

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.