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NoteAtlas

Low C♯ on the Alto Saxophone

To play Low C♯ (C♯4) on alto sax: Left hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + left little-finger low C♯ key, right little-finger low C key.

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: pressed1Bis key: openbisLeft middle key: pressed2Left ring key: pressed3Side E key: openESide C key: openCSide B♭ key: openB♭Left pinky G♯ key: openG♯Left pinky low C♯ key: pressedC♯Left pinky low B key: openBLeft pinky low B♭ key: openB♭Right index key: pressed4Right middle key: pressed5Right ring key: pressed6High F♯ key: openF♯Right pinky low E♭ key: openE♭Right pinky low C key: pressedC
Now showing
Low C♯C♯4
Left hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + left little-finger low C♯ key, right little-finger low C key
Written
C♯4
Sounds
E3
C♯4 on the treble staff

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

Press or cover
  • Left index key
  • Left middle key
  • Left ring key
  • Right index key
  • Right middle key
  • Right ring key
  • Left pinky low C♯ key
  • Right pinky low C key
Tip · Low C♯

That vent is why it sounds stuffier and duller than its neighbors — give it a touch more air and drop the jaw slightly instead of pushing against the reed.

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♯
Practice this
Speed72BPM
Tip · Low C♯

That vent is why it sounds stuffier and duller than its neighbors — give it a touch more air and drop the jaw slightly instead of pushing against the reed.

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteLow CLeft hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + right little-finger low C keyNext noteLow DLeft hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6Full 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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More for advanced players

Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

Low C♯ is written C♯4 and sounds concert E3.

Low C♯ is a vented low C: the left-pinky C♯ paddle opens a small hole while the right pinky keeps the low C key down. That vent is why it sounds stuffier and duller than its neighbors — give it a touch more air and drop the jaw slightly instead of pushing against the reed.

  • Primary fingering: Left index key + Left middle key + Left ring key + Right index key + Right middle key + Right ring key + Left pinky low C♯ key + Right pinky low C key
  • Written pitch: C♯4 · Concert pitch: E3
  • Sounding frequency: 164.81 Hz

What to press, key by key

  • Left index key
  • Left middle key
  • Left ring key
  • Right index key
  • Right middle key
  • Right ring key
  • Left pinky low C♯ key
  • Right pinky low C key

Questions

How do you play Low C♯ on alto sax?

To play Low C♯ (C♯4) on alto sax: Left hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + left little-finger low C♯ key, right little-finger low C key. Low C♯ is written C♯4 and sounds concert E3. Press: Left index key, Left middle key, Left ring key, Right index key, Right middle key, Right ring key, Left pinky low C♯ key, Right pinky low C key.

Is Low C♯ written or concert pitch?

The name on this page is the written note you read. On E♭ alto sax it sounds concert E3.

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.