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NoteAtlas

Low C on the Alto Saxophone

To play Low C (C4) on alto sax: Left hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + 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: openC♯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 showingBeginner note
Low CC4
Left hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + right little-finger low C key
Written
C4
Sounds
E♭3
C4 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
  • Right pinky low C key
Tip · Low C

Start it with a soft "doo" rather than a hard tongue stroke and keep the airstream moving through the note; the low register stops speaking the moment the air slows.

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

Start it with a soft "doo" rather than a hard tongue stroke and keep the airstream moving through the note; the low register stops speaking the moment the air slows.

Sound and display

Next moves

Previous noteLow BLeft hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + left little-finger low B key, right little-finger low C keyNext noteLow C♯Left hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + left little-finger low C♯ key, right little-finger low C 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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More for advanced players

Written and sounding pitch, and how the note works

About this note

Low C is written C4 and sounds concert E♭3.

All six fingers plus the right-pinky low C key — the first of the bottom notes most players get reliably. Start it with a soft "doo" rather than a hard tongue stroke and keep the airstream moving through the note; the low register stops speaking the moment the air slows.

  • Primary fingering: Left index key + Left middle key + Left ring key + Right index key + Right middle key + Right ring key + Right pinky low C key
  • Written pitch: C4 · Concert pitch: E♭3
  • Sounding frequency: 155.56 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
  • Right pinky low C key

Questions

How do you play Low C on alto sax?

To play Low C (C4) on alto sax: Left hand: 1, 2, 3 · Right hand: 4, 5, 6 + right little-finger low C key. Low C is written C4 and sounds concert E♭3. Press: Left index key, Left middle key, Left ring key, Right index key, Right middle key, Right ring 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 E♭3.

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.