Transposition / Alto sax
Alto sax transposition
Alto sax transposition: written to concert pitch (with audio)
Written C on alto sax sounds E♭, a major sixth lower.
Written to concert pitch: every note
Tap ▶ to hear each note played on alto sax.
| Written note | Sounds (concert pitch) |
|---|---|
| C4 | E♭3 |
| C♯4 | E3 |
| D4 | F3 |
| D♯4 | F♯3 |
| E4 | G3 |
| F4 | A♭3 |
| F♯4 | A3 |
| G4 | B♭3 |
| G♯4 | B3 |
| A4 | C4 |
| A♯4 | C♯4 |
| B4 | D4 |
Key signatures: concert key to written key
If the band is playing in the concert key on the left, this is the key the alto sax part is written in.
| Concert key | Alto sax written key |
|---|---|
| D♭ major (5 flats) | B♭ major (2 flats) |
| A♭ major (4 flats) | F major (1 flat) |
| E♭ major (3 flats) | C major (no ♯ or ♭) |
| B♭ major (2 flats) | G major (1 sharp) |
| F major (1 flat) | D major (2 sharps) |
| C major (no ♯ or ♭) | A major (3 sharps) |
| G major (1 sharp) | E major (4 sharps) |
| D major (2 sharps) | B major (5 sharps) |
| A major (3 sharps) | F♯ major (6 sharps) |
| E major (4 sharps) | C♯ major (7 sharps) |
Concert B♭ scale for alto sax
Written notes for Alto sax, one octave ascending:
Alto sax transposition notes
The alto sax is pitched in E♭. Every note a player reads sounds a major sixth lower than written, so a part written in C major sounds in E♭ major, and a part meant to sound in concert C major has to be written a major sixth up, in A major.
Alto sax shares its key signature with baritone sax: both are E♭ instruments, so the two parts are always written in the same key for a given concert key. What is different is the octave. Baritone sax sounds a full octave lower again, which is why its interval is a thirteenth (an octave plus a sixth) instead of a plain sixth.
This matters most at rehearsal, when a director calls out a concert-pitch chord or key ('we're in concert B♭') and every transposing player has to work out their own key on the spot. For alto sax, concert B♭ major is written as G major, which is why an alto part in G major with one sharp is a common sight in band music that is otherwise in a flat key for everyone else.
Alto sax: concert pitch is a major 6th lower than written pitch (write a major 6th higher than concert to go the other way).
Frequently asked
What is concert pitch on alto sax?
Concert pitch is the actual sounding pitch, the one a piano or a tuner reads. Alto sax is a transposing instrument, so its written pitch and concert pitch are different: written C sounds concert E♭.
How do I read a concert pitch part on alto sax?
Move every note up a major sixth (nine semitones) from the concert pitch to get the written note, then read it in E♭. A concert C becomes a written A, for example.
What is the alto sax concert B♭ scale?
Written G major: G, A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G. Playing that scale on alto sax sounds a concert B♭ major scale.
Why does alto sax share E♭ with baritone sax?
Both are E♭ instruments with the same fingerings, so they use the same written key for any concert key. Baritone sax simply sounds an octave lower than alto.
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