Transposition / Tenor sax
Tenor sax transposition
Tenor sax transposition: written to concert pitch (with audio)
Written C on tenor sax sounds B♭, a major ninth (an octave plus a step) lower.
Written to concert pitch: every note
Tap ▶ to hear each note played on tenor sax.
| Written note | Sounds (concert pitch) |
|---|---|
| C5 | B♭3 |
| C♯5 | B3 |
| D5 | C4 |
| D♯5 | C♯4 |
| E5 | D4 |
| F5 | E♭4 |
| F♯5 | E4 |
| G5 | F4 |
| G♯5 | F♯4 |
| A5 | G4 |
| A♯5 | G♯4 |
| B5 | A4 |
Key signatures: concert key to written key
If the band is playing in the concert key on the left, this is the key the tenor sax part is written in.
| Concert key | Tenor sax written key |
|---|---|
| D♭ major (5 flats) | E♭ major (3 flats) |
| A♭ major (4 flats) | B♭ major (2 flats) |
| E♭ major (3 flats) | F major (1 flat) |
| B♭ major (2 flats) | C major (no ♯ or ♭) |
| F major (1 flat) | G major (1 sharp) |
| C major (no ♯ or ♭) | D major (2 sharps) |
| G major (1 sharp) | A major (3 sharps) |
| D major (2 sharps) | E major (4 sharps) |
| A major (3 sharps) | B major (5 sharps) |
| E major (4 sharps) | F♯ major (6 sharps) |
| B major (5 sharps) | C♯ major (7 sharps) |
Concert B♭ scale for tenor sax
Written notes for Tenor sax, one octave ascending:
Tenor sax transposition notes
Tenor sax is a B♭ instrument, the same pitch class as clarinet and trumpet, so it is written in exactly the same key for any given concert key. What is different is the octave: tenor sax sounds a full octave lower than clarinet or trumpet for the same written note, a major ninth in total rather than a plain major second.
This trips people up more than the key signature does. Someone used to soprano-range B♭ instruments can get the letter names right and still be an octave off when checking a part against a piano or a recording.
Because the key signature only depends on the pitch class, not the octave, tenor sax and clarinet share the exact same written key signature for every concert key, and the concert B♭ major scale is written as plain C major on tenor sax too, just sounding an octave down.
Tenor sax: concert pitch is a major 9th lower than written pitch (write a major 9th higher than concert to go the other way).
Frequently asked
What is concert pitch on tenor sax?
The actual sounding pitch. Tenor sax is a transposing B♭ instrument: written C sounds concert B♭, a major ninth (over an octave) lower.
Why does tenor sax sound so much lower than clarinet for the same written note?
Both are B♭ instruments and share a key signature, but tenor sax is built an octave lower than clarinet or B♭ trumpet, so the same written note sounds an octave-plus-a-step lower.
What is the tenor sax concert B♭ scale?
Written C major, the same notes as clarinet and trumpet, sounding one octave lower.
Is tenor sax key signature the same as clarinet?
Yes, both transpose down a major second's worth of key signature (two more sharps or two fewer flats than concert), only the octave differs.
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