Playable in your web browser, this virtual version of a tenor sax lets players click on the on-screen note grid or even (if you prefer) ‘feel’ the instrument using your computer keyboard. Designed as a tenor sax in B-flat, it replicates the fingering and sound of a genuine instrument allowing you to see where the traditional notes falls. Additionally, you can hear the actual concert pitch that sounds alongside the note written out, giving a look into transposition.
This is laid out across an extensive grid of note button (covering two octaves from written C4-C6) that you can click to sound the corresponding note. As soon as a note is played the centre diagram of a saxophone will update showing which keys would of been pressed down on the actual instrument to produce this note. This provides visual clues and helps you understand common fingering pattern. For example, lift all fingers for high C and cover all six main tone holes for low C. When the thumb position is changed then the octave key indicator will light indicating real playing technique.
How to Use the Virtual Saxophone
You can also use your keyboard. It has been mapped so that the home row is the lower octave of the piano (the Z, S, X, D, C, V, G, B, H, N, J, M, and comma). And then the row above is the upper octave: (Q, 2, W, 3, E, R, 5, T, 6, Y, 7, U, I). Then the dark small keys are the sharps/flats. It’s a quick way to be able to play a scale as you don’t need to move your hand around to much.
You also have some controls that allow you to experiment with technique and shaping the sound. On the right-hand side is the volume slider that adjusts the main volume allowing you to maintain comfort levels. Next to this is the vibrato toggle that adds a gentle pitch oscillation to mimic the jaw movement saxophonists use for expression. Leave it on for a warmer sound or turn it off when working on a straight tone. The final button is for the long tone which takes the previous note you play and sustains it with a slow swell and fade. This is an excellent tool for practising breath control and intonation as you don’t have to hold a key down.
There are two buttons to play back pre-sets that show you what this instrument sounds like playing. One of them, the scale run button, will play through a major scale up and down, highlighting the fingering changes in real time. This can be especially helpful when seeing where the notes change. The other one, blues riff, plays through a brief melody that would not be out of place on a tenor saxophone. If you press the button again it will stop the sequence. These are really just ways to listen to the sound of the instrument and how fingerings works in a melodic sense.
The tenor saxophone is automatically able to transpose, as it sounds a major ninth down from the notation. What that means is if you pick out a written C then you are actualy sounding a low D. Both names are clearly displayed so there’s no need for the musician reading this part to work out the interval in their head. This helps people who read parts this way connect what they see with what they hear.
The widget will go to fullscreen so there’s even more space for the diagram and keyboard. If you’re working with this on a mobile device or small laptop screen this can be useful. This is the Help Panel. This is a handy reminder of the fingering basics plus a quick reference guide to the keyboard mapping, which you can show or hide as needed. It’ll also remind you about one of the tricky areas for learners: the change in fingering around C5/D5 where all your fingers needs to move at once!
Play around with various settings and keys. Get used to the octave key engaging by running through the scale slowly. Activate the long tone feature and practice listening to the ring of a single note. Experiment with adjusting the vibrato to see how it changes the sound’s feel. Choose between playing via keyboard or mouse click based off your comfort level. Remember this is an opportunity to learn about the mechanics and range of the instrument, so take your time and try not to feel rushed.
First play some middle C notes to familiarise yourself with how it sounds. Next work your way up through the scale where the fingering pattern appear. In no time you’ll realise that the visual aid matches what is happening physically when playing. This is a useful tool for students who want to learn their fingerings on the saxophone but also for musicians wanting to explore the sound design of the saxophone. Explore the keyboard and discover more about what happens when the keys is pressed down.