C Melody Saxophone Forum

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C Melody Saxophone Forum / C-Tenor (C-Melody) Saxophones / C Melody Sax Range

Back 20 Messages

gullette
User ID: 1105234 Apr 17th 1:19 PM
Could someone tell me exactly what is the written and the sounding range of the C Melody Sax? Please be specific enough that I can tell which notes of which octave (relative to middle C on a piano is fine). Thanks so much.

Jim B
User ID: 0707654 Apr 22nd 9:46 PM
Point of information, middle C does not link the treble clef to the bass clef. There are other clefs than just two. I checked my piano and found that the so called "middle C" is not the C note in the middle of the piano i.e. count the C notes on the piano and find the middle one. Come to think of it, you can play the C melody sax in any clef. I play alto sax when reading bass clef music.In gregorian chant using their unique clef there is even a "middle C".

Mal-2k8
User ID: 9335603 Apr 23rd 1:55 AM
As noted, the range of the C-melody is the same as all other saxophones of modern construction: written Bb on the bottom to written high F. Even without a front F key (which a lot of vintage C-mels do not have), high F# is still attainable, and there is no particular reason the horn can't be played well into "only dogs can hear it" range by a capable (and sadistic) player.

Aside from having to force F# a little, and not yet finding an in-tune G, I can get an 88 year old Buescher to speak cleanly all the way up to D, the Eb is there most of the time, and I hit E and F once or twice. I'm not a spectacular altissimo player either, merely adequate, and I can fake a whole extra octave (of which I trust a major 6th).

deraltekluge
User ID: 1300074 May 2nd 12:39 AM
The A above middle C on a piano is 440 Hz. That frequency corresponds to the A just above the treble clef staff on a C-Melody sax. The C-Soprano's notes sound an octave higher, with the C just below the treble staff matching the piano's middle C in frequency.

Back 20 Messages

gullette User ID: 1105234	Apr 17th 1:19 PM Could someone tell me exactly what is the written and the sounding range of the C Melody Sax? Please be specific enough that I can tell which notes of which octave (relative to middle C on a piano is fine). Thanks so much.
Jim B User ID: 0707654	Apr 22nd 9:46 PM Point of information, middle C does not link the treble clef to the bass clef. There are other clefs than just two. I checked my piano and found that the so called "middle C" is not the C note in the middle of the piano i.e. count the C notes on the piano and find the middle one. Come to think of it, you can play the C melody sax in any clef. I play alto sax when reading bass clef music.In gregorian chant using their unique clef there is even a "middle C".
Mal-2k8 User ID: 9335603	Apr 23rd 1:55 AM As noted, the range of the C-melody is the same as all other saxophones of modern construction: written Bb on the bottom to written high F. Even without a front F key (which a lot of vintage C-mels do not have), high F# is still attainable, and there is no particular reason the horn can't be played well into "only dogs can hear it" range by a capable (and sadistic) player. Aside from having to force F# a little, and not yet finding an in-tune G, I can get an 88 year old Buescher to speak cleanly all the way up to D, the Eb is there most of the time, and I hit E and F once or twice. I'm not a spectacular altissimo player either, merely adequate, and I can fake a whole extra octave (of which I trust a major 6th).
deraltekluge User ID: 1300074	May 2nd 12:39 AM The A above middle C on a piano is 440 Hz. That frequency corresponds to the A just above the treble clef staff on a C-Melody sax. The C-Soprano's notes sound an octave higher, with the C just below the treble staff matching the piano's middle C in frequency.