Saxophone Tuner
This saxophone tuner shows your note as a sax player reads it. Choose alto, tenor, bari or soprano and the letter matches your music. Play a long note and the needle shows whether to push the mouthpiece in or pull it out.
Play a tuning note
The microphone is only used while the tuner runs. Sound is analysed on your device and never recorded or sent anywhere.
Saxophone tuning notes
The saxophone is a transposing instrument, so the note you read is not the concert pitch the band tunes to. These are the usual tuning notes as you read them and as the tuner hears them, at A = 440 Hz.
| Written (Alto sax (E♭)) | Concert pitch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| G5 | B♭4 | 466.16 Hz |
| F♯5 | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
Not sure of a fingering? The saxophone fingering chart shows every note and plays it at the right pitch.
How to tune a saxophone
- Warm up; the sax goes sharp as it warms.
- Choose your saxophone in the menu so the tuner shows your written notes.
- Play the tuning note (written G on alto and bari, written C on tenor and soprano) with a full, relaxed sound.
- Move the mouthpiece. Sharp: pull it out. Flat: push it in. Small movements are enough.
- Check other notes, for example low D and the D an octave up. If one is sharp and the other flat, work on embouchure and air rather than the mouthpiece.
Embouchure and pitch
Biting raises the pitch and makes the sound thin; a loose embouchure drops it, especially low. The sax should be in tune with a relaxed, round embouchure. If you have to bite to bring notes up, push the mouthpiece in further instead.
Alto, tenor, bari and soprano
All saxophones share the same fingerings, so the saxophone fingering chart works for every size. They differ in key: alto and bari are in E♭, tenor and soprano are in B♭. Concert pitch is in the menu too, for when you need to talk about notes with the rest of the band.
Saxophone Tuner FAQ
How do I tune a saxophone?
Tune by moving the mouthpiece on the neck cork. If the needle is right (sharp), pull the mouthpiece out a little; if it is left (flat), push it further on. Twist gently so you don't tear the cork.
What note does an alto sax tune to?
For concert B♭, alto sax plays written G (the space just above the staff, G5). For concert A, alto plays written F♯. Tenor sax plays written C for concert B♭.
Why does the tuner show a different note on alto and tenor?
Alto and bari are in E♭; tenor and soprano are in B♭. The same concert B♭ is a written G on alto and bari, and a written C on tenor and soprano. Pick your sax in the menu and the tuner shows the note you read.
Which saxophone notes are out of tune?
Middle D and up (with the octave key) tends to be sharp, and the low notes can be flat when the air is slow. Palm-key notes vary from horn to horn. Long tones with the tuner show the tendencies of your saxophone.
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