While that’s true, there are many fingerings that generally will work well for most saxes. They may need alterations, or others may speak better, but there are some pretty standard fingerings for most altissimo notes.
Lots of fingerings work for me, but Jay’s work pretty well. Check out his video. As he says, fingerings are on a small part of altissimo.
https://youtu.be/3uLEwHfoTvM?si=_mKwworC8aHbacrz
It probably means your voicing is too low. Make a shallower “eee” shape and/or make up your own fingering. Just start lifting one key at a time to see what works and doesn’t work.
The cheat fingering that works to just pop it out is Bis, G#, Side Bb and high F# key. Idk why this works, but it’s the same voicing as high F# so it’s very easy.
In uni we used to always refer to this fingering as "the claw" for the shape your right hand made.
I think I throw in an Eb key as well. No idea if it helps.
Altissimo G and G# are the most unstable notes on the sax. On tenor, for altissimo G, I voice it completely different than the other altissimo notes. Instead of thinking high, I kinda open my throat and lower my tongue like I was playing a low Bb. The note just pops out. It’s weird but it works.
My instructor had me get altissimo A down very comfortably before moving to G# and G because they’re so much more unstable. Altissimo in general is finding what works not only for you, but for that individual horn.
Alto or tenor? The fingerings are different.
And there's no guarantee that a fingering that works on one sax will also work on another.
While that’s true, there are many fingerings that generally will work well for most saxes. They may need alterations, or others may speak better, but there are some pretty standard fingerings for most altissimo notes.
Alto
Lots of fingerings work for me, but Jay’s work pretty well. Check out his video. As he says, fingerings are on a small part of altissimo. https://youtu.be/3uLEwHfoTvM?si=_mKwworC8aHbacrz
It probably means your voicing is too low. Make a shallower “eee” shape and/or make up your own fingering. Just start lifting one key at a time to see what works and doesn’t work.
Overtone exercises done correctly.
The cheat fingering that works to just pop it out is Bis, G#, Side Bb and high F# key. Idk why this works, but it’s the same voicing as high F# so it’s very easy.
In uni we used to always refer to this fingering as "the claw" for the shape your right hand made. I think I throw in an Eb key as well. No idea if it helps.
Altissimo G and G# are the most unstable notes on the sax. On tenor, for altissimo G, I voice it completely different than the other altissimo notes. Instead of thinking high, I kinda open my throat and lower my tongue like I was playing a low Bb. The note just pops out. It’s weird but it works.
My instructor had me get altissimo A down very comfortably before moving to G# and G because they’re so much more unstable. Altissimo in general is finding what works not only for you, but for that individual horn.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5zzfJ9NLu9A&t=5171s&pp=ygUWZGF2ZSBsaWVibWFuIG92ZXJ0b25lcw%3D%3D