Want faster fingers on your sax? My Chromatic Scale Workouts will help you.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- The importance of learning chromatic scale and what to aim for
- What is a chromatic scale
- Seven saxophone chromatic scale workouts
Why Learn Chromatic Scales?
Chromatic scales are a great way to get your technique tuned up. They give you a great workout for your fingers, and your air – whatever style of sax you’re playing. Chromatic scales have been an essential part of my saxophone technique practice throughout my professional career.
Use these 7 workouts in your practice routine to get your fingers flying!
And, just about every celebrity saxophone player that has presented a masterclass for Sax School from Andy Snitzer (Billy Joel) to Nigel Hitchcock (Mark Knopfler) and even Dave Koz says it’s an essential part of their routine too!
I’m going to show you seven of my favourite quick chromatic scale workouts in this lesson. They’ll help you improve your flexibility, your control, and your finger technique. Don’t forget to get the free PDF download for this lesson from our Locker.
Need a finger refresher? Get our free Finger Chart and learn how to use it here.
What To Aim For?
We want to aim to play the chromatic scale really smoothly. I always think about how when you pour a big jug of honey it just smoothly flows down. So when I’m playing through my chromatic scales, I’m always trying to get that smooth, effortless feel.
But to get there, it’s best to break down that chromatic scale into little chunks. Because there are certain points over the range of the saxophone that are more difficult than others for chromatic scales. In these seven workouts, we will look at those pain points isolate them and work on them. Then when you put it back into the context of the whole chromatic scale, it’ll make it easier.
What Is a Chromatic Scale?
The chromatic scale is basically a scale where we’re going up in half steps, or semitones. Basically, we’re going from one note, up a half step, and then up another half step up.
There’s really only one chromatic scale, but you can start at any point you choose. I’m going to show you these exercises on the tenor saxophone. You can do this on any saxophone though. Make sure you get the free worksheet.
Free PDF Download inside Locker
7 Saxophone Chromatic Scale Workouts
Chromatic Scale Workout #1
The first workout is number 1 on the worksheet. This workout goes over the transition, or the break on the saxophone. This is where we go from C To C sharp adding our octave key on, and then going up to D.
Often when we’re playing through that area of the saxophone, it can be a bit lumpy because we’re going from no fingers to coordinating all of our fingers. And that’s the part that becomes difficult.
For most of the exercises on this sheet, I’ve written the first version in quarter notes or crotchets, and then I’ve written it out again in eighth notes or quavers. The idea is to start super slow, and then when you feel comfortable and it’s sounding perfectly smooth, then move on to the eighth notes or the quavers. And that way we’re always concentrating on getting the technique right first, before we get faster.
Listen to Workout 1 on the video.
The first workout uses these notes: B, C, C sharp, D, E flat, D, C sharp, C, B.
Here are a few points to think about:
- Keep your fingers super close to the keys. Really, you want to be touching the keys all the time.
- Good posture. You need to be upright and straight so you can breathe properly, and your lungs aren’t crowded because you’re crouching over. Ideally, you should be standing up.
Think about keeping a solid column of air going, all the way through. Try and maintain the quality of tone all the way through the exercise. And the way to do that is by keeping your air support or keeping up a good, even air supply all the way through.
Chromatic Scale Workout #2
For the second workout, we’re looking at the side fingering for B flat. Now, this takes a bit of coordination as well, so it’s a good idea to isolate that movement.
We are using these notes: B, B flat, A, G sharp, G, G sharp, A, B flat.
Now always remember to keep your fingers super close to those keys. Use a metronome so you can measure your speed. It’s going to keep you honest, and you can also keep track of how you’re progressing gradually each day, speeding the metronome up as you’re ready.
Listen to workout 2 on the video.
Learn about alternate B flat fingerings here.
Chromatic Scale Workout #3
Now here, we’re going to talk about another side key. This is an alternative fingering for note C. If we’re playing a chromatic scale where we’re using standard fingering, it can get really flappy, and that’s going to be difficult. So instead, use the side C fingering. We use our B key and then the middle key with our right index finger.
In this exercise, we’re starting on side C, down to B, B flat on the side, A, G sharp and the backup, A, B flat, G, back to the side C again.
We are using these notes: C, B, B flat, A, G sharp, A, B flat, G, C.
Listen to Workout 3 on the video.
With this exercise, it’s really important to keep the moving of your right index finger really smooth. You don’t want to be taking your finger a long way off the key that it’s going to make it difficult to be even. It’s a good challenge.
Free PDF Download inside Locker
Chromatic Scale Workout #4
For number 4, we’re going up a bit higher on the range. We’re going to start on E with our octave key on, and we’re going from E to F to F sharp to G.
Now, instead of using the middle F sharp here, I suggest trying the alternative fingering. We’re using our first finger, F, and the side key (side F sharp). This is a really useful chromatic fingering. It makes the movement through the chromatic scale so much smoother. It’s a good thing to work on.
We are using these notes: E, F, F sharp, G, G sharp, G natural, F sharp again with the side key and back to F natural.
Listen to Workout 4 on the video.
Chromatic Scale Workout #5
Now we are going to combine a couple of those chromatic fingerings together. It’s a good challenge.
We’re starting on B, up to C, down to B, down to B flat. Then we start on A, down to G sharp, G natural, and side F sharp. And then from F natural to E, back up to F, back up to F sharp. And we finish by going from G, G sharp, A, and the side B flat.
We are using these notes: B, C, B, B flat, — A, G sharp, G, F sharp — F, E, F, F sharp — G, G sharp, A, B flat — B
This is a great exercise to work through very gradually with the metronome and speed it up only when you’re ready. You’ve got to be really honest with yourself. Don’t push it too far. Accuracy is far more important than speed.
Listen to Workout 5 on the video.
Free PDF Download inside Locker
Chromatic Scale Workout #6
Let’s have a look at workout number 6. Now I call this “the witch”, because it sounds like a windy, sort of witchy thing to me. This one is quite a challenge. We’re going to use all of those alternate chromatic fingerings that we’ve learned so far in one neat little package.
We’re going to start with high G, then down to F sharp on the side, then F to E, and back up to F, E, D, D sharp, (E flat) down to D. And then we’re going to go E flat (D sharp) down to D to C sharp to side C. And then we’re going to B to B flat, A to G sharp.
We’ll use these notes:
- High G with the octave key on, F sharp, F natural, E,
- F, E, E flat, D,
- E flat, D, C sharp, side C,
- then B, B flat, A, G sharp.
And then going up…
- G natural, back up to G sharp, A, B flat,
- A, B flat, B, side C,
- Then B, side C, C sharp, D,
- E flat, E natural, F, side F sharp, and G.
We’re using our side F sharp, our side C and we’re using side B flat as well. We’ve got three different fingerings to think about in there. Let’s try playing it through slowly.
And if we speed this one up, it sounds cool. This one takes a bit of practice, and it’s definitely worth taking your time with it.
Listen to Workout 6 on the video.
Chromatic Scale Workout #7
I’ve got one more to show you. Now, this one uses the low notes on the saxophone. It’s quite tricky.
- We start on low D.
- D down to C sharp, down to low C, down to low B, and then down to low B flat.
- Back up to B, up to C, up to C sharp.
And then, to make it a bit easier, we‘re going to go D, E flat, E, side F sharp, back to F, back to E, back to E flat, and then go back to the beginning again.
D, C sharp, C, B — B flat, B, C, C sharp — D, E flat, E, F — side F sharp, F, E, E flat.
That’s a challenging one, and it definitely is worth taking your time with it. Make sure that all those movements on your left-hand little finger are as small as possible.
Listen to Workout 7 on the video.
Final Thoughts
So those are my seven chromatic scale workouts. If you spend a little bit of time on at least one of those, in each practice session, you’re going to see really big progress. Not just in your chromatic scales, but in your technique in general.
Make sure you’re diligent about this. Use your metronome. Start slowly. Think about your breathing. Think about your fingers close to the saxophone. I know it’s going to help you.
Next Steps
Check out this lesson on how to get faster fingers.
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