Scale sheets

Tenor Sax scales

All 12 major scales for tenor sax, one octave up and back down and the arpeggio, named by concert pitch and written in your part's key, with the fingering under every note. Pick the keys you want, or print all 12.
Scales
Range
Show
Keys to show and print (concert)
Spelling (your written key)
Concert A
Concert E
Concert B

The diagram under each note is its fingering. Filled keys are pressed.

Concert C

Written D major
Tap a note to hear it
44DEF♯GABC♯DC♯BAGF♯EDF♯ADAF♯D

Concert F

Written G major
Tap a note to hear it
44GABCDEF♯GF♯EDCBAGBDGDBG

Concert B♭

Written C major
Tap a note to hear it
44CDEFGABCBAGFEDCEGCGEC

Concert E♭

Written F major
Tap a note to hear it
44FGAB♭CDEFEDCB♭AGFACFCAF

Concert A♭

Written B♭ major
Tap a note to hear it
44B♭CDE♭FGAB♭AGFE♭DCB♭DFB♭FDB♭

Concert D♭

Written E♭ major
Tap a note to hear it
44E♭FGA♭B♭CDE♭DCB♭A♭GFE♭GB♭E♭B♭GE♭

Concert G♭

Written A♭ major
Tap a note to hear it
44A♭B♭CD♭E♭FGA♭GFE♭D♭CB♭A♭CE♭A♭E♭CA♭

Concert G

Written A major
Tap a note to hear it
44ABC♯DEF♯G♯AG♯F♯EDC♯BAC♯EAEC♯A

Concert D

Written E major
Tap a note to hear it
44EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯ED♯C♯BAG♯F♯EG♯BEBG♯E

Concert A

Written B major
Tap a note to hear it
44BC♯D♯EF♯G♯A♯BA♯G♯F♯ED♯C♯BD♯F♯BF♯D♯B

Concert E

Written F♯ major
Tap a note to hear it
44F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯E♯D♯C♯BA♯G♯F♯A♯C♯F♯C♯A♯F♯

Concert B

Written D♭ major
Tap a note to hear it
44D♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭CD♭CB♭A♭G♭FE♭D♭FA♭D♭A♭FD♭
About scale sheets

How each scale is laid out

Each measure of the scale starts with a quarter note on beat one, then eighth notes, up and back down. The arpeggio follows in triplets, and the scale ends on a whole note. With 2 octaves on, a scale that would go past the range on this sheet is printed in one octave and marked "1 octave".

Keys with two names

D♭ and C♯ major sound the same, and so do G♭ and F♯, and B and C♭ (and their relative minors). Use the spelling buttons to print the one your music uses.

Concert pitch and your written key

Band directors name scales by concert pitch, so the whole band plays the same notes together. The tenor sax is a transposing instrument: concert B♭ is written as C for you. Each scale is titled by its concert name, with your written key beside it.

Practicing scales

Use a metronome. Start slow enough to play every note clean and in tune, and speed up only once you can play the scale twice in a row without a mistake. Say or think the note names as you play, and learn the fingerings with them, so both are automatic by the time the scale is fast.

Practice them

Play each scale up and back down in the Woodwind Trainer: pick tenor sax, then Scales. It checks every fingering, and you can play into your microphone.