Question:

What is the proper way to safely grip the tenor sax when playing C#?  Where and how does one grip the instrument?

-Grey

My Response:

(I think you’re talking about C# in the middle of the staff)

Your thumbs go in the usual spots. Right thumb under the thumb rest. Left thumb on the spot near the octave key.

The rest of your fingers should be in contact with the keys as if you were playing a low Bb, but they should not be pressing the keys down.

That should be the way you want to play all the time, without your fingers leaving the buttons as much as possible. For a few notes with the palm keys they may need to leave the keys slightly, but not much.

Your press the keys when you should for the different notes, but the fingers are always in contact with the keys. The fingers shouldn’t fly all over the place. Some sax players do that, but it’s not something that helps how you sound. The way you want your fingers to move is like how Charlie Parker played the saxophone.

Thanks

-Neal