← Saxophone · Scales · about 20 min

C major scale

No sharps, no flats. A clean scale to compare with G major.

The scale with no accidentals

C major has no sharps or flats. Every note is a natural. It is the easiest scale to read.

On alto sax, this starts on the C in the third space and goes up to the C above it.

Notice most of it uses the octave key. Only the first note, C, does not.

C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C. Compare F here with F♯ in G major: it is one finger different.

Left hand: second (middle) finger only.

Thumb on the octave key, then all six main fingers down.

Thumb on the octave key, left hand all down, right hand first and second.

Thumb on the octave key, left hand all down, right hand first finger only.

Thumb on the octave key, left hand all down. Same fingers as low G, plus the octave key.

Thumb on the octave key, left hand first and second fingers.

Thumb on the octave key, left hand first finger only.

Thumb on the octave key, left hand second (middle) finger only.

Filled circle = press that key. Empty circle = leave it up. Numbers are fingers: 1 is your index finger.

What's the same?
Both scales are eight notes and follow the same step pattern: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.
What's different?
G major has an F♯. C major has an F natural. That is the only difference between D–E–F♯–G and D–E–F–G in the upper octave.
Try both
Play a G major scale, then a C major scale. Listen for the same pattern, shifted.