Question 1

Is alto saxophone written in concert pitch?

Accepted Answer

No. Alto saxophone is a transposing instrument in E♭. A written C sounds as E♭ in concert pitch.

Question 2

Are these drills meant to be played one note at a time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The drills are written as single-note lines (no chords). Follow the highlighted note and play along.

Question 3

Do you pitch-shift the samples?

Accepted Answer

No. Each note expects its own file in /sounds_alto_sax/sounds_sax (for example A4.wav or Bflat3.wav). This keeps the tone realistic.

Question 4

My note doesn’t play—what’s wrong?

Accepted Answer

The matching file likely isn’t present, or the name doesn’t match exactly. Filenames can be case-sensitive on some hosts.

Question 5

Which filename style should I use?

Accepted Answer

Use the “word” style shown in the examples: Fsharp4.wav, Bflat3.wav. Make sure your folder matches the AUDIO_BASE_PATH in the page.

Question 6

Why do some drills feel harder even in simple keys?

Accepted Answer

Difficulty comes from rhythm (8ths), note patterns (sequences), and larger interval jumps—not just the key.

Question 7

Can I loop a drill?

Accepted Answer

Yes—toggle Loop: On. The drill will restart automatically and continue until you press Stop.

Question 8

Why does the page scroll while playing?

Accepted Answer

So the currently highlighted note stays visible. The notation doesn’t “slide”—the staff simply auto-scrolls to follow playback.

Alto Saxophone Practice Drills

Select a drill to begin.