Tune your tenor or soprano saxophone with your microphone. The tuner is set to B♭, so the note name matches what you read.
Press Start tuning, then play or sing a note
Detected note
B♭ instrument (written pitch)
| Concert pitch | You read |
|---|---|
| C | D |
| D♭ | E♭ |
| D | E |
| E♭ | F |
| E | G♭ |
| F | G |
| G♭ | A♭ |
| G | A |
| A♭ | B♭ |
| A | B |
| B♭ | C |
| B | D♭ |
Tenor and soprano saxophones are in B♭. The tenor sounds a major ninth below the written note, which is an octave lower than a trumpet. So the note name on the tuner matches your part, but the octave number is one lower.
If the needle is on the left (flat), push the mouthpiece further onto the neck cork. If it is on the right (sharp), pull it out a little. Playing alto or baritone? Use the E♭ saxophone tuner.
Tenor and soprano saxophones read B♭ parts, so the tuner shows the note name on your music instead of concert pitch (the note that sounds).
Press Start tuning, play your tuning note and move the mouthpiece on the neck cork until the needle is in the centre.
B♭. A written C sounds as the B♭ a major ninth lower.
Bands usually tune to concert B♭, which is a written C on tenor sax. Orchestras and jazz groups often use concert A, which is a written B.
Yes. The soprano sax is also in B♭ and sounds a whole step below the written note, so the B♭ setting shows the right note and octave.