How do you play chords on a saxophone?

Answer 1

Obviously, you can't play a chord on sax - just one note at a time. Chord symbols are often shown in jazz and popular music when a player is asked to improvise a solo. Different types of scales work over different types of chords, so the chord symbols suggest which scales you should use to construct your improvisation.

Those chord symbols look like A7, Bb6, Fm7 Gdim7, Cmaj7, B9, etc. The letter name (along with any sharp or flat symbols) name the root of the chord and the scale to play over the chord. I'll use an X instead or C#, Eb, F, A etc, to describe the most common scale uses.

Major scales work over plain triads (C, D, etc), X6, Xmaj7;

Dorian scales work over Xm, Xm7, Xm9, Xm11 or Xm13

Mixolydian scales work over X7, X9, X11, X13

If you aren't fluent with all of the scales, and want to work out solos ahead of time, you can key the chord symbols into "Band in a Box" or other programs (transpose them so they are in concert pitch) and get a play back. Then just work out what sounds good.

Answer 2

Guitars are pitched in C - meaning when a guitar is in tune and plays a written C, a C is what you hear. Tenor sax is pitched in Bb - meaning when you play a written C you hear a Bb. You can transpose notes for guitar (or piano or any other c instrument0 by writing them two half-steps higher. A Bb on guitar has to be written as a C for Tenor Sax, a C becomes D, an E becomes F# and so forth.

Saxes can't play chords, except by breaking them into a series of notes, so this explanation only works for a line of single notes.

Answer 3

You can not play a cord on a sax unless there are more than one sax player. A cord is a group of note played a one time. One can play cords when one can play several notes at one time like on a piano or guitar.

Answer 4

Flutes can't play chords. They read off the treble clef in concert c.