Jim Schmidt’s Linear Fingering System for Sax

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut

Jim Schmidt, inventor, musician, and part mad scientist has been working on a very unique sax fingering system that takes linear to new extremes. In his own words:

When you look at a conventional sax you see a lot of complicated interconnecting linkages, unnecessary weight and redundant keys (side keys, bis key, F#, Bb. G# etc.). In the new system, scales and tones are cleaner and quicker because each key is independent (except the low note keys) and is not loaded down by interlinkage mechanisms as are, for instance, mid Bb and F# in the conventional Boehm method.

Tones are also clearer because you have the choice of closing only those holes which produce the best sound. This is especially true when playing altissimo (the conventional sax locks you out of some of the best altissimo fingerings). This fingering system allows you to do much more. For example, low note trills and interval tremolos are now available – a big advantantage over conventional horns.

A unique technique is employed to achieve this which allows two fingers to operate the low note touchpieces instead of just the pinky. For example – you can hold down low B with the ring finger while trilling low Bb with the pinky. This is easy because spring pressures are about 1/3 as heavy as found on conventional horns.

Here Jim demonstrates his sax designed from the ground up:

Very few of his uniquely designed saxes that feature the linear fingering system have been made, to date. And Jim has been at it a long time. You can read more on the NeoSax blog.