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I'm going through Larry Teal's daily studies for an alto saxophone (E-flat instrument). I'm practicing D sharp minor and I am seeing a B sharp and a C double sharp. Is B sharp a C? and the C double sharp a D? Please advise. Thanks

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  • I think this question concerning minor melodic scales, leadt tone and enharmonic has been answered quit often else where. As the analysis and recognition in D# minor will be a a pretty hard thing I try to give you an answer. Hope you will understand it.. if not, you‘ll have to repeat the theory about minor scales and about the enharmonic signs. – Albrecht Hügli Jan 23 '19 at 6:58
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Short answer:

yes, it is!

If you transpose the piece of d# minor to the enharmonic eb minor, C double sharp will change to D and B# will change to C.

In this key you can better identify the two notes in question as the lead tone (D for C##) and C for B# as the natural 6th of the melodic minor scale.

The melodic minor scale is borrows the second tetrachord of the parallel major scale: the 6th and the 7th step are augmented:

Mi Fa So La -> Mi Fi Si La

D# melodic:

5, 6, 7, 8 -> A#, B#, C##, D#

Eb minor:

5, 6, 7, 8 -> Bb, C, D, Eb

as on the keyboard of the piano where you have to play for both scales the same keys it will be analog on the sax:

B# = C, C## = D

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Yes, they are. A sharp raises a note by one semitone.

So, a B sharp is one semitone above B, so this is (broadly speaking) played as a C.

A C double sharp is two semitones above C, so this is correspondingly played as a D.

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