The Saxophone

The Saxophone
Listen to the sound of a Saxophone
Saxophones, even though usually made of brass, are classified as woodwind instruments. The Saxophone family has instruments covering all voice ranges from Sopranino to Bass.
The main instruments are the Soprano (Bb), Alto (Eb), Tenor (Bb) and Baritone (Eb), with the Alto and Tenor instruments being the most popular. The fingering is similar to the clarinet's and is a good follow-on or upgrade instrument.
1

Reed

The Reed is a thin strip of material fitted on the mouthpiece which vibrates to produce a sound on the Saxophone. Although all single reeds are shaped similarly, they vary in size to fit the appropriate mouthpiece. They also come in different strengths, soft, medium and hard.
3

Ligature

The ligature is a device which holds a reed onto the mouthpiece of the Saxophone. The ligature must allow the reed to vibrate freely.
5

Crook/Neck

The crook is the top of the Saxophone on which the mouthpiece is fixed. It is an exchangeable segment and can be used to change the length of the pipe, altering the fundamental pitch and harmonic series the instrument can sound, and thus the key in which it plays
7

Neck screw

The Neck Screw is a clamping mechanism that holds the body and crook of the Saxophone together.
9

Keys and tone holes

Keys and tone holes are the openings on the Saxophone's body which, when covered, alters the pitch of the sound produced. They allow every note of the chromatic scale to play.
11

Spatula keys

The Spatula Keys are those keys close to the edge of the Bell played with the little left finger. The G#, C#, Low B, and Bb keys make up the Spatula keys
13

Strap ring

The player attaches the Neck Strap clip to the Strap Ring to support the saxophone.
15

Keys and tone holes

Keys and tone holes are the openings on the Saxophone's body which, when covered, alters the pitch of the sound produced. They allow every note of the chromatic scale to play.
17

Slide/Side keys

Keys and tone holes are the openings on the Saxophone's body, which alter the pitch of the sound produced when covered. They allow every note of the chromatic scale to play.
19

Keysguard

The Keyguard is the caged covering designed to protect the low keys from being knocked
2

Mouthpiece

The Mouthpiece is that part of the instrument placed partly in the player's mouth and to which the reed is attached. It provides an opening through which air enters the instrument at one end of an air chamber. The player's breath causes the reed to vibrate, making the air column inside the instrument vibrate. A mouthpiece with a rounded chamber will produce a different sound from one with a small or square chamber.
4

Neck cork

The Neck Cork allows the mouthpiece to slide on or off the crook and helps fine-tune the saxophone.
6

Octave key

The octave key raises the pitch of most notes by an octave when pressed so that you use similar fingering for two different octaves. The octave key is operated using your thumb.
8

Thumb support

The left-hand thumb holds the Thumb Support; it helps support the instrument but also operates the Octave key.
10

Palm keys

The Palm Keys are played with the palm of the lefthand. Some of the Palm Keys are adjustable. They consist of the top D, Eb and F keys.
12

Bell

The Bell improves the uniformity of the instrument's tone for the lowest notes in each register.
14

Thumb rest

The saxophone player uses the Thumb rest and the Neck Strap to support the Saxophone. The right-hand thumb is placed on the thumb rest, which helps support the Saxophone.
16

Keyguard

The Keyguard is the caged covering designed to protect the low keys from being knocked
18

Keyguard

The Keyguard is the caged covering designed to protect the low keys from being knocked
20

Bow

The Bow is the 'u' shaped bend at the bottom of the instrument.
Mouthpiece
The mouthpiece is located at the end of the instrument's neck. It acts as an interface between the player and the resonant body of the saxophone. These delicate parts are crafted of various industrial and organic materials, including the most common hard rubber ("vulcanized rubber"), plastic and metals. 

The design of the saxophone mouthpiece is not too far from that of the clarinet, but the sax version is bigger and has a larger chamber inside it. As with the clarinet, a single reed is used to produce the sound. The player uses the combination of a stream of air and the shape of the mouth (as determined by jaw and lip muscles) to produce a specific vibration in the reed. This vibration is amplified by the horn's shape to produce a full, rich sound.
Ligature
The ligature holds the reed firmly onto the mouthpiece, so the player's physical actions are clearly translated into a full sound through consistent vibration. It is shaped like a clamp and must allow the reed to vibrate freely. Common materials used to make ligatures are leather, metal and plastic.
Neck
The neck is a conical metal tube that bridges the saxophone's mouthpiece and body. The mouthpiece end is wrapped in cork to allow for an air-tight seal with the mouthpiece while also enabling easy connection and removal.
Octave key
Located on the neck of the Saxophone is the octave key. It raises the pitch of most notes by an octave when pressed, being operated by the thumb.​
Neck screw
The neck screw tightens the seal of the upper end of the body, holding the neck firmly in place after you insert it into the Saxophone's body.
Body
The Saxophone's body is the lower end of a cylindrical tube that begins where the neck terminates and ends at the bell. The body is crafted of thin brass plated in various precious metals, including gold, silver and nickel. The shape and size of the Sax body vary widely depending on the type of Saxophone, but it always ends in a flare.
Tone holes
Tone holes are found all up and down the body and number between twenty and twenty-four, depending on the sax. These holes come in several different sizes depending on where they are. Soldered posts on the body support an elegantly complicated system of moving rods, keys and key cups.
​Keys
Saxophone keys are small metal cups filled with a thin padding layer that exposes or covers the tone holes. Some of the tone holes' keys stay closed tightly by default and only open when the player presses buttons. In contrast, others stand open until the Sax player's fingers choose a specific tone combination.

It is essential to regularly inspect the seal of the keys to ensure that no air is escaping when they are closed. Even a small amount of air leakage can harm your sound. Often, the keys are decorated with lovely inlays of mother of pearl or plastic, which contrast nicely with the shiny metal of the horn. Leather is the most common material used in padding.
Key guards
Keyguards cover several critical keyholes located in an area most likely to be hit accidentally against surrounding objects or furniture below by the bow of the body. Bent keys are prevalent on Saxophones due to momentary carelessness by the player. Keyguard or not, it is vital to preserving your keys' safety to avoid expensive repairs to the Saxophone.
Bow
The bow of the saxophone is the bottom end, where many of the Sax styles make a u-turn and head back up before ending at the flared bell. The bow is necessary from an acoustic standpoint because the lower register horns would become long and unwieldy if rendered entirely straight.
Bell
The bell is where the wave of sound emerges from the Saxophone and usually ends in a decorative flare. Depending on the size and register of the Saxophone, the bell may aim up or down. 
A person who plays the Saxophone is called a Saxophonist.
History​
Learn more about the history of the Saxophone through various periods.
Buying a Saxophone​
Except for collectors, when it comes to the saxophone, there are four that are extensively used 
Accessories​
Please look at a Saxophone's different accessories and what they are used for.
Faults & Repairs​
Guidance on some common faults and repairs for Saxophone owners.

Types of Saxophone

In 1846, the patent Adolphe Sax submitted was for 14 versions of the Saxophone (two groups of seven instruments each). The series pitched in B♭ , and E♭ are designed for military bands and pitched in C and F.
Those designed for military bands (B♭ and E♭) have proved the most popular. Saxophones encountered today are primarily from this series. The four extensively used and most common are the Baritone, Tenor, Alto and Soprano saxophones. 
  • The Soprano Sax is a smaller, higher-pitched instrument, typically built with a straight body, but curved versions are also available. It is tuned to B♭, two-and-a-half steps higher than the alto and is a complex instrument for a beginner player to produce a good sound. Creating a good sound is a skill that develops over time for soprano Sax players. The soprano saxophone is an excellent choice for producing a rich, full sound in higher registers. It fits well with orchestras and concert bands. Jazz players also include it in their repertoire to expand their tonal options.
  • The Alto Saxophone is the most common and popular starter instrument for most beginners. It is tuned to E♭, two-and-a-half steps higher than the tenor saxophone. It has a more compact key layout and requires less air to produce sound, making it a solid choice for younger students. The alto has a wealth of classical repertoire written for it, and most of the skills learnt on the alto are transferable to other saxophones. Many jazz greats have also found their signature sound in the instrument’s higher range. Like all saxophones, it’s important to note that craftsmanship and materials are critical to the instrument’s tone, intonation, playability, and durability. Though these factors might seem less important for those just starting, the opposite is true since an instrument that doesn’t stay in tune is always challenging to play and may break easily.
  • The Tenor Saxophone is the instrument most closely associated with jazz players, as it is a mainstay in that genre. It is tuned to B♭, about a foot larger than an alto Saxophone and has the familiar curved body style. Like all Saxophones, it is a transposing instrument. It sounds like an octave and a major second lower than the written pitch. It has a deeper tone but can also be played to sound bright. Since it is not as large or heavy as the baritone or bass Sax, the tenor is easier for young beginners to play. However, its relatively sizeable curved shape is still susceptible to damage, so it’s vital to ensure the body is built from durable materials.
  • The Baritone Saxophone is the largest and the lowest-pitched Saxophone (and the Bass Saxophone) commonly played. It is tuned to E♭, two-and-a-half steps higher than the bass saxophone’s tuning. With a deep honking tone, the baritone is widely used in classical music and played in concert bands, chamber music, military bands, Jazz, Old school R&B and Rock & Roll music; it is relatively mobile compared to other bass-clef brass and woodwinds such as tubas. However, it can sometimes be difficult for younger players to reach the complete range of keys. 
Other varieties of B♭ and E♭ transposing Saxophones in order of size are the: - 
  • Sopranissimo (about a foot long)
  • Sopranino
  • Bass
  • Contrabass
  • Subcontrabass (Between seven to nine feet tall)
These Saxophones are very expensive and impractical; few people play or collect these.

Other types of saxophones that one might encounter include the: -
  • C-melody
  • C soprano
  • F baritone,
  • F mezzo soprano
  • Tubax
  • Slide Saxophone
  • Saxello
  • Connosax

​Related Instruments
  • Bassoon
  • Clarinet
  • Bassoon
  • Cor Anglais (English horn)
  • Flute

Learn

Picture
The best way to learn to play the Saxophone is to find an experienced and patient teacher in your local area. Sometimes, you can arrange lessons via your child’s school, where they may have a visiting teacher.
 
If you cannot find a local teacher, another option is to use online tutorials. There are many such resources available on the internet.

​Below are just a few examples of what is available: -  ​
© 2021 Skwiix // Musical information, advice & support
Skwiix, Instruments, Learn, Skwiix Outlet