Saxophone

Saxophone is a fun instrument that is found in lots of styles of music, from concert band to jazz to rock to R&B.

The saxophone sound is made by a stream of air flowing across the tip of the reed, causing it to vibrate.   The frequency of the vibration is determined by the distance the air must travel before escaping from the saxophone.  Tone holes are carefully positioned on the body of the instrument to create the best intonation possible for each note.   As each key is depressed, its pad (round felt covered with soft leather) stops the airflow through that tone hole.   As the distance the air must travel increases, the tone gets lower.

There are multiple sizes of saxophones including soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone.  Saxophonist almost always begin on the alto, but a musician who learns to play one saxophone can easily transfer his talents to the other saxophones, as the playing mechanism is virtually the same.

 Here's a sax performance that demonstrates several of the saxophone types.

These are some basics.  For a more detailed look at saxes, click here.

Do you have any questions for our saxophone experts? Feel free to contact them here.