The Different Types Of Saxophone
A comprehensive guide—covering their history, anatomy and modern use
History of the saxophone
The saxophone was invented by Belgian instrument maker inventor Adolphe Sax in 1846.
Sax’s idea was to combine the power of brass instruments with the agility and speed that was possible on woodwind instruments. He had them in mind for marching bands and military bands. He designed a cone-shaped brass body for added volume, added keys that gave it the agility of the flute, and a mouthpiece and reed setup very similar to the clarinet.
He originally created seven different sizes of saxophone, ranging from the high sopranino down to the huge contrabass saxophone. The most popular however were the middle four instruments; the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone, which have been used in numerous styles of music, and are still in mass production today. They are commonly found in jazz bands and concert bands, as well as chamber music (such as saxophone quartets), and occasionally in an orchestra.
Anatomy of the saxophone
All saxophones have three main components: the body, the neck (or crook), and the mouthpiece/reed.
The reed is a thin piece of cane, which is attached to the mouthpiece with a metal (sometimes leather) cylinder called the ligature.
Breathing in and then blowing into the mouthpiece causes the reed to vibrate, creating a sound wave.
The neck connects the mouthpiece to the body, which is basically just a metal tube with holes in it.
Most saxophones have a bend about two thirds of the way down, and the bottom section of the tube (the ‘bell’) points upwards again.
Each hole in the body has a key over it. The keys allow the saxophonist to close and seal different holes with their fingers as they blow, creating different notes.
The four main types of saxophone
Although Adolphe Sax created many different sizes of saxophone, there are only four which are in common usage today: soprano, alto, tenor and baritone.
Each of the different sizes of saxophone has the same basic construction and the same key layout, so transferring between them is fairly straightforward.
Soprano
The soprano saxophone is the smallest of the commonly-played saxes, and sounds the highest.
It is sometimes made with a curved bell like the more common alto and tenor, but most often it is constructed totally straight, appearing a bit like a metal clarinet.
Although much rarer than the alto and tenor saxophones, the soprano can be heard in a variety of musical styles.
Famous soprano saxophone recordings include Englishman In New York by Sting, My Favourite Things by John Coltrane, or Ravel’s Bolero from the orchestral world.
Soprano saxophones are perhaps the hardest to master, and saxophonists normally start on alto or tenor first before exploring it.
Alto
The alto saxophone is perhaps the most common type of sax, along with the tenor. It is larger than the soprano, and although straight versions do exist, it is usually constructed with a curved bell at the bottom.
The alto sax is the instrument of choice for many pop musicians, and famous solos are played by alto saxophonists on the iconic Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty, and Billy Joel’s Just The Way You Are.
The alto sax has the versatility to play a huge variety of musical styles however, and can be heard in classical, jazz, rock and many others.
It is often the choice for younger beginners as its small size makes it lighter than the larger tenor, so is easier to play for long periods.
