The Alto Saxophone is the middle voice of the woodwind family. The saxophone has a single reed with a mouthpiece, much like the clarinet. The saxophone is also the loudest of all the woodwinds, as it was designed as a connection between the woodwind and the brass family. Students often learn the flute, oboe, or clarinet, and then later pick up the saxophone in order to play in a jazz band. Concert bands usually only have four saxophones, while a jazz band may have five. There are many different sizes of saxophones, but the most common is the Alto. As students get older, they may have the opportunity to try the Tenor or the Baritone Saxophone as well. All saxophones have interchangeable fingerings.
You might make a great saxophone player if:
You might make a great saxophone player if:
- You aren't afraid to make some loud noises
- You have very agile fingers
- You have a slight overbite, and NO underbite
- You can make a long and steady sound on a saxophone mouthpiece
This saxophone soloist is playing a concerto by David Maslanka.
|
This saxophone ensemble, the Nuclear Whales, is home of one of the world's few subcontrabass saxophones.
|
Financial Information
The Saxophone is the second most expensive woodwind instrument. Students typically rent their first instrument, then make upgrades later. The most common upgrade is a new mouthpiece. Reeds can range from $20-$50 per box, and students typically use 2-6 boxes per year, depending on the level of care they give to reeds. Some students, as they get older will take interest in other saxophones, such as Tenor or Baritone, which may be provided by the school (most common with Baritone) or may be purchased by the family (more common with Tenor). Student instruments should be serviced at least once per year to correct any alignment issues and clean the instruments. College scholarships are very difficult to attain for saxophone players.