Introducing the Saxophone

We’ve included an introduction to the Saxophone because, although it is not strictly speaking a Brass instrument, many people think it is. It is usually made of brass metal, and it often features in bands with Brass instruments, and in “horn” sections of other bands. This introduction is one we found on the internet:

As the video explains, the Saxophone is a woodwind instrument, like Clarinets, Oboes, Flutes and Bassoons.

The sound is created by vibrating a reed against the mouthpiece, rather than by vibrating the lips into a brass instrument mouthpiece.

Trombone mouthpiece

The saxophone was invented by Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the 1840s, and is named after him.

It comes in different sizes, the common ones being: Soprano (small and high pitched), Alto (medium sized and pitched between the higher Soprano and lower Tenor); Tenor (large sized and lower pitched); and Baritone (extra large and used as a bass instrument in bands); but there are several other sizes even smaller and higher and even bigger and lower.

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