The saxophone is a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s by Adolphe Sax, an instrument maker from Belgium. The purpose of this instrument was to bridge the gap between woodwinds and brass, while also taking the best qualities of each section. The saxophone has a conical tube, with a third-degree tube. Essentially, the shape of the mouthpiece to the bell is a cone, creating a darker, more mellow sound similar to the horn or the tuba. Because of the taper, the saxophone can create a sound extremely similar to the human voice and is extremely expressive. The saxophone is made primarily of brass, but some designs are gold or silver plated. There are 4 main parts to the instrument; the neck, the body, the bow, and the bell. There are also 25 tone holes, but there are over 600 parts to the saxophone because multiple parts are needed for a single function to occur.
There are 4 main members of the saxophone family: the soprano saxophone, the alto saxophone, the tenor saxophone, and the baritone saxophone. The most commonly played versions, especially by beginners, are the alto and tenor. The soprano and tenor saxophone are pitched in Bb, and the alto and baritone saxophone are pitched in Eb. The saxophone is a reed instrument, meaning the sound is produced by a single reed vibrating. The reed is placed on the mouthpiece and held in place by the ligature. Then the mouthpiece is connected to the neck through a cork. Saxophone players use a neck strap to support the instrument, and it is held in place by the neck strap, the right thumb, and the upper teeth. In order to produce a sound, the player must put the mouthpiece in their mouth, with their upper teeth on the top of the mouthpiece, and their lower lip creating a “pillow” for the reed to rest on. The most important part of a saxophone player’s embouchure is that the lower teeth do not touch the reed, as it will not vibrate properly.
Saxophones are used primarily in western music and countries, and are especially prominent in American culture. Saxophones are featured in American jazz music and Western classical music settings. They were first heard in American jazz bands just before World War I and became extremely popular with the rise of big band music in the 1920s. In the present, there are different types of saxophone and mouthpieces for the different styles of playing, but primarily jazz and classical. Saxophone playing is still extremely important to the American jazz music culture, and there are many mainstream saxophonists including John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Kenny G. There are also prominent classical saxophonists that are not as well known by the American people but are extremely important to the profession of saxophone playing, including Arno Bornkamp and Eugene Rousseau. Classical saxophone is taught first to younger musicians in schools, but there is also jazz education for students. The jazz saxophone is much more prevalent in mainstream American culture, and most people associate the style of jazz with the saxophone, and vice versa.
Works Cited
“History of the Saxophone.” The Instrument Place, www.theinstrumentplace.com/history-of-the-saxophone/.
“The Origins of the Saxophone The Birth of the Saxophone.” The Origins of the Saxophone:The Birth of the Saxophone – Musical Instrument Guide – Yamaha Corporation, www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/saxophone/structure/.
