Jazz Soprano
Sax Video – Identifying the Different Types
While there are four common types of saxophones–the alto, soprano, tenor, and baritone–the sax family of instruments is actually bigger than most of us imagine. The first sax was made in 1841 by Adolphe Sax was actually a C Bass but as time went by, numerous other types were created in order to fill the need for the different tones that musicians wanted to create in their songs.
At the moment, there are eight classifications of the instruments that are still played. These will be discussed in detail in the following paragraphs, hopefully, in order to assist anyone interested in making the right choice as to which is the best option to learn.
Soprano. The soprano saxophone is perhaps the most common out of all the others. It is pitched in the key of a B-flat and plays an octave above the tenor saxophone.
This sax is usually not recommended to beginners because it is quite difficult to master. Jazz music is most famous for utilizing this type of saxophone in their music and many popular musicians have produced wonderful music from it, like Kenny G, Dave Koz, and John Coltrane. Any quick search on the Internet of these artists is sure to display numerous articles and more than one sax video on their work.
Sopranissimo. This is considered as the smallest saxophone in the world and is actually one of the newest members of the family. It is similar to a piccolo in terms of size, measuring only 12 inches in length. One of the interesting things about this is that it is relatively high pitched as it ranges from a low Bb to a high -eb.
Similar to the soprano, it is not for beginner saxophonists as it takes tremendous skill to learn how to play it.
Sopranino. Another one of the smallest versions of the sax, it is also challenging to master it, mainly because of its size. It proves difficult because it becomes quite tasking to get your fingers properly on the keys. The instrument is tuned in the key of E-flat.
This type of sax is quite rare and considered one of the more difficult ones to make. If you were to have the chance to hold one, you should pay attention to the intricate details on the sax to appreciate how much work is put in to making it.
Alto. Unlike the ones mentioned earlier, the alto is the most recommended sax for beginners to start with. A reason for this is because its bell allows the player to hear more of the sound produced by the instrument than by the other saxophones played–meaning there’s more room for a self-assessment.
Tenor. Along with the alto, the tenor saxophone is the most common sax in use today. Most people even associate it to be the signature instrument of modern jazz music because so many musicians use it.
The tenor is slightly larger than the others and is curved at the neck. It produces a wide array of sounds because of its large mouthpiece, which allows a great range of timbers or variations in tone quality.
John Coltrane, one of the most influential instrumentalists you are bound to see on any sax video was a master with the tenor sax.
Baritone. This is in the key of E-flat and is unique among the others because music for it is written not on the bass, but the treble clef. It is also the heaviest among the types and is quite prone to damage. Most of the time, it is used in classical music, military bands, and wind ensembles.
Bass. The bass, despite the fact that it was the first ever created, is no longer widely used in contemporary music. Its peak in popularity was between the time of the First and Second World War.
There are two versions–one that has a tall neck that juts above the mouthpiece leadpipe and the other wherein the neck extends below the leadpipe.
Contrabass. The most interesting fact about the contrabass is that it is the biggest existing woodwind instrument. It is twice the length and width of the baritone saxophone. Like the bass, however, this type of sax is now very rare as not many players use the instrument, mainly because it is difficult to hold and control.
There is definitely a wide variety of saxes that people who are interested in learning can choose from. There are also such a huge number of resources available online to get lessons from, in the forms of sheet music, a sax video, chords, and daily exercises. Once you have made the choice on which type you would like to play, finding a way to learn it will be a breeze.
About the Author
If you are interested in learning how to play the saxophone, are a fan of the instrument, enjoy watching a sax video or two, or would like to learn from one of the greatest saxophonists of all time, visit http://saxvideo.org for more useful information.
Raffy Chan is a writer and internet enthusiast, based in California. He enjoys doing research, writing, and website/s creation. He is the originator of the QuidErgo Group: a community of professionals, authors, artists and computer enthusiasts who come together with the common aim of communicating with the online world.
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