The saxophone, or sax, is a vibrant and popular instrument belonging to the woodwind family of instruments. The sax is mostly made of brass and can be included as an instrument of an orchestra, jazz band, or other musical procession. The saxophone goes way back to the days of jazz and big band. However, the sax has been an important edition to blues and more importantly, modern rock. This magnificent instrument has also been known to be included in military bands and processions.

The saxophone is a complex brass instrument that includes the following components:

Brass stock/horn

Single-reed mouthpiece

Tone holes (20-30)

Speaker holes

Keys (or pad cups)

Spit Valve

The components of this instrument have been developed over the years to include richer sounds through engineering and development. The mouthpiece, for instance, has been built out of different metals, like: gold, silver, rubber, glass, wood, porcelain, crystal, or bone. Instrument makers throughout the years have tried all types of things to better the sound of saxophones.

Saxophones have come a long way since their invention by Adolphe Sax in 1841. Sax was bent on making an instrument that would fill the middle sound between all other woodwinds and brass instruments. Mr. Sax did what he wished and the saxophone was common in orchestras of the late 19th century. For military ensembles, the sax sounded perfect when pitched in B and E. Also, the saxophone was created for a C and F pitch for orchestra inclusion. Later on, the sax was key in jazz music and included the tone holes to produce pitches of all magnitudes (A, B, C, G, F, and E).

After time, Adolphe Sax’s instrument was no longer protected by a patent in 1866 which lead to the vast manufacturing of new saxophones by several organizations. Then, in the 1950’s, a an individual, M. Houvenaghel of Paris, introduced a special type of saxophones which included a single-tone key arrangement which enabled the musician to manage octaves with one thumb; this development became common with the sax and was included in all saxophones made from then on. Other kinds of saxophones were built and tried but this one-thumb control remained a permanent fixture to the sax.

Today, the sax is most popular in rock, jazz, and armed forces bands. The sax, today, is crafted of either brass or bronze and vary in price, capability, and style. Preferences are debated among popular musicians of jazz and funk; a lot of jazz professionals like mouthpieces with a shorter chamber that generates a high baffle, louder, and sharper tone. Other classical players look for a larger chamber because they tend to generate a softer, easier sound. Whatever it is used for, the saxophone is an effective instrument to all kinds of music. From invention to improvement, the sax has made strides by leaps and bounds and is proven to be the instrument of choice for those who play jazz and funk.

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