Saxophone Family
There's more to the saxophone family of instruments than you might think. The four most common types of saxophone, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass have relatives, some smaller, some larger and altogether a whole lot more expensive.
You can translate the cost of the different saxophone types into rarity of manufacturers. These are not common saxophones and as such production of them is limited.
Below is a list of saxophones around today. It also supplies general information about each sax. If you are new to the world of saxophones I suggest you stick with thinking about Alto or Tenor. They are the cheapest and easiest of the different types of saxophones in the saxophone family to play.
Saxophone Types
I've listed the saxophone types from smallest to largest so you know the further down the page you get the larger the sax. Size wise they start at about 1 foot to over 6 foot. Take a look at the Saxophone Pictures page to see each of the individual types of saxophones in the saxophone family.Saxophone Family - Sopranissimo Saxophone
The saxophone family begins with the worlds smallest sax. About a foot long (add another inch if you include the mouthpiece)This is a straight sax. It is pitched in Bb an octave above Bb soprano. Commonly called the Soprillo this type of saxophone is classed as a Piccolo instrument. We've never played one but due to it's size and high range we would imagine it would require a walnut cracking embouchre and would cause you some serious pain on the lower lip. Talking of the lower lip, the octave key is in the mouthpiece!Saxophone Family - Sopranino Saxophone
The next step up on our journey through the saxophone family. This is a straight sax but there are examples of it as a curved sax. (How would you do that with such a small sax?) It is pitched at Eb and again is a bit of a rarity. That could translate into no one plays it most likely because there is very little call for it musically. It does carry some tuning issues but you have to expect that with something so small as the engineering required needs to be so precise. For all you beginners this is probably one to stear clear of at start up. Again, a strong embouchre and a bottom lip made of cow hide. required.
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Saxophone Family - Soprano Saxophone
Now we are starting to come into the more common range of saxophone instruments. The soprano saxophone is pitched at Bb. There was also a version pitched at C. This can be a curved or a straight instrument. Still considered as a difficult instrument to get the best out of due to tuning issues and not an instrument recommended for beginners. Well known saxophonists include Grover Washington Jnr and John Coltrane.
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Saxophone Family - Alto Saxophone
Ahh! Common ground at last. The Alto is probably the most common sax around today. It is pitched in Eb and is classed as one of the easiest saxophones to play. This is generally a curved sax showing one of the most iconic of the saxophone shapes. That said the is a straight version. The whole world plays Altos' including the likes of Cannonball Adderley and Grover Washington Jnr. A highly copied saxophone examples are plentiful and sometimes cheap.
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Saxophone Family - C Melody Saxophone
A bit of a rare sax. Produced around the turn of last century up until the 1920's these were fairly popular for a short period. A profile view would have you thinking it was a small tenor. There are examples around today but most people would tell you they are best avoided due to pitch problems and lack of mouthpieces. Just to belay those fears. The pitch problem occured with a new make of C Melody, this has now been corrected, or so I've read. The mouthpiece can either be a tenor or a alto mouthpiece. C melody because you had no need to transpose to concert pitch.Saxophone Family - Tenor Saxophone
What I would consider the most iconic shaped of the saxophone instruments around. The beautifully curved neck just gives it away. Pitched in Bb it is a curved saxophone but again someone just had to produce a straight version. It gives a wonderfully rich and deep tone whilst still having the ability to play wonderfully well higher up the register. The whole world and their dogs play tenor and quite rightly so although I have no bias. Honest! It is responsible for probably the most famous saxophone solo ever, The Pink Panther.
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Saxophone Family - Baritone Saxophone
Now we start to get into the realms of the big boys of the saxophone instruments. Not just in size but also in price. The baritone or 'bari' sax is pitched at Eb although there is a version that will extend it's range to low A. This is a large instrument and requires good breath support. Hitting the lower notes causes vibration in the instrument which translates to the mouthpiece and then to your teeth which I actually found quite painful. I would think time would overcome this though. This is the last of the most common of the saxophone family and not recommended for beginners.
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Saxophone Family - Bass Saxophone
Stepping out of the common saxophones realm we come to the bass sax. A true big boy in the saxophone instruments range at about five foot in length.Usually pitched in Bb yet again there is a version pitched at C. This was the first sax to hit the limelight way back in the 1840's. Naturally the bigger we go with the instruments the lower the sound. Not a common instrument and not used a lot in orchestras.
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Saxophone Family - Contrabass Saxophone
Realistically the biggest and last of the saxophones (almost) this is one big moma. Around six foot in height as you can imagine it's size also dictates it's weight. This saxophone family instrument is pitched at Eb and is a truly rare beast, mainly due to the fact that so few have been made or are being made.Saxophone Family - Sub-Contrabass Saxophone
Called the Tubax by the people who make them, Eppelsheim /Konus of Munich, the model they make is much smaller than what would have been Adolphe Sax's original concept. Size wise the Eppelheim/Konus version is smaller than a Contrabass. That said there doesn't seem to have been a truly playable version of the true sub contrabass ever built so what Adolphe Sax truly envisioned for the last member of the saxophone family will probably never be seen, unless you actually fancy having a go yourself.Types Of Saxophones
As you can see there are quite a few different types of saxophones when it comes to choosing a sax. The bigger instruments give a deeper tone whilst the smaller ones have a much lighter note.
Please don't look at a sax thinking "I'll have that one" Play it first or at least know what it sounds like. Playing saxophone can be an expensive hobby if you go into it blind so take care when choosing types of saxophones in the saxophone family.
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Sax Embouchre
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Accessories I
Adolphe Sax I
Alto Sax I
Books I
CD's I
Cheap Saxophones I
Circular Breathing I
C Melody Sax I
Comments I
Contrabass Sax I
Diaphragmatic Breathing I
DVD's I
Effects I
Embouchre I
Famous Sax Players I
Fingering Charts 1 I
Fingering Charts 2 I
Fingering Charts 3 I
Fingering Charts 4 I
Flutter Tongue I
Growling I
History I
How To Play Sax 1 I
How To Play Sax 2 I
How To Read Music I
Information I
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Mouthpiece 1 I
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Neck I
Note Bend I
Parts I
Piccolo Sax I
Pictures I
Pictures Of Saxophones I
Playing Sax I
Plas Johnson I
Prices I
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