I’ll go through each of the nine types of saxophones individually. Concert Key of G. So on our B-flat saxophone we need to transpose up a whole step putting us in the key of A on our instrument. Adding certain keys to the main basic fingerings can slightly change intonation, timbre, or resonance. However, many of the saxophone fingering charts out there come with little or no explanation on how to read and interpret them. There are tons of books that feature transcribed solos, but why should… Saxophone Keys Explained; 8 Comments. 0 0. It is beneficial to have a good saxophone fingering chart, especially for beginning saxophone students. Saxophone Keys Explained; 7 Comments. You have to lift your finger off the B key and then reset it over both the B and Bis key. Most other fingerings you will figure out will just be slight adjustments to the fingerings on the provided chart. Most notes on the saxophone have only one viable fingering. In the context of a jazz band, the lead tenor sax tends to play the main harmony of the saxophone section. Nonetheless, some marching bands still use it. The list also includes solos for flute, clarinet and EWI. The bass saxophone is even larger than the baritone saxophone, and is relatively rare to see in any ensemble outside of a saxophone choir. In some cases, the fingering that is the most intuitive isn’t even the best choice. The original patent written by Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, appears to indicate a design of the contrabass more similar to the tubax than to the more well-accepted version. This is the kind of saxophone which tends to be larger than the musician playing it. For instance, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet features a tenor saxophone solo, and even allows the saxophonist to play for a sizable portion of the piece (not always a common experience for orchestral saxophonists)! When you play the palm keys, your fingers should not come off the saxophone. So, how many types of saxophones are there? sxpoet says: January 13, 2018 at 4:13 am. I'm now determined to learn to play every woodwind instrument that I can get my hands on, and this is the site where I share everything that I've learned. To the extent of my knowledge, they were either replaced with better designs or abandoned entirely. Most of the chart you can get to from this page, you can sign up on the side with your email to get a password for the fingering chart on this page. Try this passage with the regular G# and switch to C# at the lower end of the scale: Now try it but hold down the C# key for the entire passage and see how much easier it is than switching from G# to C#. The same goes for alto and bari sax. In fact, the tubax is thought to be closer to the original designs of the saxophone than the standard contrabass saxophone. If you search the internet, you’ll find countless examples. Saxophone Keys Explained; 2 Comments. This system for naming the keys is easier because each key on the saxophone is given a simple identifier name. According to the company, the origin of the Balanced Action name comes from its balanced key work and distribution of weight. Even in saxophone choirs, it would be a rare occurrence to see a subcontrabass saxophone. When i bought my sax, i researched it before buying, my requirements at the time where cheap price, sound brand name, good resale value, reliable working sax – how it sounded and felt playing wise didn’t come into the equation. Your email address will not be published. However, the sopranino part is much more commonly played on a soprano saxophone. Nonetheless, whether you consider this to be a unique type of saxophone, something other than a saxophone, or just another variation of the contrabass and subcontrabass saxophones is up to you. Tenor is in Bb. To see the bass saxophone in a wind band or traditional orchestra is a truly rare occurrence, though Australian composer Percy Grainger and American composer Warren Benson attempted to push its use in wind band. In any case, the alleged family of “14 saxophones” is nothing like the modern family of saxophones that we are accustomed to today. The bass saxophone may rarely be seen in the contexts of jazz and rock bands, but almost no serious saxophonist plays it as their primary instrument. Of course, there are a few dedicated saxophonists who can play it and still sound fantastic. If you’re looking to pinpoint when the ‘modern’ saxophone as we know it today was built, your best bet is probably the mid/late 1930s with the launch of Selmer’s Balanced Action saxophone.. Figuring out how the saxophone works on your own, self-directed study, can be a valuable process, one that can further ingrain the fundamentals as well as solidify the learning experience. The few instances where the instrument is played is usually for the purposes of showing off the instrument itself, or the musician’s rare ability to play it. Nonetheless, it is worthwhile to mention them. Since 1920, most saxophones have replaceable key buttons operating the stack keys, usually made from either plastic or mother of pearl. These things aren't just random occurrences where one day a saxophone builder woke up and decided he'd make it play in a different key just for hell of it. True, it can be fun, and even beneficial, to try and figure out some of the fingerings yourself. You should read and understand the lessons, but most importantly play the exercises. A well-maintained saxophone can last a long time. It's a carefully thought out system that makes it easier for the musicians to make music. Note that if we broaden our definition of what counts as a “saxophone,” however, then we could say that there are even more than nine. Indonesia. I’ll go through each of these below, and explain why the saxophone strictly fits into the “woodwind” category. Contrabass is in Eb. Many saxophone fingerings are, in fact, fairly intuitive. Source(s): 10 years of sax, 6 of clarinet. In the world of rock music, the sopranino saxophone has been adopted by the band Violent Femmes, which features the instrument in several of their albums. The contrabass saxophone is almost never seen in most ensembles. In addition to those on the internet, there are also several saxophone fingering charts available in various saxophone method books. Let me explain. This is an effect you can use, a la Brecker, with certain notes, such as middle Bb, B, C, C#, high G, etc. Click below for my video on how to make palm key risers at home. The hardest saxophone to play is the subcontrabass saxophone, since there are only a few people in the world who can actually play it. On some premium models, the key button material is used to form the convex key touches for other keys. The tenor saxophone is slightly larger than the alto saxophone, and is recognizable for having a curved neck. It is, admittedly, still somewhat uncommon, and is not part of the standard instrumentation for most wind bands. Some saxophone players use the “1+1” fingering as their main Bb fingering. This saxophone is still quite uncommon, though not as much as the soprillo saxophone. That being said, provided that an instrument is played by blowing air through it, there are several key criteria which determine whether it is a brass or woodwind instrument. Just remember, what is comfortable at the moment is not always what’s ultimately best. I’m a newbie in playing saxophone, it’s very simple and helpful. Maybe it sounds good on your horn. As is the case with the alto and tenor saxophones, it tends to be a staple of wind bands and jazz bands. Occasionally, you will read that there are 14 different types of saxophones. The added complication of measuring these curves for a saxophone is the vast amount of possible fingerings. Great blog post Johnny When I bought my Trevor James Alto from Massullo Music, one Sax player told me I should have put that money on a good Tenor Sax instead. For instance, it uses relatively small tone holes considering its size, and the tubing is both much thinner and much more compact compared to the standard saxophone. To distinguish alternate fingerings, certain keys are referred to as the “bis key” or the “front F key”. Here’s a diagram showing the different key signatures, major and minor on the bass and treble clef. However, its much easier to sound like a dying duck when you play sax! We’re starting to get to saxophones that are simply massive. Log in to Reply. Out of the four most common types of saxophones, however, soprano is typically considered the hardest to play since it requires excellent control of one’s tone and intonation to produce a good sound. Usually, wind band and jazz band composers will only include a soprano saxophone in their scores if they intend to feature it as a solo instrument. link to A Guide to Saxophone Hand Position. The remainder of the saxophones will usually only be found in saxophone choirs, or for purposes of showcasing the specific instrument. Composers who write specifically for saxophones may often try to include parts for the contrabass saxophone in their music. In that case, you should use an alternate fingering for B-sharp, not the Bis key. There is very little classical literature for it, but it nonetheless enjoyed its hay day in the 1950’s and 1960’s in musical theatre. As is the case with most small saxophones, it is considered difficult to play in-tune with a good tone. This saxophone is still quite uncommon, though not as much as the soprillo saxophone. For instance, the orchestral version of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition features a single alto saxophone solo in the movement The Old Castle. By way of summary, tenor and soprano saxophones are B-flat in the Key of B-flat, whereas alto and baritone saxophones are in the key of E-flat. john says: December 17, 2019 at 10:53 am. The tenor sax holds an important place in jazz ensembles and wind bands. I'm the owner of woodwindsection.com. The neck, and you will read that there are also several saxophone fingering chart major. – C ) to hit the keys on a soprano saxophone is the with! Next key marked X is for an alternate fingering which you will find our saxophone fingering for. Was reattached also a saxophone choir or a smaller ensemble that uses exclusively saxophones that fall of! Way exhaustive off the B and Bis key should use an alternate fingering for B-sharp, not the key! 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