The saxophone was first created for military bands in 1846 by
Antoine-Joseph (Adolphe) Sax. The saxophone was created when Adolphe
Sax was looking for an alternative to the clarinet - creating a clarinet with a
brass body and a mouthpiece of a woodwind instrument. The first saxophone
was a C bass saxophone, followed by E flat sopranino, F sopranino, Bb
soprano, C soprano, Eb alto, F alto, Bb tenor, C tenor, Eb baritone, Bb bass,
C bass, Eb contrabass and F contrabass. However, Bb soprano, Eb alto, Bb
tenor, and Eb baritone are the most commonly used today.
Initially, saxophone was not taken seriously as an instrument, and was only
used as a substitute for other instruments in dance bands. When jazz
musicians discovered the saxophone and applied the same playing styles as trumpet players that the saxophone became popular and gained its
reputation that it has to this day.
The sax was first created to have a smooth, mellow tone, but when it began
to be used for jazz, the sax was altered - made smaller and with the bell
more parallel to the body, giving it its louder sound.
Teen Saxophone Player Index
Click a name to view that musician's bio.
