Alto Saxophone

Classification Wind Woodwind Aerophone Playing range in E♭: sounds one sixth lower. Note: most modern alto saxes can reach a high F#. Related instruments Soprillo Sopranino saxophone Soprano saxophone Mezzo-soprano saxophone C melody saxophone Tenor saxophone Baritone saxophone Bass saxophone Contrabass saxophone Subcontrabass saxophone Tubax Musicians List of saxophonists More articles Saxophone

The alto saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a family of woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. The alto is the third smallest of the saxophone family, which consists of ten sizes of saxophone (see saxophone). The alto is the most common size of saxophone, and is also the size most commonly included in classical compositions. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (360x750, 35 KB) from fr:Image:Saxophone alto. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator (usually a tube), in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set at the end of the resonator. ... A woodwind instrument is an instrument in which sound is produced by blowing against an edge or by a vibrating with air a thin piece of wood known as a reed. ... An aerophone is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by causing a body of air to vibrate, without the use of strings or membranes, and without the vibration of the instrument itself adding considerably to the sound. ... In music, the range of a musical instrument is the distance from the lowest to the highest pitch it can play. ... The musical interval of a major sixth is the relationship between the first note (the root or tonic) and the sixth note in a Major scale. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... The soprillo, a piccolo or sopranissimo saxophone, is the worlds smallest saxophone. ... An E-flat sopranino saxophone (right). ... The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument. ... Mezzo-soprano (left) and alto (right) saxophones. ... The C melody saxophone is a saxophone in the key of C, one whole step above the tenor saxophone. ... The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. ... The baritone saxophone, often called bari sax (to avoid confusion with the baritone horn, which is often referred to simply as baritone), is one of the larger and lower pitched members of the saxophone family. ... The bass saxophone (or bass sax for short) is the second largest existing member of the saxophone family (or third largest, if the subcontrabass tubax is counted). ... The contrabass saxophone is one of the lowest-pitched members of the saxophone family. ... A B-flat subcontrabass tubax (right), the closest extant instrument to a subcontrabass saxophone. ... A B-flat subcontrabass tubax (right). ... Explanation of columns: s = Sopranino S = Soprano A = Alto T = Tenor B = Baritone b = Bass c = Contrabass sc = Subcontrabass (i. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored musical instrument usually considered a member of the woodwind family. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored musical instrument usually considered a member of the woodwind family. ... A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument in which sound is produced by blowing through a mouthpiece against an edge or by a vibrating reed, and in which the pitch is varied by opening or closing holes in the body of the instrument. ... Life-size statue of Adolphe Sax outside his birthplace in Dinant, Belgium. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored musical instrument usually considered a member of the woodwind family. ... Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ...

Because of the music world's lack of respect for Adolphe Sax, the saxophone was not immediately recognized or utilized in the musical community. The saxophone had to wait many years before its potential was recognized. It gained its reputation in American jazz movement, and ever since has been becoming more and more popular.

Because of its prevalence, the alto saxophone is the most common choice for beginners learning to play the saxophone. The second most common saxophone used by beginners is the tenor; teachers often suggest either an alto or a tenor for a beginner depending on their physical size, as well as their preferences. The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. ...

The alto saxophone is a transposing instrument and reads the treble clef in the key of E♭ (meaning that a written C for the alto will sound as E♭; concert, a major sixth lower, or a minor third above). A transposing instrument is a musical instrument whose music is written at a pitch different from concert pitch. ... A clef (French for key) is a symbol used in musical notation that assigns notes to lines and spaces on the musical staff. ...

The range of the alto saxophone is from concert D♭ (D♭3) to concert A♭ (A♭5) (or A5 on altos with a high F# key). The "normal" range as written for the player is B♭3 to F6 (or F#6).^[1] The third octave, known as the altissimo register, begins at F# and extends upwards. Since the altissimo register of a saxophone is much more difficult to control than other woodwinds, it is usually only expected from advanced players. Altissimo is a technique utilized on woodwind instruments such as the saxophone and clarinet wherein the musician blows overtones that are generally above the normal range of the instrument. ...

Notable alto saxophonists include jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Phil Woods, Dave Koz, and Paul Desmond, and classical musicians Marcel Mule, Sigurd Raschèr, and Eugene Rousseau (for more see the Complete list of saxophonists)^[2]. The alto saxophone is included in classical music more often than the tenor, and many concertos for alto exist. The alto has great versatility and is used commonly in concert, jazz, funk, blues, pop, marching bands, and rock music. Explanation of columns: s = Sopranino S = Soprano A = Alto T = Tenor B = Baritone b = Bass c = Contrabass sc = Subcontrabass (i. ... For other persons of the same name, see Charles Parker. ... Julian Edwin Cannonball Adderley (September 15, 1928 – August 8, 1975), originally from Tampa, Florida, was a jazz alto saxophonist of the small combo era of the 1950s and 1960s. ... Lee Konitz (born 1927 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American jazz composer and saxophone player. ... Eric Allan Dolphy (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was a jazz musician who played alto saxophone, flute and bass clarinet. ... Ornette Coleman (born March 9, 1930) is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. ... Phil Woods Philip Wells Woods (born November 2, 1931) is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer. ... Dave Koz (March 27, 1963) is a homosexual American jazz saxophonist. ... Paul Desmond (25 November 1924 - 30 May 1977), born Paul Emil Breitenfeld, was a jazz alto saxophonist and composer born in San Francisco, perhaps best known for penning Take Five as a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. ... Marcel Mule (June 24, 1901 - December 19, 2001) was a French classical saxophonist. ... Sigurd Manfred Raschèr (15 May 1907 in Elberfeld, Germany - 25 February 2001 in Shushan, New York) was an American saxophonist of German birth. ... Eugene Rousseau (born 23 August 1932 in Blue Island, Illinois) is an American classical saxophonist. ... Explanation of columns: s = Sopranino S = Soprano A = Alto T = Tenor B = Baritone b = Bass c = Contrabass sc = Subcontrabass (i. ... The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. ... For the album by The Cure, see Concert (album). ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ... Blues music redirects here. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... A marching band performs in a parade A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who generally perform outdoors, and who incorporate movement – usually some type of marching – with their musical performance. ... This article is about the genre. ...

Some companies that currently produce saxophones are Buffet Crampon, Cannonball, P.Mauriat, KHS/Jupiter, Selmer, Yamaha, Leblanc/Vito, Keilwerth, and Yanagisawa. New alto saxophones range in price between US$200 for lower quality student models to over US$7000 for professional models. Buffet Crampon is a manufacturer of high-quality woodwind instruments including oboes, flutes, saxophones, and bassoons. ... P.Mauriat is a saxophone manufacturing company based in Taiwan. ... Jupiter Band Instruments, Inc. ... The Selmer Company was a manufacturer of musical instruments started in Paris, France in the early 1900s. ... The headquarters of Yamaha Corporation Yamaha redirects here. ... Conn-Selmer, Inc. ... Julius Keilwerth is a German Saxophone manufacturer, and was established in 1925. ... Yanagisawa Wind Instruments is a Japanese woodwind company known for its professional saxophones. ...

References

1. ^ Range of the Alto Saxophone
2. ^ Famous saxophonists