Saxophone Research Paper

The saxophone is one of, if not, the most played woodwind instruments available. It is just a very popular instrument in general for its unique sound, instrument variations and versatility, and difficulty of play. The instrument is generally made out of brass metal and produces sound through the vibration of a reed, or a piece of wood put in the mouthpiece of the instrument. The sound travels through the inside of the horn and comes out at the end projecting it out with a pitch (or note). The desired pitch can essentially be acquired by pressing a variety of keys that close or open holes in the horn as one is blowing air through it in order to make the reed vibrate. As time has progressed, the amount of keys that are in a saxophone has grown, allowing it to play more notes and being able to play the same notes but with different fingering (or keys needed to be held down to play a note). The Saxophone instrument was invented in the 1840s by the Belgian musician and invertor Adolphe Sax. His father, Charles was an expert maker of musical instruments. As a child he learned to make instruments in his father's shop. He also learned to play the instruments …show more content…
Valuable to bands and occasionally used in the orchestra, it is now best known for its extensive use in dance and jazz music. All saxophones except those [tuned] in C are transposing instruments (Saxophone). A transposing instrument is an instrument that is tuned in a different pitch rather than concert pitch, or C. Therefore, when a pitch is played on it, it will not be the same pitch played in a concert pitched instrument, such as a piano or a string instrument. Instruments are usually tuned this way so they are on a comfortable range for the sound they make. Another milestone for Sax’s career was when he reinvented the bass-clarinet, since to this point not a reliable one had been made until he made one