Saxophone

The saxophone is a wind instrument from the group of single-reed instruments. The body of this instrument is a relatively wide and strongly conical sound tube measuring 64 to 293 cm in length. In contrast to the cylindrical clarinet, all saxophone designs differ in this respect. The key system corresponds to that of the oboe. The saxophone is a woodwind instrumentalthough its body is usually made of silver-plated, gold-plated or lacquered brass. The sound is produced by a reed hitting the mouthpiece.

History

The Belgian inventor and instrument maker Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone in 1840 and was granted patent no. 3226 in France in 1846. The reason for this invention was the lack of good-sounding woodwind instruments in the lower register. clarinet and the penetrating sound of the oboe.

The first saxophone made by Adolphe Sax was a bass instrument in C. Although Sax designed the instrument from soprano to subcontrabass, the C/F tuning for symphony orchestras and the Bb/Es tuning for military music never achieved the intended significance. Henri Selmer took over Sax’s Paris workshop in 1929, and saxophones from Henri Selmer Paris, especially the Mark VI, achieved cult status.

The saxophone’s real fame only began with jazz in New Orleans. Alfred Baresel called it ‘the most important melody instrument in jazz’ in 1929. Despite its original purpose for classical music, the saxophone has established itself in jazz. Its variable sound and wide dynamic range make it a versatile instrument.

Contrary to what is often assumed, the saxophone has been used in many genres since the 20th century, such as pop, rock ‘n’ roll, electronic music and serial music. The saxophone also remains popular in concert and dance music. Many saxophone soloists have formed their own bands.

During the National Socialist era, the saxophone was fought against in the German Reich as an instrument of so-called ‘degenerate music’. The Deutsche Tonkünstler-Zeitung called for a ban in 1929, but this was not enforced. The saxophone continued to be used in dance and military music. Although some Nazi ideologues regarded the music as ‘Negro music’, others recognized its tonal value as an aid.

Structure

The saxophone produces its sound through a single vibrating reed, similar to the clarinet. It is therefore a woodwind instrument and not a brass instrument, as might be assumed based on the body material.

The saxophone consists of three individual parts: the mouthpiece with reed and reed screw (ligature), the S-bow and the body. Some saxophone types, such as the sopranino, soprillo and some soprano saxophones, only consist of a body and mouthpiece.

When playing, the instrument is usually fastened around the neck with a strap. Larger instruments (baritone saxophone and larger) and smaller saxophonists can also use back or shoulder straps. More recently, these straps have also become increasingly popular with tenor saxophonists, although they severely restrict their mobility and playing dynamics. Soprano saxophones and sopranino saxophones are often played without straps. Bass saxophones and larger instruments are usually played sitting down and on a stand, as they are too heavy for a strap alone.

Unlike the clarinet, the saxophone does not overblow into the duodecimal, but – like the flute and oboe – into the octave. This is due to the conical shape of the sound tube, which is narrow at the mouthpiece and very wide at the bell. There is an octave or overblowing key on the back of the instrument, which is operated with the thumb. This automatically opens one of two small tone holes depending on the note played. In terms of fingering, the instrument is largely related to the Bb clarinet and partly also to the modern transverse flute.

The most commonly used saxophones are the alto and tenor saxophones. Soprano saxophones and baritone saxophones follow, while the variants in the extreme registers are used less frequently. The alto saxophone is particularly popular because its size, price and weight make it suitable as a beginner’s instrument for children and young people. It should also be noted that high notes should be played with a light embouchure and low notes with little air.

more saxophones

The soprillo has been around since the beginning of the 21st century. It is an even smaller version of the saxophone compared to the sopranino. The soprillo is tuned in Bb and has a straight design. It has an appliqué up to high e, which is played with normal fingering. A special feature of this instrument is the upper octave key, which is built into the mouthpiece. The sound tube of the soprillo extends over a length of 30 cm.

At the same time, easily playable double bass and sub-contrabass saxophones were introduced. These saxophones have a slightly modified design in which the main tube is additionally bent, making the instruments more compact. Benedikt Eppelsheim produces a modernized version of these saxophones in Germany, known as the Tubax. They have smaller mouthpieces (baritone or bass saxophone mouthpieces), which improve the response, as well as a narrower bore, resulting in lower air consumption and the ability to play longer notes.

In saxophone construction, the joy of experimentation led to further innovative models. One example of this is the Conn-O-Sax from the 1920s, which was built in a straight form with a bulbous bell. This design gives the instrument an oboe-like sound. The nasal sound of a double-reed instrument is achieved through the spherical bell. Despite its advantages over the cor anglais, the Conn-O-Sax was not able to establish itself.

From around 1924, the King H. N. White Company produced the saxello, a Bb soprano saxophone with a bent-back head and a bent-forward tip. It became famous through jazz musicians such as Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Kirk also played the similar Manzello and a modified alto saxophone by Buescher called the Stritch.

Another interesting development was the production of saxophones made of wood in order to achieve a softer sound. These wooden saxophones are similar to the clarinet and the Hungarian tárogató. However, due to their complex construction, they are difficult to make and have intonation problems.

In the 1950s, the Grafton company ventured into innovation and produced a series of saxophones made of plastic, which became famous thanks to musicians such as Ornette Coleman and Charlie Parker. The plastic saxophone has been back since 2010, thanks to the Vibratosax from the Thai company Vibrato.

The technique for covering the tone holes was also revised. Today, modern plastic materials are used, while hollow metal keys with leather-covered felt pads are still common. The silicone pads of the Vibratosax are an example of this. They are flexible and suspended directly from the lever, resulting in self-leveling keys and significantly reducing maintenance.

One interesting instrument in this variety is the pocket saxophone. Although it can be considered a form of saxophone due to its name and sound, in terms of its characteristic features it is more of a middle ground between a clarinet and a flute.

Sound or sound generation

A reed made from the reed species Arundo donax is attached to the underside of a beak mouthpiece with a clamp. The wind player’s air causes the reed to vibrate, which causes the air column in the saxophone to vibrate. Mouthpieces with a wide orbit require soft reeds (thicknesses: 1-2 1/2), while mouthpieces with a narrow orbit require harder reeds (thicknesses: 3-5). Saxophones overblow into the 2nd octave and not, like clarinets, into the 3rd octave.

Playing technique

The correct fit of the mouthpiece is crucial for a precise embouchure when playing the saxophone. Traditionally, the mouthpiece is held so that the upper incisors rest on the sloping surface. In the classical embouchure, comparable to that of the clarinet, the player pulls the lower lip slightly inwards over the lower teeth and presses it against the reed. In the modern embouchure, on the other hand, the lower lip is curved outwards without the teeth touching the reed. This embouchure produces a harder tone. Before playing, the reed is moistened on both sides to facilitate the response.

The left hand mainly controls the upper keys of the saxophone. The thumb rests on a special thumb plate and stabilizes the upper part of the instrument. If necessary, it can operate the octave key above it to support overblowing. The right hand, on the other hand, mainly controls the lower keys. The thumb of this hand holds the instrument in the middle, while the other fingers each operate a key. The index finger of the upper hand also operates the small Bb key and the flageolet key. The little fingers of both hands operate two or four keys, respectively, which are connected by rollers to facilitate smooth key changes.

There are special fingering charts for both the normal range and the altissimo range, which provide saxophonists with precise guidance when choosing fingerings.

Instrument of the year 2019

The saxophone was voted Instrument of the Year 2019 by the regional music councils. This special award recognizes the importance and versatility of the saxophone.