Alto Saxophone
The alto saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian designer of musical instruments who lived from 1814 to 1894. It is a woodwind instrument meaning that when a player blows air against the mouthpiece, it causes air to vibrate within a resonator. It is larger than the soprano saxophone yet smaller than the tenor. It is the type of saxophone which is most featured in classical compositions.
It is a transposing instrument, which means written notes are read at a pitch different from a concert pitch. For instance, when a E? saxophone player plays a written C, it sounds like a concert E?. The alto saxophone reads the treble clef in the key of E?.
Using scientific pitch notation, the alto saxophone has a range from concert D?3 to concert A?5. It can reach to A5 if the alto has a high F? key. The altissimo register starts at F? and goes up from there. It is more difficult to control than the altissimo register of other woodwinds and is used by only the more advanced saxophone players.
The alto saxophone is the ideal instrument for younger musicians. Because it is smaller, it is easier for young people to carry around. It is also the easiest to learn to play. It adds a beautiful sound to any orchestra or band.
If you want to play the alto sax, the first thing you should do is find out if you can borrow one from your school. See if the instrument company that works with your school has a rental program you can use. You want to make sure you are committed to playing the alto saxophone before you go out and buy one. That is especially true if you have a young child just starting out in band. You don’t want to spend money on an instrument only to discover the child gets bored with it.
Find out if a friend has an alto sax you can borrow. If the friend no longer wants to play the sax, he may even give it to you. Otherwise, you can at least get an understanding of what brand name of saxophone you prefer to play.
If you must have an alto saxophone of your very own, take a look at a selection of good used ones. They don’t cost a lot of money and you can get a high quality instrument. You can find them at music stores, in the newspaper, or online. Remember that the more you spend for an instrument typically means the instrument will produce a better sound.
Along with the alto saxophone, you need to purchase reeds, a neck strap, and a music stand. Beginning saxophone players usually start with a number “2” reed since the number “1” reed is too soft. As you get better and your lip muscles get stronger, you can move on to higher numbers. Be sure you protect your reed with a good container that fits in your sax case.
A music store near you will have all the alto saxophone accessories you need. Practice hard and look sharp because you never know who may be watching you at your next concert.