| Thinking about playing the saxophone? Adolphe Sax, | | | | are closer together making it easier for small hands to |
| it's inventor drew up plans for 14 different types of | | | | control. Of coarse this is a generalization and if you're |
| saxophones. I don't know how far he got with that list | | | | small and dead set on playing a tenor sax from the |
| but I have heard of 11 and personally have seen or | | | | get go then do it. |
| played 8 of them. The 10 different voices (types) are | | | | Soprano and Baritone |
| sopranissimo, sopranino, soprano, saxello, alto, c | | | | One voice higher than the alto is the soprano, and |
| melody, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass, and | | | | because it's smaller it does require less air support. This |
| subcontrabass. | | | | is the good news, the bad news is that good intonation |
| Alto or Tenor? | | | | (tuning) will be harder to achieve for the beginner, |
| Let's talk about these two since they are the most | | | | especially in the higher register. Same thing applies to |
| popular followed by soprano and baritone. Many | | | | the baritone sax as far as being difficult to play in tune |
| people wouldn't really know the differences between | | | | in the upper register, and the low register requires lots |
| the alto and tenor saxophones if they glanced at them | | | | of air... it's a big horn. |
| from a distance but there is a big difference between | | | | Buy a Cheap Horn at First |
| them. | | | | This is a good idea for 3 reasons; |
| Girls play alto and boys play tenor. | | | | 1) You, or whoever you're buying it for might not stick |
| When I was in high school band it seemed that's the | | | | with it for very long |
| way it was. It make sense when you think of the size | | | | 2) You won't get a great tone in the first year or 2 no |
| difference, a tenor sax in it's original factory case is | | | | matter how expensive the horn is |
| somewhat heavy to carry, making it very difficult for a | | | | 3) The horn itself is not the most important part of |
| small teenage girl to lug it home from school every | | | | your set-up, it's the reed and the mouthpiece... just |
| day. | | | | make sure with a repairman the horn is in good |
| For a small person, boy or girl it's not a bad idea to | | | | working condition. |
| start on the alto sax, it requires less air and the notes | | | | |