Saxophone
The saxophone is best known from jazz music, but it's also seen on many big pop stages, where it typically competes with the guitar as the sexiest solo instrument. If you're on the hunt for a new saxophone, you've come to the right place.
Which saxophone should I choose?
You might know exactly what type of saxophone you're looking for. But as a beginner, it can be difficult to tell the difference and make the right choice. Below is an overview of the most common types of saxophone. This should make it easier for you to choose.
The 4 most common types of saxophone
There are a number of different types of saxophone, but the 4 most well-known are: Alto, tenor, soprano and baritone. The tenor saxophone is probably the most similar to a saxophone. The way a saxophone looks when we imagine it or try to draw it. But the alto saxophone is the one most people start with. Let's run through the 4 types of saxophone.
The alto saxophone is a good beginner saxophone
This is where most people start. The alto saxophone is sized so that even children can handle it. It's easier to carry, requires less breathing and less finger stretching. It's also affordable. It has a slightly brighter sound than the tenor, but otherwise sounds as you would expect a saxophone to sound.
Many professional musicians have started out with the alto saxophone before moving on to tenor or soprano, for example. But there's nothing wrong with sticking with the alto saxophone if you fall in love with it.
The tenor saxophone for advanced or adult beginners
The principles are the same for an alto saxophone and a tenor saxophone. Both instruments are great saxophones - the tenor is just bigger and therefore requires more effort to play. This is why the tenor is often seen as an instrument for the experienced musician who has trained their breath and fingers, but it's certainly not out of the question for beginners either if you feel you can handle it.
The tenor saxophone has a nice sound - a little deeper than the alto saxophone.
The soprano saxophone is a difficult instrument
It's true that the soprano saxophone can be difficult to play, but when you succeed, it produces a wonderfully bright and beautiful sound. It's not the ideal saxophone for beginners, but for the advanced saxophonist who wants to play with the higher registers, the soprano is perfect.
The baritone saxophone is a wild instrument
The baritone saxophone is the largest, heaviest and deepest of the 4 saxophone types we review here.
The overall saxophone family includes several types from the smallest soprillo to the largest tubax. But with the baritone saxophone, we're dealing with an instrument that can still be lifted by an ordinary person with two hands. It's within pedagogical reach, you might say.
Check out our accessories for wind instruments page, where you'll find straps and saxophone reeds.