How to Know What Type of Saxophone You Have

What's the best saxophone for beginners?

Yous probably know that the saxophone comes in 4 principal types - Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone. (Read more than about that here)

But out of the two nearly pop saxophones, Alto and Tenor, which is the best selection for beginners?

Certainly a lot comes down to personal option, just if you take no idea where to starting time, we've got you lot covered in this article!

Prefer to watch instead? Check out our YouTube video below!

Size differences

The nearly obvious difference between the ii saxophones is the size difference - the tenor is larger than the alto.

The larger size produces a lower sound, in the same mode that a tenor (male vocalisation) produces a lower tone than an alto (female person voice).

The larger size also equates to a heavier instrument, with the alto weighing approximately two.5kg (5.5 lbs) and the tenor coming in at around three.5kgs (7.7lbs).

For most students aged around 14 and up, the size and weight differences will non be a barrier to entry at all, but for younger students (thirteen and under) the alto saxophone is almost ever going to be a improve selection.

Bank check out the cervix of the tenor saxophone. Detect it kinks slightly? That'southward the easiest way to visually identify a tenor from an alto, apart from the size.

Information technology'due south important to note that the keys are also spaced farther apart on the tenor saxophone, pregnant that the thespian's hands take to stretch a footling farther to properly hold the instrument and accomplish the keys.

If you're at all concerned with the additional size and weight of the tenor, then your all-time option is to visit your local music shop and try it out for yourself!

Transposition differences.

If we play a C on the alto saxophone, we should get a C on the piano right? Well, not exactly..

Playing a C on the alto saxophone really equates to an E-flat on the pianoforte, that'southward iii one-half-steps (semitones) abroad!

Therefore, we say that the alto saxophone is an E-apartment (written every bit Eb) transposing instrument, meaning that if nosotros're playing with other instruments (e.g. pianoforte), nosotros have to play music transposed for Eb instruments to play in the same central.

What about the tenor saxophone? Well, that's a Bb transposing instrument, meaning that a C on the tenor equates to a Bb on piano. Tenor players should play music transposed for Bb instruments.

(Don't worry if yous're not quite grasping this whole concept yet! It'south non an argument for alto or tenor, merely a unique feature to exist aware of.)

Tonal differences.

Every saxophonist sounds a little different - and in that location are significant differences even betwixt saxophonists of the same 'blazon' (e.g. alto, tenor etc.)

One of the about rewarding parts of choosing the saxophone is that through listening and experience, yous start developing your concept of your ideal tone (brilliant, punchy, warm, dark, mellow etc.) and gradually set upon a path to achieve that tone through practice, listening and your equipment choice.

That being said, at that place is certainly a 'cadre' element to the sound of an alto or tenor saxophone that will always remain constant, so I highly encourage you to check out every bit many examples of great saxophonists performing every bit you tin can, and start deciding for yourself which you lot adopt the sound of.

Here are but 2 examples of great alto and tenor saxophonists doing their matter:

Kenny Garrett is a legendary alto saxophonist who has a bright, punchy tone.

Joshua Redman is a critically acclaimed tenor saxophonist with a rich, warm tone.

Price differences.

Let's face it - cost can exist the biggest determining factor for many new students looking to offset the saxophone from scratch!

Past doing a quick search on the Sam Ash website, a big US musical retailer, we found the following prices for brand new beginner Yamaha saxophones:

Alto Saxophone (YAS-26): $2166 USD

Tenor Saxophone (YTS-26): $2734 USD

As you can see, the toll differential for comparable Yamaha saxophones is most $600, certainly nothing to sneeze at!

Only it's important to annotation that ownership brand new might non always be the best pick for yous.

Putting that same search into Craigslist or Gumtree (depending on your country) will almost certainly return results for less than one-half that toll. Every bit long as a saxophone has been well maintained, there'southward admittedly no reason why an older saxophone (10+ years onetime) can't get the task done simply besides as a newer sax.

A quick note on vintage saxes:

When you're first starting out, be careful purchasing vintage saxophones manufactured before the 1970's. Whilst being sought later on by some professionals, there are also plenty of examples of vintage saxophones that have non aged well, or are missing many of the ergonomic improvements that we would expect to see on the more than modernistic saxophones.

Similarities betwixt the saxes.

Although the main purpose of this article has been to highlight the differences between the alto and tenor saxophones, at that place'southward no doubtfulness that these instruments take many more than similarities than differences, and so let'southward briefly go through them!

Aforementioned fingerings.

Want to play a B on alto saxophone? Easy! Simply press the showtime finger downwardly on your left hand.

Want to play a B on tenor saxophone? Like shooting fish in a barrel! But printing the first finger downward on your left mitt.

Yep even though these two notes will audio a niggling different, the method for achieving them is exactly the same. In fact, the unabridged primal layout is identical between all 4 types of saxophone.

Same techniques.

The breathing, oral fissure shape (called 'embouchure') and posture is likewise identical between the saxophones, meaning you tin can follow along with tutorials on the alto saxophone and easily convert them to tenor!

Highly transferrable.

In example it wasn't clear already, if yous can play alto saxophone, you lot tin can play tenor saxophone - and vice versa! Starting on alto saxophone and moving to tenor is a pathway that many saxophonists accept, rather than starting on tenor from the very beginning.

In conclusion...

Ultimately, choosing between the alto and tenor saxophone is a personal choice, so listen to as many recordings of both types as yous can, and make up one's mind for yourself!

Only, if you came hither for a cold, hard opinion - here information technology is!

For reasons of price, availability, and depending on your age - size, the alto saxophone is generally the all-time selection for a beginner.

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Source: https://saxtuition.com/blogs/articles/alto-vs-tenor-saxophone-best-beginner-saxophone

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