Definition of saxophone - What it is, Meaning and Concept

The Belgian Adolphe Sax ( 1814 - 1894 ) made an invaluable contribution to the world of music, since he invented the instrument that today we all know with the name of saxofon .The name of this instrument in French ( saxophone ) joins the name of its creator ( Sax ) with the concept phone ( "sound" ).

As expected, Sax had a very close relationship with music, as he was a clarinetist.believes that, from this instrument, I develop the saxophone, which is commonly known as sax and that, in some countries , it is also named as saxophone .

The saxophone and the clarinet, therefore, share several characteristics.These are instruments that have a mouthpiece attached to a simple tab and which are usually manufactured with brass , a zinc and copper alloy characterized by its malleability and ductility, in addition to its yellow color and the ease with which it is able to shine.

Shaped like a conical tube widened at its end, each saxophone has at least twenty holes of tone and two octave keys.The holes have pads that, according to the fingering of the instrument, close or open them.

Usually, the saxophone is used to play pieces of jazz or blues .It is also often used in military bands .when tuning the instrument, it is possible to talk about different types of saxophones.

The baritone saxofon has the most serious record and is tuned to My flat . alto saxophone , on the other hand, it is an octave less serious than the baritone saxophone. tenor saxophone (tuned in If flat ), the soprano saxophone (a octave higher than the tenor saxophone) and the sopranino saxophone (of little use) are other kinds of saxophone.

These differences are very important, and should be taken into account before starting to learn to play this instrument, to choose the most appropriate type to our needs and tastes .In addition to tuning and style that we want to play, it is essential to pay attention to another factor: the size of the saxophone, something that also happens, for example, with the violin.

The saxophone is an inexpensive instrument at an economic level, which is why it is not always convenient to rush to buy one before having verified that we have the necessary vocation to dedicate a large part of our life to the study of the technique .Mastering an instrument is a task that is never completed, just like any other discipline: the more experience and skill, new challenges are presented, increasingly complex.Fortunately, it is relatively easy to find music stores that offer the option of renting a saxophone.

With respect to the parts of the saxophone, does not always come all included in a package , so it is very important to get proper advice before investing money.The Internet is the space where all the necessary information is found, but also the most overwhelming for beginners, and therefore it is preferable to speak directly with an experienced person in the subject.

One of the parts that may not be included with the instrument but that is essential to play is the mouthpiece, and its availability in stores is directly proportional to the rarity of the type of saxophone we have chosen.On the other hand, it is important not to opt for the cheapest or believe that only professionals are worth, reasoning that also applies when buying the instrument: at the beginning it is preferable to seek the highest quality at the most accessible price , since always there will be time to level up once we can honor it with our interpretations .

Among the best known saxophonists in history, we can mention Charlie Parker , John Coltrane and Kenny G .