Customarily, you'll find 4 standard types of saxophone. These are soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone. The soprano saxophone is in the key of Bb, then the alto saxophone is half an octave lower, in the key of Eb. The tenor saxophone is also in the key of Bb, but a full octave lower than the soprano. Last but not least, baritone saxophone is one octave below alto and so also in the key of E flat.
Music students are frequently encouraged to learn the clarinet before the saxophone. The clarinet carries more challenging fingering compared to the saxophone. But the general consensus is that the technical difficulty of the clarinet will give students a good foundation on which to learn the saxophone.
A counterpoint to this view is that the saxophone is a better starting point as it is easier. The learning curve on the sax is said to be more gentle because the embouchure is less demanding. By embouchure, we are referring to the breath work required to produce the range of notes. The fingering on the sax is also regarded as being easier compared to that of the clarinet. This is partly because the keys are easier to operate. This also makes the saxophone a better starting point for children as they have smaller hands.
Of your four key saxophones the alto saxophone is the one which most first-timers are urged to try out. This is due to the instrument's pitch. The pitch on the alto is neither too low or too high. This means that a novice won't struggle with getting the full range of notes out of it. On top of that, the range of keys are more compact on an alto and thus children can handle the instrument with ease. The alto sax also happens to be the most used saxophone in classical music. Consequently you can find a lot of sheet music written specifically for it.
As a final point it is worth mentioning that you must choose a saxophone that suits you. This doesn't necessarily have to be the best saxophone out there. It merely means that it's important to choose one that you will want to keep playing. Ask for recommendations from your teacher and your music store. You may even find there are opportunities to rent a saxophone before committing to buying. This is a great way of trying out a model to make sure you can handle it.
Music students are frequently encouraged to learn the clarinet before the saxophone. The clarinet carries more challenging fingering compared to the saxophone. But the general consensus is that the technical difficulty of the clarinet will give students a good foundation on which to learn the saxophone.
A counterpoint to this view is that the saxophone is a better starting point as it is easier. The learning curve on the sax is said to be more gentle because the embouchure is less demanding. By embouchure, we are referring to the breath work required to produce the range of notes. The fingering on the sax is also regarded as being easier compared to that of the clarinet. This is partly because the keys are easier to operate. This also makes the saxophone a better starting point for children as they have smaller hands.
Of your four key saxophones the alto saxophone is the one which most first-timers are urged to try out. This is due to the instrument's pitch. The pitch on the alto is neither too low or too high. This means that a novice won't struggle with getting the full range of notes out of it. On top of that, the range of keys are more compact on an alto and thus children can handle the instrument with ease. The alto sax also happens to be the most used saxophone in classical music. Consequently you can find a lot of sheet music written specifically for it.
As a final point it is worth mentioning that you must choose a saxophone that suits you. This doesn't necessarily have to be the best saxophone out there. It merely means that it's important to choose one that you will want to keep playing. Ask for recommendations from your teacher and your music store. You may even find there are opportunities to rent a saxophone before committing to buying. This is a great way of trying out a model to make sure you can handle it.
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