One of the most shocking things about the sax to the average person is all the types in its family.
Most people only know the sax by its last name, the saxophone.
In reality, there are many different members of the saxophone family of instruments.
The saxophone family of instruments is usually made up of the four main ones: soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone. The bass and contrabass saxes are also around, along with a handful of other specialty ones. Saxophones all use the same fingering and sheet music as they are transposing instruments.
As we dig into the differences, we’ll talk about each member of the sax family along with a quick video demonstrating some of the best parts of that particular member.
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Table of Contents
Types Of Saxophones: Quick Reference Table
If you don’t want all the details and you just want to see them side by side, this table is for you.
For those who want the video examples and a bit more explanation, check out the later sections as well.
| Soprano Sax | Alto Sax | Tenor Sax | Bari Sax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range | Ab3 to Eb5 | Db3-Ab5 | Ab2 to Eb4 | Db2-Ab4 |
| Transposing Key | Bb | Eb | Bb | Eb |
| Size | 2 lb 2 oz (1 kg) | 4 lb 5 oz (2.2 kg) | 6 lb 4 oz (3 kg) | 11 lb 1 oz (5 kg) |
| Purpose In Ensemble | Melody, Ornamentation | Middle Voice, Harmony to Melody | Tenor, harmony to bass | Bass Voice |
| Average Price* | $2,600 | $2,000 | $3,500 | $6,000 |
| Editor’s Award | Louder, “brass-ier” clarinet | Best Starting Sax | Best for Jazz | Low Voice Expert |
*The instrument’s price varies wildly based on quality, brand, and level.
We chose the same intermediate line by the Yamaha brand for this number.
Links to these instruments will be down in their sections.
The Saxophone Family Breakdown
Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone family in the 1840s, and ever since, it’s been a staple in our musical world.
Though he initially envisioned a family of around 14 instruments, only 4 have stayed current and common, with a couple of others hanging around for specialty purposes.
All types of saxophones use the same fingering for the same written notes, making it easy for a player to pick any of them up and play.
This is part of why saxes are transposing instruments (read more at the link).
B-Flat Soprano Saxophone
The soprano sax is the highest of the standard sax family, but it’s the least common.
This instrument has no curved shape; it’s a straight-down one.
It essentially looks and acts like a metal clarinet.
The soprano sax is a Bb instrument, meaning when it reads a C on the staff, it sounds like a Bb.
The sounding range of the soprano is Ab3 to Eb5.
You’ll most often find the soprano in a classical saxophone quartet or ensembles, occasionally in jazz, and as part of the saxophone section in high-level wind groups (usually collegiate or semi-professional).
It’s not uncommon to go through high school music without ever seeing one.
Here’s a great example of a soprano saxophone at an affordable price on Amazon if you’re interested.
The sound is described as sweet yet powerful. It’s a brassier version of the clarinet as it plays similarly with a more direct tone.
E-Flat Alto Saxophone
The alto sax is the most popular and common member of the sax family (with the tenor as a close second).
It’s also the easiest to play and the one most people start playing on.
As an Eb instrument, when it reads a C on the staff, it sounds like the pitch Eb.
The sounding range of the alto is Db3-Ab5.
The alto sax appears pretty much everywhere:
- Middle school band
- High school concert bands
- Marching band
- Military bands
- College band
- All types of jazz (jazz bands, combos)
- Saxophone quartets and ensembles
- Popular music
When people close their eyes and picture a saxophone, this is usually what they imagine.
Here’s an example of a good intermediate alto on Amazon if you want to buy one or see more specific features.
Most people describe the sound as mellow yet strong.
It’s one of the most versatile instruments available, capable of sounding both like a woodwind and a brass instrument.
B-Flat Tenor Saxophone
Tenor saxes are the second most common and second easiest of the saxophone family of instruments.
It’s a well-known type of sax, and professionals and other high-level players tend to prefer it, probably for its richer sound.
Like the soprano sax, the tenor is a Bb instrument, meaning it sees a C on the staff and sounds like a Bb.
The sounding range of the tenor saxophone is Ab2 to Eb4.
As with the alto sax, the tenor is seen in pretty much every type of musical group, at least on occasion.
The tenor is used more in popular music than the alto (if only slightly), but it’s also seen slightly less in middle school bands.
Due to the slightly bigger size, you don’t usually see a child on tenor saxophone, but it’s not unheard of.
The tenor sax is often confused for the alto as they have the same shape and similar size.
Tenor saxes are bigger than altos, but it’s not that noticeable from a distance.
Even music teachers like me will mistake them for one another with a casual glance.
For an example of the price and features of tenor sax, check out the link to Amazon.
I love the richness and depth of the tenor sax. It provides a great mix of power and purity few other instruments can match.
Check out this video for an example of its sound:
E-Flat Baritone Saxophone
The baritone sax (or bari sax) is the largest of the standard sax family.
This is a common saxophone, and most people will recognize it, though the non-musical won’t have the words to give it a name.
The bari matches the alto in being an Eb instrument, which means it sounds like an Eb when it sees and reads a C.
Its sounding range is Db2-Ab4.
The baritone is less common but still frequent in most music groups.
You usually won’t see one in a middle school band, but many high schools will have at least one.
Bari saxes require a lot of air because it’s so big, so most young players can’t handle them.
But outside of middle school, you’ll find them in a lot the same places as the alto and tenor, though to a lesser degree.
Even though it’s not as common as the alto and tenor, it’s still much more popular than the soprano sax.
Here’s an example of an intermediate bari sax on Amazon. Click the link to check it out.
As a tuba player by trade, I love pairing up with the bari sax players to rock the band with a strong bass sound.
But it’s possible in the hands of a good player for the bari sax to be surprisingly agile.
Here’s an example:
Here’s a bonus video with the most famous bari player in the world, Leo P.
He plays with advanced techniques in a jazz/rock/pop fusion style.
Other Types Of Saxophones
Outside of these main 4 types of saxophones, there are others you may see around.
These are considered specialty saxophones, and you’ll only see them in specific situations, usually involving professional or semi-professional musicians.
- Sopranissimo Saxophone (Double Soprano Saxophone)
- Sopranino Saxophone (Soprillo Saxophone)
- Contralto Saxophone
- Bass Saxophone
- Contrabass Saxophone (Double Bass Saxophone)
- Subcontrabass Saxophone
On top of this, Adolphe sax also envisioned the standard saxes in different keys to make it easier to play in orchestral music.
But the saxophone never took off in the orchestra, even to this day.
So those keys fell off, which is why we have the Eb-Bb pairings of the instruments.
For more unheard-of instruments in the saxophone family, click the link to our article.
Is The Saxophone Family A Woodwind or Brass Instrument?
Here’s the big debated question by people outside of the band and music world.
Some people will wrongly assume the sax is part of the brass family.
It’s a common mistake with some good reasons behind it:
- The body is made of brass.
- It has a brassier sound.
- In music, the sax will often play with the brass section.
All of these reasons make sense, but they’re also completely irrelevant to why we classify instruments the way we do.
The key to classifying an instrument depends on how it produces sound, not how what it’s made of.
The saxophone uses a wooden or plastic reed in a mouthpiece to produce vibrations.
This is typical of woodwind instruments, like the clarinet.
In fact, clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces may be switched with minor effects.
True, the metal body affects the sax sound and makes it fit well with the brass family, but the technique to play is 100x more in line with the woodwind family.
For these reasons, we firmly call the saxophone a woodwind instrument.
If you group it incorrectly, don’t feel bad.
Even music companies will get this wrong.
I once found a music instruments poster by a big-name company that grouped the saxophone in the brass family.
I may have exploded when I saw this (and promptly called and complained).
It was apparently such an issue they reissued the poster with the correct groupings.
What Are The Common Parts In The Entire Saxophone Family?
The construction of the saxophone remains largely the same across all members of the family.
The three main parts are the mouthpiece, neck, and body.
These usually come apart for storage in their cases.
The soprano and sopranino saxophones don’t have a separate piece for the neck and body; they come as one.
The mouthpiece is the most important piece for sound production.
A ligature holds the reed on the mouthpiece, and when you blow on it, the reed vibrates, producing sound.
The neck transfers the vibration to the body, which then shapes the sound by pitch and tone into what we know it as today.
Pitch is changed by covering or uncovering different holes on the body of the sax.
Keys (or buttons) are used to help the musician cover the holes.
In order to hold the saxophone, you must use a neck strap or harness.
Most sax players keep multiple reeds in their case just in case one cracks.
They also keep cork grease in the case too.
This is rubbed on the neck where the mouthpiece goes to help create a firm seal and prevent air from escaping.
If you buy a brand new saxophone, a lot of these extras are included, though most musicians will have their favorite mouthpieces and reeds to use.
Some professionals even have multiple mouthpieces and multiple types of reeds to alter the sound depending on the group they’re playing in.