Alto saxophone

Alto Saxophone

Classification	Wind Woodwind Aerophone
Playing range
In E♭: sounds a major sixth lower than written. Most modern alto saxes can reach a high F♯..
Related instruments
Military band family: Sopranino saxophone Soprano saxophone Alto saxophone Tenor saxophone Baritone saxophone Bass saxophone Contrabass saxophone Subcontrabass saxophone Orchestral family: C soprano saxophone Mezzo-soprano saxophone C melody saxophone Other saxophones: Sopranissimo saxophone ('Soprillo') Tubax
Musicians
List of saxophonists
More articles
Saxophone

The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by the Belgian instrument designer in 1841 Adolphe Sax. The alto, with the tenor, is the most common size of saxophone. It is larger than the soprano, smaller than the tenor, and is the size most used in classical compositions.

The alto saxophone is a transposing instrument and reads the treble clef in the key of E♭. A notated C-natural sounds as concert E♭, a major sixth lower.

The range of the alto saxophone is from concert D♭₃ (the D♭ below middle C - see [Scientific pitch notation] to concert A♭₅ (or A₅ on altos with a high F♯ key). As with most types of saxophones, the standard written range is B♭₃ to F₆ (or F♯₆).^[1] Above that, the altissimo register begins at F♯ and extends upwards. The saxophone's altissimo register is more difficult to control than that of other woodwinds and is usually only expected from advanced players.

Notable alto saxophonists include jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, Eric Dolphy, David Sanborn, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Phil Woods, Paul Desmond and John Zorn, and classical musicians Marcel Mule, Sigurd Raschèr, and Eugene Rousseau (for more see the Complete list of saxophonists). The alto saxophone is included in classical music more often than the tenor, and many concertos for alto exist. The alto is used commonly in concert, jazz, funk, blues, pop, marching bands, and rock music.

Some companies that currently produce saxophones are Buffet Crampon, KHS/Jupiter, Selmer, Yamaha, Leblanc/Vito, Keilwerth, and Yanagisawa. New alto saxophones range in price between US$200 for lower quality student models to over US$7000 for professional models.

Conn 6M "Lady Face"^[2] brass alto saxophone (dated 1935) in its original case

1950s Grafton alto made of plastic

References

1. ^ Range of the Alto Saxophone
2. ^ http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Saxes/Alto/Conn_6M.htm