What is the difference between a student saxophone than a normal saxophone?

Answer 1

There are 3 levels of saxophones.

First, there's a student model. Student models are cheaper and for beginning saxophonists or saxophonists who don't really plan on continuing Saxophone. It has all the basic functions a beginner needs. These are the cheapest

Second, there's the intermediate level saxophone. These are used mostly for students who want to keep going in your saxophone career. Most models have the alternate F# key that is needed in harder level music. The tone from the materials used is also better. These can get pretty expensive but most are affordable (if it's important to you).

Lastly, There's the professional saxophone. These are for serious saxophonists, (or ones that like to spend money!) These are ALWAYS at least 2000 dollars...They have the best sound, however. All have an alternate F# key (and on soprano high G key) If you want a professional saxophone, I would suggest waiting until you know how to play and care for it/know you want to keep going with the saxophone.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The tenor is the second most popular saxophones in bands and may even be the most popular solo instrument in jazz and popular music, so I'd say it is a pretty normal sax.

I suspect that you are asking for a comparison to the alto sax. The tenor sax is larger than the alto, and sounds a fourth below the alto - that's four notes down the scale.

Both alto and tenor saxes are transposing instruments, which means that the note sounded is different from the written note, but the not sounded is different.

For example if both saxes play a written C, the alto sounds the Eb next below the written note, and the tenor sounds a Bb an octave and a step lower.

Other differences include that the tenor is heavier than the alto; the tenor tends to have a throatier sound while the alto sound is brighter and cuts through the sound of a large ensemble better.

There are many similarities as well. The reason that the instruments are transposing instruments is so that a player uses the same fingerings on both. It is not difficult for a player who plays alto to play tenor as well, and vice versa. There's a little adjustment for the weight of the instrument and the embouchure (the use of the small muscles around the mouth) are a bit different but the written range and the fingerings are the same.