How is a saxophone distinct from other instruments?

Answer 1

The difference is that a Flute has a higher note and a Saxophone has a lower note.

Also, the saxophone is a vibrating reed instrument tuned by the length of the column, while the flute is a oscillating column of air instrument also tuned by the length of the column.

Answer 2

The saxophone has a different body then all of them. It is shaped differently, the sound is different, and it plays in a different clef then some of them.

Thoose are really the only major differences.

Answer 3

From my experience yes - the most obvious example is the Clarinet. Both are single reed, and the middle octave of the clarinet is the same as sax fingering. The embouchure (mouth shape) on the clarinet is much tighter, and on the clarinet for each octave there are different fingerings, whereas with the sax it's the same in all normal octaves.

The sax also has the same fingering as the flute all the way up to top D, except for a few small things (the c is made using the first finger rather than the second). However, the embouchure is completely different.

Sound-wise, it's been said that the Soprano Sax sounds a lot like an Oboe or a cor, but other than that they're pretty different.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 4

metal body with a woodwind style mouthpiece