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Alto saxophone

 
Alto Saxophone

 
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Alto saxophone
 
 
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The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone
Saxophone

The saxophone is a conical-Bore transposing instrument musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a Single-reed instrument mouthpiece similar to the clarinet....
 family of woodwind instruments invented by the Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax
Adolphe Sax

Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax was a Belgium musical instrument designer and musician , best known for inventing the saxophone....
. The alto, with the tenor
Tenor saxophone

The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the Alto saxophone, is the most common size of saxophone....
, is the most common size of saxophone. It is larger than the soprano
Soprano saxophone

The soprano saxophone was invented in 1840 and is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument. The soprano is the second in size of the saxophone family which consists, as generally accepted, of the sopranino saxophone, soprano, Alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, and contrabass saxophone....
, smaller than the tenor
Tenor saxophone

The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the Alto saxophone, is the most common size of saxophone....
, and is the size most used in classical compositions.

The alto saxophone is a transposing instrument
Transposing instrument

A transposing instrument is a musical instrument for which written notes are read at a pitch different from Pitch #Concert pitch, which a non-transposing instrument, such as a piano, would play....
 and reads the treble clef in the key of E. A written C for the alto sounds as the concert E a major sixth lower.

The range of the alto saxophone is from concert D3 (the D below middle C - see Scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation

Scientific pitch notation is one of several methods that name the notes of the standard Western music chromatic scale by combining a letter-name, accidental , and a number identifying the Pitch 's octave....
) to concert A5 (or A5 on altos with a high F key).






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The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone
Saxophone

The saxophone is a conical-Bore transposing instrument musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a Single-reed instrument mouthpiece similar to the clarinet....
 family of woodwind instruments invented by the Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax
Adolphe Sax

Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax was a Belgium musical instrument designer and musician , best known for inventing the saxophone....
. The alto, with the tenor
Tenor saxophone

The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the Alto saxophone, is the most common size of saxophone....
, is the most common size of saxophone. It is larger than the soprano
Soprano saxophone

The soprano saxophone was invented in 1840 and is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument. The soprano is the second in size of the saxophone family which consists, as generally accepted, of the sopranino saxophone, soprano, Alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, and contrabass saxophone....
, smaller than the tenor
Tenor saxophone

The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the Alto saxophone, is the most common size of saxophone....
, and is the size most used in classical compositions.

The alto saxophone is a transposing instrument
Transposing instrument

A transposing instrument is a musical instrument for which written notes are read at a pitch different from Pitch #Concert pitch, which a non-transposing instrument, such as a piano, would play....
 and reads the treble clef in the key of E. A written C for the alto sounds as the concert E a major sixth lower.

The range of the alto saxophone is from concert D3 (the D below middle C - see Scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation

Scientific pitch notation is one of several methods that name the notes of the standard Western music chromatic scale by combining a letter-name, accidental , and a number identifying the Pitch 's octave....
) to concert A5 (or A5 on altos with a high F key). As with most types of saxophones, the standard written range is B3 to F6 (or F6). Above that, the altissimo
Altissimo

Altissimo refers to the uppermost register on woodwind instruments. For clarinets, which overblowing on odd harmonics, the altissimo notes are those based on the fifth, seventh, and higher harmonics....
 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
List of saxophonists

Explanation of columns:*Sopranino saxophone = Sopranino saxophone*Soprano saxophone = Soprano saxophone*Alto saxophone = Alto saxophone*Tenor saxophone = Tenor saxophone...
 include jazz musicians Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker

Charles Parker, Jr. was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.Parker is widely considered one of the most influential of jazz musicians, along with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington....
, Johnny Hodges
Johnny Hodges

John Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges was an American alto saxophone and lead player of Duke Ellington's saxophone section. He spent 38 years with Ellington, leaving to lead his own band from 1951 to 1955, returning to the fold shortly before Ellington's triumphant return to prominence via the orchestra's performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz F...
, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz

Lee Konitz is an United States jazz composer and alto saxophone born in Chicago, Illinois. Generally considered one of the driving forces of Cool Jazz, Konitz has also performed successfully in bebop and avant-garde settings....
, Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy

Eric Allan Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophone, Western concert flute #In jazz, and bass clarinetist.Dolphy was one of several groundbreaking jazz alto saxophone players to rise to prominence in the 1960s....
, David Sanborn
David Sanborn

David Sanborn is an United States alto saxophone saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental Pop music and R&B....
, Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman

Ornette Coleman is an United States saxophoneist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1950s and 1960s....
, Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton

Anthony Braxton is an American composer, saxophone, clarinettist, flute, piano, and philosopher. He has created a large body of highly complex work....
, Phil Woods
Phil Woods

Philip Wells Woods is an United States jazz bebop Alto saxophone, clarinetist, bandleader and composer....
, and Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond

Paul Desmond , born Paul Emil Breitenfeld, was a jazz alto saxophone and composer born in San Francisco, best known for the work he did in the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for penning that group's greatest hit, "Take Five"....
, and classical musicians Marcel Mule
Marcel Mule

Marcel Mule was a French european classical music saxophonist.Marcel Mule was known worldwide as one of the great classical saxophonists, and many pieces were written for him, premiered by him, and arranged by him....
, Sigurd Raschèr
Sigurd Raschèr

Sigurd Manfred Rasch?r was an United States saxophonist of Germany birth. He became one of the most important figures in the development of the 20th century repertoire for the concert saxophone....
, and Eugene Rousseau
Eugene Rousseau (saxophonist)

Eugene Rousseau is an American classical saxophonist. He plays mainly the Alto saxophone and Soprano saxophone saxophones.He studied at the Paris conservatory on a Fulbright grant with Marcel Mule in 1962....
 (for more see the Complete list of saxophonists
List of saxophonists

Explanation of columns:*Sopranino saxophone = Sopranino saxophone*Soprano saxophone = Soprano saxophone*Alto saxophone = Alto saxophone*Tenor saxophone = Tenor saxophone...
). The alto saxophone is included in classical music more often than the tenor
Tenor saxophone

The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the Alto saxophone, is the most common size of saxophone....
, and many concertos for alto exist. The alto is used commonly in concert
Concert

A concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. The music may be performed by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band....
, jazz
Jazz

Jazz is a primarily American musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
, funk
Funk

Funk is an United States Music genre that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music....
, blues
Blues

Blues is a music genre based on the use of the blues chord progressions and the blue notes. Though several blues musical form s exist, the 12-bar blues chord progressions are the most frequently encountered....
, pop
Pop music

Pop music is a music genre that features a noticeable rhythmic element, melodies and hook , a mainstream style and a conventional structure.The term "pop music" was first used in 1926 in the sense of "having popular appeal" , but since the 1950s it has been used in the sense of a musical genre, originally characterized as a lighter alternat...
, marching bands, and rock music
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
.

Some companies that currently produce saxophones are Buffet Crampon
Buffet Crampon

Buffet Crampon et Compagnie is a manufacturer of high-quality woodwind instruments including oboes, flutes, saxophones, and bassoons. The company is perhaps most famous for their clarinets, as Buffet is the brand of choice for many professionals....
, Cannonball, P.Mauriat
P.Mauriat

P.Mauriat is a professional class saxophone manufacturing company based in Taiwan.According to the company's web site, the company was named after French conductor/composer Paul Mauriat, associating the company with Mauriat's music and lifestyle....
, KHS
KHS Musical Instruments

KHS Musical Instruments Co., Ltd was founded in Taiwan in 1930 as an educational products company, and gained success in the 1950s as a producer of musical instruments....
/Jupiter
Jupiter Band Instruments

Jupiter Band Instruments, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of woodwind instrument, brass instrument and percussion instrument musical instruments....
, Selmer
The Selmer Company

The Selmer Company was a manufacturer of musical instruments started in Paris, France in the early 1900s. Selmer was known for its high-quality woodwind instruments, especially saxophones and clarinets....
, Yamaha, Leblanc
Conn-Selmer

Conn-Selmer, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of concert band, marching band, and orchestral instruments. It is a subsidiary of Steinway & Sons and was formed after Steinway bought musical instrument manufacturers The Selmer Company and C.G....
/Vito, Keilwerth, Unison
UNISON

UNISON ? the Public Service Union is the second largest trade union in the United Kingdom, with over 1.3 million members.It was formed in 1993 when three previous public sector trade unions, the National Association of Local Government Officers , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service Employees merg...
, and Yanagisawa
Yanagisawa Wind Instruments

Yanagisawa Wind Instruments is a Japanese woodwind company known for its range of student, intermediate and professional grade saxophones. Along with Yamaha they are one of the leading manufacturers of saxophones in Japan....
. New alto saxophones range in price between US$200 for lower quality student models to over US$7000 for professional models.