| Alto Saxophone |
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The Alto Saxophone is an instrument bent to the shape of the letter S, which is flat at the other end. The tone of the alto saxophone is broad and very rich. The sound, with its flexibility, reminds that of the human voice, the timbre is more string-like. Saxophones are made of brass and as with clarinet, the sound source is a mouthpiece made of ebonite with a reed attached to it. The saxophones are not part of the common orchestra instrumentation. Saxophones were designed originally for marching bands to support the woodwinds which were easily overshadowed by the brass instruments. The sound of saxophone may vary widely: in the classical music different types of reeds may be used compared to jazz music. In jazz and rock music the tone and the techniques are often more varied, not least in the form of excessive use of glissandos. The saxophone blends well with all instrumentation choices, though its tone may seem dominant. The alto saxophone is a transposing instrument (Eb), which means the material written for it is transposed up a major sixth. Recommended combinations:
The Alto Saxophone with flute
Listen to the audio samples:
Melody (318 KB) |
