Special Sub-Topic: Tricky Tenor Sax Click Here To Play: Tricky Tenor Sax

Which of these musicians is known best for playing the tenor sax?

John Coltrane. John Coltrane was a strong influence on jazz in the 60's and 70's. He had amazing tone on tenor, very dark and warm. He also had an earsplitting altissimo range. He did many long solos consisting of multi - phonics and fast runs with many, many notes. He was a very talented man.

When you play, your embouchure should be in the shape of a frown.

f. If your embouchure is correct it should look as if you are smiling while the mouthpiece is in your mouth. A correct embouchure ensures good sound quality.

What type of mouthpiece would one normally find on a tenor sax in a bigband?

metal or plastic. A metal mouthpiece creates a louder sound in order to be heard over the drums.

The tenor sax is in the key of B flat.

t. The most common saxophones are in the keys of B flat and E flat. The soprano and tenor are in B flat, whereas the alto and baritone are in E flat.

What other instrument is played with a tenor sax reed?

xaphoon. The xaphoon is an instrument that resembles a clarinet and is generally made of bamboo. It was invented in the 70's and uses a tenor sax reed to produce its sound.

The tenor sax sounds ...

an octave lower than written. This is so it can be played in treble cleff, when a tenor sax plays a C, it sounds like a B flat (a major 9th lower)

There is a saxophone that looks exactly like a tenor, only lighter and pitched in the key of "C", this saxophone is called a...

C melody saxophone. C melody saxophones became common around the year 1918, they have not been mass produced since 1929. A mellophone (for those who don't know) is actually a brass instrument that is used in marching bands in place of the french horn.

In concert band which instrument does the tenor saxophone generally share a part with?

the trombones. In concert band the tenor sax often plays a supporting role, playing long whole notes to support chords and the likes.

The lowest note you can play on a tenor sax is A (two lines below the staff).

f. The tenor, alto and soprano can only play to a low B flat. Only the baritone saxophone can play an A.

What instruments other than the saxophone did Adolphe Sax claim to have invented the fingering system for?

sarusophone. Pierre-Louis Gautrot developed this instrument in 1856, named after the French bandmaster Pierre-Auguste Sarrus. Adolphe Sax sued for the patent, as the fingering system is very similar to that of the saxophone, but he lost his suits.