Answering student and beginner FAQs: is a saxophone a brass instrument?
If you’re new to the wonderful world of brass instruments - embarking on the very beginning stages of your music journey and considering which instrument will best suit your taste and style, you may be wondering: is a saxophone a brass instrument?
Is a saxophone a brass instrument?
The saxophone is an extremely popular instrument, heard in many different genres of music throughout the years; most well-known, though, for its place in jazz music - leading some of the most iconic and widely known jazz pieces of the 20th century.
And, whilst saxophones are made of brass - leaving many assuming that saxophones are, indeed, categorised as brass instruments, saxophones are technically classed as woodwind instruments.
Why?
The woodwind family is considered by some to be one of - if not the - most inclusive category of musical instruments of them all; housing multiple instruments that either don’t quite fit perfectly into other categories or don’t possess ‘transferable skills’ or familiarity to other instruments.
The saxophone is considered a wind, rather than a brass, instrument because it uses a single reed to produce sound and the fingering is incredibly similar to that of the clarinet (which, it may interest you to know, is similar to the recorder; considered the easiest woodwind instrument to learn).
It’s worth noting, also, that instruments categorised as ‘woodwind’ share similarities in fingering, blowing and/or shape; often characterised by a cylindrical or conical tube, and a flared bell…. Just like the saxophone!
We adore everything about the saxophone; how stylish it is, how thrilling it is to play and how iconic and distinctive it sounds. It’s an exciting and elegant instrument that brings so much passion and excitement to any piece of music.
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