The Alto Saxophone Essay

Submitted By fuck_this_shit
Words: 903
Pages: 4

History
The Alto Saxophone was made in Belgium in the 1840s. The Alto Saxophone was created by a man named Adolphe Sax of Brussels. He was born in Belgium and moved to Paris were he stayed for the rest of his life. The Alto Saxophone is the most recently made woodwind instrument. It has different features of different instruments so it is a hybrid.
The Alto Saxophone is just one of the instruments in the saxophone family. There is the Sub-Contrabass Saxophone, Contrabass Saxophone, BBb Bass Saxophone, C Bass Saxophone, Eb Baritone Saxophone, Bb Tenor Saxophone, C Melody sax, Tenor Saxophone, Straight Tenor, Eb Sopranino Saxophone, A Soprano Saxophone, C Soprano Saxophone, Bb Soprano Saxophone, Eb Alto Saxophone and the Alto Saxophone. All these saxophones were created by Adolphe Sax.

Styles of music
Alto Saxophones are known for many different styles of music, such as military, jazz, bop, funk, hip hop. Alto Saxophones can be used to make almost every type of music there is.
Famous players
Two famous Alto Saxophone players are Charlie Parker and Coleman Randolph Hawkins. I listened to his jazzy, upbeat song “Yard Bird” on You Tube.

Coleman Randolph Hawkins, “Hawk”, “Bean”
Colman Hawkins revolutionized the sound of the tenor saxophone, turning it into one of the most important instruments in jazz. He started playing sax at age 9 and began working professionally at age 16. He developed a full-bodied ensemble and solo, which opened the field for such later tenor sax players as Lester Young, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins. He was also known as The Father of Jazz Saxophone Playing.
How to hold an Alto Saxophone
To start, you take the Alto Saxophone out of the case. Hold the alto saxophone in your hands until you're comfortable with its weight and shape. Work on supporting the saxophone with your right thumb and notice the feel of your neck strap. Practice adjusting the neck strap until you can comfortably hold the sax with the strap in place.
How to change notes on an Alto Saxophone
First lick the reed. Roll your lower lip slightly over your lower teeth. Seal your mouth around the mouth piece. Place your tongue on the mouth piece and press the first key using your left hand. Blow a steady stream of air through the mouthpiece, adding pressure against the reed. When the reed begins to vibrate, it will generate a sound which is the third-line B on the treble clef. Then to change notes, repeat the process but press a different key.
How to maintain an Alto Saxophone When you take your saxophone out of the case, grab it by the bell of the saxophone and not the keys. There are five tasks to do to maintain your saxophone.
1. Keys: Wipe underneath the keys on the outside of the saxophone to keep the pads as dry as possible. Do not clean them with water. Check them for tears or wear and replace them if necessary.
2. Inside: Get a saxophone swab. This device has a weight on a cord that you put it in one end of the instrument and pull through. A cotton cloth on the other side of the cord dries the inside of the saxophone.
3. Reed: Clean the reed after each use by removing the reed from the mouthpiece and wiping off the moisture. Store the reed in a reed case.
4. Mouthpiece: Remove the mouthpiece. Rinse it with mouthwash. Wipe it and store it with the