Name | Key | Pitch | Size |
Sopranino | Eb | High | Low |
Soprano | Bb | ||
Alt | Eb | ||
Tenor | Bb | ||
Bariton | Eb | ||
Bass | Bb | Low | Big |
The most popular sizes are Soprano and Baritone. The higher pitched instruments, Sopranino and Soprano, are commonly available in straight or curved shapes.
The most played saxophone is still the Alto Saxophone in Eb and therefore it’s usually the cheapest. Saxophones belong to the family of so-called transposing instruments, which means that they play in different keys as than the so-called C-instruments, like piano, guitar, bass, flute and so on
A saxophone in Bb means that if you play the note C as written in the music, the actual note you hear is a Bb, or an Eb on an Eb-Saxophone.
The tonal range of the saxophone was extended over the years, so that most instruments go up to the fingered note of F-sharp (the Soprano today even up to the high G). Baritone saxophones have an additional semitone extended range to the low end, reaching down to the low A (sounding C).
Virtuosos of today can extend the range of their saxophones, usually spanning two and a half octaves, to cover up to four octaves.