The saxophone family is a lot larger than most people realize. The four most well known are the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. There are actually 10 types. Here is a list of all of them and a little bit about each.

Sopranissimo

This is the samllest saxophone and is commonly classed as a piccolo instrument. It is straight and is pitched an octave above Bb soprano. It is also called the soprillo and has the octave key in the mouthpiece.

Sopranino

This is also a straight sax. It is pitched a Eb and is rarely found in a group. There is very little call for it musically. This is not an instrument for a beginner.

Soprano

This is the beginning of the common range of saxophones. This can be curved or straight and is pitched at either Bb or C. This is still a very difficult instrument to play and should be avoided by beginners. It also has tuning issues.

Alto

The alto is the most common sax around. It is pitched at Eb and is one of the easiest to play. It is normally a curved sax, but there is a straight version.

C melody

This is a fairly rare sax. These were only produced for 20 years at the beginning of the last century. They are best avoided because you can not get new mouthpieces.

Tenor

Probably the most common saxophone in the world. It is pitched in Bb and is generally curved, but, like always, you can find it in a straight version. The theme song for the Pink Panther was played on a tenor.

Baritone

Now we are talking about the larger more expensive saxophones. It is pitched in Eb but can be extended to low A with the right instrument. The low notes cause vibration that is conveyed into your teeth. That is quite painful. This is not a sax for beginners.

Bass

This was the first sax made way back in the 1840’s. It is not commonly used in orchestras or bands. It is not for beginners, or really for intermediates. This one is for pros only.

Contrabass

This sax is around 6 feet in height and very heavy. It is pitched at Eb and is a very rare animal. Very few have ever been made because of the rarity they are used in music.

10 saxophones were mentioned. The sub contrabass saxophone has never been produced in a playable version. There will probably never be one made. So, there you have the saxophone family.

Photo Credit rj3