[jacquesm]

Also, note that technically a Saxophone is a woodwind, not brass. I played the saxophone for half my life and it is still my favorite instrument sound wise, even though I can no longer play it due to a lung issue. Also, it is quite close to the human voice which makes it very nice to interact with singing voices. Fantastic invention, and modern music really would not be the same without it. Try the solos in Baker Street and Year of the Cat, then try the same songs with that same solo on a different instrument and see for yourself.

What I love about this article is that it shows how much work used to go into 'designing a sound', something that we do today with synthesizers by the tweak of some buttons. That used to require a ton of craftsmanship and knowledge as well as the collaboration with others such as composers.

[throwaway_pdp09]

A question please, "and it is still my favorite instrument sound wise". Can the sax in general be said to have one sound? I knew 2 sax players at school, their instruments were much the same in size and appearance, excepting a little ornamentation on one. One was very smooth, it was a great sound. The other was much harsher, almost braying[0]. They seemed to be played with much the same high level of skill, so why the difference? They both sounded like saxes but...

[0] edit; certainly in tune but quite harsh, rough as a terrier's coat

[jacquesm]

That's a good point, you can actually change the way a sax sounds quite strongly, there are even people who modify their reeds. The difference between the way the same instrument family sounds on say Pink Floyd's "Dark side of the moon" (Dick Parry) sounds versus say Brandford Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Fela Kuti, Grover Washington or (god forbid) Kenny G is huge.

Of course 'saxophone' is a whole range of instruments going from Low-E giants to saxes so small you have to have pretty small fingers to not hit two valves at the same time.

The mouthpiece and the reed thickness are a big factor in this as is air pressure, 'tonguing' the reed and how you shape your mouth cavity. Endless variation.

But the basic harmonics are baked into the instrument, those would be very hard to change though I'm sure it is possible to manipulate which ones get amplified by the above changes to the environment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZjZBe6o78M

Is a nice example, it would be a pretty boring song without that raging saxophone.

[throwaway_pdp09]

> a whole range of instruments going from

I know but I simply didn't have the vocabulary to distinguish them by name or type, so emphasised their common size and appearance. Thanks for the comprhensive answer, and never even heard of Morphine, ta for that!

[jacquesm]

You're welcome. For some other really nice saxophone: Anything by Steps Ahead, Grover Washington's record 'mister magic'. If you want more drop me a line by email, I'll do some digging in my collection.

To give an idea of the range of saxophones:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopranino_saxophone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XqwC1NmtG4

to

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcontrabass_saxophone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgt2m9Q7Kz0

[LgWoodenBadger]

The sax solo that starts around 5:30 is my favorite ever, and I say that as a longtime Morphine fan. Never got into jazz much though...

https://music.apple.com/us/album/city-on-down-live/488251077...

[lisper]

Wow.

If I close my eyes while listening to the sopranino I would swear I was hearing a flute.

[sacado2]

It's all about technique and the style you want to develop. Two singers can have very different voices too.

[schwartzworld]

the same could be said for most instruments. Changing the reed, embouchure shape, breath quality all change the sound. Same with a guitar, if you change the strings, playing style, pick material, a lot of different sounds can come out of one instrument.