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Alto Saxophone

Classification Wind Woodwind Aerophone Playing range in E♭: sounds one sixth lower. Note: most modern alto saxes can reach a high F#. Related instruments Soprillo Sopranino saxophone Soprano saxophone Mezzo-soprano saxophone C melody saxophone Tenor saxophone Baritone saxophone Bass saxophone Contrabass saxophone Subcontrabass saxophone Tubax Musicians List of saxophonists More articles Saxophone

The alto saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a family of woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. The alto is the third smallest of the saxophone family, which consists of ten sizes of saxophone (see saxophone). The alto is the most common size of saxophone, and is also the size most commonly included in classical compositions.

Of the people who learn to play saxophone, most begin on alto. The second most common size of saxophone is the tenor; most tenor players start on alto and switch to tenor after a few years.

The alto saxophone is a transposing instrument and reads the treble clef in the key of E♭ (meaning that a written C for the alto will sound as E♭; concert, a major sixth lower).

The range of the alto saxophone is from concert D♭ (D♭3) to concert A♭ (A♭5) (or A5 on altos with a high F# key). The "normal" range as written for the player is B♭3 to F6 (or F#6).^[1] The third octave, known as the altissimo register, begins at F# and extends upwards. Since the altissimo register of a saxophone is much more difficult to control than other woodwinds, it is usually only expected from advanced players.

Notable alto saxophonists include jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Phil Woods, Dave Koz, and Paul Desmond, and classical musicians Marcel Mule, Sigurd Raschèr, and Eugene Rousseau (for more see the Complete list of saxophonists)^[2]. The alto saxophone is included in classical music more often than the tenor, and many concertos for alto exist. The alto has great versatility and is used commonly in concert, jazz, funk, blues, pop, marching bands, and rock music.

Some companies that currently produce saxophones are Buffet Crampon, Cannonball, P.Mauriat, KHS/Jupiter, Selmer, Yamaha, Leblanc/Vito, Keilwerth, and Yanagisawa. New alto saxophones range in price between US$200 for lower quality student models to over US$7000 for professional models.

1. ^ Range of the Alto Saxophone
2. ^ Famous saxophonists