← Saxophone · Start here · about 15 min
Meet your saxophone
What it is, what the parts do, and how to put it together safely.
How a sax makes sound
You blow air between a thin piece of cane (the reed) and the mouthpiece. The reed vibrates very fast. That vibration travels down the tube and becomes sound.
The keys open and close holes along the body. More holes closed means a longer column of air, and a lower note.
A saxophone is made of metal, but it is a woodwind. The reed is what makes the sound, not the metal.
The parts
- Mouthpiece
- The part you put in your mouth. The reed attaches to it.
- Reed
- A thin piece of cane. When air hits it, it vibrates. That vibration is the sound.
- Ligature
- The small metal clamp that holds the reed on the mouthpiece.
- Neck
- The curved tube that connects the mouthpiece to the body.
- Body
- The long tube with the keys. Your fingers change how long the column of air is.
- Keys
- Pads on levers. Pressing a key closes a hole, which makes the note lower.
- Bell
- The flared opening at the bottom where the sound comes out.
Put it together
Go slowly. Most broken saxophones are broken during assembly. If something will not move, stop and ask for help.
Strap first
Put the neck strap on before you take the sax out of its case. Then clip the sax on while it is still lying in the case.
Neck on the body
Loosen the screw on top of the body's neck socket. Slide the neck in with a gentle twist, point it straight ahead, and tighten the screw. Never grab the long rods or keys to hold the sax.
Mouthpiece on the neck
Put a tiny bit of cork grease on the cork if it is dry. Push the mouthpiece on with a twisting motion, about halfway down the cork.
Reed on the mouthpiece
Wet the reed in your mouth. The flat side goes against the flat side of the mouthpiece. Line up the tip of the reed with the tip of the mouthpiece.
Ligature on
Slide the ligature over both. Set it on the thick part of the reed, below the thin tip. Tighten the screw until the reed is snug, not crushed.
Take it apart
Remove the reed
Take off the ligature and slide the reed off carefully. Wipe it and store it in a reed case. Never leave it on the mouthpiece.
Swab the horn
Pull the swab through the neck and the body to dry out the moisture. Water left inside ruins pads.
Case it
Put each piece back in the shape it came out. Latch the case slowly. Nothing should be squeezed.
Can you…
Sax facts
- Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument maker, patented the saxophone in 1846.
- It is a woodwind, not a brass instrument. The body is metal, but the sound comes from a vibrating reed.
- Sax wanted an instrument with the power of brass and the flexibility of a woodwind.
- Reeds are cut from a tall grass called Arundo donax, a cane plant.
- The saxophone family has many sizes. Soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone are the common ones.