Woodwind and Brass

The saxophone (also referred to simply as sax) is a conical-bored transposing musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet.

The series pitched in B minor and E minor?, designed for military bands, has proved extremely popular and most saxophones encountered today are from this series. A few saxophones remain from the less popular orchestral series pitched in C and F.

While proving very popular in its intended niche of military band music, the saxophone is most commonly associated with popular music, big band music, blues, early rock and roll, and particularly jazz. There is also a substantial repertoire of concert music in the classical idiom for the members of the saxophone family

The trumpet is a musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC. They are constructed of brass tubing bent twice into an oblong shape, and are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air column inside the trumpet.

There are several types of trumpet; the most common is a transposing instrument pitched in B?. The predecessors to trumpets did not have valves; however, modern trumpets have either three piston valves or three rotary valves, each of which increases the length of tubing when engaged, thereby lowering the pitch.

The standard orchestral trumpet, built in B-flat, has a range of about three octaves extending upward from the F-sharp be extending upward from the F-sharp below middle C (F3 sharp = 185 Hz). Models in D, C, and other pitches also exist.

Music for all models is written as if they were C trumpets (written C sounds B-flat for a B-flat trumpet). This allows players to switch instruments without learning new fingerings. The trumpet is used in many forms of music, including classical music and jazz.

For additional information, please contact TBML via phone or email