Guide to the Saxophone - Soprano Sax

[limescout]

played a soprano for the first time today. It's very finicky about embouchure and breathing, but very fun nonetheless :)

[xXamericanGXx]

@RKOlover13 same here ive been playing for 3 years just want something new to play along with it:)

[RKOlover13]

I'd really like to play the saprano sax! I play the alto sax at my high school band, so the fingerings be the same?

[larziebabe]

@RKOlover13

Yes! The fingerings are the same on all saxophones, but the key of the instrument will change from Eb to Bb, so your transpositions will be different!

[minecraftmechanic1]

I wish the band at my school learned how good the sax is :( We always get whole notes and the trumpets and clarinets get CRAZY music.

[TheMjtmaster]

0:01

[IdkWantingToKnow]

I'm going to learn how to play this quite soon hopefully. :DDDD

[tropicwildfire]

just got back to playing the soprano after a year of playing the bari.

.....i sucked at it...

[ninatenthree]

The saprano is one octive higher than an ALTO! Sooooooo.....

[3lyseNicole]

@ninatenthree Soprano is one octave higher than TENOR! Tenor and Soprano saxes are Bb instruments and Alto and Bari are Eb. Jeez!

[ThatGirlWithTheFlip]

If only I could play this in my school band...

[angelonebros2]

I'm gonna learn how to play the alto in school,after I leave school for good,maybe I'll try this out.Looks awesome.

[MrPranoy]

Is Soprano more difficult than tenor? And do they share the same fingerings?

[giopagoda]

@MrPranoy The fingerings on all saxophones are the same. Since they are transposing instruments the keys for them will be different though (but will be the same, just with difference of octaves, for tenor and soprano)

[MrPranoy]

@giopagoda  thanx

[Tashatoxic1]

soprano sax= gold clarinet??

[Pyroplague1]

so, im SUPER excited to be able to be trying out a Soprano soon, i LOOOOVE Bari Sax, been playing that ever since i switched from Alto 3 and a half years ago. hell, i even march the Bari. the Soprano will be alotta fun, i know it, but ill never leave my Bari behind.

[jpritch2]

how many sax players does it take to screw in a light bulb??

3.

One two screw it in and two to argue and complain that their band director won't let them play soprano in band.

[12chenelelawrence]

soprano i mean

[12chenelelawrence]

the notes on the saprano is it the same as the alto or different

[zomgoodnessih8u]

soprano sax's arent really saxophones i mean they need toe cool bendy shape soprano is some sort of creepy golden poo

[pulsar1323]

@zomgoodnessih8u there are some sopranos that are curved

[zomgoodnessih8u]

@pulsar1323 i know but its more like gods oboe

[koreyknockout]

why did you compare the soprano to the tenor? why not alto? just asking..

[xtremeguy1]

@koreyknockout same tuning, mechanisms, just one octave up.

[brandojazz]

@koreyknockout soprano saxophone are in Bb just like the tenors (and clarinets in general). So if soprano sax reads a tenor sax part it sounds an octave higher, I think that may be why he doesnt comapre it to the Eb alto sax. Hopes that helps (and that it right! jeje).

[tapeusers]

Fuck tenor alto n bari all thr way

[rctlover1]

i played the alto and tenor, but i want o play either the soprano or bari. I cant decide lol

[FrigidAxe]

When I have kids, I'm gonna teach the little guy how to play sax on one of these. Or maybe I'll still need something smaller...

[codaddict648]

Soprano+Alto+Tenor+Bari=EPIC QUARTET

[marcelrd]

@codaddict648 That's right. I had a quartet myself in which I played soprano and alto

[tkwtg]

@codaddict648 plus tubax plus contrabass

[DansonHonda]

get the kenny g ones, they are about 1.5k and they have about the same qualities as professional ones

[musicaddict333]

I've been played alto sax for over 6 years now, would it roughly be the same for me if I started to play Soprano sax too? Cause I am really considering playing one, because I've also heard its a substitution for an Oboe. I can get one for maybe around $500-1000 (Canadian fyi)

[lizcoolawesomeshow]

Bass clarinet is pretty much a sax. Soprano sax is pretty much a clarinet.

[Strang3rDanger]

@lizcoolawesomeshow

I like playing my bass clarinet more than my sax. :/

[lizcoolawesomeshow]

@Strang3rDanger I like my bari sax better then anything haha

[Strang3rDanger]

@lizcoolawesomeshow Haha, regardless I'm still getting a soprano sax soon.

[lizcoolawesomeshow]

@Strang3rDanger k?

[SpreadingTruths]

Are there any good books for learning how to play soprano sax? I've already learned music theory and played keyboard and a few other instruments.

[SpreadingTruths]

How much should I spend on a soprano saxophone to get a good one?

[cladiax1]

@SpreadingTruths 300 to 1000 on Amazon

[laurenkaye17]

@SpreadingTruths $2000 is about the cheapest you can find a good one.

[DarkKnight2521]

I currently play the tener sax and I am thinking about picking up the soprano it sounds so awesome

[wowflix1]

one octave above... tenor? mixing up ye olde saxes are we?

[duematt]

@marynloveselmo i need to do exactly the same thing

[davisgreen2020]

I want one ! I love the soprano saxophone.

[ADHDisMyProblem]

Is the soprano the same fingerings as the alto? Ive been playing alto for a year and a half. I'm thinking I should get a soprano next year.

[Dahro1993]

@ADHDisMyProblem Yes, the fingerings are the same. I've played the alto for six years now, and since two months I also play soprano saxophone. You'll notice you need less air for soprano than for alto.

[exrayfoxtrot]

@Dahro1993 You answered my question with your response also i recently bought one and was thinking the fingerings where different.How long would it take to adjust my emboucher on it?

[Dahro1993]

@exrayfoxtrot It depends. My own was adjusted within more or less two weeks...

[exrayfoxtrot]

@Dahro1993 Ok ty

[CyberNinjaify]

I play clarinet and Alto sax getting soprano sax for Christmas

[i0nPuNk182]

@CyberNinjaify hahaha! same here! asked for a soprano for christmas 

[CrdKnight]

this sax looks awesome, im a junior and have played the tenor my whole life.... im definatly considering picking it up.

[i0nPuNk182]

ahhhhhhhhh the good ol' B flat soprano... i love playing it as well as the tenor

[themshandkjbshow]

Mr. Ernst my band director played this. he called it the golden clarinet! hahahah good times... good times.

[SuperGoldenfalcon]

aww its baby saxophone jr. i'm so not going to play my Alto i'm playing soprano in band

[KidEllington]

if you guys would hear the way he plays the soprano saxophone and the way a clarinet is played in jazz music, they would sound alike. but if a clarinet was playing classical music, it would sound nothing like a soprano

[jdragon1012]

i really HATE his playing. its way to skweaky and jaggid. so fuck him and his annoying ass playing

[handheldhale]

it sounds like an alto not a clarinet retard

[chuckbeanz]

what brand are both his tenors and soprano

[Vanxius]

I have that same soprano sax, but saddly the G# key wont stay all of the way down making me not able to play a G.... Any help?

[duncanmoss2]

God almighty!! I play soprano sax. how can this bloke say it sounds a bit like a clarinet! It sounds nothing like a clarinet

[miphino]

@duncanmoss2 I buy the alto sax. I'm considering looking into getting a soparno. Would you recommend me to get one and if so, do you know a good quality one?

[miphino]

@duncanmoss2 I play the alto*

[774CcC]

@duncanmoss2 agreed

[saddlesandskis]

@duncanmoss2 I think it almost sounds more like an English horn than it sounds like a clarinet...

[duncanmoss2]

God almighty!! I play soprano sax. how can this bloke say it sounds a bit like a clarinet! It sounds nothing like a clarinet

[xDaiserz]

@duncanmoss2 Yeah, I play clarinet and they sound nothing like each other...

[bobshowers]

BASS TROMBONE FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[XHltmanX]

need more epic sax guy

and less of everything else...

[blakstermc]

i call the soprano sax the golden clarinet and the bass clarinet the black saxophone

[funnydogger]

hi guys i need help deciding on something. I play the alto sax and i can't decide whether i should play tenor next or soprano what do you think? thanks

[tehjrsax]

@funnydogger

tenor

[SomeGuyInSomePlace]

@funnydogger I personally think you should do tenor. Its epic.

[gilramirez12]

Trés Gay.

[imarubberband]

Is that a Selmer?

[RemoKinga]

how the heck do you play that thing with so many buttons? i bet its freaking hard!

[Hitsugayafan12]

@RemoKinga It actually follows a really simple note system. xD

[antorres44]

@RemoKinga It just takes getting used to, I've played them all at some point. It's easy after memorizing notes

[TheZstudios]

@RemoKinga not really the most you will usually play are 6 at a time unless you playin somthin hard the thats a whole different story ;]

[1chevellelover]

jamyupsuhsuh--you have an older French made sax. they weren't tunedthe same as American instruments and they are 1/2 step flat. Correct pitch is 440hz on the concert A. Some of those are as flat as 457 hz. If you compare this horn to a new American horn, you see the difference in length- 3/8-1/2 inch or so. It's ossible to get it trimmed and a new corl put on, that might or might not fix your intonation deficiency. I'll bet it's an Evette & Schaeffer!!

[dyeoreyekiwlyou]

by tenor u mean alto???

[anonemusify]

@dyeoreyekiwlyou by tenor, he means tenor. he is correct. they are both in Bb because the soprano is exactly an octave above it. alto is in Eb, because it is a half octave above tenor, and a half octave below soprano

[rabbittown1900]

ジャズの音楽も聴きます！。教会にも行っていますが創価と癒着が­ある教会らしいです。説法が私に対していじめてくる様な説法の仕­方をします。まともな教会の説法を聞きたいです！！。

[basstracker06]

what is a cheap good soprano sax for somebody that is wanting to get started

[blacknickeltenorsax]

umm, I usually play tenor sax, but i recently got a nice soprano sax and it sounds pretty good. However, I figured out that it is in the key of E flat, not B flat. Who even makes E flat sopranos? I know it's not sopranino because it has the same range as a soprano. I think i'm gonna sell it, but i don't even know if it's worth anything!

[pinkpearlluchia2288]

i really wanted to try the soprano sax cos it kinda sounds like clarinet but still have a 'sexy' sound....

but,my sch band doesn't have this instrument.....=(((((

[NSTiJu]

how much is the most affordable soprano sax?

[jamyupsuhsuh]

hey could someone help me?

my soprano saxophone seems to be almost a half step flat...

i've pushed in my mouthpiece as far as i can and even after the metal warms up

it's still pretty flat -. - any ideas on bringing the pitch up?

oh. and i haven't used it in a few yearrs...

[shrillz]

@jamyupsuhsuh get a new reed. I think you need a size higher. maby 2 if its realy bad.

[photoblower5]

@jamyupsuhsuh At a guess I would say that your mouthpipe corking has dried out and shrunk, get the horn recorked and it should resolve the problem

[KailuaBand]

I want to learn soprano sax! T.T I actually play alto sax right now. but I really wanted to play soprano. when I first started beginning band I was thinking about learning clarinet or alto sax.. So i was like, "HEY! A soprano sax is a clarinet AND a saxophone, but in ONE instrument! :D" But our school has ONE soprano sax but its a crappy one... So i was like "UGH! Alto sax it is..."

[nintendofreak28]

how much does the soprano sax compared to the alto?

[billyandtherockets]

VERY INSTRUCTIVE THANKS

[MrLexington45]

thats wrong it plays 1 octave above the alto the alto plays 1 octave above the tenor

[blueyesbc]

@MrLexington45

not true doofus. Eb to Bb is a 5th/4th, not an octave. lol

[TheCordeliastar]

wow! i like soprano sax but my band does not have, i play alto sax

[cubanprid3]

@TheCordeliastar same here man i feel ur pain

[moii719]

SOPRANO+ALTO SAX!! :D

[Zateal]

best two saxes ever! :P

Soprano and alto ftw

[rf1308]

@Zateal lol i have a soprano 2 altos a tenor and a bari =P

[Jackx598]

@Zateal right on!

[Gkamperr]

@moii719 hellz yeah

[TheRedDash]

such a weird looking instrument , awesome looking , looks like a complex ed clock ha

[cheesefest11]

TENOR SAX!!!!!! (THE BEST)

[saxgirl94]

@cheesefest11 Agreed!

[matinase]

i play the alto and i really want to play soprano

[luciousa71]

i have alto and i wanna try that...

or the thing smaller..... (saprinino? )

[SpidersInDaBasement]

Alto all of the way!

[goofystemmie]

ALTO SAX!!!

[sesshylover24]

i thought is was one key higher than the alto

[FearTheBeans]

lucky you can change. I started on alto, been asking for 2 years and he still wont let me switch to tenor.....

[sabeshemso1]

Well It's pretty hard I tried today But I do better than noobs ask 2 TRY IT OUT not switch I will Guarentte he will say yes

[glaciaciones]

fac

[TheOneTheOnlyTheMatt]

@marynloveselmo

thats what i was gonna do. how long ha been playing?

[SurvivorFromKansas]

Is there anything smaller than the soprano?

[drumstyx6464]

@SurvivorFromKansas sopranino is the highest official saxophone. There is one higher marketed as the soprillo, it's one octave higher than the soprano, but it's not officially a saxophone, since adolphe sax never made one.

[subgerocallidus]

Sopranino (sopranillo).

[ccmm53095]

And the Soprillo.

[boredomesucks232]

sopranino sax. its uber small

[Liynkx]

@SurvivorFromKansas The soprillo, and I believe there is only one maker of it.

[diahooh]

a worm

o.O

lol jkjk

[Seandude223]

i started on and still play alto, although i wouldnt mind starting another sax because ive been playing for three years on the same instrument.

[ilodder]

me too, i really want to try the soprano sax (preferrebly the semi-curved soprano sax) im on my thirda year of play alto sax, and really want to try something else

[cooldit1]

is it the same as playing an Alto?

[Marjealo]

its the same fingering in all saxophone instruments

[cooldit1]

oh...

[dooglehorn]

can anyone recomend a cheap but good mouthpiece for the soprano sax i just got one

[Marjealo]

im using 4C yamaha mouthpiece.. and it's nice...

[LaughingMaster3000]

Great info and vid but it sounds like your saying "saprano sexiphone". I'm not being rude.

[lovestopanic]

argh!

i'm looking to find out which bits are funny on a sop- as in, on alto which i too started on, it's the middle D that's a bit sus- is there a similar spot on soppy? I'm having serious issues with Gs, while i've only had this horn two days it's a total downer. :?

[chaparrobrown]

wow... i started on alto...most do. and soprano is in Bb like the tenor. alot and bari are on Eb key. i like the sax and like to play jazz... XD

[dpk2029]

WOW... :D

[SageGuitar]

is it ok to use tenor sheetmusic for a soprano? thanks

[jugglingmaniac619]

Watchmojo wat make is that soprano sax?

[calebgarmendia]

wat note is the soprano sax in.thanks too anyone who answers this

[wdcraig1992]

The soprano is in the key of Bb. One octave above tenor. Half above alto.

[rf7w]

Key of Bb

[deldrickg]

Could i use this sax

[AJOPDX]

This guy is a dumbass....the soprano is a little over half an octave above. It's a full octave above tenor.

[phoshizzo]

He says its one octave higher than the tenor. I think you're the dumbass. You fail :P

[AJOPDX]

I got side-tracked and was really referring to a comment stated below saying that it was one octave above the alto.

[phoshizzo]

ahh ahh, my bad then man.

[ownerofall93]

a lot of you are rightthe tenor and the saprano are in the same key and the alto and bari are in the same key

[brianrenteria27329]

is it the same fingering? i mean the notes or is it an Eflat instrument?

[SeaND0uble]

note names are the same, however Soprano and Tenor are in the key of B flat.

[Silasizhere]

uhmm..ok I have an alto saxophone now...been playing for 4 years.....if I go out and get a soprano saxophone....would it be the same fingering as the alto sax.

[wildeaglesandswans]

Yes, the fingering is the same, but the alto is in Eb whereas the sop is in Bb, meaning you have to play from different music

[pancake5]

@Wittkop and friedSOOp

Soprano is in Bb, so is 1 octave above tenor. Sopranino is 1 octave above alto, because it is in Eb.

[Wittkopp94]

its 1 octave higher than alto, and also has roughly same key fingering as alto. And soprano would be more similar to an alto than a tenor.

[friedSOOp]

soprano is an octive higher than the alto, not the tenor

[zm61]

omm have you ever played a sax before...

[animasubsist]

you fail. soprano is half an octave higher than alto and a full octave above tenor. hence alto is E flat and both tenor and soprano are B flat.

[neo4833]

i really want to learn the soprano. i play the alto. the soprano is so cute!

[kathy950]

i play alto and i really want to learn soprano, where can i get lessons??

[polypolyman]

there is no difference except embouchure and key (Bb vs. Eb - you won't likely notice unless you work closely with other instruments and have to transpose).

[derjoejoel]

at the same place you got the lessons for your alto

[BLUESCLUES111222]

is the soprano a b flat sax?

[arrourasanti2]

yes it is

[BeniMC]

Chasing opinions, folks. I'm buying a sax for my nehpew. He's still young (not quite two) but I'm gonna learn first and pass it over to him as soon as he looks like he's gettin a handle on it.

The question is in terms of difficulty to learn and get the proper intonation and stuff. Soprano v tenor v alto.

I sorta thought the smaller the better but that's from a position of ignorance.

What size sax would people recommend a little fella learn on?

Any help appreciated.

[BeniMC]

Ooh - straight v bell curve in the Soprano too. I'd rather get the curved I think..........?

[Rellik3333]

Hello, In response to your question, I recommend that when your nephew comes of age he learns the alto saxophone first. While he may move on to the others after learning the basics, the alto is the easiest beginner saxophone (in my opinion).

[detroidxl]

i think alto is the best starters

soprano is verrrry hard

your mouth positioning aka embouchure

its much tighter and is much harder to learn on

i recommend alto saxophone

and when he gets good he can do soprano or tenor or whatever he wants

[HEYMYNAMEISCARL]

A saxophone rule of thumb that I've heard from multiple places is this: learn alto first. Alto and tenor are the most conventional, and useful saxes, as well as the cheapest and easiest to find. Soprano is difficult to learn, even for a master of sax, and the tenor may be too hefty, and the embouchure too large, for a small player.

[BeniMC]

@HEYMYNAMEISCARL So, the idea of learning on the harder one first and then being in a better position to play the others would be sound thinking too!?

[HEYMYNAMEISCARL]

Not really, no. If you give them the difficult sax first, you'll just discourage the from playing. Also note that no wind ensembles call for the soprano, except for special occasions. Soprano is weird, and unlike the rest of the saxophones; its playing position is cramped, and the embouchure is the most difficult to master, and it's hard to apply soprano knowledge to other saxophones. Alto is the best starting saxophone.

[BeniMC]

@HEYMYNAMEISCARL Ok, cheers for the advice. Appreciate it.

[animasubsist]

I learned on an alto. thats generally what people start out on. the "smaller the better" concept makes sense except when you take into account how difficult it is to make a soprano sound good. also tenor might be fairly impractical for a youngster due to size and the amount of air it takes to hold a note.

[aviationcenter]

i startd on tenor and the sme yeay played bari it is not hard and i was not a larg childe lol and i have asthma

[avril2]

I disagree with you comment about the material a mouthpiece is made of.

The most important considerations are the size and shape of the chamber, baffle etc.

[GaaraHamyyFan]

still sticking to alto

[jessilovesnathan]

i actually have a better tone on my soprano than on my alto..

[Keytap15]

same here, my tone on soprano is better than my tone on tenor.

[taylor22525]

Soprano is one of the funniest saxes to play especially if your like me and try to play soprano, alto, tenor, and bari regularly......it just takes a long time for your mouth and hands to get used to jumping between the horns especially tenor to soprano.

[adynnb]

Bb sax

Adynnb

[bassguitarist21]

is it a b flat sax or an e flat?

[jmasta99999]

B flat