| One of the most popular instruments in the world | | | | genres. Beyond that, it is often used in soft rock |
| is the saxophone. If you doubt how popular it is, | | | | and other types of classical rock. |
| you simply have to look at Jazz and try and | | | | During the 1990s, possibly the most famous |
| picture the genre of music without it. The truth is, | | | | saxophone player in the world was none other |
| the saxophone has a history that dates back to | | | | than former president Bill Clinton. Many credit him |
| the 1840s with Adolphe Sax, who specialized in | | | | playing the saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show in |
| the clarinet. While working at his father's | | | | 1992 with helping him win the presidency of the |
| instrument shop, he began to work on an | | | | United States because his playing of the |
| instrument that was a cross between a clarinet | | | | saxophone helped him relate to younger voters, |
| and a brass instrument. Through his work, he | | | | who came out in record numbers to elect him. |
| used the brass body of the ophicleide, the conical | | | | Overall, the saxophone is one of the most popular |
| bore of the oboe and the fingering of the flute, | | | | types, and coolest, forms of instruments that |
| with a single reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. The | | | | currently exist. It is often identified with laid-back |
| saxophone was truly a Frankenstein of | | | | types of music like Jazz and soft-rock. It has |
| instruments. | | | | been used by a several different people, including |
| In 1846, he applied for a 15-year patent in 1846, | | | | a president, and it is also one of the most difficult |
| which encompassed 14 versions of the design, | | | | types of instruments to master. The Frankenstein |
| split into two categories of seven instruments | | | | of Instruments is truly a revolutionary piece of |
| each, which ranged from sopranino to contrabass. | | | | brass. |
| By the time his patent ended in 1866, numerous | | | | The use of the saxophone has expanded over |
| copies of the saxophone came into being that | | | | the years. It is not included in more modern |
| improved on the design and fingering methods. | | | | classical pieces and is seen more in orchestras. It |
| One improvement was making the bell slightly | | | | adds a different sound and color to a work that |
| farther extended and adding one more key to | | | | no other instrument can mimic. It may be made |
| extend the range downwards. While Sax's original | | | | of different instruments, but it does not sound like |
| fingering techniques were quite simple, they have | | | | any other. It is truly a unique instrument. |
| become more and more difficult, thereby making | | | | A saxophone is usually chosen by young musicians |
| the range of the saxophone much longer. | | | | for two main reasons. The first is if they intend |
| The saxophone has become a hallmark of a | | | | to play jazz. The second is as a secondary |
| variety of different music genres, most notably | | | | instrument to add to the number of instruments |
| Jazz, where it is an accepted piece of the music | | | | that they can play. This enables them to be able |
| that helps the genre develop an amazing sound | | | | to get more musical jobs later on. |
| that cannot be equaled by very many other | | | | |