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Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, commonly abbreviated to "bari sax", is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use – the bass, contrabass and subcontrabass saxophones are relatively uncommon. Like all saxophones, it is a single-reed instrument. It is commonly used in concert bands, chamber music, military bands, big bands, and jazz combos. It can also be found in other ensembles such as rock bands and marching bands. Modern baritone saxophones are pitched in E♭.
The baritone saxophone was created in 1846 by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax as one of a family of 14 instruments. Sax believed these instruments would provide a useful tonal link between the woodwinds and brasses. The family was divided into two groups of seven saxophones each, from the soprano to the contrabass. Though a design for an F baritone saxophone is included in the C and F family of saxophones, no known F baritones exist. The family consisting of saxophones in the keys of B♭ and E♭ was more successful because of their popularity in military bands.
All saxophones were originally keyed to low B, but a low B♭ mechanism was patented in 1887 and by 1910 this was standard for most saxophones including baritones. This low B♭ is a concert D♭ on baritone saxophone, and players began creating 'low A pipes' to insert into the bell to extend the range to the very useful concert C just below that (low A on the baritone sax). This modification made the low B♭ inaccessible and low B out of tune. This method is still used today by some players. From the 1930s through the 1950s, manufacturers experimented with extending the bell to add a low A key to the instrument. The simplest way was to add a cylindrical section between the bell and bow to provide the extra length and tone hole, and some makers produced and sold instruments built this way, but these horns generally suffer from intonation problems in the lowest few notes and players often consider their tone poor as well. Selmer Paris began producing low A versions of the Mark VI baritone saxophone in the late 1950s which had a bell that had been designed separately from the low B♭ version (such a bell may have been a custom-order option before this time), and these instruments do not generally suffer from the same intonation problems. In the 1970s, Yamaha's YBS-61 was keyed to low A with no low B♭ option, and by the 1980s most baritones were being manufactured with a low A bell. The low A model is now considered standard and only a few manufacturers still produce low B♭ instruments.
In its original form, the baritone saxophone's highest keyed note was high E♭, but instruments keyed to high F became standard during the 1920s. High F♯ became a rare option starting in the 1950s and slowly became more common, but as with other modern saxophones, most baritones are now manufactured with a high F♯ key.
The baritone saxophone, like other saxophones, is a conical tube of thin brass. It has a wider end, flared to form a bell, and a smaller end connected to a mouthpiece. The baritone saxophone uses a single reed mouthpiece like that of a clarinet. There is a loop in the top of the body (sometimes also known as the 'pigtail') in two U-shaped pieces of tube called the upper bow and spit bow, to reduce it to a practical height.
Baritone saxophones are typically found in two versions with one ranging to low A and the other to low B♭. Despite the ubiquity of the low A horn, some players still prefer to use B♭ horns because of the added weight of a low A bell or because of personal preference for a particular vintage instrument. Some also believe low A horns sound inferior in the low range; however, this is the subject of debate among players.
A baritone saxophone weighs 11 to 20 pounds or 5.0 to 9.1 kilograms, depending on the material and design, making it substantially heavier than a tenor saxophone. Some players use a harness in place of a neck strap to distribute the weight more comfortably. Some modern instruments have a mount for a floor peg, similar to those on bass clarinets, to reduce weight on the player's neck when seated.
It is a transposing instrument in the key of E♭, pitched an octave plus a major sixth lower than written. It is one octave lower than the alto saxophone. Modern baritones with a low A key and high F♯ key have a range from C2 to A4.
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Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, commonly abbreviated to "bari sax", is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use – the bass, contrabass and subcontrabass saxophones are relatively uncommon. Like all saxophones, it is a single-reed instrument. It is commonly used in concert bands, chamber music, military bands, big bands, and jazz combos. It can also be found in other ensembles such as rock bands and marching bands. Modern baritone saxophones are pitched in E♭.
The baritone saxophone was created in 1846 by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax as one of a family of 14 instruments. Sax believed these instruments would provide a useful tonal link between the woodwinds and brasses. The family was divided into two groups of seven saxophones each, from the soprano to the contrabass. Though a design for an F baritone saxophone is included in the C and F family of saxophones, no known F baritones exist. The family consisting of saxophones in the keys of B♭ and E♭ was more successful because of their popularity in military bands.
All saxophones were originally keyed to low B, but a low B♭ mechanism was patented in 1887 and by 1910 this was standard for most saxophones including baritones. This low B♭ is a concert D♭ on baritone saxophone, and players began creating 'low A pipes' to insert into the bell to extend the range to the very useful concert C just below that (low A on the baritone sax). This modification made the low B♭ inaccessible and low B out of tune. This method is still used today by some players. From the 1930s through the 1950s, manufacturers experimented with extending the bell to add a low A key to the instrument. The simplest way was to add a cylindrical section between the bell and bow to provide the extra length and tone hole, and some makers produced and sold instruments built this way, but these horns generally suffer from intonation problems in the lowest few notes and players often consider their tone poor as well. Selmer Paris began producing low A versions of the Mark VI baritone saxophone in the late 1950s which had a bell that had been designed separately from the low B♭ version (such a bell may have been a custom-order option before this time), and these instruments do not generally suffer from the same intonation problems. In the 1970s, Yamaha's YBS-61 was keyed to low A with no low B♭ option, and by the 1980s most baritones were being manufactured with a low A bell. The low A model is now considered standard and only a few manufacturers still produce low B♭ instruments.
In its original form, the baritone saxophone's highest keyed note was high E♭, but instruments keyed to high F became standard during the 1920s. High F♯ became a rare option starting in the 1950s and slowly became more common, but as with other modern saxophones, most baritones are now manufactured with a high F♯ key.
The baritone saxophone, like other saxophones, is a conical tube of thin brass. It has a wider end, flared to form a bell, and a smaller end connected to a mouthpiece. The baritone saxophone uses a single reed mouthpiece like that of a clarinet. There is a loop in the top of the body (sometimes also known as the 'pigtail') in two U-shaped pieces of tube called the upper bow and spit bow, to reduce it to a practical height.
Baritone saxophones are typically found in two versions with one ranging to low A and the other to low B♭. Despite the ubiquity of the low A horn, some players still prefer to use B♭ horns because of the added weight of a low A bell or because of personal preference for a particular vintage instrument. Some also believe low A horns sound inferior in the low range; however, this is the subject of debate among players.
A baritone saxophone weighs 11 to 20 pounds or 5.0 to 9.1 kilograms, depending on the material and design, making it substantially heavier than a tenor saxophone. Some players use a harness in place of a neck strap to distribute the weight more comfortably. Some modern instruments have a mount for a floor peg, similar to those on bass clarinets, to reduce weight on the player's neck when seated.
It is a transposing instrument in the key of E♭, pitched an octave plus a major sixth lower than written. It is one octave lower than the alto saxophone. Modern baritones with a low A key and high F♯ key have a range from C2 to A4.