Saxo ones

Music Makers

THE CHI L D'S W 0 R L D ® , INC.

On the cover: This saxopho ne ends ,,\~t h a shin)' metal bell.

~hild'S )WOrld' Published in the Un ited States of America b)' The Child 's Wo rld"', Inc. PO Box 326 Cha nhassen, MN 55317-0326 800-599-READ www.childsworld. com

Product Manager Mary Be re ndes Editor Kath e rine Steve nson, Ph.D.

Cop)' ri ght © 2003 b)' The Chil d 's World"', In c. All righ ts reserved. No pa rt of this book ma), be reproduced or uti li zed in an)' fo rm o r b), an)' means without writte n permiss io n from the publi she r.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sharth, Sharo n. Saxopho nes / b)' Sha ro n Sha rth . p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 1-56766-044-4 (li b. bdg. : alk. paper) 1. Saxopho ne-Juve ni le litera ture. [1. Saxopho ne.] 1. Ti tl e. ML975 .S53 2002 788. 7'l9-dc21 2001005997

Photo Credits © CORElS: 23 (base , bassoon, clarin et, flute, oboe, recorde r) © Ga r)' Conne r/ IndexStock: 10 © He n ry Di ltz/ CORBIS: ] 3 © Kell )'-Moone)' Photograph),/ CORBIS: 15 © Kurt Stier/ CORBIS: cover, 2 © Mitchell Gerber/ COREIS: 9 © PhotoDi sc: 23 (, , sli de ) © Ri chard Cummins/ CORBIS: 16, 19 © Stuart Westmo rl and/ CO RB IS: 6 © Unde rwood & U nden vood / CORBIS: 20 Table of Contents

Chapter page

The 7

What Is a Saxophone? 8

Different Kinds of 1 1

What Shape Are Saxophones? 12

The Mouthpiece 14

The Keys 17

Playing the Saxophone 18

Jazz Saxophone 21

Sounds of the Saxophone 22

Other Woodwind Instruments 23

Glossary and Index 24

5

The Saxophone

You hear its joyful cry at football games when the

marching band strolls by. You hear it wail in bands and growl on television and in films. What

instrument is almost as expressive as the human

voice? It's the saxophone!

+- These saxophonists are marching in a band at Disneyland. 7 What Is a Saxophone?

A saxophone is a musical instrument made of metal, usually brass. It is part of a group of instruments called woodwinds. Woodwind instruments make sound when you blow air through them. You can make different sounds by covering or opening the holes on the tube, or body, of the instrument. Oboes and are woodwinds, too.

Here performer Kenny G sets the world record ~ 8 for playing the longest saxophone note.

Jazz Saxophone

The saxophone is popular in jazz music. One of

the most famous American jazz saxophone players was Charlie Parker. His nickname was "Bird," and he could

make his saxophone sing like one. He played the alto sax and helped create a new style of music called

bebop. Bebop music is based on making up sounds, or

improvising, in front of the audience.

+- Charlie Parker was a famous jazz saxophonist. 21 Sounds of the Saxophone

A saxophone can make many of the same sounds you can make with your voice. It can sing, laugh, and even scream! A saxophone can sound brassy and loud.

It can sound soothing and gentle. You can play pop, jazz, and on a sax. Would you like to play the saxophone?

22 other Woodwind Instruments

piccolo ~1t ~ 3J1Itj!E3 'iiiiiii7<=7::: 7 . ~. bass flute

recorder

clarinet

slide whistle oboe

•

bassoon H&"~~ flute

23 Glossary Index improvising (1M-pruh-\') '-zing) alto saxophone, ] 1, 21 Improvising is making so mething up a.s you go alo ng. appearan ce, 8, 12 Improvising is a big part of some kinds of jazz music, baritone saxoph o n e, 11 such as bebop. bass saxophone, 11 , ] 2 key (KEEZ) be bop, 21 On a saxoph one, keys are small buttons yo u press body, 8, 12, 17, 18 to cover h oles alo ng th e saxophone's bod y. Saxes h a\'e kevs. cla rine t, 12 ) flute , 8 mouthpiece (MOWTH-peece) histo ry, 11 T h e mouthpiece is th e part of an instrume nt wh e re h o lding, 18 you h old yo ur m o uth to pl ay. Blowing air thro ugh the mo uthpiece produces sound. h oles, 8, 17, 18 improvising, 21 notes (NOHTS) j

woodwinds (WOOD-win clz) sopra no saxopho n e , 11, 12 vVoodwinds are tube-sh aped musical instrume nts that so unds, 7, 11 , 12, 14, 17, 18,21,22 you play by blowing air through them. Saxophones te nor saxophone, 11 a re wood wi n ds. \ibrates, 14, ] 8 woodwinds, 8

24