Customarily, you'll find 4 standard types of saxophone. These are soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone. The soprano saxophone is in the key of Bb, then the alto saxophone is half an octave lower, in the key of Eb. The tenor saxophone is also in the key of Bb, but a full octave lower than the soprano. Last but not least, baritone saxophone is one octave below alto and so also in the key of E flat.

Pupils are frequently counselled in school to begin with the clarinet in before taking on the saxophone. The clarinet boasts more difficult fingering than the saxophone. The thought is that learning this tougher instrument will give a student a better grounding for the saxophone.

But there is a different approach which suggests that the saxophone is an excellent starting point for woodwind instruments. This argument promotes the saxophone's mild learning curve. This is largely due to the embouchure of the sax. This is believed to be a bit less tricky compared to that of the clarinet and flute. Embouchure denotes the method by which you blow on the mouth piece to deliver the notes. Both this and the fingering are considered quite straightforward on a saxophone. Therefore a learner saxophonist should be able to produce a good tone out of their horn with relative ease.

So now that you have decided to learn the saxophone you must decide which of the four to choose. Most people opt for the alto saxophone because it has a good pitch which is not too low or too high. This pitch means it is easier for a beginner to learn how to generate the full range of notes from their instrument. The higher pitch of the soprano saxophone and low range of the baritone would require more technically demanding breath work. An alto sax is also a decent middle ground in terms of size. The keys are positioned in a way that makes it playable even if you have small hands. Therefore, it is a suitable saxophone for children. And if that still hasn't convinced you, then consider this. As you learn the saxophone you will be hunting around for pieces of music to master. No saxophone has more sheet music written for it than the alto sax. This is mainly because it is the most common form of saxophone found in orchestral music.

But the most important thing about choosing your perfect saxophone is about finding one that you click with. This will be the one that inspires you to play. Don't be afraid to ask for guidance from your music teacher or music shop staff as well. Good saxophonists will want to encourage you and will be delighted to help you find the right instrument for your needs. Some music shops even offer saxophones for hire. This can be a good way of getting started if you need some time to save up.