Baritone saxophone

The baritone saxophone or "bari sax" (commonly abbreviated bs or bars to distinguish it from the less frequently used bass saxophone) is one of the largest members of the saxophone family, only being smaller than the bass, contrabass and subcontrabass saxophones. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use, and uses a mouthpiece, reed, and ligature that are larger than the tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, the other commonly found members of the family. The baritone saxophone is commonly used in classical music (such as concert bands, chamber music, and solo repertoire), military bands, marching bands, and jazz (such as big bands, jazz combos, etc.).

History

The baritone saxophone was created in 1846 by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax as one of a family of fourteen instruments. The saxophone was created to be a tonal link between the woodwinds and brasses, which Sax believed to be lacking. The family was divided into two groups of seven saxophones each from the soprano to the contrabass. The family consisting of saxophones ranged in the keys of B♭ and E♭ were more successful because of their popularity in military bands. The bari sax, pitched in E♭, is the fifth member of this family.