Alto Saxophone Vs. Tenor Saxophone

No other instrument quite captures the imagination like the saxophone. The saxophone permeates multiple genres, ranging from Jazz to Rock to Pop to Classical, with a menagerie of different playing styles, moods and emotions. In this video, Jim helps answer the very first question every saxophonist must face, which type should you begin on? Alto or Tenor?!

[ldever]

Something that I never see mentioned about these two instruments, is the music you play on them. I remember the music for tenor being really boring from 5th grade through high school. You almost never got any exciting parts. No melody, or cool low brass parts. I remember thinking, "why would anybody want to play tenor sax". But when you start playing music you hear sung on the radio, the tenor is the sax to play. The lower range fits the human voice better. Also it's easier to go up into altissimo on tenor, which ends up making the tenor more versatile. I would now recommend tenor over alto, especially if intend to play more than just school band.

[QueenSonora]

I'm going to be getting a saxophone after not having played since high looking forward to it. 😌

[rustinsteele]

Both great, I characterize tenor as "smoke" and alto as "lyric".

[aubiedawbie]

ive played tenor since 2022 and i absolutely love the instrument. my friend plays alto and ive tried it but it just doesn’t give me the same happiness as tenor does

[wolvesedgegaming]

My preference from a player is alto for classical and tenor for jazz because it seems like there are just better parts vice versa for each side of genre

[djbred]

I’m thinking about switching the tenor because I play the alto and I feel like it’s just a high-pitched scream/ screech all the time

[demi]

In orchestras, tenor sax has the most interesting parts to play - at least that's my experience. Wouldn't it be amazing if there would be a sax right in between the alto and tenor though.. that would probably be perfect :)

[auzziecrunt]

I played the saxophone. I played the alto in school and was so good at it that I got moved to the baritone. I rocked that bari sax with my soul and then I moved, so I returned it and got an alto, I had to sell it because of loss of money and my living situation but now I'm able to get the tenor. Wish me luck, it's been a while

[aname]

I just started on alto because I was intimidated, but now I'm kicking myself for not getting a tenor, knowing the keys and fingering is the same..
Great video, thanks!

[AprilSBarnes]

I've recently become really interested in learning the sax in order to play it in the context of goth rock and goth metal for a project I'm starting up. A lot of my favorite sax solos and players in non-metal genres use tenor, but I think alto sax might actually be better when it comes to sitting in the mix with a bunch of heavy rock instrumentation around it.

[BKrystall]

Tenor for sure. I also love the baritone and soprano.

[Chan-lrxk]

I’ve played trumpet for 4 years and I’ve decided to start learning alto sax. I’m so excited!

[Lapislasul]

For anyone in high school bands, my exprience is that with tenor, you get to play cool melodies with the trombone and baritone but with the alto its usally a counter melody with the high woodwind/brass

[wolfgangvoigt]

I have both (and a soprano, but that's a different story) and it's a question of mood and the classical jazz and swing parts I like the Tenor, for the smooth jazz, pop, classic stuff Alto works better for me

[bensonadolwamusic]

I feel Bb Tenor Sax to be more smoother and easier to play than Eb Alto.Especially when you go on Lower .I prefer the Tenor Sax.

[joseignaciotorreshm]

So many things to take into consideration, mouthpiece, reeds.... But to have a good sound on either has a lot of dedication needed. Having an excellent sound on Alto is more demanding. Its embouchure and tuning is more demanding and you never know how it is going to sound in the hands of different players in a greater range that what happens with tenor.

[gratzi___]

I've been playing the alto for 5 years then moved to the soprano for a year now, I cant wait to play the tenor 🎷this was very insightful, thank you ❤😊😊

[Cubsfan]

I’ve played both. Especially throughout high school. Including jazz and classical. I prefer alto.

[awip]

as an alto/ bari player, tenor all the way

[someonesomeone]

Based on how each saxophone plays, the alto needs a lot of embouchure while the tenor needs a lot of wind. Of course, I only played tenor for a day, but these are first-day impressions.

Also, alto and tenor music tend to be extremely different in marching and concert band. Alto will play generally the same music as stuff in F horn and even trumpet or clarinet, while tenor will play the same or similar parts of baritone/euphonium.