{"id":1153,"date":"2020-09-12T17:36:23","date_gmt":"2020-09-12T22:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soundadventurer.com\/?p=1153"},"modified":"2020-09-12T17:36:45","modified_gmt":"2020-09-12T22:36:45","slug":"difference-between-a-trumpet-and-a-saxophone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soundadventurer.com\/difference-between-a-trumpet-and-a-saxophone\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Difference Between A Trumpet And A Saxophone? Includes Sounds Samples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You’ve heard about the trumpet and the saxophone, but perhaps you’ve never thought about what’s different (or what’s the same about both instruments). I’ll clarify any questions you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Differences Between the Trumpet and the Saxophone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attribute<\/th>Trumpet<\/th>Saxophone<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Instrument Family<\/td>Brass<\/td>Woodwind<\/td><\/tr>
Sound Creation<\/td>Player’s lips by “buzzing”<\/td>Air over a wooden reed<\/td><\/tr>
Average Cost<\/td>~$2450<\/td>~$5400<\/td><\/tr>
Material<\/td>Curved Brass Tubing, sometimes Silver-Plated<\/td>Curved Brass Tubing, Sometimes Silver Plated<\/td><\/tr>
Sound projection<\/td>Trumpet projects from players face outwards<\/td>Alto, Tenor, and Baritone Saxophones project upwards from player’s midsection from bell in an elbow shape<\/td><\/tr>
Held In Place By<\/td>Player’s hands<\/td>Stabilized by player’s hands but often has a strap that goes around the player’s neck for more comfortable playing<\/td><\/tr>
Sounds Shaped By<\/td>Player’s lips, and by opening and closing parts of the tubing via depressing 3 valves<\/td>Breath and multiple keys (around 20) can be depressed that allow air to escape the saxophone tubing and change the tubing.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trumpets and saxophones have many differences and similarities. I’ll share the most important differences as well as the similarities, and by the end you’ll have a great understanding of the two instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Differences Between the Saxophone and the Trumpet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Alright, let’s get to the pictures! Pictures say a thousand words, and I’ll let them do the talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Examples of the Saxophone<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The saxophone has a mouthpiece which fits onto cork (as you can see in the picture) which attaches the mouthpiece to the main tube of the instrument. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The saxophone’s main tube that is perpendicular from the mouthpiece, and is covered with keys which open various valves along the main tube and on the bell of the saxophone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bell of the saxophone is the opening of the saxophone that flares out (think of a bell that you have seen and you’ll see this kind of flaring). The bell is angled up and out and helps the sound project into the room as it is played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trumpet<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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A couple angles of the trumpet<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The large flaring part of the metal is called the bell of the instrument<\/strong>. The trumpet is played by the player buzzing their lips into the (often silver-colored) mouthpiece which is inserted into the main bore of the trumpet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trumpet is essentially a long brass tube that is curved in such a way to be compact. There are multiple pipes that extend the length of the tube that are made accessible by the 3 valves that are in the center of the instrument. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The changing of the length of the tube changes the trumpet’s resonant frequencies. The trumpet can resonate at several frequencies, so it can play any note by changing the speed of vibration (i.e. the players’ lips).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sound<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So the trumpet and the saxophone look different. So what? <\/strong>Perhaps what you’re really wondering is the differences in how trumpet and saxophone sound<\/strong>. Let’s take a listen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saxophone<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Here’s an example of what the saxophone sounds like:<\/p>\n\n\n

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See You Again - Justin Ward (Charlie Puth Cover)<\/div><\/div>
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