Components
The saxophone has three main
components: the body, the neck, and the mouthpiece.
The Body
The body of a saxophone is the
most
recognizable feature. It has the U-shaped curve, the bell, most
of the pads, and all of the keys. The saxophone's shape is critical to
the instruments sound. The 22-24 keys, depending on the instrument,
control the pads. When the pads are shut in order the instrument
effectively gets longer and a lower tone is produced.
The
Neck
The neck connects the
mouthpiece to
the
body of the instrument. Alto and tenor necks have one pad on them. The
cork on the end of the neck allows the mouthpiece to move thereby
allowing the tuning of the instrument.
The
Mouthpiece
The mouthpiece is where the reed is where the sound of the
instrument
originates. It is where the reed is attached to the instrument. The
reed vibrates and generates sound waves that pass through the
instrument when properly played.
