Guide to Saxophone Sopranino

While there are certainly four main types of saxophones, several additional types (both larger and smaller) are seen less often, including the fascinating sopranino saxophone that we will talk about in this article…

When it comes to saxophone, everyone thinks of soprano, alto, tenor and baritone.

But take the soprano and shrink it a little more, and you get the soprano saxophone , the second smallest in the sax family, just behind the soprillo.

In the history of the saxophone, Adolphe Sax received a patent for this instrument in 1846, which listed 14 variations.

The original collection includes Eb sopranino, F sopranino, Bb soprano, C soprano, Eb alto, F alto, Bb tenor, C tenor, Eb baritone, Bb bass, C bass, Eb contrabass, F contrabass and Bb sub -contrabass – although not all of these have ever been built.

If we consider the most famous saxophone manufacturers in history, they started producing sopranino sax in the early/mid 1920s.

First was Gus Buescher's True Tone model in 1922, followed by CG Conn's New Wonder – series I and Selmer Paris's Modele 26.

Although sopranino was used in many situations, it never became mainstream music.

For example, the way swing bands perform means that most American producers focus on alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone models.

Perhaps most famously, Ravel's Bolero (written 1928) was originally called the original sopranino saxophone (in the F key) and is often performed on the modern Eb sopranino or Eb alto saxophone.

Play the Sopranino Saxophone:

Sopranino is a transposition instrument.

As with the alto saxophone (1 octave lower) and the baritone saxophone (3 octaves lower), they are in Eb.

In pitch, they are only beaten by the soprillo saxophone, in Bb, and sound an octave higher than the soprano saxophone.

While the soprano can be a sweet-sounding trumpet in the hands of professionals, the small size of the mouthpiece and reed requires strong facial muscles and a high level of expertise.

Sopranino saxophones are available from most major manufacturers (Vendoren, Legere, Alexander…) and use the same range of thicknesses as the others.

Likewise, the sopranino mouthpiece is simply a smaller version of its family counterparts - although that in itself can be harder to hold.

Today's Sopranino Saxophone

Today, sopranino is not the most commonly used saxophone but they are available from most major saxophone brands (Selmer Paris, Yanagisawa, P. Mauriat, Rampone & Cazzani, etc.)

Due to their small size, sopraninos are usually straight, although Italian manufacturers Rampone & Cazzani and Orsi have made curved versions.

In general, sopranos go up to a high E (e.g. SN-981 by Yanagisawa), although some of them are pressed to a high F# like most other modern sax.

However, given their extremely high vocal range, these few extra top notes are unnecessary!

Artists playing saxophone sopranino

While it's rare (or even unheard of in our experience) to find an artist who primarily plays sopranino, many use it as a supplement.

With its unusually high sound, it was more commonly used in jazz by freestyle jazz and avant-garde players like Anthony Braxton.

Wess Anderson from the Wynton Marsalis Septet and Jazz At The Lincoln Center Orchestra often play sopranino.

If technical challenges and soaring notes don't discourage you, we highly recommend you try this rare but fascinating instrument!

As many players have discovered, it's fun to play 'nino!

And, if you're looking for something a little more traditional, check out our guide to the tenor saxophone or the trumpet saxophone .