Who invented the saxophone?

Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone.

Sax was a Belgian instrument maker and designer who developed the instrument in the early 1840s. He patented the saxophone in 1846 in Paris. His goal was to combine the projection of brass instruments with the agility of woodwinds, producing a family of instruments in different sizes.

Although the saxophone is usually made of brass, it is classified as a woodwind because sound is produced by a single reed attached to a mouthpiece. This detail is a common source of confusion. The player’s breath makes the reed vibrate, while keys open and close tone holes.

The instrument first gained an important role in military bands and later became central to jazz, popular music, and concert music. Saxophones range from the small soprano to the very large bass saxophone, though alto and tenor models are especially common.