Bass saxophone
From Freepedia
The bass saxophone (or bass sax for short) is the second largest existing member of the saxophone family (or third largest, if the subcontrabass tubax is counted). It is similar in design to a baritone saxophone, but is larger and its loop, near the mouthpiece, extends further vertically. Unlike the baritone, the bass saxophone is not commonly used, and the contrabass voice in wind bands is usually handled by the tuba, or in jazz and other popular-music bands by the double bass or electric bass, all of which have have a lower range.
The bass saxophone is pitched in B-flat, a perfect fourth lower than the baritone, and thus the same as the B-flat contrabass clarinet. Sheet music for bass sax is written in treble clef, just as music for the other saxophones is written, but for the bass instrument, it sounds two octaves and a major second lower than written. Like the other members of the saxophone family, the lowest written note is B-flat below the staff; for bass saxophone, this note is a concert-pitch A-flat in the first octave (~ 51.9 Hz).
The lowest existing member of the saxophone family is the rare (and massive) contrabass, pitched in E-flat and tuned a perfect fifth lower than the bass. Inventor Adolphe Sax had a patent for a subcontrabass saxophone (or bourdon saxophone), but a fully-functioning instrument in that pitch has apparently never been built. If it existed, it would sound an octave lower than the bass.
Bass saxophone players
The bass saxophone enjoyed some measure of popularity in jazz combos between World War I and World War II, with the bass saxophone used primarily to provide bass lines (although occasionally players took melodic solos). Notable players of this era include Billy Fowler, Coleman Hawkins, and Adrian Rollini. The American bandleader Boyd Raeburn (1913-1966), who led an avant-garde big band in the 1940s, was a bass saxophonist. Probably the finest revivalist bass saxophonist performing today in the 1920s-1930s style is Vince Giordano. Jazz players using the instrument in a more contemporary style include Roscoe Mitchell, Anthony Braxton, Peter Brötzmann, Hamiet Bluiett, James Carter, Vinny Golia, and Scott Robinson, though none of these use it as their primary instrument.
In the genres of rock and funk, Angelo Moore of the American band Fishbone plays bass saxophone.
