A conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. The saxophone is commonly associated with popular music, big band music, and jazz, but it was originally intended as both an orchestral and military band instrument.

The original patented saxophone family, as developed by Adolphe Sax, included sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass, and subcontrabass instruments (although he never built the last). Since the late 20th century, however, a B flat piccolo, or sopranissimo saxophone (called soprillo, and tuned a fifth above the sopranino) and a B flat subcontrabass instrument (called tubax, also made in C) have been developed .