Imagine sitting in your office on a Wednesday morning going thru all the humdrum stuff that usually happens on a Wednesday
when all of a sudden world class jazz soprano saxophone starts wafting thru the window. That was my
morning here today when I found Mr. Tetsu Watanabe outside flexing his chops while waiting for a tour bus.
What a treat!
About the horn:
The soprano saxophone can come in straight or curved models. Most new sopranos are made straight or straight with a slight bend in the neck, bell or both.
However, there are curved sopranos too. Curved sopranos were more common during the thirties and look like miniature altos.
Curved horns tend to have a richer, more saxophone-like sound, while straight horns have a more oboe-like quality.
Straight horns typically have better intonation than some of their curved counterparts. The soprano is in the key of B flat, one full octave higher than the tenor.
The soprano is a highly enchanting instrument with an etherial sound and an intoxicating feel for the player.
Unfortunately, it's also generally accepted as the most difficult saxophone to learn and master, and is not recommended for beginning players.
Intonation is a big issue - it requires an extremely precise embouchure and tons of practice time. The soprano is most commonly used in jazz and has a limited classical repetoire available.
The soprano is, however, a great deal of fun to play.