Essential Saxophone Accessories for Students and Pros

You can find many accessories for the saxophone on the market, however, the problem is that people often buy things they don’t necessarily need. Moreover, some gear may even make life harder instead of helping players enjoy practice. In this article, we will break down the list of essentials for saxophone players that really contribute to your comfort, technique, and make practice sessions enjoyable. 

Things You Need For Your Saxophone

Let’s divide all available saxophone accessories into two categories: things you definitely need (must-haves) and things that are useful to have in your collection.

Must-Haves for Your Saxophone

Ligature. This small accessory holds the reed onto the mouthpiece, helping it stay in a fixed position and vibrate freely while you play your instrument. 
You can find a great variety of ligatures, including:

• metal ligatures featuring brass, gold-plated, and silver-plated finishes;
  
• fabric ligatures widely used by saxophonists playing in classical and jazz styles;
  
• synthetic leather ligatures praised for their affordable prices;
  
• genuine leather ligatures known for durability and nice-to-touch texture. 

Neck Strap. This accessory really makes a difference in how you feel when holding your instrument during extended rehearsals or performances. Made of brass, a saxophone is one of the heaviest instruments in the category of woodwinds, especially when it comes to baritone and tenor models. So it’s natural that after a period of active practice on your sax you experience backache, strain on your neck, and shoulders. A high-quality neck strap helps distribute the weight of the instrument evenly, taking most of it. It also keeps the instrument at the right height and angle, encouraging correct, healthy posture. Using the sax neck strap, you can grip your instrument with less effort and thus better focus on your performance rather than physical feelings. 

Neck pouch. This accessory helps you protect this critical part of your instrument from dents and scratches when you travel from home to rehearsal or while touring. You can find a variety of options, available in different materials, where genuine leather neck pouches hold a special place as they combine attractive design with pleasant tactile sensations.

Mouthpiece pouch. Its initial goal is to shield these significant parts of your sax from external impacts while also keeping them organized and protected from contact with other essentials in your bag. Modern brands design saxophone mouthpiece cases with soft lining to prevent any damage to the surface, as well as equip them with easy-to-open button stud closures. Depending on your working arsenal, you can choose a single, double, or triple mouthpiece pouch, featuring separate slots for each mouthpiece. 

Cleaning swabs and polishing cloth. These are essential tools to keep your sax in top playing condition. Using cleaning swabs (also known as pull-through cloths) after each practice session, you can remove excessive moisture from the inside of your instrument and prevent mold buildup. A polishing cloth helps you maintain the appealing shiny surface of your instrument by removing fingerprints and dirt. 

Saxophone bag. Whether you travel to a music school or go on the road with a band, reliable accommodation for your instrument should stay on your list of top priorities. A high-quality bag ensures your sax stays safe and protected during temperature changes, moist weather, or even if accidentally exposed to shocks or drops. On the market, you can find textile and leather bags for both straight and curved saxophones, featuring a well-tailored shape, soft lining, several carrying options, and additional pockets for accessories. 

Nice-to-Have-Accessories

Metronome.  This device helps players improve their rhythm and timing, avoiding speeding up or slowing down when performing different pieces. Regular practice alongside a click trains a solid sense of timing helping sax players to play in time with the rest of the band or ensemble. You can buy a Korg TM 60 that combines a tuner and metronome in one device and is valued by players for its ability to work for decades. Alternatively, if you don’t like to mess around with physical devices, you can download apps offering the same options. 

Music notebook. This is where players can mark notes or phrasing, work with music theory, write down their warm-up exercises, or their own musical ideas. If you don’t like ordinary options with hard covers, you can try a music notebook featuring a leather cover, which you can choose in your favorite color. 

Reed case. This accessory helps you organize all your reeds in an easy-to-reach and neat system, extending their life and protecting them from impacts. Using a reed case, you can save your time on searching for reeds as well as avoid mess in your case. 

Music stand. A music stand with a solid back keeps your sheet music in a clearly visible and accessible location during playing sessions. It saves you from messing with pages or flipping through them, so both of your hands stay free and you can better focus on the music piece.

Saxophone stand. It allows you to store your saxophone without the risk of placing unnecessary weight on the keys or the rods that happen when you just put your sax on the table. Musicians highly praise Hercules saxophone stands suitable for alto/tenor saxophones, clarinets and flutes. 

Music gear bag. It can be used as either a toiletry bag or a bag for your small music accessories. Thanks to its compact size, it effortlessly fits into a travel or gig bag as well as fits the dimensions of hand luggage making it the best option for traveling musicians. Using a music gear bag, you can keep mouthpieces, ligatures, reeds, wipes, straps, corks, and care tools separate from the instrument and within easy reach. 

Final Word

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by various saxophone products. We hope now you can divide all the things you may see on the Internet into categories of those you definitely need and those that can contribute to your better technique and comfort  without overbuying or guessing. 

If you’d like to explore our full collection of leather accessories for your instrument, visit our category of Woodwinds.

Sources: 

Beginner's Guide To Saxophone Gear | What Do You Actually Need? 

Top 10 Gift Ideas for Saxophonists – KGUmusic