[Dixielandjazz] FW: Thanks, & question on range

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Meg,
I forwarded Vince Giordano's post to Trevor Rippingale for information.
He was about to email me with a correction anyway.
Here is what Trevor said.
All self-explanatory.
Kind regards,
Bill.

Bill, 
Many thanks for Vince's comments.
  But before reading that, I'd just noticed a major "morning after the night
before " error  in my message which I sent you yesterday : I wrongly stated that
the sax has a "normal" range of two and a quarter octaves. Its more complicated
than that.
  The "normal range" of soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones is actually
two and three-quarter octaves : 32 semi-tones from bottom Bb1 to top F3
(transposed), with the more recent models going one further to top F#/Gb3
(transposed), giving 33 semi-tones.
  More recent baritones and some rare altos, add another semi-tone at the bottom
(down to A1 transposed), and so many of those could have 34 semi-tones. Just
short of the 36 semi-tones necessary for a three-octave range.
  The standard bass sax is two semi-tones shorter again, stopping at top
Eb/D#3(transposed), and I've not seen one that adds a bottom A1. So its "normal"
range is only 30 semi-tones. Adrian played an F3 and even an F#3 on record ,i.e
two semi-tones additional. I've been told the newly manufactured basses may go
up to top F3 or F#3, but I can't confirm that. if that's so, they too could have
up to 33 semi-tones now.
  So if its not too late, please advise Meg accordingly, before others wade in
with technical corrections.
Thanks,
Trevor.