Label the Saxophone – Printable Worksheet With a Key

All 15 parts on the diagram

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Start here: 8 main parts 8

Mouthpiece The piece the player's mouth goes round; the reed vibrates against it. Hard rubber, plastic or metal.
Reed A thin strip that vibrates against the mouthpiece to make the sound. It is cane, or fiberglass and other composites.
Ligature The band that holds the reed on the mouthpiece. Its screw is tightened once the reed is in place.
Neck The detachable curved tube at the top. It joins the mouthpiece to the body.
Body The main conical brass tube. It carries most of the keys and tone holes.
Pearls (key touches) The round touches under the fingers, of plastic or mother of pearl. Each works a key whose padded cup closes a tone hole.
Bow The U-shaped bend that turns the tube upward toward the bell.
Bell The round, flared end of the tube, where the sound comes out.

Mouthpiece and neck 3

Cork It is on the end of the neck. The mouthpiece slides onto it. It lets different mouthpieces fit.
Octave key The register key that raises the lower notes by an octave. The left thumb works it through the lever on the back of the body.
Neck screw The screw that holds the neck in the top of the body. Also called the butterfly screw.

Keys and holds 2

Thumb hook The hook on the back of the body for the right thumb.
Key guard A metal guard over the low keys on the bell.

Body, bow and bell 2

Bow guard A guard fitted on the underside of the bow.
Body-to-bell brace The brace that joins the body to the bell.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. (1) Yamaha Musical Instrument Guide, the structure of the saxophone, https://www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/saxophone/mechanism/ : four fundamental parts, the neck, the body, the U-shaped bow and the round flared bell; 25 tone holes; the labelled parts neck, octave key, cork, mouthpiece, ligature, reed, body, key, pearls, thumb hook, octave key (lever), bow, bow guard, bell, key guard, joint ring, body to bell brace and butterfly screw/neck screw; keys and levers so a few fingers close distant holes; the round tone-hole covers are pads of felt and sheep leather. The reed page (mechanism002.html): the reed attached to the mouthpiece, held by tightening the ligature. The neck page (mechanism004.html): the cork on the end of the neck lets a variety of mouthpieces be attached. (2) Wikipedia, Saxophone, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxophone : a single-reed woodwind with a conical body, usually brass; tone holes closed by leather pads on keys; an octave (register) key that raises the lower notes an octave; the detachable curved neck and U-shaped bow turning the tube up to the bell; key touches of plastic or mother of pearl; reeds of Arundo donax cane or fiberglass and composites; mouthpieces of hard rubber, plastic or metal. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

To label the saxophone, write a name on the line for each number. The drawing is an alto from the side: seven numbers sit round the mouthpiece and neck, and eight run down the body to the bell.

Read the full guide

Saxophone word bank

From A to Z, for the board: bell, body, body-to-bell brace, bow, bow guard, cork, key guard, ligature, mouthpiece, neck, neck screw, octave key, pearls, reed, thumb hook.

Numbers that sit close together

1 is the piece blown into (mouthpiece), 2 the thin strip under it (reed), 3 the band round both (ligature) and 4 the ring where it meets the tube (cork). 5 is that curved tube (neck), 6 the small key on it (octave key), 7 the screw below (neck screw). 9 is a round button on the front (pearls), 10 the hook on the back (thumb hook). 11 is the U-shaped bend (bow), 12 the plate under it (bow guard). 14 covers two cups (key guard); 15 is the strut (body-to-bell brace).

When marking, register key is right on line 6 and butterfly screw on line 7.
For a first lesson, pick the 8 main parts under Start from: mouthpiece to bell.
The round key cups down the front are drawn and have no number; the pearls beside them do.

Questions and answers

Is a saxophone a woodwind or a brass instrument?

A woodwind, although it is made of metal. As on every single-reed instrument, the sound is made by a reed vibrating on the mouthpiece. The reed is number 2 on this sheet.

What is a saxophone made of?

The body and the key cups are made from sheet brass. The most common finish is a thin coat of clear or colored lacquer, which protects the brass and keeps it shiny. Some models are plated with silver or gold.

What are the four main types of saxophone?

The saxophones used most are the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone. The one drawn on this sheet is an alto.

Does a soprano saxophone have the same parts?

Not all of them. The alto and larger ones have a curved detachable neck and a U-shaped bow. A soprano is usually built without either, so lines 5 and 11 of this sheet would have nothing to point at.