Do you dream of serenading a room full of friends and family with your saxophone? Or maybe you have an interest in pursuing a career as a professional saxophonist, playing in a professional setting.
Both are solid reasons to want to hone your skills or learn how to play saxophone from scratch.
Consider an online course to get the job done. They’re offered for all skill levels and make learning the saxophone fun. And who knows; maybe you’ll start to sound like Sonny Rollins sooner than later.
The Best Saxophone Courses Highlighted
- Learn to Play Saxophone: Beginner to Pro in Under Four Hours by Udemy
- SaxTuition Beginner Series: Alto Saxophone by SaxTuition
- Tenor Saxophone Lessons For Beginners by Todd Porter
- Saxophone Essentials: Mouthpiece by Marek Tomaszewski by Skillshare
- Master the Saxophone: Intermediate Instruction Made Simple! by Udemy
- Jazz Saxophone by Eric Marienthal
- Advanced Saxophone Studies- Learn to Master the Saxophone! by Udemy
- Saxophone Pro Series – You’re Going to Love Practicing Sax by Udemy
- How to Play Funky Saxophone by Udemy
What Makes a Saxophone Course Great?
The saxophone is one of the world’s most unique sounding instruments in the world and always considered one of the top choices for people wanting to participate in marching band, jazz ensemble or symphony. Before choosing a saxophone course, be sure to review the following criteria.
1. Affordable
Don’t settle for an expensive saxophone course when there are free and affordable options. Look for classes that are priced comparably to other similar options.
2. Interactive Lessons
Part of learning how to play Saxophone is implementing your skills with practice exercises. The course should have interactive lessons that teach you what you need to know and allow you to apply what you’ve learned in a practice setting so you can work out the kinks.
3. Self-Paced
Courses that aren’t self-paced could force you to rush through the material. But this isn’t beneficial and you won’t grasp the pertinent information you need to develop your saxophone playing skills.
Our Top Picks
Below are our top picks for saxophone courses organized by skill level – beginners, intermediate and advanced. The classes are from popular sites like Skillshare and Udemy and are taught by reputable saxophone instructors.
We’ve also included the enrollment fee and description for each course to facilitate the decision-making process.
Best Saxophone Courses for Beginners
Consider this saxophone courses for beginners if you’re just starting out.
1. Learn to Play Saxophone: Beginner to Pro in Under Four Hours by Udemy
- Who it’s for: Beginners
- Price: $13.99
Offered by MusicProfessor Online Music Lesson, this 77 lecture course teaches the skills and knowledge needed to become an exceptional saxophonist. It is ideal for beginners who have no prior experience playing the saxophone.
The class begins with a primer on saxophones that covers assembling and disassembling the instrument, proper breathing techniques and caring for your instrument. Subsequent lessons delve into core concepts, including embouchure, music reading, slurring and tonguing, crossing the break, eighth notes and so much more.
Have a working alto-saxophone, saxophone reeds, and a neck strap when you enroll.
2. SaxTuition Beginner Series: Alto Saxophone by SaxTuition
- Who it’s for: Beginners
- Price: $149.00
If you want an easy way to learn to play saxophone from scratch, consider this comprehensive course from SaxTuition. It includes 12 lessons that span more than 3 hours of video that will teach you the basics in a way that’s easy to understand.
The course also includes an eBook that recaps critical lessons to ensure you fully grasp the material, along with exercises and play along tracks that require you to demonstrate what you’ve learned.
You can enroll today for $149.00 and start learning how to play the saxophone right away.
3. Tenor Saxophone Lessons for Beginners by Todd Porter
- Who it’s for: Beginners
- Price: Free
Interested in learning the basics of the tenor saxophone? Consider this free course that is designed just for beginners.
It is very interactive and includes 12 practice exercises and a “Jam Room” that allows you to play along at different speeds with a virtual band. There are also more than 2.5 hours of video lectures and practice videos to help you master the basics of playing the tenor saxophone.
The course is led by Todd Porter, a multi-instrumentalist and professional music educator. He’s taught music on multiple instruments for over 15 years.
Intermediate Saxophone Courses
You may find these courses useful if you’re an intermediate level saxophonist.
4. Saxophone Essentials: Mouthpiece by Marek Tomaszewski
- Who it’s for: Intermediate students
- Price: Free
Once you’ve developed a foundational knowledge of playing the saxophone, the next step is to optimize your skills. An ideal way to do so is by learning to use your mouthpiece to create a more focused and steady tone.
Facilitator Marek Tomaszewski of Saxophone Tutorials shares techniques to use your mouthpiece more effectively in 6 lessons:
- Singing Notes on the Sax Mouthpiece
- Steady Sound
- Tonguing Essentials
- Bending Notes
- Two Notes
- Major Scale on the Mouthpiece
You will also be tasked with recording a video playing the whole major scale using your mouthpiece.
Enrollment is free.
5. Master the Saxophone: Intermediate Instruction Made Simple! by Udemy
- Who it’s for: Intermediate students
- Price: $19.99
Also offered by MusicProfessor Online Music Lessons, Master the Saxophone: Intermediate Instruction Made Simple! moves beyond the basics to more advanced saxophone playing strategies. You will learn to read more complex rhythms and meters, interpret dynamic markings and play more expressively for an extended period of time.
When you enroll, you’ll have instant access to 90 lectures condensed into 8 hours of on-demand video. The course also includes 154 downloadable resources to supplement your learning.
It’s best to have advanced knowledge of basic music theory and notation and complete Learn to Play Saxophone: Beginner to Pro in Under Four Hours before registering. You should also have a working alto-saxophone, saxophone reeds, and a neck strap.
6. Jazz Saxophone by Eric Marienthal
- Who it’s for: Intermediate students
- Price: Varies by enrollment level
Led by Eric Marienthal, an experienced jazz saxophone instructor and Grammy award winning jazz saxophone musician, this intermediate course will help mold you into a five-star jazz saxophone player.
It includes over 100 saxophone lessons that you can complete at your own pace. You will also complete exercises on ear training and improvisation, scale and mode lessons, jazz sax warms ups and more.
You can enroll in a 3-month plan for $105. But if you’d prefer access to the material for an extended period, 6 and 12-month plans are available for $179 and $279, respectively.
Advanced Saxophone Courses
Want to soar your saxophone playing skills? Check out these advanced courses.
7. Advanced Saxophone Studies – Learn to Master the Saxophone! by Udemy
- Who it’s for: Advanced students
- Price: $11.99
Just $49.99 (On Sale For $11.99) gets you a seat in this highly-rated course from Udemy. It is also offered by MusicProfessor Online Music Lessons and focuses on advanced practice and performance techniques, common challenges when playing the saxophone, complex fingerings and phrases and more.
The enrollment fee includes full lifetime access to 80 lectures jam-packed into 5 hours of on-demand video and 161 downloadable resources.
Have a working alto-saxophone, saxophone reeds and a neck strap before signing up.
8. Saxophone Pro Series – You’re Going to Love Practicing Sax by Udemy
- Who it’s for: Advanced students
- Price: $11.99
Designed for intermediate and advanced saxophone players, this course from MusicProfessor Online Music Lessons teaches the fundamentals of playing the Alto Saxophone at a professional level. It is comprised of 3 phases:
- Phase 1: Core Sound and Fundamental Technique
- Phase 2: Advanced Articulations and Ensemble Musicianship
- Phase 3: Advanced Sight Reading
Your registration includes instant access to 5.5 hours of on-demand video and 21 downloadable resources.
Before signing up, have an intermediate knowledge of music theory and notation. You should also have a working alto saxophone and multiple saxophone reeds.
9. How to Play Funky Saxophone by Udemy
- Who it’s for: Advanced students
- Price: $11.99
Learn to play funky saxophone by using the proven system shared in this advanced Udemy course. It is taught by professional musician and educator, Simon Curie.
Enrollment is only $34.99 and includes 34 video lectures, 1 article and 17 downloadable resources. You will also receive a certificate of completion when you complete the course.
Have access to a working alto or tenor saxophone when registering for the class.
Choose the Right Saxophone Course for You
Online saxophone courses make it easy to learn how to play or sharpen your skills. Consider one of our recommended options to get started. But before you enroll, read the course description to confirm it meets your needs.
