Sax experimented with various woodwind instruments before developing the saxophone. He wanted to create an instrument that would have the power and range of a brass instrument but the agility and expressiveness of a woodwind instrument. The saxophone is a single-reed instrument, like the clarinet, but it has a wider bore and a larger bell, which gives it a fuller, more resonant sound.
Sax patented the saxophone in 1846, and it quickly became popular with military bands and orchestras. In the early 20th century, the saxophone was adopted by jazz musicians, and it soon became one of the most important instruments in jazz music.
Today, the saxophone is played in a wide variety of musical genres, including classical music, jazz, blues, rock, and pop. It is also used in marching bands and military bands.