In North America, children typically get the chance to pick up an instrument along with music lessons in school —- starting with band. Woodwinds are a popular choice, and among all the wind instruments, the saxophone has the widest dynamic range of all, making it a fantastic solo instrument. There are eight members in the modern saxophone family — from the high-pitched voice of the sopranino to the very deep voice of the subcontrabass. Generally, the E♭ baritone, B♭ tenor, E♭ alto and B♭ soprano saxophones have been the most popular instruments in the family. With tonal qualities very close to those of the human voice, its nuanced expressions carry it easily across genres.

While the saxophone is widely seen in military and marching bands and jazz bands, the instrument also features in symphonic music by classical music composers dating back to the nineteenth century, including Georges Bizet and Jules Massenet. Maurice Ravel also featured the saxophone in Bolero, his most famous composition. The largest body of chamber works for saxophone are from the modern era initiated by Marcel Mule in 1928.

With the rise of jazz music and dance bands, saxophones have become the most important solo instruments in the development of swing and other forms of jazz. Saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman are considered some of the most legendary innovators in jazz, but it doesn’t stop here —- Curtis and Maceo Parker became influential soul and funk saxophone stylists. Bobby Keys and Clarence Clemons were well known rock & roll saxophone stylists. So, if you decide to pick up the saxophone, you just might discover and build a new style that’s truly your own.

在美國無論是小學、中學還是大學都有大大小小的樂隊組織，其中管樂最為常見，從交響樂隊到爵士樂隊再到節日活動表演都離不開管樂這種深受大眾喜愛的樂器，因此從某種意義上說學習管樂的實際應用更加廣泛。

西洋管樂器有許多分類方法，一般按照發音的方式方法，分為吹孔氣鳴樂器，單簧氣鳴樂器，雙簧氣鳴樂器和唇簧氣鳴樂器。前三類樂器由於從歷史淵源上都起源於蘆管樂器，且音色缺乏金屬感，所以統稱為木管樂器，盡管現在許多樂器都已使用金屬，橡膠乃至合成材料為原材料了。在管弦樂隊和軍樂隊中，這一組樂器被稱為木管組，相對應的，唇簧氣鳴樂器被稱為銅管組。 管樂的特點古典與現代並融，攜帶方便，普及率高，團隊合作性強，雅俗共賞，所以深受歡迎。