The tubax is a group of redesigned saxophones first created a German instrument maker named Benedikt Eppelsheim in 1999, with a focus on an Eb instrument with modern saxophone fingering, a baritone saxophone mouthpiece, and a range an octave below the baritone saxophone. Its range is thus comparable to that of the contrabass saxophone in Eb, but it avoids the contrabass saxophone’s heavy tone and lack of agility, though it lacks the contrabass saxophone’s power. Because of its narrower bore, it requires less air and can play quietly throughout its range.
Eppelsheim also sells a Bb tubax, which is a type of subcontrabass saxophone. Adolphe Sax had patented a design for a subcontrabass saxophone, but he never completed it. The instrument now has a working model. The Bb tubax is a fourth lower in pitch than the Eb tubax and an octave lower than the bass saxophone. It has a bass saxophone mouthpiece and is not much taller than a baritone saxophone because it is folded four times instead of two. A C tubax is available, but it must be ordered in advance.
The tubax is a transposing instrument that can be played in any key. It’s written on a treble staff, like the other saxophones, from Bb3 to F#6. The Eb tubax has a lower pitch two octaves and a major sixth than it is written. The Bb tubax has a lower sound three octaves and a major second. An additional altissimo register key is available on all tubax models, allowing for a wider upper range.
Randy Emerick, Jay Easton, Scott Robinson, Thomas Zoller, and Fred Bayer are all well-known tubax players. Thomas Zoller, Andreas van Zoelen, Vinny Golia, Chaya Czernowin, and Guy Barker have all written tubax pieces. Check out the tubax videos on MySpace and YouTube if you don’t think contrabass instruments are cool.