Back to navigation


Value-packed Student Alto Sax by Selmer





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





For those familiar with world-class woodwind instruments, the name Selmer needs no introduction. But did you know the storied company offers a full line of instruments to meet the requirements of every musician, from students to professionals? They even have a brand dedicated to providing beginning band students with affordable, high-quality, entry-level instruments to start them on their musical journey: Prelude by Selmer. The Prelude by Selmer AS111 student alto saxophone is just such an instrument. Designed to be easy to play and foster proper playing technique, the Prelude AS111 is solidly built and packed with advanced features, including a high F# key and adjustable thumb rest, trickled down from Selmer’s esteemed pro saxophones. Ensure your student hits the ground running with the Prelude by Selmer AS111.





Related Videos: by Selmer AS111 Student Alto Saxophone - Lacquer with High F# Key


Designed for the beginning band student





The Prelude by Selmer AS111 alto saxophone is designed to ease beginner band students into a lifetime of musical exploration and enrichment. Its yellow brass body features robust, ribbed construction and has a strong, detachable body-to-bow coupling for durability. The AS111 incorporates performance-enhancing details like specially treated kid leather pads with metal resonators that provide a leak-free, airtight fit while delivering a big, deep, and authoritative tone. This saxophone’s bore taper is precision shaped to enhance projection, inspiring confidence from your student’s first notes. It is responsive and easy to blow while supporting the development of proper wind control and embouchure. And its ergonomic key layout and light action are perfect for younger players while giving them room to grow as they refine their fingering technique.





Prelude by Selmer





There are many affordable beginner student alto saxophones on the market, but only one is by Selmer. With their Prelude by Selmer marque, the legendary woodwind instrument maker distills their century-plus expertise of designing and building the saxophones played by headlining musicians worldwide into a line of affordable, entry-level instruments. Prelude by Selmer saxophones are built to rigorous specifications and supported by Selmer’s industry-leading commitment to service. Student saxophonists love the Prelude AS111 for its smooth playability, great intonation, and expressive, full-bodied sound; band directors love it for its rock-solid construction, which keeps it in the classroom and not in the shop. And parents will certainly appreciate its impressive value! The Prelude by Selmer AS111 comes with a full accessories package featuring everything your student needs to get started, including a Selmer-designed mouthpiece, a ligature, a reed, a neck strap, cork grease, and a sturdy hardshell case to protect your investment.





The Selmer legacy of quality and innovation





As all modern saxophone designs are based on the Selmer platform, it’s instructive to take a look at the company’s history to understand its considerable influence on the instrument as we know it today. Conservatory-trained clarinetist Henri Selmer founded Henri Selmer Paris in 1885. Fashioning reeds and mouthpieces in his small workshop, he soon took on instrument repair and modifications, which eventually led to the design and manufacture of clarinets. In 1900, Selmer opened a retail shop in New York (the beginnings of Selmer USA). In 1942, Selmer introduced its first saxophone: the Model 22. In the ensuing decades, Selmer released industry-leading designs such as the Balanced Action, Super Action, Mark VI, and Reference 54, which have set the standard for what a modern saxophone should be. Listen to any iconic jazz recording by John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Paul Desmond, (late period) Cannonball Adderley, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, Branford Marsalis, or Joshua Redman, and you will hear one of these legendary horns in action. Delivering exceptional value at every level, from student to professional, Selmer USA and Henri Selmer Paris offer a full line of woodwind and brass instruments. Sweetwater is proud to bring you Selmer’s rich legacy of quality and innovation.





Prelude by Selmer AS111 Student Alto Saxophone Features:


Yellow brass body and keys


Ribbed construction


High F# key


Kid leather pads with metal resonators


Rocking table key mechanism with articulated C# adjusting screw


Adjustable metal right-hand thumb rest


Engraved bell


Mouthpiece with cap and ligature, #2-1/2 reed, neck strap, cork grease, and case included