HI
I play the violin, my brother's just started playing the sax. i've noticed that when he plays my music it comes out much deeper (obviously he's in Eb anyway but it's more like an octave).

Does the sax play notes deeper?

Thanks

Iz

That's if he plays an alto, but maybe he's playing a tenor, which is written a major 9nth higher than it really plays, or maybe a baritone, which could be logical cause you said he was in Eb, and those are obviously much lower than a violin heh

This is with almost all instruments, they are written higher (or lower in some cases) to keep all the notes on the clef (or atleast try) because no one likes reading lots of ledger lines! But if you compare bass clarinet to clarinet, they are both written in the same clef, and a C on the clarinet, is a C on a bass clarinet, although the bass clarinet will sound 1 octave lower. A C on a clarinet (pitched in B flat) sounds like a B flat on a C instrument (like flute, oboe or violin). This is called concert pitch.

This isn't exactly the reason for having transposing instruments. If it was as you said to avoid having lots of ledger lines, bass clarinet could be written in bass clef. The real reason is to be able to switch easily between instruments of the same family (i.e. Bb clarinet and bass clarinet fingerings are the same for the same written notes, but bass clarinet sounds an octave lower. All saxophones have the same fingerings for the same written notes, hovewer, an alto or baritone sax 'C' is not the same note as a C on a soprano or tenor, and both notes are actually different from a real C)