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Why is a saxophone classified as a clarinet in the Sachs-Hornbostel system?

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shakuhachi (end-blown flute) — wind instrument The Japanese end-blown flute, or *shakuhachi*.

In the Sachs-Hornbostel system, the classification of a saxophone as a clarinet is based on the instrument's method of tone production rather than its material or physical appearance.1

The system categorizes wind instruments (aerophones) based on acoustical principles. Within the subcategory of reedpipes, the system uses a simplified, broad classification: instruments with multiple reeds are generically classified as oboes, while those with a single reed are classified as clarinets. Because the saxophone utilizes a single reed to activate its air column, it is grouped under the clarinet category in this specific taxonomic framework.1

It is important to note that the Sachs-Hornbostel system is an arbitrary classification tool designed for organizing museum collections, similar to a library catalog, and does not necessarily reflect how musicians categorize instruments based on their technological features or playing methods.2