Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax (; 6 November 1814 - 7 February 1894) was a Belgian inventor and musician who invented the saxophone in the early 1840s, patenting it in 1846. He also invented the saxotromba, saxhorn and saxtuba, and redesigned the bass clarinet in a fashion still used in the 21st century. He played the flute and clarinet.

Early life