YOU CAN BUILD A TRAVEL SAXOPHONE THAT FINGERS EXACTLY LIKE A REAL ONE
A Raspberry Pi saxophone you can practise on a train—with the exact same fingering as your real horn.
AudioOpen-hardware
Built withRaspberry Pi3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- CC-BY-SA-4.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE672 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · CC-BY-SA-4.0 · 672 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is for saxophonists who want a portable practice instrument that keeps their muscle memory intact. The entire design revolves around one idea: mechanical key switches laid out like a saxophone's keys, so the fingering carries over (only the high F# key is missing, covered by alternate fingerings). That means hours on a train or in a hotel room translate directly to your real horn. A pressure sensor on the board reads breath through a tube from the mouthpiece, so the feel is closer to a wind instrument than a keyboard. The Rust driver turns key presses and breath into notes for a software synthesiser, and the onboard amplifier means it works even on a Raspberry Pi Zero. The stated cost goal is under one hundred dollars; the README estimates 97 dollars after the sensor price jump, based on prototype quantities, and your location will shift it. The maker is refreshingly honest that this will never match a real saxophone's expressiveness—it is a practice tool, not a replacement. The hardware is CC BY-SA 4.0, so you can build, modify and even sell it with credit. The single biggest obstacle is not the code: it is getting the PCB made and sourcing the pressure sensor, whose price jumped after Covid. If you are comfortable with that level of DIY and want a travel sax that fingers like the real thing, this is exactly what it claims to be.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Hardware design (KiCad), software (Rust driver), BOM with estimated prices, and step-by-step assembly instructions are all in the repository.
- —Hardware is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 — commercial use is allowed with attribution and share-alike.
- —The maker states outright that it will not match the expressiveness of a real saxophone.
- —The under-100 dollars figure is the project's target cost based on prototype-quantity estimates, not a guaranteed final price.
- —Works with any Raspberry Pi, including the Pi Zero, because the board carries its own audio amplifier.
- —There is no case by design — the PCB is the body; the printed neck and thumb rests are in the repository.
Parts to buy
9 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the repository README and assembly instructions (Start with the documentation to understand the bill of materials, PCB design, and software requirements before ordering anything.)
- 2.Order the custom PCB from the provided Gerber files(Use a PCB fabrication service (JLCPCB, PCBWay, or similar) to manufacture the board. Budget a week for delivery.)
- 3.Source the pressure sensor and mouthpiece(The BOM specifies the NXP MPXV7007DP differential pressure sensor (price roughly doubled after Covid). Any standard sax mouthpiece and reed fits the printed neck.)
- 4.Assemble the board and flash the Raspberry Pi(Solder the components per the assembly instructions, then compile and run the Rust driver on the Pi. Instructions are in the software repository.)
KNOWN ISSUES
- The hardware is CC BY-SA 4.0 — you may sell builds or derivatives, but you must credit Cardona Bits and release modified designs under the same licence.
- The MPXV7007DP pressure sensor is the priciest single part and its price more than doubled after Covid — order it early and check stock before buying the rest.
- There is no case — the PCB itself is the body, so the electronics stay exposed; a padded pouch is worth it if you travel with it.
- The under-100 dollars cost is a target based on prototype quantities. Your actual cost will depend on your location, whether you already own a Raspberry Pi, and whether you order components in bulk or one-offs.
- The maker is explicit that this will never match a real saxophone's expressiveness. If you are expecting studio-quality tone or full dynamic range, this is not that instrument.
- The Rust driver requires compilation and Linux familiarity. The code is provided, but you will need to be comfortable with command-line tools and Raspberry Pi setup.
Does it sound like a real saxophone?
No—the maker states outright that it will not match the expressiveness of a real saxophone. It uses a software synthesiser, so the tone depends on the synth you choose. The goal is realistic fingering for practice, not realistic tone.
What Raspberry Pi do I need?
Any Raspberry Pi works, including the Pi Zero, because the board has its own audio amplifier. The Pi Zero is the cheapest option and is explicitly supported.
Is the fingering exactly the same as a real saxophone?
Almost — that is the whole point of the project. The mechanical key switches follow a saxophone's key layout so muscle memory transfers to your horn. The one exception is the high F# key, which was left out for space; the common alternate fingerings for high F# are already mapped, and the software can be extended if you use a less common one.
Can I use this commercially?
Yes, within the licence. The hardware is CC BY-SA 4.0, which allows commercial use as long as you credit Cardona Bits and share modified designs under the same licence. The haxo-rs software lives in a separate repository with its own licence, so check that too.
Where do I get the mouthpiece?
Bring your own — the BOM lists a standard sax mouthpiece and reed as 'bring your own (but optional)'. It fits on the 3D-printed neck from the repo, and a silicone tube carries your breath to the MPXV7007DP pressure sensor soldered on the board.
How long does it take to build?
A weekend if you have the PCB and parts ready. Add a week for PCB delivery and more time if you are designing an enclosure or sourcing the mouthpiece.
Community builds
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Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The maker says outright it will never match a real saxophone's expressiveness, but the fingering is identical so your muscle memory carries over. Would you use this for silent practice on a train, or does a travel sax need to sound convincing too?
Javier Cardona
Javier Cardona built the haxophone as a portable practice instrument for saxophonists. The design focuses on one goal: keeping the fingering identical to a real saxophone so muscle memory transfers directly, even on a device small enough to fit in a bag.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the hardware is released under CC BY-SA 4.0, so you can build, modify and even sell it as long as you credit the project and share changes under the same licence. The project goal is to keep the parts cost below 100 dollars, and the design avoids a separate enclosure on purpose: the HAT circuit board is the body, with the keys, Raspberry Pi and 3D-printed neck and thumb rests all mounted on it. Breath sensing is solved for you too: an NXP MPXV7007DP pressure sensor sits on the board, the printed neck connects to it with a silicone tube, and you bring your own saxophone mouthpiece. The repo includes KiCad files, production BOMs, assembly instructions with photos and a creator demo video. The Rust driver, haxo-rs, is compiled on the Raspberry Pi itself, so plan for that step during setup. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.