The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s to bridge the gap between the woodwind and brass families. Sax wanted an instrument that was as agile as a clarinet but as powerful as a trumpet. Despite being made of brass, the saxophone is technically a woodwind because sound is produced by a single reed vibrating against a mouthpiece, just like a clarinet. Its conical shape (unlike the cylindrical clarinet) allows it to overblow at the octave, making the fingering patterns very similar between registers. Sax originally intended it for orchestral use, but it found its first major success in military bands. It wasn't until the early 20th century that the saxophone became the iconic voice of jazz. Adolphe Sax was a controversial figure and faced numerous lawsuits from rival instrument makers who tried to invalidate his patent.