 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dean
Date: 2002-09-13 03:55
I am a new student of piano in my 40s. I would like to begin playing a wind instrument as well. My friend told me that I should try the saxophone because it is the easiest to learn. I like the sound of a clarinet much better though. My question is: Is there a big difference in difficulty between the instruments? Should I just learn to play the recorder and call it a day?
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-09-13 04:26
Since you are learning the piano, you are learning music. What you learn about music will apply to all other instruments. Personally, I would never say the sax is easiest to learn - or the recorder for that matter. A big difference in difficulty? I really don't think so... just different areas of difficulty. Some people adapt to certain instruments rather than others, usually based somewhat, like yourself, Dean, on whether you like it. For that very reason, some people play multiple instruments. In your situation I would definitely choose the instrument I like and deal with its peculiarities. Every instrument has 'em
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Author: Willie
Date: 2002-09-13 04:37
Both are reed instruments. Fingerings are simular but not the same but you can switch and double on both later on. Buying a decent clarinet will be easier on the pocket book. If you like the sound of the clarinet better, go for it. Keep in mind though, either way you go, get a good mouthpiece.
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Author: LMS
Date: 2002-09-13 04:38
I think saxophone is generally regarded as easier than clarinet. However, if you learn the clarinet first, you can easily pick up sax more quickly than learning sax before clarinet. If you are more interested in the clarinet, I say go for it.
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Author: PeteS
Date: 2002-09-13 12:55
I've played the piano for years. The sax, too. Relatively recently I've taken up the clarinet. The two messages that precede this one (from Willie and LMS) are dead on. Take up the clarinet first; Phil Woods did, after all.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2002-09-13 13:36
Play the one you like the most. You are more likely to enjoy it and enjoy practicing it.
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-09-13 14:12
If you're not really interested in getting past the casual stage on woodwind instruments, then it probably doesn't matter whether you start with clarinet or sax. But, if you intend to do great things in music, my recommendation would be to start on clarinet -- the fundamentals are more rigorous and once learned, translate easily to sax -- the converse is not necessarily so. Of the reed players I've worked with, the better ones generally started on clarinet and picked up sax later --- those who started on sax tend to have more embouchure, intonation, and tone problems, I think. Just my two euros worth..........Your mileage may vary, etc. etc....
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Author: William
Date: 2002-09-13 15:58
Sax, if you want to appear "cool", attract the babes and like taking the easy way out.
Clarinet, if you prefer quality to quantity, deep to shallow and long for true musical reward in bands, orchestras and small ensembles.
Also, let us hope that you are not burdened with the gift of "perfect pitch" as with either the sax or the clarinet, their written notes will souind differently on your keyboard because they are all "transposing" instruments. Ex--the written C for Eb alto sax will be Eb on your piano. Written C for Bb clarinet will be Bb on your piano. If you have PP, when you see a C on any of these wind instruments, you will want to hear concert (piano) C--but you will not!! And that drives some PP people somewhat daffy.
Bottom line: as a clarinetist, saxophonist, and flutist (of modest ability), I have often mused that I would give up all of the above if I could play the keyboard instruments as well. If you are an individualist, stick to the piano where you do not need a whole band of friends play all the parts. How about guitar????
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Author: Dan Borlawsky
Date: 2002-09-13 16:09
Dean,
I can agree with almost everything above. The fingering system is easier on sax, but it's just as difficult to produce a beautiful saxophone sound as it is a beautiful clarinet sound. In fact, the saxophone is a very easy instrument to play -- badly!
That having been said, I'd advise learning clarinet first, then "doubling" on sax, not the other way around. Sax first, then learning clarinet is harder.
Enjoy whichever choice you make!
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Author: Kyle
Date: 2002-09-13 16:45
It's great that you want to perform a wind instrument. I too play piano, as well as clarinet. I also play the sax and f horn on the side for fun. I'd say go with whichever you prefer. It sounds like you like the sound of the sax better, so go with that. The fingerings are similar between the sax and clarinet, but it is much easier to go from clarinet to sax than it is to go from sax to clarinet. Whichever you decide, happy playing!
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Author: David
Date: 2002-09-14 00:33
Clarinet and recorder and sax.
The high register (set of notes) on the clarinet is fingered similarly to descant and tenor recorders, the low clarinet register is fingered like sopranino and treble (the "serious" one) recorders.
Saxophones are all fingered like the top register of the clarinet, but where the inevitable variations in particular fingerings creep in, you'll find them as being more similar to recorder ones, and so the logic will hang together better for you.
The 3 families cross-pollinate very well, so you may end up doing all of them. As everyone else has said, the sound is the thing, and all of them, played well, can be beautiful in their own right, and are better than strings [to chuck in a bit of gratuitous controversy...]
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-09-14 17:50
Budgetary matter:
If you start sax, alto would be the first choice, not soprano or tenor. Soprano is very difficult to emmit well tuned tones. So, if you like to play soprano like Kenny G, your budget will be for an alto and a soprano. And each of them costs more than a B flat clarinet.
Difficulty:I can only state my experiences.
I played flute and clarinet very long and one day played an alto sax. It sounded not bad. Fingering seemed a mixture of those for clarient and sax.
It took at least five years for me to find myself emitting 'ordinary' flute or clarinet tones.
Equipment:
If you start clarinet, I recommend you to have as good clarinet as possible, I mean all-in-one clarinet. All-in-on means a well matched mouthpiece, a barrel reamered with it, a good ligature, and a very well padded clarinet chosen by a professional.
It took me about 20 years and much money to reach a conclusion.A professinaly customized clarinet would have saved me these problems.
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Author: Pam
Date: 2002-09-15 02:51
I don't play the sax yet, but hope to learn one of these days. My private teacher however, plays both (we both play the flute some also). Anyhow, he has told me that it is much easier in the long run if you want to learn clarinet, flute and sax it is better to start with the clarinet as it is the hardest of the three and later add on sax and flute. He has had several students who were excellent on the sax try clarinet later and end up giving it up.
I do think it is easier to add on instruments as you find their similarities and after the first one, you already know how to read music unless you change to working in a different clef.
I enjoy clarinet the most I think with the wide range of scale and expression.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-09-15 03:57
Older people might have shorter period for training let alone for getting good tone they can amuse themselves.
For Sax, there are many helpful internet links like this:
http://www1.tip.nl/~t875094/saxgb/linksaxE.html
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-09-15 04:46
Just wondering, Hiroshi - where in Saitama-ken are you living? My wife is from Soka-shi.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-09-15 16:21
Higashi-Kawaghchi. The town very near soka-shi.
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Author: /
Date: 2002-09-15 22:03
play a baritone sax or a contrabass clari. Your choice :
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