 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Curious George
Date: 2004-04-29 02:21
I'm extremely confused. I've been playin the sax for almost 5 years now and my band teacher just totally discouraged me ( long story) so i'm a LITTLE bored with the sax now. I know, i have low self-esteem but i have taken a deep interest in the clarinet. and i was wondering if i should switch to the clarinet. the thing is i'm afraid that i might practice one more than the other and i want to devote ALL of my time to ONE instrument, thats just how i'am. I know this sounds pretty sill and it is totally up to me but as u can see i can't decide so your votes or guidance will be very helpful!!
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Author: Eric B.
Date: 2004-04-29 02:27
Don't give up you have to keep fighting. If your going to persue a career in music, you WILL run into more people like your band teacher. I say stay with the sax and start the clarinet also, but i know you only want to play one instrument,so i say clarinet just for the heck of it! Why not explore new options. I know others might disagree with what i'm saying but it's better to try something new than to give up completely.
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Author: Theboy_2
Date: 2004-04-29 03:42
devote to whichever instrument sparks you. spend the bulk of your practise time on the instrument you are attached to most. no-ones saying you have to stay on that instrument forever. music should be an expression of yourself, and if you start to dislike your instrument, it could be time to switch, or work that much harder. maybe get a few lessons to get yourself back on track, and they can't hurt either. clarient and sax are similar instruments, most clarinets will double on a sax, usually alto or tenor, and they seem to do fine on both. just practise as much to equal out your playing time wiht both instruments. hope this helps.
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Author: JfW
Date: 2004-04-29 16:29
What did your band teacher tell you? If whatever he/she said can be debunked, wouldn't that solve the issue for you, in effect?
If it was the old tale about there is no work to be had playing saxophone and your teacher was encouraging you to switch to clarinet to improve your prospects, then you're teacher is rather missinformed about a number of issues.
Keep in mind, doubling is a good idea from a proffesional standpoint on either instrument.
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Author: Eric B.
Date: 2004-04-29 23:26
My band teacher will not let me get first chair no matter what. Everyone in the band knows i'm the best of the 4 sax players and she continues to put me in 4 chair. I decided to challenge the person who was in first chair and he decided to just give the spot to me and she still wouldn't let that pass. Her goal is to make me quit band. She gives lessons but she told me to go to a music store(in which they charge you) and hers are free. JFW what you said about the whole clarinet being better than sax thing, is exactly what she said! Their are so many things she has done that i don't even know where to start! Like one time i begged her for a solo and she gave it to me. I was great at that solo honestly, and at the concert she took my solo out, and the list goes on.
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Author: curious george
Date: 2004-04-29 23:29
Eric B. just about every thing you said is EXACTLY what i'm going through what should i do people?
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Author: Theboy_2
Date: 2004-04-30 02:05
there are reasons that a teacher can be hard. that teacher is trying to make you a better player. your teacher wont give you lessons, the teacher wants you to seek professional help instead of the extent your teacher knows. it may come off as the teacher being a hard-a.. but if your teacher wasn't that hard on you, would you be trying as hard to be better?
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Author: JfW
Date: 2004-04-30 16:02
JFW what you said about the whole clarinet being better than sax thing, is exactly what she said!
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I don't know what perpetuates this fallacy, but looking around, prospects for clarinet performance majors has to be perhaps the fewest of any instrument common to a MS or HS woodwind/brass ensemble. Consider the sheer amount of performance majors for clarinet churned out by acadamia each year and then consider how truley limited in scope the use of the clarinet is. The clarinet is certainly not much more than a minor instrument in jazz and proffesional dixieland groups are not that common. Even in classical ensembles, a Symphony orchestra typically employs only two clarinetists full-time and large proffesional wind ensembles are less common than large string orchestras. Besides that, there's smaller section chambers works and ensembles, and occasional temp work for special pieces with orchestras, but really not as much work as perhaps some people think.
The saxophone, while even more limited in the classical genre to things like sporatic appearances in an orchestra and small quartets and ensembles, has much more in the way of total applications. It's a mainstay of jazz, old rock, pop, and *commercial* settings. When's the last time you heard a saxophone in a commercial, television program, or movie? When's the last time you heard a clarinet in a similar situation? Though a studio sax player doesn't have the amount of work he might have had 20-30 years ago, I can't remember ever hearing a clarinet in a top 40 hit.
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Author: Gecko_girl
Date: 2004-05-04 04:35
I think the clarinet is a great instrument. If you want to start playing it, then go ahead. Its up to you, though, so just go with your heart!
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Author: SEXY SAX PLAYER
Date: 2004-05-13 16:59
DEAR CURIOS GEORGE,
I THINK YOU SHOULD CHOSE THE SAX. yOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO PLAY AND MAYBE YOU'R TEACHER WILL LET YOU SWITCH TO SOPRANO, TENOR, BARRITONE OR ALTO(DEPENDS ON WHICH YOU ALREADY PLAY) HOPE YOU CHOSE SAX:)
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Author: jazzen jake
Date: 2004-06-18 01:41
really, what you have to do is choose the one that you like the most. I've just been playing the saxaphone for about 4 years now and i think it's great. But you need to decide which is better for you. Belive me, i;m in middle school, i know how hard it is to make hard decisions. Just go with what you feel like. Hope i helped:)
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