I have just passed my clarinet exam grade 6, and can sing okish (grade 3), play the violin okish and can bash about on the piano to grade 4 standard. (Background info that's no use to anyone)

Shall I be ok at the flute? My teacher says she'll teach it to me because I really want to play the flute, and I do, but I'm now having doubts and and considering playing the saxophone instead. Any ideas?

You should play whichever you like better. I have several friends that play all three instruments, and other friends that play combinations of them (e.g. flute and sax or clarinet and sax).

Flute and saxophone have similar fingering - the clarinet is different to both of them though. So you could always start up the flute, and take up the saxophone later.

Technique-wise, flute and sax are totally different even if the fingerings are similar, so I'd say clarinet would give you a better start for the sax - plus, sax is easier in many ways than clarinet with technique, etc, so as you are good on the clarinet you should be able to take up the sax easily.

as to which one to learn, depends mostly on which one you like best.

try them both out if you have a chance... see what you like the sound of, which one you find easiest to get a note out of, which one feels most natural to you.

listen to really good recordings of all both, what grabs you? which sound will inspire you most to practice?

my best of the 3 is definitely flute, and I can't pretend expertise on any of them, but... soundwise, probably sax is easier to get a note from, at least initially. flute fingerings and sax fingerings are both generally a lot simpler than clarinet - no going up a 12th when you hit the register key (yikes!). flute uses the most air because there is a lot of "wastage" (because you're blowing across the hole), but sax and clarinet require more support and feel like they use more air!! flute has a quite pure sound whereas clarinet sounds "denser", and sax is quite brassy - it's almost a brass instrument.

as a clarinet player, you probably won't have any problems with the sax at all, except maybe with adjusting to a simpler fingering system. and you probably would use a bit more air.

flute technique is quite different from clary. you'd have an advantage in breath control, and fingerings are similar for the first 2 octaves to the fingerings in the octave above the bottom register (similar to descant recorder fingerings). it's got quite a different sound and feel to it, - you would be making yourself more versitile - but probably more challenging for a clarinetist than the sax would be.

anyway... HTH

Both instruments are great, it just depends which one you prefer. Flute technique is certainly very different from clarinet or saxophone - no more fiddling around changing reeds all the time, for one thing. Once you get used to producing sounds on the flute, which should only take a week or so max, the similarity in fingering will certainly make things easier for you.

Have you considered what type of music you want to play? Obviously the sax is the better choice if you're mainly interested in jazz while the flute will give you access to a huge range of classical music from all periods, particularly the 18th and 20th centuries.

Congratulations on passing your Grade 6 clarinet, BTW!

I love playing the flute but have found it very difficult to get to grips with the clarinet (and saxaphone).
My daughter has proved to be an excellent clarinet player (soon to take grade 6) and she also plays saxaphone well but her flute tone is very poor.
To start with I would recommend saxaphone. Flute playing requires quite a different embouchure to clarinet/saxaphone and clarinet players will definitely find picking up the saxaphone an easier option.

I find it really hard to get a satisfying tone on the flute, and to get to grips with the breathing. I found the clarinet-oboe transition much easier - maybe that;s one to consider? You can play lots of "early music" on the oboe, which I like.

QUOTE (JRBailey @ Dec 15 2004, 09:08 PM)

I love playing the flute but have found it very difficult to get to grips with the clarinet (and saxaphone). My daughter has proved to be an excellent clarinet player (soon to take grade 6) and she also plays saxaphone well but her flute tone is very poor. To start with I would recommend saxaphone. Flute playing requires quite a different embouchure to clarinet/saxaphone and clarinet players will definitely find picking up the saxaphone an easier option.

Yes, I agree. The embrouchure for flute is completely different to that of clarinet, and they don't help each other out, if you know what i mean. Friend of mine actually gave up the clarinet, despite getting quite good quite quickly, because it was really messing around with her embrouchure playing the flute, which was her main instrument.

Thanks! Have decided to take up my orignal plan (flute) but am sticking to your advice and will try definately the sax. I love the sound of both and (fingers crossed) will play both of them at some point in my life.


p.s. What does BTW mean?

p.p.s The oboe sounds cool too. Uh - oh. I think I'm heading back to square one again.

QUOTE (missniffler @ Dec 16 2004, 04:23 PM)

What does BTW mean?

BTW = by the way. It's an abbreviation, commonly used by lazy couch potatoes who spend all their time on the internet (aka me).

Glad you've reached a decision!

Just a thought - BTW could also stand for Brilliant and Talented Winner, i.e. someone who has just passed their Grade 6 clarinet!

YAY another musician has been converted to the flute cause!



I really hope you enjoy it... you better let us know how you get on, or else!!!!

QUOTE

I really hope you enjoy it... you better let us know how you get on, or else!!!!

lol YES!

Flute rawks!