Not considering which type(size) of saxophone one plays, it's the easiest of all woodwind instruments to play.
It has never been admitted into the world of "classical" music: not considered as a standard instrument of the symphony orchestra: usually the only times you'll ever hear it at a concert, is as a "scoring" novelty- such as in Ravel's Bolero. Very little solo music has been written for it.
If you are serious about "classical" music, I wouldn't waste my time with it: and yes, I'm probably a musical snob, and proud of it.
Alberich
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I know from experiance it is easy to learn
the fingerings are not compex like flute but to get at an extremely talented level you need to be naturaly gifted in music as well as playing the saxaphone
caleb
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I learned sax and then learned clarinet. One nice thing about the saxophone is that you don't have to cover holes with your fingers, pads do it for you. That makes it a little easier in that aspect. It is a little different. I'd compare it more with playing an alto clarinet but even that is different. The mouth piece is a bit wider and so are the reeds. If you want something more similar pick up a Soprano saxophone. The mouthpiece and reeds are very similar. You don't need as developed an umbusher to play the saxophone but to produce sounds that aren't as obnoxious it is a plus. Going from Sax to Clarinet shouldn't be a problem. Get one, play around with it. Get a Rubank beginner book and start. Just play open notes till you get the hang of playing it in tune then work your way through it. Good Luck. Saxophone is one of the best Jazz instruments. It's original purpose was to imitate the sounds produced by string instruments.... although it didn't come close something pretty awesome was made.
Igotques
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Sax is the easiest to learn because of fingerings, yes. For a clarinet player, the biggest and most important difference is not so much in the embouchure as in the air stream control. The sax needs a dead-center airstream, as opposed to the clarinet's high-aimed stream. VERY important for tuning, which is fickle on the sax, yes, but there's not so many well-known fingerings for adjustment, it's all done with embouchure and air.
And as for sax being the easiest of all woodwinds... Speak not of what you know not, Alberich. There's nothing any woodwind can do that the sax can't, and without the intonation problems. We seek to master greater and greater ranges that our horns weren't made for. And how about multi-phonics? Ours is a discipline of infinite potential, and no standard of excellence to let us mire in mediocrity. And as far as the history is concerned... The first saxophone virtuosso was hired as a saxophone soloist, conductor, and doubler on lesser woodwinds for the Paris Operatic Symphony in the 1860's, after he won the Prix de Rome at the Paris Conservatory. He also wrote over two-hundred solo pieces for the sax, some commissioned by Adolphe Sax himself, yet only two survived. In summation: you may be proud of your snobbish ignorance, Alberich, but ignorance can hurt, and I'd make sure of that if ever we meet. Take care.
snowflak
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saxophone is easy to learn, but hard to master. its really easy to make the sax sound good early on.
if you just want to get to an intermediate level, then its the simplest instument.
once you get to an advanced level (late highschool/college), the music starts getting really hard compared to college level music on other instruments because most of it was written in the 20th century. alot of it is very complex. and then most sax players are expected to be able to play jazz just as well.
switching from clarinet to sax is REALLY easy. i was able to pick it up and play with the band in less than a week. the trasition will be pretty painless.
i love my sax. its the worlds greatest instrument.
-jazz
the fingerings are not compex like flute but to get at an extremely talented level you need to be naturaly gifted in music as well as playing the saxaphone
caleb===========================================================================
I learned sax and then learned clarinet. One nice thing about the saxophone is that you don't have to cover holes with your fingers, pads do it for you. That makes it a little easier in that aspect. It is a little different. I'd compare it more with playing an alto clarinet but even that is different. The mouth piece is a bit wider and so are the reeds. If you want something more similar pick up a Soprano saxophone. The mouthpiece and reeds are very similar. You don't need as developed an umbusher to play the saxophone but to produce sounds that aren't as obnoxious it is a plus. Going from Sax to Clarinet shouldn't be a problem. Get one, play around with it. Get a Rubank beginner book and start. Just play open notes till you get the hang of playing it in tune then work your way through it. Good Luck. Saxophone is one of the best Jazz instruments. It's original purpose was to imitate the sounds produced by string instruments.... although it didn't come close something pretty awesome was made.
Igotques
============================================================================
Sax is the easiest to learn because of fingerings, yes. For a clarinet player, the biggest and most important difference is not so much in the embouchure as in the air stream control. The sax needs a dead-center airstream, as opposed to the clarinet's high-aimed stream. VERY important for tuning, which is fickle on the sax, yes, but there's not so many well-known fingerings for adjustment, it's all done with embouchure and air.
And as for sax being the easiest of all woodwinds... Speak not of what you know not, Alberich. There's nothing any woodwind can do that the sax can't, and without the intonation problems. We seek to master greater and greater ranges that our horns weren't made for. And how about multi-phonics? Ours is a discipline of infinite potential, and no standard of excellence to let us mire in mediocrity. And as far as the history is concerned... The first saxophone virtuosso was hired as a saxophone soloist, conductor, and doubler on lesser woodwinds for the Paris Operatic Symphony in the 1860's, after he won the Prix de Rome at the Paris Conservatory. He also wrote over two-hundred solo pieces for the sax, some commissioned by Adolphe Sax himself, yet only two survived. In summation: you may be proud of your snobbish ignorance, Alberich, but ignorance can hurt, and I'd make sure of that if ever we meet. Take care.
snowflak
============================================================================
saxophone is easy to learn, but hard to master. its really easy to make the sax sound good early on.
if you just want to get to an intermediate level, then its the simplest instument.
once you get to an advanced level (late highschool/college), the music starts getting really hard compared to college level music on other instruments because most of it was written in the 20th century. alot of it is very complex. and then most sax players are expected to be able to play jazz just as well.
switching from clarinet to sax is REALLY easy. i was able to pick it up and play with the band in less than a week. the trasition will be pretty painless.
i love my sax. its the worlds greatest instrument.
-jazz
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