I agree with... well... both Rachels. (and everyone on thier side) I know a student who in football games would play sax, then clarinet, then barione, then trombone, and he plays oboe in concert... and he knows flute. He is also fairly good at them all, though im better at the sax. I, as well, went up and played a baritone the day before tryouts on alto sax. I did fine, making third chair over 75 (all state)

it can be true in some instances but i started playing the sax after the flute and it didnt effect me at all

No its not true at all.
Linz- i play the flute, alto sax, piccolo, and oboe. It does not effect my flute playing at all. NOt with the mouth positions at all. If thats what your talking about. With the fingerings you shouldnt be confused b/c its the same thing as the flute. If your that stupid you shouldnt be playing the flute or the alto sax.

Lisa- i play the flute and alto sax and it doesn`t screw anything up. if ur that retarded than u shouldn`t be in band at all.

Jon- Hi I play the Bass Clarinet, Bass Guitar, and Clarinet. I really don`t know, but when i played my friends flute it really doesn`t mess me up on bass clarinet??????

yeah... it totally screws it up...i switched 3 years ago to alto, and i still HAVE my flute...but once i got caught up in the sax...there was really NO WAY i could keep the fingerings straight..its different for things like sax/trumpet...because trumpet has 3 keys, but sax/flute is almost impossible b/c they are SO much alike...in fingerings, but they are different at the same time...but the best i can tell you is that if YOU think you can...go for it, but im happy on alto, and no offense to the flute , but alto is COOL good luck!

Linz wrote "...With the fingerings you shouldn`t be confused b/c its the same thing as the flute..."

This is actually nonsense. In the first octave, beginning with low C, the only notes out of the 12 that have identical fingerings for sax and flute are low C, D, Eb. <P>For the second octave, out of 12 notes, beginning from C#, there are NO fingerings the same. <P>Sure there are similarities, but it can be the MOST similar fingerings that are the most confusing, e.g. the fingering which is C on clarinet but C# on sax.

<P>In the THIRD octave, there are no similarities at all.

<P>Yes, there are sure to be initial fingering screw-ups, but the player who practises both instruments soon overcomes that. I think this thread was more about embouchure interference, seeing the flute has a particularly sensitive and fussy embouchure. People who are serious about flute, and also regularly play other instruments, appear not to have a problem. The problem arises only for those who do not regularly play both.

Want more examples of cross players? Our drum major plays flute, and is first chair. She also plays tenor sax in the jazz band, and has GREAT tone. Charlie Parker started off playing the baritone.