Just to let you all know, that one part that wasn`t translated in Spanish was "The column of air that needs to be blown into the clarinet is weaker (than with the sax)."

I `ve been playin sax for 2 years now and i love it. Its a fun insrtument to play and very easy to find songs and tabs on the internet. To the 40 year old, im 13 , and i only just hit 5`0". Its very easy to play but itis kind of heavy to me so i suggest a Neotech strap. They really helped take the weight oof of me.

Hi. I am in my school band 2.

I plyed the clarinet for 3 1/2 years before swapping to alto sax when my clarinet neded repair ( it was a crappy school one)

They avery similar. themain difference I find is that you need more air for sx then clarinet.

I agree with you though. Sax looks cooler!!!

I have been playing the clarinet for many years, in many different settings. Concert bands, musicals, orchestras, chamber groups, and as a soloist. The clarinet, even though it has less area to put the air through, demands a lot of accuracy. I find that the sax doesn`t, although I haven`t studied the sax, or have I played it long.

The fingerings on both the instruments are very similar. So are the fingerings to the recorder, and the flute. So if you know one of those instruments picking up another shouldn`t be too hard.

One girl said that the clarinet is easier because you don`t have to learn vibrato. Well, you are wrong. Jazz clarinet players use vibrato all the time. It is also used in Musicals and pop music. Some players even use it in some classical pieces.

I find that vibrato is even harder on the clarinet because often I will find myself using it in inappropriate places. I have to teach myself to not play with vibrato all the time.

I`m not saying that the clarinet is harder than the sax because I really don`t know much about the sax. However, the sax is an easier instrument for someone to just pick up because the tone produced when you first start will sound pretty good because of how popular the instrument is. You hear the sax everywhere and most of the time the person/people playing it really have no clue what they are doing.

I also play all the saxes, the flute, and all the clarinets just to let you know.

I`ve been playing the saxophone for a few years, and my best friend taught me to play the clarinet in one day! I think it`s cuz some of the fingerings are the same for some of the higher notes. But even then, the lower notes were easy to learn too. I think the clarinet is easier.

I meant easier to get the lower notes out. But the high notes on the clarinet are really hard! It`s pretty easy to go full range on the saxophone though. The saxophone has a smaller range of notes than the clarinet. But that`s what I like: that the clarinet can play high or low, mellow or bright, .. and since it`s small, it`s easier to change notes, and has smoother transitions.. partially cuz you don`t have to press down as far as the sax.

The SAOPHONE IS EASIER to play than the clarinet. The clarinet u have to be more precise and stuff otherwise u squeak really badly. I know, my lil bro played the clarinet and stopped, so i tried to pick it up. The sax is easier, way way easier. But clarinet is pretty popular in lots of bands.

Jimmy

Here`s the deal with clarinet and sax. Sax is definitely a lot easier than clarinet starting right off. But like any instrument...easy to learn, hard to master. Clarinet requires a lot more discipline while the sax is more forgiving. On clarinet you have to cover up the holes exactly perfect on the instrument otherwise you get leaking air. Also, the embouchure (your mouth position on the mouthpiece) has to be a lot more exact than on the saxophone. And if you end up playing both instruments make sure you know that otherwise you can get a bad tone on the clarinet (I got hounded on it by a teacher of mine for awhile).

As far as learning the notes, the clarinet is also a little harder because pressing the register key (same position as an octave key on the sax) results in an octave and a fifth while the octave key on a sax just results in an octave. To make this a little more clear: if you play a middle E on the clarinet (thumb and first finger) then add the register key, it ends up being a high B. On sax playing a lower E and then pressing an octave key, just pushes it up an octave. This can be pretty confusing starting off on clarinet...especially if you have had experience on the saxophone.

However, if you plan on being a really good player (especially in jazz) you should definitely learn it. They both have their strong points. And most all awesome professional players know and own both saxophone and clarinet...and probably even a flute. Just think of it this way, it`s not gonna hurt to learn more new things! Good luck alls, and keep playin`.

One last thing to everyone...if you want to be good, get the best gear possible. I understand money issues, but if you`re deciding between a $2500 sax or a $400 one...chances are the $400 one is gonna sound like crap. Always test an instrument out first or bring it to someone who can tell you if it`s gonna be good. And if you really are going to be a serious musician, learn from the best. There are a lot of awesome cats out there who can show you lots of stuff! Good luck.

well, since its harder to play loudly on clarinet compared to sax, one would think that for marching band (when one is as far away as the twenty yard line...) one should play sax...I march alto sax because it can be heard, which takes precendence...

ive played both clarinet and sax... and i think clarinet is wayyy easier then sax.....
jen

I`d really like to take up the sax, because it sounds so great, and - as mentioned above - it looks cool.

I played the recorder at primary school, but haven`t touched it since, and im now 21 :-)

Could anyone tell me how i could get started please.

I am an alto saxophone player in my school`s band, and I`m currently in eighth grade. In my opinion, the saxophone is a lot easier and better due to several reasons.
First, the saxophone has a smaller range (I think it`s because the shape is conical), therefore making it easier to master all the notes. On the other hand, a clarinet`s range is about three and a half octives (it`s two and a half on the saxophone). However, you can play altissimo notes (on the sax) to increase your range if you want, and I`m not sure you can do that on the clarinet. By the way, a clarinet`s high register is really hard to play. None of my clarinetist friends know all their fingerings and can play all of their notes.
Second, a clarinet has open holes (I think to give it a better sound), and if you don`t cover a hole completely, it sqeaks! Trust me, I have lots of clarinetist friends. However, a saxophone has padded keys, so it doesn`t matter how you press it.
Third, the clarinet requires a "tighter," or more "precise," ombasure (I know I didn`t spell that right). I you don`t have one, then it sqeaks! On the saxophone, it`s much earier to produce a better tone.
Forth, the saxophone is invented to balance the band: making the shy woodwinds able to compete with the overwhelming brass section. It is louder than the clarinet. That`s why you have twenty clarinets and only six alto saxes (however, we have ELEVEN alto saxes, and my band director is constantly telling us back down).
Last, the saxophone is much more fun to play, because you can do so much fun stuff with it, for instance, flutter tounge, growling, altissimo notes, overtone, vibrato, bending tones (I think I can bend a note one-and-a-half half steps).
So, I`m saying play a saxophone instead of a clarinet.

the sax is a basic recorder but with a reed and more keys. when you know recorder you know a sax.and a clarinet and sax is only 3 tone from each of them.so if you played a B on a sax a clarinet will play E.I think It eQl.

I have been playing the saxaphone for 4 years, and everyone I know says that is is esier to play sax. Just because a clarinet is like a recorder, u have to cover the holes completely to make a nice clean sound.