Should I get a clarinet or saxophone?

Question

Is the sax harder to learn to play?

Answer 1

Depends on what type of learner you are. Clarinet would seem easier until you get to the notes over the break, which clarinets play a lot. I love, love, love the sax! It's so versatile, you can go into jazz, rock, or classical. Try them both, rent a clarinet, then a sax, or try them from your teacher. They rent about the same a month, $20. I started on clarinet, and though it is a good beginning wind instrument, I fell in love with the sax. Seriously try both though.

Answer 2

Yes, I think it is hard with a sax.. but I'd prefer a clarinet overall, because it sounds very beautiful and can be played without annoying some people :3

Answer 3

clarenit..my brother plays it..its alot more fun  

Answer 4

clarinet

Answer 5

I would reccomend clarinet because it gives to alot more advantages in later years. It will usually be relatively cheaper in rent and buy and it will give to a wonderfully strong emborchure that will help you alot in sax if you decide to take it up. Yeah so I recomend clarinet. Clarinets are also a good instrument for producing air strenght. It is also nice and light so it will less likely not make your posture to bad for your years to come. ANd clarinet is a wonderful instrument for both jazz and especially classical music so you cna pretty much play anything on it.

Answer 6

Hi Marlena

If you love the sax, your best bet is still the clarinet to begin with. It is not harder to play the sax either. ONce you blow in a clarinet, is it harder to get a good sound out of it than a saxophone.

I disagree with some posters here. I dealt with many wind players in my 18-pc band and all started wtih clarinet.

They claimed that it gave them better skills and fingering and once they got on the sax, it was easier for them.

Answer 7

Clarinet can be harder to learn to play, but overall I've found it to be much easier to play.  Once you learn clarinet, then you can very easily double on tenor sax- they're in the same key and have very similar fingerings.

Answer 8

If your smaller/younger I would start on Bb clarinet or Alto saxophone. These are easier for littler hands. You can always pick up the other one after you learn the first.  Make sure you pick the one you like the best so you'll be deturmined to practice.  

Answer 9

I myself play both tenor saxophone and clarinet, but i started with clarinet. With clarinet you can get into symphonic bands and wind/ percussion bands (i forgot what it was called). But with saxophone, you can get into the jazz bands, wind/percussion bands, and occasionally symphonic bands(very rarely though). Clarinet can not get the loudness of sound like a saxophone can, although the clarinet is easier to keep in tone. Clarinet also usually takes longer to learn than a sax, but i personally think the sax sounds better over a shorter period of time of learning than a clarinet.

I hope this info was useful. Cheers!