Saxophones Saxophone fingering versus clarinets

[impulse]

I know this is a diverse topic but help me out here; does anyone know how similar the finguring for a sax is to the Bb clarinet? If I can play a clarinet, is it much the same for a saxophone and visa versa?

 

[Jules]

It's not really that similar- the top octave of the clarinet having different fingers from the bottom octave confuses us sax players something rotten. A sax is very similar to a flute or an oboe (so I've been told in the latter case).

 

[Pete Thomas]

yes, the clarinet often confuses me. The upper register I find OK, I think of it like a soprano and it's not too different. The lower register is a bit more of a problem for me when improvising due to the reasons nachoman has mentioned.

In the top register 3 fingers of the left hand is G just like a saxophone, in the lowere register it's a C.

Also the fingerings round the break between the two registers are not really related to any saxophone fingering.

man

 

[jonf]

I learnt to play clarinet before sax, from the age of 11. By the time I took up the sax at 15 I was pretty proficient on the clarinet, and I found myself immediately at home on the sax. It's not so easy the other way round. Not only does the clarinet have a small reed and mouthpiece, but it overblows in twelfths, not octaves. So, on a sax when you press the octave key, you go up an octave, and the fingerings are otherwise the same. On a clarinet the 'octave' key takes you up an octave and a half. So, one set of fingerings much the same as the sax, one completely different.

Having said all this, to actually anser your question, if you can play a clarinet you can probably play a sax without too much trouble. You'll certainly be able to pick up the sax far more quickly than someone new to woodwinds. Particularly since the sax is a far, far nicer instrument, with much better music to play. The sax just makes me want to play music much more than the clarinet does.

Jon

 

[impulse]

Interesting and thank you all. Well Jon for me it`s the other way around. I am comfortable on the sax but ,you know, we only have one life and at 74 I thought I might try some other instruments for the challenge and pleasure of playing. I play a straight soprano sax (& the others) and this made me wonder whether it would be much different to the clarinet.
Pete you said you think of it like a soprano so maybe that will help me. Russ

 

[Pete Thomas]

Pete you said you think of it like a soprano so maybe that will help me.

Just the fingering though, the embouchure should be more clarinettish of course.

 

[rs2sensen]

I've had a lot of trouble picking up clarinet, but I'm sure with time and practice, I'll get it! I've been doing so much alto playing, that I just haven't put in the effort I should...

Flute, however... I was playing beginner solos in a week. It came much much easier to me.

 

[impulse]

I guess my concern also is that including a clarinet in my instrument playing may add confusion to my sax playing. I also play and have for years a violin and cello but because these are string instruments I haven`t found any conflict.

 

[philthd]

just feel i should point out pedantically that its the middle register of the clarinet (the clarion) that has the same fingerings as the sax.

its a lot less natural and intuitive to play than a sax - and my tone is shocking these days - but its not significantly harder

a bass clarinet is definitely on my "as and when" purchases list

 

[Pete Thomas]

philthD wrote:
just feel i should point out pedantically that its the middle register of the clarinet (the clarion) that has the same fingerings as the sax.

Thanks for correcting - my mistake.

 

[Linky Lee]

I love the bass clarinet, it has a gorgeous sound!
Though I don't like the idea of starting yet another instrument just yet. I've get plenty of time left later to give it a go.

 

[Pjonah]

I started on sax and took up the clarinet later, I didn't find it that hard to remember the fingering as the lower register of the clarinet was well below that of the sax anyway, so the G/C issue didn't really count for me, I couldn't really play by ear with the clarinet though, for some reason....and yes how right can you be, the sax is a far greater instrument than the Bb soprano clarinet. The bass is pretty kewl though. Never played one they just sound really good.

Simon