What is better: Alto saxophone or Bass drum?

Question

I have friends who could teach me bass drum or alto sax. The bass drum player could teach me the thing we play when we march and some songs. the alto sax player and the bari sax player could teach me how to play alto sax. The bari sax for the fingerings. But I play french horn but want to swich. Which one should I swich to or what insrument do think I should play? I will still do french horn

Answer 1

If you only learn marching bass drum, there isn't much potential for "advancement." In other words, once you learn it, you know it, and there isn't much you can build on for future skills. If you use the bass drum as a portal to learn the rest of the percussion instruments, then you can learn a lot. With saxophone, you can move in to flute, clarinet, oboe, and other woodwinds. Personally, if you want to consider music as a career, stay on french horn. There is no shortage of open french horn positions in symphonies world wide, as long as you are good. As a sax player who did a lot of doubling (playing other instruments), I would recommend staying with your one instrument and not going on to others, especially until you are "perfect" on it. Dividing your time between multiple instruments does more harm than good to your skills, since you are not focused on one thing.

Answer 2

I personally think you should learn the one that sounds most interesting to you. Alto saxophone would be good because it is something you could play at home by yourself and play in a lot of different ensembles. Your knowledge of the french horn will help you because you can already read music and the saxophone is much easier to learn than the french horn.

The bass drum, however, is something that you will really only play in marching band. In order to play the bass drum in an ensemble, you usually have to play snare drum and/or the mallet instruments (marimba, xylophone, etc.), which you probably don't feel like learning. Only the percussionists play the bass drum in orchestras and wind bands, and it doesn't sound to me like you want to learn all that other stuff as well. Plus, no one really wants to listen to a solo bass drum player, whereas the saxophone you could always practice and play by yourself, etc.

You should learn the one that you are most interested in. But I think that learning the saxophone would be a little bit more productive and will probably be something that you would want to continue after you are finished with marching band.

Answer 3

Bass Drum

Answer 4

I play drums and tenor sax... I find that learning drums is more conducive to joining different types of bands and playing varied music. but if you'r only thinking about marchin band type stuff, then go for the sax cos you will get more out of it than just banging the singular drum on it's own. I found most of the finger patterns to different wind instruments to be the same, so if that is more your thing then go for the sax os u can adapt the skills learned there to many different and fulfilling instruments. that is alll.

Answer 5

bass drum. the fingerings for the sax can get tricky especially if your gonna play in even a school band or whatever. bass drum only requires counting and good technique, which is easy to master. believe me, i have played the bass drum and clarinet. the clarinet is harder than the sax, cuz, no offense, is more important in a band cuz they play the melody, in a school band. if this is all for playing outside school, still play bass drum.

Answer 6

Bass drum

Answer 7

ALTO SAX!! dude i play that in band and its fun and it roxxx!! dude u have to play sax it is like sooooooooooo easy once u get the hang of it and on bass drum all u do is memorize beats bOoOoOoOoRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and french horn is really hard!! DUDE PLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY THE SAX!!