Which is better, soprano or baritone sax?

Question

I play piano, so kno da theory
havnt played any wind insts. b4
ive heard dat sopr. sax aint 4 beginers
and the bari is large in size
need sum help 2 make up me mind

Answer 1

They aren't comparable as better/worse. Though they are similar, they are used for two different things. The soprano is an instrument used for lyrical (melodic) style lines and for a different sound/color for pieces. The baritone saxophone is a more harmonic/rhythmic instrument that supports low voice instruments. It is sometimes used as a melodic instrument but not much. As a saxophone teacher, I would not recommend you start on either of the two, and definetely soprano. It is hard enough to learn a saxophone embouchure on an alto or tenor, and the soprano embouchure is even more difficult for most high school players to get, let alone beginners. I'd start on an alto or tenor, and then go to baritone. Soprano gets so little use that it is pointless for most saxophonists to use. I have a soprano and I've used it in concert performances once or twice.

Answer 2

The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument. The soprano is the second in size of the sax family which consists, as generally accepted, (from smallest to largest) of sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, and contrabass. (Benedikt Eppelsheim has constructed a new "Soprillo" saxophone, which sounds an octave above soprano.) Of these, only the soprano through baritone are commonly used. The less tubing an instrument has, the higher it sounds. A transposing instrument pitched in the key of B♭, the soprano saxophone plays an octave above the commonly used tenor saxophone. There is also a soprano pitched in C, which is less common.

The soprano sax can be compared to the clarinet; it generally has a louder and more penetrating sound than the clarinet in the extreme high notes. Due to the smaller bore of the soprano, it is less forgiving with respect to intonation, though an experienced player will use alternate fingerings or vary breath support to compensate. Due to its similarity in tone to the instrument, the soprano saxophone is sometimes used as a substitute for the oboe.

The baritone saxophone is one of the larger and lower pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece; this helps to keep the instrument at a practical height (the rare bass saxophone has a similar, but larger loop).

The baritone saxophone (often called "bari sax," to avoid confusion with the baritone horn, which is often referred to simply as "baritone") is the largest saxophone commonly seen in modern ensembles. The other three are the alto, tenor and soprano. It is a transposing instrument in the key of E♭, one octave lower than the alto saxophone, although Adolphe Sax had originally also produced a baritone saxophone in F intended for orchestral use. Despite its low register, music for the baritone saxophone is written in treble clef. It is also possible to read parts written in the bass clef for instruments pitched in C as if the part was in the treble clef, while adjusting the key signature from C to E♭ and any accidentals as necessary. This is often useful for reading tuba or trombone parts in songs without a written baritone saxophone part.

The baritone saxophone is used in classical music (particularly in the saxophone quartet, of which it is a member), but composers have rarely called for it in orchestral music (examples include Richard Strauss' Symphonia Domestica, composed in 1902-03; Béla Bartók's Wooden Prince ballet music and Charles Ives' Symphony no. 4, composed in 1910-16), and it has a comparatively small solo repertoire. It has, however, been an important part of military bands, concert bands, jazz bands, wind ensembles and is common in show music, especially those of the more "jazzy" type, e.g. Anything Goes, Mack and Mabel, Chicago. In concert bands, it often plays a part similar to that of the tuba. The baritone player usually plays rather simple rhythms in order to maintain the musical pulse of the group. Often, this consists of quarter notes on beats one and three in 4/4 time. In big bands, the role of the baritone player usually involves doubling with the bass trombone, bass, or first alto saxophone. (The saxophone section of a standard jazz band contains two altos, two tenors, and a baritone.) The baritone player is usually expected to double on bass clarinet.

The exceptional weight of the instrument (13-14 pounds or 6.5 kg), as compared to the other three commonly used sizes of saxophone, makes it difficult to use in marching bands. Baritone saxophone players in marching groups often use a special harness that distributes the weight of the instrument onto the player's back instead of around his neck, as is the conventional way of supporting the instrument. But the baritone saxophone can still be used in a marching band with the standard neckstrap. Its reed size is notably large, twice that of an alto saxophone reed and noticeably larger than that used by the tenor saxophone.

The fingerings for all of the instruments in the saxophone family are essentially the same and many players play more than one saxophone. The baritone saxophone, however, is the only member of the saxophone family which often possesses a "low A" key (sounding concert C, the same pitch as the lowest note on the cello), whereas most other saxophones descend only to a fingered B♭, though altos and basses have been manufactured with low A keys, and Benedikt Eppelsheim now makes a contrabass saxophone with one; (sounding pitch depending on the key of the particular instrument).

Hope these help...

Answer 3

alto sax is for beginners i playy
its actually a very easy instrument

Answer 4

Soprano I always wanted one.

Answer 5

neither