If you know how to play sax then can you play clarinet?

Answer 1

Britney; Tenor and Bass sax are in Bb - the flute is in C. Bari and alto sax are in Eb. That said, the key of the instrument isn't all that important because we don't transpose band music when we play, it's written in key for us.

Some people can indeed make the switch instinctively. Most can not.

There is an absolute relationship between the fingering of sax and that of the upper register of clarinet - the bottom register is different because clarinet doesn't over blow an octave but instead a 12th. You will find an absolute relationship to flute, oboe, or C recorders and sax as well. Bassoon will relate to the lower register of clarinet as will F recorders. There are, of course, some differences which are easily learned.

Clarinet offers you the advantage of having a similar method of sound production (single reed) though the exact technique will differ slightly. Flute provides the most challenge because of the completely different position of the instrument as well as sound production.

Given reasonable effort, any sax player should be able to learn to double on clarinet and flute without much difficulty and on oboe and bassoon with a bit more effort.

If you aspire to playing jazz or shows, doubling is a valuable skill.

Answer 2

It doesn't mean you can play the clarinet immediately, but you can produce a sound and have a good concept of how to adapt your embouchure. However, the clarinet requires much less mouthpiece, you can get away with diaphragm vibrato rather than jaw, and it's easier to slack on proper embouchure until you start learning the high range.

Some fingerings are the same on both instruments, but not a lot. It's easier to "pick up" the fingerings just because you're used to playing the saxophone, however, it's difficult to not get them mixed up until you become more proficient on clarinet. Some fingerings you automatically resort to out of "programming" and practicing the sax....for example, without learning the high f-sharp fingering, you'll probably automatically go to the standard f-sharp fingering on clarinet, which in that case, works. Not all of them do:(

You must also consider ranges and keys. Where the saxophone sounds best is where the clarinet just sounds "okay" and borderlines into throat tones. Where the clarinet sounds great may be too high for saxophone ranges. Alto sax is pitched in e-flat, clarinet is in b-flat.

But, all of my ramblings considered...
....it won't be hard for you to learn with your previous experience. The first instrument is always hardest, the rest comes easier.

Answer 3

The transition between Sax and Clarinet is only made easier by similarities in mouthpieces. Otherwise, they're pretty much completely different instruments.

If you already play the sax, then it would be much easier to transition to the flute. They have very similar fingerings. The fingerings that are different are actually alternate fingerings, so they'll still work.

Answer 4

Well, I can play the clarinet and my friend can play the sax... I guess so, but you can't just automatically start playing the clarinet. They are still two different instruments, and they still have different notes and fingerings.

Answer 5

it's not that easy to switch from a sax to a clarinet, beacuse a clarinet is a b flat, instrument and a sax is an e flat instrument, eventhough they are both woodwind instruments. if u want to play the clarinet u can but it is not easy, u could play the flute or the tenor or bass sax beacuse they are both e flat instruments.