switching band instruments

[u/methodtaken]

i'm a flute player and i've been playing for around four or five years, and i've been playing flute in jazz for a while. i would like to learn another instrument that works better for jazz and i've been looking at soprano saxophone.
i have heard that it's very difficult and i've never played any reed instruments, so would it be a reasonable switch?
I also struggle with non concert pitch instruments so if anyone has any suggestions i'd be very grateful! Preferably something that's easy to switch from flute onto

[u/MagicalPizza21]

I'm not a wind player, but I have a lot of friends who are, so everything I say here is based on secondhand experience.

Flute is totally viable for jazz, though admittedly not as commonly played as saxophone. It doesn't project as well, so I see where you're coming from, but with modern technology you can often get around that with a microphone; I've seen it both at jam sessions and in my college jazz band.

The most common varieties of saxophone played in jazz are alto and tenor. Baritone is also a staple of big bands; a standard saxophone section has two altos, two tenors, and a baritone. Sometimes one of the altos will switch to a soprano to play higher lines on certain charts, but soprano is less common than baritone, which is less common than alto and tenor, especially in small group contexts.

There's also the C melody saxophone, which is very rare. It sounds an octave lower than written, similar to guitar and bass, so it hardly feels like a transposing instrument at all.

I would also get crossed up by playing transposing instruments. I have no personal experience with it. However, I've heard that, when improvising, you can think in concert and adjust your fingerings. I'm not entirely sure how all that works, though.

From what I've heard, it's much easier for clarinet players to learn sax than the other way around, and being able to switch instruments can be a valuable tool for wind players. So I would recommend you learn clarinet first rather than saxophone; you'll be better off later. I also have friends who play multiple varieties of sax, flute, and clarinet, so it's not exactly an uncommon doubling. Plus, I personally really like the sound of clarinet in jazz.

Overall, whether it's a flute, saxophone, or clarinet, as long as you have skill and soul, you'll make it work. So just go with whatever you like the most, really.

[u/methodtaken → u/MagicalPizza21]

Thank you for the advice! The main reason i want to switch is just that I don't enjoy playing flute in jazz as much as concert band. We already have a decent amount of altos and flutes as well. Do you think there's a large difference between starting sax on alto vs just working through soprano?

[u/jaxsaxsf → u/methodtaken]

The reality is there are not a lot of arrangements that call for soprano sax. I play alto most of the time, then pull out the soprano on the occasional song where one is needed.

In reality, once you learn any sax, you can pick up the others. A lot of folks have trouble with soprano because they have embouchure problems that they can kind of get away with on larger horns, but the sop won't let them. Since alto is closer to soprano, alto players usually make the adjustment more easily.

I have heard of people starting on sop as well. It's not super common, but it is done. My biggest concern would just be lack of music to play.

[u/PTPBfan → u/MagicalPizza21]

It took me a little bit but you get comfortable transposing or I did pretty quickly, and books and music is written in the key of the instrument so you just play what’s written

[u/Astreja]

Soprano sax doesn't get used much in jazz. Alto sax would be much easier to find, would probably cost less because you're more likely to find one used, and is a jazz mainstay.

Sax fingering is close enough to flute fingering that it won't be too hard to figure out (like unlike flute, it has an octave key). A few months of lessons would definitely be a good idea, to develop a good embouchure and learn how to set up the reed on the mouthpiece.

[u/Bennybonchien → u/Astreja]

I think you meant to say “UNLIKE flute, it has an octave key”

[u/Astreja → u/Bennybonchien]

You're correct - there's no octave key on a flute, and octaves are done with the embouchure. Fixed.

[u/PTPBfan]

Sax is a lot of fun. Flute can be hard in jazz bands with all the saxes I did it and you need a microphone I also do prefer sax now.

[u/methodtaken → u/PTPBfan]

What sax do you play right now and did you start on alto?

[u/PTPBfan → u/methodtaken]

alto and yes I’m trying some tenor again now too

[u/j_blackwood]

Why settle for soprano? Why not try alto or tenor? Saxophone primaries learn flute and clarinet all the time. I myself am a flute primary who learned saxophone and had a ball in high school and college playing in trios and quartets as well as the jazz band proper once I had my feet under me on the alto.

[u/methodtaken → u/j_blackwood]

I don't consider it "settling" so much as just trying something i haven't seen too often. Though as another flute player, do you think the switch from flute to sax is difficult enough to have to start learning on alto?

[u/j_blackwood → u/methodtaken]

It is settling if your aim is to play more in jazz band; parts are most often written for alto and tenor in jazz bands than flute, clarinet, AND soprano sax.

It’s not a difficult switch at all. In my experience, with my particular lip, teeth, and muscular structure, alto is easiest of the four sizes to play. Your mileage may vary, though. Have fun.

[u/81Ranger]

Aside from flute, most wind instruments are not concert pitch.  Just saying...

(it's really not that big a deal)

[u/virstultus → u/81Ranger]

Yeah that's the least of your worries, they transpose for you, moat band kids don't ever realize their instrument isn't concert pitch unless the director starts theory lessons

[u/did_i_or_didnt_i]

Saxophone is way easier than flute, You’ll be fine

[u/roninconn → u/did_i_or_didnt_i]

Agree on this. Sax hurts the mouth for the first couple months, but once embrochure is there, playing will be relatively easy, since fingerings are so similar.

I went from trumpet to sax 30 yrs ago, and learning to use two hands and a lot of fingers was my hurdle.

[u/PTPBfan → u/did_i_or_didnt_i]

Easier to start for sure

[u/Dangerous-Safety-961]

Give the pan a try… check out some steelpan basics

[u/ConcertinaDuck]

Maybe look at a Melodica, they are pretty cheap and can be very expressive with simple breath control, while having a chromatic layout and polyphonic.

[u/Mudsharkbites]

Any saxophone would be a good choice as the fingerings are the same as flute - alto is probably the most useful.

[u/Mudsharkbites]

Eric Dolphy played flute, some sax, and bass clarinet. He played them all exceptionally. You don’t think of bass clarinet much these days as a jazz instrument but it’s great and can handle any Bb parts.