Choosing My First Woodwind Instrument - Need Help

[andrews]

Hello everyone,

I am looking to start learning a woodwind instrument but I am not sure which one to choose. There are so many options like the flute, clarinet, saxophone and oboe. Eachone is unique charm in its own way. Could someone share their experiences and recommend the best instrument for a freshly beginner ?

Factors I am considering are ease of learning, versatility in music genres and affordability. Any advice on what to look for in a beginner instrument or brands to avoid would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance for your guidance.

Yours truly,
Marcos



mulesoft

 

[BarrySachs]

Sax is definitely the easiest and the most versatile, common in pop, rock, soul, r&b, jazz, show bands, concert and marching bands. You'll find virtually no saxes in orchestras. More expensive than flute or clarinet though. If you ever think you'll want to play multiple woodwinds, clarinet is the place to start. It's common in classical, jazz, show bands and ethnic/folk music. Flute is a nice double on sax, but primarily classical, very limited use in jazz and a frequent double in show bands. Oboe is pretty much entirely classical and the most difficult of the lot IMO. But since it's rare, a good player will have many playing opportunities.

I've played sax nearly 50 years (soprano, alto, tenor, bari and bass) as an advanced amateur in many genres. I love it. I can also get by on flute and clarinet and double on them regularly in big bands and trad jazz bands. But to be successful, pick the one you're most passionate about, love the sound of, love the music and artists who play the instrument. Difficultly doesn't matter when you're highly motivated.

If you buy a sax, a used Bundy/Selmer or Yamaha are solid, affordable instruments. Although affordable, I don't recommend vintage instruments for beginners (meaning around 100 years old). Anything from the 50s onward I'd consider modern. It's absolutely crucial to get in person lessons when beginning any woodwind. Otherwise you're likely to do many things wrong and flounder, never really learning to play well. Expect to spend 3-4 years of dedicated practice to be good enough to play in public or join a community band.

Good luck

 

[pete]

I decided I was writing too much, so I chopped it down.

Saxophone is the easiest instrument to learn. Oboe, which is considered a "double-reed" instrument, not a woodwind, is the hardest. Tenor sax is the easiest in the saxophone family to play, but you need to remember that most bands have no more than two tenors and I don't think I've ever heard a tenor in an orchestra.

Professional flutes are the most expensive. They can be high five-figures and more, if you have some other custom work done. Saxophones and oboes are low/mid five-figures. Clarinet? High four-figures. Remember that I'm talking new professional instruments.

New instruments:
I don't know enough about student flutes or oboes to be helpful in what you want to get, other than to that my sister used to play a Gemeinhardt flute and Loree and Marigaux are big in the double-reed world. Yamaha is a very good choice for both sax and clarinet. https://kesslerandsons.com has a house brand flute, sax, and clarinet. The sax has been favorably reviewed, as has their bass clarinet. I don't know about their flute or regular Bb clarinet.

Old Instruments:
Ebay is a gamble, but I have seen professional instruments that have fallen into the "affordable, even if I have to spend $1K on repairs" range. I've especially seen this with clarinets. However, if you're going the ebay route, you should ask someone more experienced than you to look over the ad. Barry is right that you shouldn't try to buy a really old horn of any kind. Your instructor wants to make sure that you're the problem, not your horn .

 

[KMP]

All great advice, but my God, why not simply choose the one that you like the sound of -- the one that speaks to you. And, as the others have written, the instrument that plays the kind of music you want to play.

 

[Mike M]

Tenor sax is my vote for easiest to play.
Now, to play it well............................?

 

[JfW]

They are all difficult, you really need to figure out which one you will want to practice often enough to make it worth your while.

 

[ghostler]

Some say tenor is easy, but I find the alto is a bit cheaper and also easy to play. More people start on alto instead of tenor. It is good to sign up for private lessons. This is usually once a week for less than an hour, say 40 minutes. An instructor can help a student master the basics up front more quickly than alone, plus helps one to not develop bad habits.

It may be more conducive to first rent an instrument. Over time, the instructor can help the student to find a decent instrument to purchase.

Although a touch more expensive, buying a used instrument from a reputable music shop ensures the student gets an acceptable playable instrument up front. All necessary repairs and servicing have been performed so the student gets a good start. Plus, a used instrument can buy one more time until they settle on that new one that they want.

If it is a good used intermediate or professional instrument, then they may have the basis to keep for a long time, have an experienced competent technician keep it in good playable shape during its life.

Costs have escallated for new instruments. Some have escallated considerably beyond what I would consider reasonable affordability. A good used instrument may be a better way for one to afford the servicing without putting a heavy dent on one's budget, unless one has the income level to take the plunge for new.