How to Change Instruments from Bb Clarinet to Soprano Saxophone
Obtain a soprano saxophone to practice on., Check the case for the following: Clean out rag on a weighted cord, cork grease, mouthpiece and ligature, and possibly a polishing cloth., Check to be certain the instrument is in good working condition...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Obtain a soprano saxophone to practice on.
They're generally more expensive than a clarinet, so you may want to rent one at first., If these items are absent, you must purchase them separately., The pads should be clean and soft with no age cracking and each note hole must seal airtight.
Those pads are the substitutes for your fingers so be sure they are in good working condition., Some nice instruments can be had at significant discounts from what you'll find in a music shop that sells only new instruments., Fingering on a saxophone is the same for the upper register as it is for the lower register.
The only thing you have to do is remember the register key by your thumb.
The Saxophone notes run (all fingers down and all valves closed) C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C in both upper and lower register.
This is the same as the lower register on your clarinet, so you have, in effect, already learned saxophone notes.
Note:
All saxophones have identical fingering, so once you've learned soprano saxophone, you know the fingering and can play any saxophone so long as you have music for it. (Transposed into the correct key signature by the music company or composer.) -
Step 2: Check the case for the following: Clean out rag on a weighted cord
This can take a while, so plan to spend an hour a day doing this for at least two weeks before attempting to sit in band and play the saxophone instead of clarinet.
It may help to abandon the clarinet for this period of time to help retrain your brain in the new fingering., Generally speaking though, the only difference here is that you will be blowing your tone into a metal tube instead of a wooden one, which produces a "metallic" sound rather than a "hollow" or "wooden" tone., With practice, you can make it sound like a horn, a clarinet, or an oboe.
Or play it for it's own unique reed/brass hybrid sound that we've all come to love. -
Step 3: cork grease
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Step 4: mouthpiece and ligature
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Step 5: and possibly a polishing cloth.
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Step 6: Check to be certain the instrument is in good working condition.
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Step 7: If purchasing
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Step 8: shop around online.
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Step 9: Practice the new fingering.
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Step 10: You will need to practice playing the saxophone
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Step 11: especially the upper register notes
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Step 12: to get used to the fingering when your eye falls on each note in the music.
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Step 13: Your lower lip may be sore for a few days with the new mouthpiece and reed on the saxophone.
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Step 14: Enjoy the versatility of the saxophone!
Detailed Guide
They're generally more expensive than a clarinet, so you may want to rent one at first., If these items are absent, you must purchase them separately., The pads should be clean and soft with no age cracking and each note hole must seal airtight.
Those pads are the substitutes for your fingers so be sure they are in good working condition., Some nice instruments can be had at significant discounts from what you'll find in a music shop that sells only new instruments., Fingering on a saxophone is the same for the upper register as it is for the lower register.
The only thing you have to do is remember the register key by your thumb.
The Saxophone notes run (all fingers down and all valves closed) C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C in both upper and lower register.
This is the same as the lower register on your clarinet, so you have, in effect, already learned saxophone notes.
Note:
All saxophones have identical fingering, so once you've learned soprano saxophone, you know the fingering and can play any saxophone so long as you have music for it. (Transposed into the correct key signature by the music company or composer.)
This can take a while, so plan to spend an hour a day doing this for at least two weeks before attempting to sit in band and play the saxophone instead of clarinet.
It may help to abandon the clarinet for this period of time to help retrain your brain in the new fingering., Generally speaking though, the only difference here is that you will be blowing your tone into a metal tube instead of a wooden one, which produces a "metallic" sound rather than a "hollow" or "wooden" tone., With practice, you can make it sound like a horn, a clarinet, or an oboe.
Or play it for it's own unique reed/brass hybrid sound that we've all come to love.
About the Author
Mary Murray
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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