Hi everyone! I usually post in the flute forums because I'm a flutist, but I have a question for you sax players. My band director approached me yesterday and asked if I could learn to play the alto sax this summer to join the jazz band next year. His perspective is that he has a great first chair concert flutist (me) who could bring her dedication and skill in music and rhythm to an alto sax section filled with freshmen (and a sophomore) who don't know what they're doing. On the other hand, I won't know what I'm doing either. I've been told that the fingerings for sax and flute and pretty much the same, but I'm still hesitant. Is it really hard to learn how to play sax well? Is it hard to play and instrument with a (gasp) REED? What are your opinions?

...I just re-read that and I sound really arrogant. Sorry about that. I'm not that amazing at the flute!

My band director told me that sax was really, REALLY easy, much easier than the other reed instruments I have learned (clarinet & bassoon). I have not yet started, but I'm hoping to soon.

My sister played flute for 6 or 7 years, and my director approached her with the same question. She put in the time and effort over the summer and did just fine, and with a good amount of time and effort, you should do fine as well.

I play Alto Sax, and it is WAY to easy for me!

I am switching to oboe

But I think I like classical over jazz.

Have fun on the sax.

I've played saxophone longer than I have flute and when I switched from sax to flute I didn't find it that hard. So maybe it's the same the other way around?

I don't know but my friend who played flute for about five in years was asked by old band director if she could switch to tenor sax. She did and didn't find it that hard, only in the very beginning when she was first trying to get a sound out the dang thing but everyone does. So, good luck if you plan to learn the sax!

Thanks for the input, guys!

Switching to sax is no prob..you'll be fine.

Hi. I am alos thinking about switching to alto sax. Becuase at the high school you can't play the flute for jazz band. So i am thinking about play sax for jazz band and staying with flute for regular band. But it is pretty easy o get a sound out of it becuase my friend might be swithing to alto sax to (she used to play clairent) and i played it and i got a pretty decent sound out of it. Good luck!
Oh and if anyone can help me please send me a messgae! Thanx =D