Flute vs clarinet lets compare

[sinebar]

Well I've been playing the clarinet for 10 months, not a long time, and the flute for about 2 months now. One thing I have found is that the flute is a lot less problematic. Or is this just my imagination. It seems like everytime I play either of my two Yamaha 450 clarinets I have some sort of issue not related to player. These two model clarinets are not cheapos and I have them checked frequently. I spend a lot of my practice time having to fiddle with them. Maybe I haven't been playing the flute long enough but it just seems a lot less problematic. I don't think it's any easier to play than the clarinet but it does seem a lot less physically demanding. The flute is a bit more of a challenge to get a decent tone but I think hands down it take a lot less work to learn. I hope there are some clarinet/flute doublers out there that can comment on this.

[finallyflute-ing]

Considering that I can't even make sounds come out of a clarinet, I agree that flute is easier.

[Band_twink_14]

Well I don't double on clarinet, but I do play: piano,violin, bass guitar, and flute. One of my best friends tried to teach me some notes on the clarinet...... it was alot easier, but she has a crap load of problems with it. So I hope that can help so how.

[rai]

I lovvvvvvvvvvve the clarinet. what a mellow sound. When i was deciding which instrument to play (back in the 70's), it was a real toss up between them both.. I chose the flute.. but it was the love of those mellow clarinet sounds that has kept me in the lower registers of the flute for more than 30 years. I am one of those 'hobby musicians' just so you know where i am coming from.

I chose the flute for a few simple reasons at the time. I wanted an instrument that was portable and simple to maintain. I play where ever the mood strikes me (within reason ) and often it is outdoors, in the bush, by a river,lake,ocean. One of my favourite spots was a spherical sculpture on the grounds of the Victorian National Gallery (Melb. Australia). Imagine the accoustics INSIDE a concrete sphere that is just big enough to stand in.. woooooow.. it was 'magic'.

Anyway I have, as usual digressed Because of the nature of my playing I decided that I didn't want to deal with reeds.. what a hassle.. imagine being out in the 'bush' somewhere and you havent got a spare reed .. not to mention the fact that you have to keep spending money on the damm things.. Give me a flute anyday.

Having said that...I actually do have a clarinet as well.. A couple of years ago it was offered to me for a tiny $50 (aus) so I very happily gave it a good home. And yeess I have managed to get a sound out of it that doesn't sound like a truck.. or duck..

It is interesting to compare the different techniques needed to produce sound and even though i managed to get some pretty mellow sounds from it, just havent got time to go further with it at this time in my life.. maybe when I am 80 heheheh.. who knows... mind you dont know if i will have the breath left then

thats enough of a waffle....

[dustmop]

Hi,
I'm new here and wanted to say that I played flute for 2 years
and spent the entire time with on and off tendonitis.
I switched to the clarinet, sort of like going from the frying
pan into the fire, and after 2 months ended up with my
right thumb twice it's normal size. And that was with the use
of a neck strap.
Overall, I think the clarinet is musically easier to play, but
physically more demanding. Also, as others have said, more
problematic. It's already had 1 repair, although minor.
I guess I could go on, but I do think the flute is easier to
maintain, and definately easier to put together and take apart.
Cathy

[flute_girl04]

k i don't know if this is true and i don't mean an offense to people who double with flute/clarinet but i heard that if your a little "musically challenged" then directors put people on the clarinet.i do know people who are REALLY god players who play the clarinet but i mean the first day of school when you find out what instrument you play.i don't know i just felt like putting that.plus i think that flute is one of the hardest instruments to play.it takes the longest to b able to make a sound because its totally different from any other instrument and it takes the most air out of the instruments.

[flutepicc06]

k i don't know if this is true and i don't mean an offense to people who double with flute/clarinet but i heard that if your a little "musically challenged" then directors put people on the clarinet.i do know people who are REALLY god players who play the clarinet but i mean the first day of school when you find out what instrument you play.i don't know i just felt like putting that.plus i think that flute is one of the hardest instruments to play.it takes the longest to b able to make a sound because its totally different from any other instrument and it takes the most air out of the instruments.

Actually, very little of that is true. It wastes more air than other instruments, but doesn't take more than others once you learn to control your airstream. And clarinetists above the very most basic levels are just as musical (and in some cases much more musical) than people on other instruments. Flute is not one of the hardest instruments...There is no "hardest" instrument, as they are all very difficult to play well, and each has its own challenges to overcome.

[jadoo123]

I found a nice article which talks about technical concepts behind these instruments,

http://wikiuncle.com/index.php?title=Fl ... _Clarinets

[PAN]

Of course the flute goes off easier than a clarinet or Sax....once You know the technique ob blowing it.
BUT - since it is a very fastplaying instrument, it needs very precice fingering if You don.t want to start doodeling around on it.
So You might need less Airpressure, less embouchure-Practice and trainig....but watch Your fingers, when it comes to the third octave and 16th - or even 32th notes !!

So I don.t think , the flute is easier....it is definitely not easier to maintain as well, even though it looks more simple at the first glance. But once You ve gotten into overhauling Flutes, You ll find a clarinet straightof simple !!

Well ...that s my personal experience with it.

Cheers !

PAN

[StephenC]

Well I've been playing the clarinet lessons for 10 months, not a long time, and the flute for about 2 months now. One thing I have found is that the flute is a lot less problematic. Or is this just my imagination. It seems like everytime I play either of my two Yamaha 450 clarinets I have some sort of issue not related to player. These two model clarinets are not cheapos and I have them checked frequently. I spend a lot of my practice time having to fiddle with them. Maybe I haven't been playing the flute long enough but it just seems a lot less problematic. I don't think it's any easier to play than the clarinet but it does seem a lot less physically demanding. The flute is a bit more of a challenge to get a decent tone but I think hands down it take a lot less work to learn. I hope there are some clarinet/flute doublers out there that can comment on this.

Personally, it feels like the clarinet is much more physically demanding. It has quite a bit of resistance and fingering takes more effort. I actually get fatigued after an hour of playing the clarinet but not so with the flute.

[flutego12]

there is simply nothing like the soul and infinite colours of the flute tone!
Flute 1!

[Thunderlily]

I played clarinet for two months this spring with a teacher and had great fun. It's just so different from the flute.
Since I could already read sheet music it was very easy to learn the clarinet, but my cheeks and lips got tired quickly.
I have the clarinet from my local music school over summer (and a saxophone) and just enjoy playing it every now and then.
I'm going to study band instrument repair so I contacted my music school to see if they'd let me take some extra instruments along with my flute playing.

Aaaaanyways. I absolutely love the clarinet and I'm definitely going to get my own when I get the chance.
I think it's a little bit harder to play the clarinet than the flute, like it's harder to make it sound good. Of course it's hard to make the flute sound really really good, but it takes a lot of effort (at the beginning) to make the clarinet not sounding like a kitten strangling a duckling.