What is the best woodwind instrument to play?

Question:Clarinet for starters and then switching over to saxophone (tenor preferably)

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Clarinet for starters and then switching over to saxophone (tenor preferably)

The clarinet is really good for beginners
I play bass clarinet.. it's a little harder because you need more air and you have to move your fingers over more space.

Dont play flute it gives headaches, clarinet is easiest but if you wanna play the melody take the sax can it can stand out

The Oboe. A very close friend of mine played it in high school and went on to study at Julliard. I used to listen to her play, and the sound that the instrument made...

I'd swear I could her her soul come through the instrument.

It really depends on your expertise, ive played sax, clarinet, and flute. I love flute best, because it is a challenge for me. Flute is hardest, but it gets the main melody, and you can regularly play in churchs, it is easy to carry if you walk to and from places (aka school for me) and i just love it, it is kinda hard to play dynamics though... if you are a guy you can still play it... my bffs uncle plays flute its cool... Sax is my second fave probably because it was my first wind instrument... saxes are loud and right there, but they can also be quiet and beautiful, they have really good dynamics (getting loud and soft), Alto sax if you have a normal or small body size and tenor if you are larger (taller), Clarinets are the easiest... yeah, i dont like clarinets because they seem to easy for me, they do have a good dynamics... but they rest on the thumb and when i played it left a cut... Oboes are good if you r in for a long time commitment... that is really all the beginner instruments

Obviously this is something that is more based on opinion than anything, and also what kind of playing you want to do. Flute and clarinet are your basic starter instruments. Both have their pros and cons. Flutes play fairly high up and can be annoying, while clarinets have holes in the keys that must be covered pretty precisely in order to sound good (professional model flutes also have holes in the keys).

Saxophones are easier than clarinets because they do not require covering extra holes or as much of an embechoure (I'm sorry that I can't spell that for the life of me) but are limited as far as jobs if indeed one takes it that far.

Double reed instruments (Oboe, English Horn, and Bassoon) while considered some of the most beautiful are also the most difficult to play. They take a lot of practice and precision in playing and even reed making.

All woodwinds play melody to a varying degree, but of course they play it less and less when you get into the lower instruments (bass clarinet, baritone sax).

Double reed players, flutists, and clarinetists can find work in symphonies while sax players are limited to jazz bands, studio musicians, and sometimes being part of rock groups.

The 'best' woodwind depends on your interests, drive, and personal preference.

There is no 'best' instrument. My suggestion is to listen to music incorporating symphonic/orchestral instruments and find parts that you find interesting. Does a certain instrumentation stand out to you? A certain sound appeal to you?
I played alto saxophone and will at least give you my take on it. Lots of cool melodies can be put on this instrument (many times doubling the trumpets or french horns), so if you put in the work, you can really play some neat things. It also has versatility! If you like jazz, it's great fun to play and sax is made for it.
If you're not a melody time of person and really have interest in the big powerful bass sounds, check out Tenor/Baritone sax, bass clarinet, or bassoon.
Just remember - when you choose an instrument, practice practice practice. An instrument can only be "best" for you when you utilize it properly and put the work into to make it fun to play - otherwise, it's just no fun. Best luck to you.

The recorder -many people do not even know how versatile instrument it is!!! There are many types and sizes of the recorder, not just the thing we play at school, and the real virtuosos like Michala Petri, Dan Laurin and Pamela Thorby all are very great instrumentalists indeed!

Whatever you want is a good instrument to start out on; its just which ones are easier to play. I would suggest starting with a clarinet,sax, or flute. I wouldn't start on Basson or oboe or piccolo, but you can if you want.

Shawm!
Or dulcian, or krummhorns.
But if you have to play a modern woodwind, play bassoon, because there aren't a lot of players, and it's good to get scholarships on.

Don't pick your instrument of choice from people online. seriously. You have to truly love an instrument to commit to it enough to get any good. So i suggest going into a school band class and listening to all of the instruments and deciding that way. In junior high i let someone pick my instrument for me and i ended up on the french horn. i hated it with a passion. but after listening to the entire class, i fell in love with the sound of the marimba. not to too my own horn ( no pun intended) i got pretty good.
so the moral of the story, pick something you love the sound of!
= )
good luck!