Subscribe RSSHow hard is it to play to oboe?
Q: I'm a sophomore in hs and been playing flute for 6 years, I'm an intermediate and very very serious about flute...
so how hard would it be to play oboe well if I already have experience w/ a wind instrument? I know it'll be hard to get used to double reed, air control and pressure, etc... what other instrument would you recommend?
oh and i'm planning to be self-taught, and not as serious about it as flute.
A: Oboe is really quite easy to play technically when you already play flute because the fingerings are very similar, however, it is extremely difficult to get good tone, and that's not really something you can teach yourself in a short amount of time (I'm assuming this would just be for high school, so two more years isn't really that long). If you got a teacher, it might be easier, but even then, it can be very difficult. One of my classmates is a fantastic flute player and decided to try oboe her junior year. She got the fingerings down really quickly, but never was able to get really good tone, even with private lessons.
that's not to say you can't do it, you just might sound like a duck for a while ;P
If you're looking for an easier woodwind to switch to, I'd recommend alto saxophone. The fingerings are again very similar to the flute, and the saxophone is more forgiving with minor embouchure mistakes than the oboe. I was able to play saxophone as well as the upperclassmen members of the alto section in a matter of weeks, whereas it took me years to sound good on the oboe (both of which I taught myself).
Hope that helps! Good luck!
5 Comments
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Try a piccolo, the fingering is almost the same as a flute.
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I think it depends on the person; it's not as hard for me as I've heard it's supposed to be. I'm not saying I'm really good or anything, and it probably made it easier for me to learn since I already played piano and saxophone before I started learning. I'm a sophomore too, and I've been playing for 3 years. I absolutely love the oboe. The reed is probably the hardest part of playing, it's a little hard to get used to a double reed at first. I'd say go for it! The only thing is I think it would be pretty hard to learn without a teacher, I can't imagine that I would be nearly as far along as I am now without one. I would recommend getting one if you can, at least to get started.
