Klarinet Archive - Posting 001109.txt from 1998/12

From: David Blumberg <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] re:to Oboe of not to Oboe
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 12:56:54 -0500

From: "Clark, Dorothy" <ClarkDorothy@-----.com>
Subject: To Oboe or Not to Oboe....
Hi all,
Are there any clarinetists/oboe players out there? If so, how challenging
is it to grasp and efficiently play the two. I am a lifetime clarinetist,
but a lot of recorded contemporary gospel music have that oboe sound
included. I'm thinking that maybe on a few selections, I could cross and
play the oboe. If it is not too much of a challenge to teach myself the
oboe.
I guess my questions are: Is it an easy cross between the two? Is the
fingering much like the clarinet, etc.? All feedback would be appreciated.
Dorothy Clark
Have A Blessed Day!

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I had a student Dania Hegvik-Esterman who the year after getting 1st chair
All State Pennsylvania Orchestra (junior) on Clarinet, started oboe, worked
really hard, and managed to get 1st chair District, and Regional All-State
Orchestra (1/2 of State PA.) after playing for only 6 months . She then
went back to Clarinet full-time. It can be done. When I tried Michele
Zukovsky's German System Clarinet, I found that the fingerings were a lot
like oboe in the bottom joint, and sax on the top. I recommend getting a
teacher, it can save you a lot of time, and frustration.
The reeds are the truly hard aspect of oboe (Bassoon too). I didn't find
the Oboe to be very difficult. Any instrument is difficult to master, and a
beginning oboist can make some pretty un-godly sounds ;)
David Blumberg
reedman@-----.com
http://www.sneezy.org/david_blumberg/

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