Author: d-oboe
Date: 2005-10-02 21:50
The people who regret any instrument didn't practice enough. Simple as that!
Personally, I fell in love with the oboe because there was a talented oboist my school wind band (I was on tenor sax at the time). To my ears, the oboe had such a beautiful sound, and I just had to play it!
I think the folklore that "oboe is harder" can be attributed to nervous band directors. No band director wants to have a squawky oboe in their grade 7 band. They'd rather just have a nice blend of clarinets instead!
It could also be of the nature of the oboe tone. A badly played clarinet just sounds a bit stuffy and out of tune. A badly played oboe sounds really harsh to the ears, and out of tune. A properly played clarinet sounds in tune and is resonant. A properly played oboe sounds in tune and is resonant.
See the similarity?
The whole reed issue is also a nervous band director problem. Some place so much emphasis on strict sound quality (instead of rhythm and pitch) that the student is often afraid to play out and thus support the sound nicely...even on a drab reed.
Any regrets for pulling myself through hellish band rehearsals, holding back tears because of useless reeds, nicking my thumb with that crazy knife, or being told that I'm so sharp it's almost the next semitone up?......
Not one.
Do I regret the feeling of an excellent performance, the applause, the recognition, the feeling of immense satisfaction....
Not at all!
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