 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Brendan
Date: 2003-11-19 00:23
I'm in my high school's band and currently play the oboe. I've been thinking about switching to the bassoon, but I want to know if the bassoon is harder. Is it easier to make a sound on a bassoon reed than on an oboe reed? I find the oboe a little challenging, but I have no idea is I'll encounter the same problems on the bassoon.
Thanks for you're help!
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Author: Mikey
Date: 2003-11-19 01:01
As being a person who lieks to try every and any wind instrument, i thought bassoon was easy. Both Oboe and Bassoon have their advantages/disadvantages. I think it depneds on the reed. I play my oboe reeds with the reeds my friend made me in like march/april, and i don't even play much. And for bassoon, i think u really gotta get used to your reed. But being difficult....i found it easy. What i tell people is to get pep band music from your school. Like for bassoon, get either Tuba music and read it up an octave or get Trombone/Baritone BC Music. U'll be find if u know u'll do good.
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Author: d-oboe
Date: 2003-11-19 20:29
this is probably one of the somewhat easier *switches* between instruments. If you're proficient at the oboe, you may well be, with a reasonable amount of practice over time, be proficient at the bassoon. However, if you're not proficient on the oboe, you probably won't be proficient on bassoon either. The bassoon and oboe ARE NOT the same family of instruments, whatever books might say. The only thing that relates oboes and bassoons is their reed, but hardly. The bassoon requires alot more air *volume* than the oboe.
Frankly, any instrument is hard to master, whether it be a saxophone, tin whistle, oboe, bassoon, tuba, serpent..etc you get my point. It's just that oboes/ bassoons are harder to start out on, because of their intricacies in embouchure, keywork, and air requirements.
D-oboe
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Author: TorusTubarius
Date: 2003-11-19 21:19
Granted it's been about nine years since I've touched a bassoon, but I seem to remember it being a little easier than oboe, albeit not by much. The bassoon doesn't require as much pressure as the oboe, but it does require about the same amount of diligence to play in tune and produce a good tone. It's also like oboe in that reeds will continue to be a big issue for you... that is, if I remember correctly. I've played a lot of oboe since then, and my brain might be permanently damaged from all the pressure, but I think that's accurate. 
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Author: musichick
Date: 2003-11-22 13:22
I actually think bassoon is harder... Producing a sound is easier on bassoon then on oboe, but i dont like the fingerings- there are like 8 keys for just one thumb. Bassoon is a really cool instrument though. If your good on oboe and are willing to take the time to learn a whole bunch of fingerings, you'll be fine. Oh, and make sure you can read bass clef.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2003-11-23 05:24
Brendan,
Like you I made the switch from oboe to bassoon in high school (tenth grade specifically). I am a freshman in college now. Bassoon is in some aspects easier than oboe and in some aspects harder, at least for me. For me, blowing through the bassoon and tone production was a lot easier; it has a more relaxed embouchure. I get headaches sometimes if I play oboe to long because of the intense air pressure. Just like musichick said, fingerings on bassoon are very odd; oboe fingerings are much easier. What I did was just learn 2 1/2 octaves since the music we played for band didn't exceed that and it is the same range as with oboe and alto sax (my marching band main-stay). Also you must listen closely to keep the bassoon in tune too. Certain notes can turn out to be odd. In college now, I am an oboe major, but I still regularly practice bassoon because I find it rewarding.
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