Hi all

I love all the Oboe threads on this site. You've inspired me to take it up. I have just picked up a brand new Howarth S20 from their shop in London, and spent a fortune on books, reeds etc.

Now i have to find a teacher.

I really want to learn quickly and well. Can it be done quickly? I've heard of people reaching Grade 8 in 18mths!!!

The shop was shocked as, having never played one before, i managed to sound and support 2 octaves of notes. They said if i was doubtful of learning i definitely should after that

Any advice at all would be most welcome.

Excited.

Andrew

Crazy!! How can you make a decision on whether to buy a brand new instrument and everything just from an internet thing?
But then, good luck to you! There are far too few oboists and way too many of everything else ... a friend and I were both auditioning for the same orchestra, him on flute, me on oboe, we're pretty much the same standard. I am now the 2nd 2nd oboist out of three and he is 7th on the reserve list for flautists!
If you can pick up the embouchure quickly, then you'll progress really fast - older beginners always do better at oboe than younger beginners. I take it you play another instrument, so probably your only limitations are your standard on whatever else you do and the oboe's idiosyncrasies.
Once again, good luck and enjoy!

Andrew

You don't say where you live. Howarth should be able to give you some names in London but maybe you live elsewhere.

The quickest I ever got a very able pupil to Grade 8 was three years and she was already Grade 8 in Saxophone, Flute and Piano and Grade 7 clarinet. You did well today but getting to Grade 8 will be a little harder

Find a teacher and let them help and guide you on your way and you will get where you do, when you do. Getting to Grade 8 isn't the ultimate - being a fine oboist and musician is. It takes time to build stamina, fluency of fingers, quality of tone. How long? Who knows for you but, if you are keen to do well, it won't take as long as if you only practise once a week! A teacher will get you started using the right technique (do make sure you find someone who is a competent oboist if at all possible not a generalist woodwind teacher who doesn't play the instrument for themselves) to allow you to get tuition in care of reeds etc as well as the instrument.

Above all, please don't start to teach yourself, get to about grade 4-5 and then seek a teacher. I've had too many of them in my time to know the agony that's then caused when you have to go back to basics and start again to get the technique right.

Very best of luck - I'm thrilled that all we mad oboists on these forums encouraged you to get started. Fantastic

Take care.

Andrew,

Don't forget the Oboe Forum at:

http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/index.html

Good luck,

Steve

Dude that's class!!! Wicked =P I hope you really enjoy it, you know it would be quite easy to learn yourself to start off with then you could get lessons so that you're a little more advanced in your first lesson. I skipped my grade 1 and my grade 4 because I taught myself some of the stuff!!! Have fun dude!