Well. I want to learn a new instrument, as I think it's quite good to expand muscial horizons ( and I want a career in music ). Currently I play piano and violin. I don't want to play any brass or the sax . I'm contemplating - Oboe, Clarinet or something along those lines. What is your opinions or suggestions would be helpful . Many Thanks. xx

Choose an instrument because you really like it and want to play it.
If you choose because you think it would be useful or because you think you should you are less likely to stick with it and it may either finish up becoming a chore or gathering dust.

I really want to learn a woodwind instrument. But stuck between clarinet and oboe. I don't think flute as my sister says " that's a girl's instrument, not for boys "

Do you believe everything your sister says?

Seriously though, if you like the flute then learn it. All that girl/boy instrument is rubbish and have you noticed that it mostly aims to discourage boys? Not fair is it? (and I'm female).

I go with your opinion and must say, THANK YOU! !

Lots of male jazz flute players - Nicola Stilo, Herbie Mann, Eric Dolphy, Bud Shank, Harold McNair. Dave Valentine, all those Cubans too, they rock... Alberto Soccarras, Orlando Valle... All good if you like jazz But even if you don't the flute is a great instrument. All the best

Heslop, I don't want to be a spoilsport, but I'd have a bit of a think first before starting a new instrument.

You've just got 112 for Grade 3 piano, which is an OK but not brilliant result. You're planning to skip a grade and go on to Grade 5 piano quite quickly - which will require a shedload of work from you to make up the distance from a below average Grade 3.

And you're playing the violin, which you've not long started.

Wouldn't it be better to consolidate these first rather than trying to add another instrument on? How much practice time do you have to spare?

Forgetting the endless list like

Galway
Pahud
Gallois
Blau
Gilbert
Moyse
Wye
Cox
Bennet

That's the very best, but there are several boys in various schools who play the flute with great success.

As to the original question, do you want to be a jack of all trades or a master of one? And if you narrow your choice choose what you want to do. What would give you the most pleasure? Maybe one you like the sound of, like the feel, or whatever else.

Good luck choosing.

KatyJay. I've been playing violin for a year and a half, but haven't taken any exams yet. However I do respect what your saying.

The best flautist in the school concert band is a boy

thats rlly mean if he wants to start a new instrument then he shud go for it!
besides 112 is still a gud result

Flute - its the best, so be the best and learn the FLUTE!

Thank you Oboe Angel . And KJ asked " How much free time do you have ? ". My answer - alot, I don't do anything. And I feel slightly offended at your comments of my piano playing being " below average " and I think 112 is a good mark - if it gets a pass then that's what really counts. And not be offensive myself but from looking at some Grade 8 results I'm only 13 marks behind. Also, my piano teacher agreed that I would be able to cope with grade 5 . I have been asked if I want to buy a flute, but somehow I feel more towards the oboe - as not many people I know play it.

It doesn't really work like that. Grade 3 and Grade 8 are two differnt exams so you cannot compare your score to someone who has taken grade 8.

You might be a quick learner and it does happen (I did grade 5 one year ago and I'm doing grade 8 in March) but music isn't just about exams. As you approach grade 5, you should be trying out some pieces from the 'standard repertoire'. That will be a test to see if you really are a grade 5 pianist.

I agree with Katyjay, you should be concentrating on your violin playing and the jump from g3 to g5 on the piano isn't easy. When you feel confident on the violin, then consider trying out another instrument.

Hey
I think you should listen to some music of the instrumets you're thinking of, and decide which sound you like better. If you really like the flute, then go for it! My brother plays the flute and he is quite sure it's not girly! He is getting known now for playing the "Star wars" music on it! Also, check for teachers available, and get your embouchure checked. I really wanted to play the flute, but couldn't as I had more of a clarinet embouchure if that makes sense.
With the exam thing, I would say it's fine to go from grade 3 to grade 5, as i went from never having sat an exam before to going straight in at grade 8!
Good luck choosing!
x x x x x x x x

completely agree!
I did my grade 4 piano and I wanted to take up a second instrument.
I took ages to decide, but in the end I chose the violin and its great!
pick something you really like and you will enjoy playing.
That's the whole point of music!

My daughter craves to add new instruments to those she plays already. At the moment I've advised her to concentrate on those she is doing Juggling several instruments for her was easy at the lower grades. However she did not do as well in her recent piano exam as she would have liked. She did Grade 2 and scored a similar mark to you, I hope she's learnt not to rush into doing exams from this especially on piano (she did Grade 1 summer session).

I'm not musical, nor is this a criticism of you or your teacher,. but my advice to my child is not to go anywhere near Grade 3 piano, at least until the summer. With her other instuments doing exams back to back isn't a problem but she plays lots of other repertoire, at the same time, which just isn't the case for piano. My daughter wants music as a career and her strength is woodwind, so piano is not as important (it's worthwhile).

Only take on another instrument if you are secure with those you already play. I would think about what you want to do with your music, if it's just for fun then consider if you really need another at this time. If your serious and decide to go ahead you may need to consider your instrument choice more carefully.

This is a tough call heslop01.

My natural instinct would say 'go for whatever instrument you like the best'.

But.

Have you got enough time to REALLY devote yourself to a third instrument? Only you'll know for sure. If you feel you can work on a third instrument without it inhibiting your progress on the piano/violin, then go for it. If not, maybe leave it a little while 'til you've progressed further on the violin and piano. Do be 100% honest with yourself here. You do have time on your side.

Don't get me wrong here, I think it's wonderful to play lots of instruments (I do just that ), but do make sure you have the time to devote to all your instruments, and do ensure the piano and violin still have lots of attention from you. Much as I love all my instruments, the clarinet will always be my first love, and it'll always get the attention from me that it deserves.

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you all the best.

I do respect what your saying but I can tell you that I did not rush into my grade 3 - I started working towards it 9 and half months before the exam, and my marks are only low because I really do lack in self-confidence to just play and relax. Thanks to everyone's kind comments so far, it's greatly appreciated


I have alot of spare time as I do nothing but homework, computer, piano and violin. And I really would feel under no pressure with a third instrument, ( A friend of mine same age and year at school plays 7 instruments )


But I do feel that I want to pursue new instruments as music is my love and I want a career in music, so I think that a woodwind instrument would be useful.


Listening to the three instruments i'm considering - oboe, clarinet and flute, The oboe and flute stand out more for me that the clarinet ( despite my dad desperately wanting me to do clarinet ). And your right this is a tough call

not that i wish to confuse you even more but you've not considered the good old bassoon.

i can see what everyone's saying - yes, a third instrument would probably be slightly detrimental to your piano and violin playing - but if you really want to then go for it, and be prepared to practice all three instruments as much as each other and as much as you do now for each instrument.

grade 3 - good result, those that are saying otherwise should go away.

your friend i imagine is a good musician but can probably only play 2, possibly 3 of their instruments to any good standard. i know people who play multiple instruments and they always have 1 or 2 that they are amazing on, and the others? not too good really.

also, "useful" isn't a brilliant reason to start a new instrument, especially with winds as they take considerably more work to get them sounding great than a violin for example (even though some say they're easier to start).

so, your choices, with pros then cons:

oboe:
sounds great when played properly, lots of orchestral solos, chamber music, respect, not alot of people play it
but
sounds rubbish to start with, expensive to buy (+ think reeds), very breakable

clarinet:
massive range, jazz, opportunities to play a large family of insturments, sounds pretty decent from the start
but
lots of clarinettists, sometimes slightly tedious orchestral parts, trasposing could prove a problem

flute:
*hides somewhere* easiest to play fast stuff on, lots of repertoire, big solos, no reeds to deal with
but
loads of them around, difficult to get a big sound, difficult to get really good at... plus your sister laughs at you

bassoon:
not many around, massive range, respect, decent orchestral parts, looks the best, contrabassoon!
but
too many thumb keys (13/14 in total), mega expensive, reeds are a pain, carrying it around isn't very pleasant

eventually however you have to make your own mind up, this is just my opinion

I play the Oboe, and found the fingering easy enough to cope.

You do not say how old you are Heslop and without this information it is not an easy question to answer. If you are eleven or twelve years old then you have lots of time to improve both your piano and violin playing, and begin a third instrument too. Bear in mind though that if you want a career in music you will need to be at around grade eight standard and have passed that exam with a distinction to be at the right level for music college if and when the time comes for you to apply for a place. If you are much older than this then you will really need to get plenty of practice in on the ones that you play already to make it. Competition for college places is fierce and you might well stand a better chance if you play a less common instrument such as the bassoon. Good luck with your music, whatever you decide.

I'm 15

As loathed as I am to put off a potential flautist if you have any real intention of going to music college you would probably be better sticking with two instruments. You need to remember that UCAS applications will only be two or three years away and in that time you need to go up five grades and two bands or more to have a chance of getting through the auditions.
I will take exception with Matt's comments on flute playing it is anything but easy *throws bassoon shaped object* (even if flaustists make it look like it is) rather than moaning about key positions etc. and if anything the contabass is a disincentive while the piccolo, alto flute, treble flute, bass flute are definitely plus points to the flute.

I agree with what others have said about sticking to the instruments you already play. If you want to be a professional musician then a great command of a single instrument is much better than an average command of many. Plus, once you have more experience in music, learning another instrument is a whole lot easier. I personally would wait until you have grade 8 in one of your instruments before starting something new. My reasons for this are:

1) your 'ear' will be greatly improved by that time, the aural training throughout the higher grades will give you a better 'all round' ability in other instruments.

2) Your sight reading will be at a higher standard, allowing quicker accomplishment of repertoire on the new instrument.

3) You will need this standard for music college, so make sure you achieve it, this should be your priority.

I have a degree in music (voice) and have recently started playing sax. I was playing to grade 5 after 3 months as quite simply I had to concentrate on the mechanics of playing the instrument rather than the notation and musicianship.

There is plenty of time for you to learn another instrument, but do get a good foundation on your existing ones first.

xxFLame7

sorry, i guess i'm a bit biased...

- i don't mean the flute is easy overall, i mean it's the easiest to play fast stuff, compared to the other three. no, of course it's not easy - but as far as full speed playing goes, you haven't got a reed to slow you down and you've got the smallest air column of the four (i think ).
- we have every reason to moan about key positions
- the contrabassoon is great fun, playing in bassoon quartets is great on contra

so, yeah, sorry, but as i said:

The first point is actually somewhat debatable. Although it may be considered by some people that the fingerings are easier there are other points to take into consideration e.g. the flute using more air than any other orchestral instrument, which requires far greater emphasis on suitable breathing points but also restricts (at times) the ability to play the fast stuff - particularly when 'compared to the other three'.
There is never really any reason to moan about key position. If they are that difficult the instrument is badly designed and could be easily corrected by improving it - as the flute has been several times e.g. Boehm etc.
I fail to see how any contrabassoon playing could be construed as enjoyable, but thats just a personal preference - far better to stick with a hyper bass flute .

Anyway, there is not much point in getting into this argument I just thought someone ought to contradict you .

This isn't actually true - sure, it may be desirable to have passed G8 with distinction but it is not essential. Music Colleges look for a whole lot more than G8 with distinction when selecting students. It may be true that you MIGHT not get called for an audition at some of the best music colleges without a distinction at G8 but any college worth their salt will call a prospective student for audition and then make their own mind up.

i haven't flexed my arguing muscles for a while... and besides, i'm having fun

yes, a flute does use alot of air, but the air that gets into the instrument instantly produces a sound. the other three have a middle man - the reed - and so the air has to get the reed going, which then produces the sound. this isn't necessarily any slower - what is slower is getting a reed to change from one vibration to another (ie a change of note) - something a flute doesn't have to worry about.

my teacher's told me that boehm tried to make a bassoon with his idealistic fingering layout but it sounded horrendous and so he gave up. apparently the oboe didn't fare too well either - something about cross-fingerings not working very well...?

and the contrabassoon is brilliant! what's the problem with it? you can't help but smile when it's playing - we did a bit of tchaikovsky (valse des fleurs i think) and playing the little "did-dl-y-dum-dum" bits on a contra was great. ok, it sounded ridiculous - but that's all part of its charm

and is this what you mean? nicki_flute posted a pic on here a while ago, and, i have to agree, it does look pretty fun... no match for the contra, but hey, it's better than a piccolo... *runs away*

ANYWAY! back on topic.

as far as entry standards to music college goes, something that vast numbers of people on the forums say whenever grades are mentioned - there are many things that are far more important than grades in the real world. G8 distinction is a bonus, but your musicality is probably the most important thing, as well as your technical ability, ability to learn, eagerness, and, of course, if you're a nice person! so don't be too disheartened if you're not grade 8 on 30 instruments, there's much for to it.

if you want to do it, go for it!

Oh Matt, you really are dropping yourself into the most awful hole by saying these things. You've already upset the flautists and now it's the violinists turn.

Have you ever played the violin yourself? Do you actually have experience of listening to violinists at various stages of their learning? If not, then I would be very careful when commenting on the subject of tone production.........

Heslop01,
Speaking as a professional musician, I know just how tough it is to get into music college and then come out the other end hoping you'll find work.

In order to play at Grade 8/DipABRSM standard - which is roughly what you would need to achieve to apply to a music college - requires hours of practice EVERY day. Perhaps three hours every day. This takes not only a huge committment, but good time management as well. Experience of playing in public is also something music colleges look for, so you will need to find a way of getting nerves under control in order to achieve this.

Minimum private practice at music college in your first year will be something like 21 - 24 hours per week, increasing to around 29 hours per week in the final year. This is in addition to all the orchestral and ensemble rehearsals, and the academic portion of the course. This is a daunting prospect even for the most dedicated students, but it can only be done by sticking to one or two instruments.

While I am far from someone to dampen enthusiasm for music, remember that you have your GCSE exams are not that far away and they will start to take up more of your time due to revision. You will need good grades in Music and English especially, if you wish to study music at A level, and go on to a degree in music.

If you start a new instrument right now, are you going to have to put it to one side very soon and may find that once you move on to 6th form you no longer have time to play? These are serious questions you need to ask yourself.

If you are really insistent on starting a new instrument and nothing will put you off, then the wise choice would be to hire an instrument until you are really sure you are going to be able to continue playing it. This is particularly so with the oboe. A beautiful instrument with a very wide range of expressive sound, but not cheap to buy and selling one is not always as easy as buying one.

I wish you good luck, whatever your decision.

i think i'll keep my mouth shut in future then, or get a long ladder so i can climb out of the holes easier also i just realised i wrote the original post the wrong way round - winds are harder to start, and strings are harder to get good at...

i've been reliably informed by friends who play both that it's easier to get a sound out of a string instrument to begin with but infinately harder to make it sound nice - things like vibrato and position changing are apparently really impossible but because you don't have to deal with those things to begin with, it's fairly straightforward.

on woodwind they found that it was more difficult than they expected to get all the notes out - but once they could play all the notes, got used to breathing properly etc. things like vibrato came naturally, and getting really good on the wind instrument was easier for them.

anyone else have a problem with what i've said ?

Message from the Conciliation Department of the All Musicians Are Equally Wonderful Association:

I think it's very natural to become annoyed if someone suggests that the instrument you play is easy in some respect, as if this meant that it was easy in all respects. But the difficulties lie in different places. As a pianist, I'm the first to admit that any fool can play an F# on the piano, but I wouldn't have the first idea of how to do that on a trumpet. But a trumpeter doesn't have to deal with more than one note at a time, whereas a pianist might have to sightread a ten-note chord.

There are plenty of other examples but they don't really matter. What does matter is that being a musician is equally difficult, challenging, enjoyable and rewarding regardless of what instrument you play.

Dragging this whole thing back on-topic, how about percussion as an alternative study? It is fantastic fun, the techniques for many of the instruments are easily explained and mastered, your rhythmic sense will be enhanced (which will certainly feed back to the instruments you play now, as will other aspects like attack and dynamics) and best of all you won't be expected to buy anything! I'm sure that there are several bands or orchestras in your area which already own the equipment and are on the lookout for people willing to play it.

exactly - there are pros and cons to everything, it's the music that counts. everyone has an opinion on how easy instruments are (there's always a "what's the easiest instrument thread" going on ) but let's all have a big group hug and return to the matter in hand.

percussion sounds like a good idea - as you play piano i figure you're somewhat used to different fingers doing different things and that's the sort of thing that will stand you in good stead with percussion (eg marimbas, drum kits).

if you're dead set on wind instruments, then it really is up to you - each wind instrument is individual and it's a personal choice in the end.

also, heslop, why not brass or sax?

The only reason flutes can play fast stuff easier is because they are able to double/triple tongue it without too many problems. However you have to send months learning to double/triple tongue in the first place, cos believe me - it's not easy!!

Also, you say we have the smallest air column, but have you considered that the flute takes quite a bit more air than some instruments because half of it is lost over the top of the instrument.

You had better be careful i spend most of my free time at bands arguing about this kind of thing and i always win (despite what the violin section might say).
I think your terminology might be slightly confused air often gets into a flute and produces no sound it is only when that air is channeled through the lungs, mouth and then the instrument itself that a sound is produced.
the elusive 'middle man' you are searching for is actually present in the flute with the air stream being directed at one side of the mouthpiece which then directs the air into the instrument (infinitely more sensible than a reed IMHO). I was also under the impression that taking more breaths than other instruments would also slow response which would be true of the flute compared to bassoon, oboe and the rest but i might be wrong on that, although i rather doubt it.
Unless my memory is completely failing me Boehm was a flautist as a result he probably did not have a full understanding of the bassoon hence it is no wonder his experiment was not as sucessful as his flute.
Besides which are there no bassoon-playing people interested enough in it to have a go?(with the bassoon perhaps not )
Or are you just waiting for bored flautists with a lot of free time on their hands to do it for you?

A better question would be what isn't wrong with it. For example it spends the vast majority of time in a stand only playing in two out of every few thousand bars (if that), when it is played it is seldom heard in the orchestral melee and the few times that it is heard it sounds completely daft.
As to your musical example the segments you refer to sound far better played on a clarinet or sax, with the flute on the top part playing all the melody of course .

What is it with bassoon players and high instruments? - probably some sort of repressed desire thing where you all actually want to be flute players

"on woodwind they found that it was more difficult than they expected to get all the notes out - but once they could play all the notes, got used to breathing properly etc. things like vibrato came naturally, and getting really good on the wind instrument was easier for them."

I'm glad you find it so easy, I look forward to seeing you appear as the Sir James of the bassoon soon.
You really need to be careful with subjective terms like 'really good' i mean what in one moment sounds really good might sound absolutely dreadful compared to another recording etc.

As to getting the notes on stringed instruments being easy you might want to retract it before one of them starts talking about positions - something we can all do without - even if it has been the source of thousands of excellent jokes .

Back on topic percussion would probably be a good compromise i don't think even the most severe conductors insist on you taking the timpani home for practice . As Matt said its up to you but you really need to think about what will give you the best chance of getting into music college and that would probably being doing extra practice on your main instrument(s) if you have that much free time.

Can i also take this moment to agree in principal with the Conciliation Department of the All Musicians Are Equally Wonderful Association although i reserve the right to withdraw this support if confronted at a later date by a suitably interesting argument (or just the next school band rehersal).

P.S. Matt if you are going to continue you only have two sections left to insult before you've got the whole set .



Glad someone else sees sense no suprise that its another flautist though . It actually takes more air than any other instrument including the tuba - fascinating facts to annoy music playing friends for flautists vol. 1 (at all good bookstores soon!! )

this is getting ridiculous but i feel i should respond.



i mean the actual air column that is vibrating in the instrument, not the air that goes in - yes, it might have to put more air in than anything else but because not as much of it is vibrating, to change the note it's vibrating at is easier.



as you admit, a mouthpiece is more sensible - because it makes the air react quicker to any changes you as the player make. it does what you want when you want it instead of having to manipulate a reed.



there have been plenty of attempts and actually heckel did a good job (he pretty much made the modern german bassoon), just that, by design, a big lump of wood is going to be harder to play than a small lump of wood (or metal).



hehe, you know you're losing the argument when you have to start insulting instruments



I don't find it easy - "...than they expected...once they could...". and "really good" is subjective but it's easier than saying "to a more than reasonable standard with a full tone and able to play anything up to semiquavers at crochet = 1,000,000"



tell me about it! "OH MY GOD it's in 50th position OH MY GOD that's SOOO high..." ...and? boo hoo.



hmm... let's see... oboes... DUCKY DUCK DUCK DUCK DUCK...
umm... clarinets... get some proper reeds, it's like you just FORGOT the other half of them. and play in a proper key too, you're so awkward in Bb...

right then. let's stop hijacking this thread. from the forum rules:

Right in reverse order and with apologies to the Conciliation Department of the All Musicians Are Equally Wonderful Association it was actually perfectly on topic. The original poster asked for advice on whether he should take up a new instrument this was answered in the paragraph commencing "back on topic" from my last post. Furthermore it would be unfair to expect the poster to make a decision based on some of the false information you are supplying this hence mandates a response to correct these errors.

On the penultimate relevant point i would suggest that while it may be easier for you it is inaccurate and is a point which could easily cause misunderstandings.

I wasn't actually insulting anyone/thing I was just pointing out some of the things i consider to be flawed with it as you requested. That opening was followed with several examplers of problems with the instrument itself and with the only repertoire you referenced for it being beneficial. The second segment - relating to a separate statement by the way - was an observation based on your derogatory comments towards the piccolo and offering a plausible explanation for it. I at no point asserted that it ws my own view.
Furthermore if losing an argument hinges on "when you have to start insulting instruments " then you had lost before we even began as i'm sure you are aware.

Well if Heckel did that good a job then you should have no room to complain as i originally stated. In addition your assertion that larger instruments are inherently "harder to play" is disproved by such examples as the flute and piccolo where the piccolo is more difficult to play due to the greater air pressure etc required.

In both scenarios you highlight a change is required while in the case of reeds you must manipulate the reed itself with the flute you must manipulate the airstream which is arguably far more difficult as there are far more places to direct the air unlike the reed where you have a far narrower aperture. N.B. I did qualify the statement by arguably - it is not my view per se.

On your first point i do not presume to be an expert on air dynamics within wind instruments (although it might make a good adv. higher physics project ) but from my limited understanding the air is directed into both instruments then keys are used to change notes - not much difference there then - and both instruments play at the same frequency so the air must be vibrating at approximately the same rate. Logic would suggest that as the flute uses more air there is more of it vibrating - although i am not asserting that as fact.

Now could your please take your own advice and get back on topic.

Percussion is a really good idea. Not only is it really fun, but it will also help with your other instruments. Trust me, I'm telling you this from experience; percussion has made rhythms much easier for me to pick up. Whoever said that you don't need to buy anything is wrong though as, at some point, you will have to buy your own sticks.

... is under threat of closure due to lack of support



It was me and I apologise. I should have said that you *probably* won't have to buy anything *to begin with* in that most of the equipment will *generally* be available to you when you start. That would include sticks, but yes, you'd have to get some of your own eventually (though they're not expensive).

Of all percussionists I would imagine that kit players would be the ones who would be most likely to have to start investing in instruments first, but I would welcome DrumKat's opinion on that.

Sorry - I wasn't getting at you! Sticks are not expensive compared to other instruments, but the price does mount up when you have to get sticks for all the different instruments (about £150, I'd say). You're probably right about kit players having to invest in instruments first, unless there's a kit at school or something which you have time to practise on. If you were to concentrate more on orchestral percussion, snare drums aren't too expensive, but the price of tuned percussion is ridiculously high! (You wouldn't really need to buy any tuned percussion if you didn't want, though). If you don't want to buy a snare drum, you can just buy a pad, which costs about £10, and is good to practise on.

hi!
maybe u can try clarinet..
its sound is great and can be jazz instrument!

okay, about flute,
i don't agree flute is only for girls..
it's can be for boys too i think
its sound is great too for jazz or classical!

now, the choice is in u??
clarinet or flute?

Just to back up what everyone else said: If you want to go to Music college then you don't need any other instrument than your principal study. Though piano looks good and I know all non pianists do have to play piano at RAM auditions. Grades are no object and they call everyone for audition who applies. However, you do have to play to Grade 8 Distinction/DipABRSM to stand a chance of getting in. Bear in mind examiners can't comment on your technique so your technique may not be so good and you could have Grade 8 Distinction anyway. Technique isn't a great big issue, but obviously if it's past 4 years fixing then they won't take you - They can teach technique but not musicality.

Any about another instrument - go for something you like the sound of, after all you'll have to listen to it!

Hi!

I was going to add a very similar thread to basically ask the same question, but instead I am going to add to this one.
I am a bass guitar player, a clarinnetist and a sax player (sop and tenor) and I am also looking for another instrument to play. I have decided, that i am going to learn the oboe.

However- I am only 21, and I am not a musical genius on any of my instruments. I can play grade 6 pieces on the clarinet and sax, but I am not really interested in the theory. I play instruments because I love the learning process and being able to make a sound that is pleasing to me (I also play in worship bands at the church that I work at). For me, learnign an instrument is not all about exams and grades. One day, I might get a proper teacher and take exams, but for now I am just happy learning.

I do know though that I can only learn woodwind instruments in this manner. I attempted to learn the violin once.... I picked up the clarinet on a whim one day after teaching myself sax, and now I can play. Oboe is going to be a whole new challenge though...

One option that no one has mentioned is to take up the recorder; it is not a modern orchestral instrument, but very useful if you can see yourself ever teaching kids. The instrument's reputation suffers from the effect of primary school groups on the small ones, but it is a versatile and lovely instrument. I really like having an instrument I can take anywhere and have no concerns about damaging. Why not get a good quality plastic treble (for instance a Yamaha at about £20) and just see how you take to it and wind instruments in general?

Erm... So what's your plan about taking up a new instrument Heslop01?

How about taking recorder a step further? I've been playing violin for 17 years now, piano for 12 and wanted to expand my knowledge after having taken my grades 6, 7, and 8 theory and every time getting stumped on the woodwind question. My primary reason was that the start up cost was cheap!
I was surprised at what I remembered from primary school. What surprised me more is that it isn't just a toy.
Just a word of warning (not meaning to be a killjoy) I teach piano and I have found that when a student takes up a third instrument something has to give, to effectively practise 3 instruments is a big commitment on your time.
Good luck with whatever choice you make!

Did you teach yourself those instruments then? If so its encouraging as I want to teach myself clarinet, I got one from ebay but I can't really aford to get a teacher.

I meant to add to the original question that whether it takes away from your violin and piano depends on whether you want to learn it for fun, or to a high grade for the purpose of getting into a music college. If you feel you have the time then you should go for it. Good luck!

I hate to be a spoilsport, but can you teach yourself to play the oboe without a teacher or at least someone helping you out?? I wouldn't have got far without a teacher, and I used to play the clarinet (badly!!), also it's not a quick instrument to pick up, and takes a lot of work to make a good sound.

Good luck to you if you decide to go for it. The oboe is brilliant and there's some great oboe music out there. My teacher has called it a stream of light running right through the orchestra...it's a lovely image.

Wow! You've it the proverbial nail on its head! Our wind band got an oboist a few months ago, and what a difference it makes! Usually it's the flutes and 1st clarinets that have to take that part, but when there's a real oboe.....fantastic!

Yes, you can teach yourself just about any instrument without a teacher, but I think the oboe needs one more than the others due to the breathing and reed problems. Smaller things like which key to use, you can learn by trial and error.

Making a nice sound just takes time and lots of experimentation. Whether clarinet or oboe, you just have to mess around and see how the reed sounds at different angles, lip pressures, amount in the mouth etc.

If you're a clarinetist learning the oboe, it's easy to forget about the all round embouchure, i.e. sucking on a straw. Pressure needs to come from the sides as well. Then there's the slight rolling the reed in and out of your mouth and pressure from the lower lip to adjust the pitch.

Easy to say, I know!

Steve