hi everyone! just want you guys to give me some suggestions.....
i'm 16, and currently learning piano (gr7) and violin (gr6). somehow i wanna drop piano now, since i've been learning it for quite a long time but still not much improvement is shown...and im thinking of picking up a woodwind or brass instrument instead. is oboe a good choice? i heard almost everybody says that oboe is the hardest to play among the woodwind family, is that really true? personally i think that violin is a really difficult instrument, is oboe easier or harder than that? or should i learn saxophone? i really like the shape of it but duno if it really suits me....seems that saxophone is getting popular now, i want to try something less popular, since im learning the generally 2 most popular instruments....so please give me some kind advices here!

Oboe is one of the most frustrating instruments. It can take a while to get started, being more difficult to blow (because of the tiny aperture). But, if you have the determination to see the difficult early stages through, it will be very rewarding.

Saxophone is a more difficult instrument than people make it out to be. Intonation is almost as hard as and intonation on a bassoon, although you can apparently tune a saxophone, which is a start!

Hey, I just had a thought -- maybe intonation problems are inherent in the structure of the bore. Oboe, bassoon & sax all have terrible intonation problems and all of their respective bores are closed cones. Hrm...

Anyway, as I said, it all really depends on whether you're willing to put in a lot of work in the beginning and not be too bothered by slow progress. That's for oboe, at least, I've never played the saxophone myself so I can't give you any comparison.

Yes, oboe is probably hardest. But dont' think in terms of what's 'popular' amongst your fellow students - think in terms of what's most useful. You're playing the violin already so don't for goodness' sake give that up - look how many violinists an orchestra needs compared to oboists! Bassoon does slightly better on rarity value than oboe, but still an orchestra only needs 2... Piano is always really useful if you're serious about music and considering it for a career.

How about the viola?

Oooh no learn saxophone!! it's sooo fab!

Don't drop piano whatever you do! Just give it a rest for a few months then get yourself some new pieces that you really want to play and you should have renewed enthusiasm. I am positive that you would regret it in later life if you dropped it now!

It depends, with you not being a wind player already, whether you should go for something with less breath needed. Obviously, as you progress you will need great breath control but some instruments are easier than others to manage.
But then again everyone starts with different instruments so I don't suppose it matters.

Be a recorder player!! The world needs more recorder players!!!
But then it depends on what teachers are available in your area.
I'm sure you'll be pleased with whatever you choose!

I think oboe is usually the hardest woodwind to make a decent sound with. Piano and violin are very common so if you played a more rare instrument like bassoon or french horn then you could find more things you are wanted for. Common instruments usually get oversubscribed in orchestras.

I actually heard it was the clarinet that it was hardest to get a decent sound out of

I never had a problem with tone on the oboe, but stamina was a big issue. I might have been trying to get too much air through the aperture.

actually i said 'drop piano' here, i dun mean to give it up forever, just dont wana learn it regularly, but im sure i'll play the pieces i love instead. i'm more interested in orchestral instruments, so i guess knowing the basic of piano can already help in other instruments....
by the way im quite worried about the breathing technique of playing a woodwind, since im so new to this aspect. is that hard for beginner, no matter which instrument i choose?

You take it "on board". Good breathing would seem important but as every living musician breathes (one hopes!) its a matter of getting the breathing right for the instrument. Can't be any worse than learning to hold a violin and get the bowing right.

If you really want to learn a wind instrument then go for it. Plenty of people manage despite actual breathing problems, if you don't have problems to start with then you really don't need to worry - if you practise and work at it then it'll be fine. I believe Alexa Still began the flute to help her deal with asthma, and now she is an international soloist and recording artist, so anything is possible! The different instruments have different problems - clarinet and oboe have smaller apertures so it can feel (on clarinet at least and I have been told it's similar with oboe - minimal experience) like you're using a lot of air just because of the pressure needed, on the flute it is a different problem as the flute naturally "wastes" a lot of air, and although obviously with time you become more efficient, it's the nature of the instrument that it needs a good deal of air blowing into it!

ok so now i've narrowed down my choices into oboe and trombone. which one is more in demand? in my school orchestra its always lack of brass players..........and may i know the range of notes oboe and trombone can play?

The oboe has a bit over 2-and-a-half octaves, from the Bb below middle C to the G above the staff (with an option on going just a little bit higher)

The theoretical range of any brass instrument is unlimited. The "practical" range of the trombone is determined by a players skill. According to my brother (the trombonist dictating) the usual range is E/F below the bass clef to around the A/Bb above middle C (within the treble clef). So, that's about 2-and-a-half octaves, but a lower set than the oboe.

How old was she when she started? Does anyone know?

Elisabeth

I can't actually find anywhere that says

however, Larry's page has a good page on Alexa that says a little about her asthma;

http://www.larrykrantz.com/alexa.htm

reading it again I'm not sure whether she took up the flute specifically to help with the asthma, but it definitely has helped by the sound of things!

Go for trombone! Its such an ace instrument!