Question

My 3rd grade daughter was watching the 203 band/orchestra instrument selection video tonight and loves how the oboe sounds. It sounds lovely, but I have heard it is exceptionally hard to play. Is that the case? Would I save us both some frustration and headache if I tried to convince her to pick a different woodwind?  

Answer 1

Your best bet is letting her pick what inspires her. If you sway her to something else it’s likely she won’t love it and that struggle can’t be overcome. It’s a challenge to learn any instrument, it might as well be one she got excited about.  

Answer 2

This may sound odd but have her listen to the cello. It is a similar tone. Those two instruments are so well liked because they are closest to the human voice. My daughter loves the sound of both.  

Answer 3

How she got to hear so many instruments and loving them was that Little Einststeins tv show. I loved that show.  

Answer 4

My daughter picked the oboe and only played it for a year, my son picked the cello and he is going on 3 years playing and he loves it. It all depends on how much effort they want to put in it, both are difficult on my opinion.  

Answer 5

Oboe players get great college scholarships.  

Comments

@sandy9 that is not a reason to pick an instrument. To get a music scholarship for ANY instrument you have to be an excellent player to earn the scholarship via the audition and you typically have to be perusing music in college in some capacity. My oldest is a music education major.  

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Awesome! I love when parents allow kids to follow their dreams and major in the arts My daughter has her BFA in dance. I didn’t mean to imply that was that scholarship awards was the main and/or only reason to pick an instrument.  

Answer 6

My fourth grader is playing the oboe and doing great!  

Answer 7

I played clarinet and picked up the oboe and learned it well enough to solo it for a piece because we didn’t have an oboe in our band. It won’t be any harder than any other instrument if she starts out when everyone else does. The fingering positions are the same as flute and sax.  

Answer 8

There are a couple different reason the Oboe is difficult. One is due to the double reed (that is the piece that is used to blow into to produce sound) another is fingering technique to produce different notes in different keys.  

Answer 9

If memory serves don’t they start the oboe players on clarinet or do they go straight to oboe now? My only caveat is if marching in the middle school band is her dream the oboe is not a marching instrument. They typically carry a flag or are in color guard in middle school. In high school they can switch to flute or clarinet easily to march if that’s what they want to do.  

Answer 10

I started taking oboe privately at 8 it was really fun and overall I had a good experience but the the reeds are literally the biggest pain in the ass ever constantly havin to soak them and whittle them and or replace them because they are so fragile, and the sound that comes out as a beginner is similar to a dying duck, I regretted not going with flute most of my childhood  

Answer 11

The oboe is one of the easiest instruments to play, but one of the hardest instruments to make a good sound on (if that makes sense). What a lot of kids don’t understand is that while hitting buttons to press the right note and follow along to the sheet music is one thing, keeping the instrument in tune is a whole other aspect that takes years of practice. The oboe especially is a very delicate instrument (I’ve literally seen one roll off a kids lap and snap into two pieces). I still say let her choose what she wants to play. I’m not too familiar with how 203 runs their instrumental music program, but she at some point will have the ability to switch to a different instrument if the oboe doesn’t really suit her. I played clarinet for two years before trying out the saxophone and sticking with that all throughout college and sometime after. Instruments always cause frustration in some way shape or form. Not one specific instrument will cause less of that. The best remedy for that is to simply practice.  

Comments

@causative as a “tuba mom” my biggest frustration was my last car purchase after my minivan died. We had to take the tuba to the dealership. My tuba player is a music Ed major so lots of tuba totting going on.  

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@cherianne I’m dying  the biggest tuba struggle I heard prior to that was our tuba player getting a cracker stuck in the bell because he got in an argument with the other tuba player!  

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@causative I’ve heard of oranges rotting in them & I recall when I was in HS during rehearsals for Fiddler on the Roof a piece of stage fruit rolled directly into the tuba while it was being played.  

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@cherianne I just did the same thing! Lol!  

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@rita10 my Subaru dealer said they’ve seen tubas come in before!  

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@cherianne the Hyndai guy got a laugh out of it!  

Answer 12

Just like anything else, she needs to practice. I started flute at 9 (51 now and still play) and can now play most woodwinds and percussion. Personally , I feel there’s no way to tell how things will turn out in the future. Be patient and have her practice. Don’t give up on something before you start. With good encouragement she’ll do great!  

Answer 13

My son started with flute and switched to bassoon in high school because they didn’t have enough bassoonist. With the double reed it is similar to oboe. He learned it well in a year and played through college.  

Answer 14

Let the child pick their instrument. They will be enthusiastic. This will create joy in playing. No regrets.  

Answer 15

Band geek here: oboe can be difficult as it is sometimes hard to maintain pitch with, but don't discourage it! Any instrument has its difficulties. I played tuba for 9 years (sousaphone for marching band season), bari sax, bass, and a little guitat. Everything has its difficulties but every instrument is valuable!  

Answer 16

My daughter played through junior high. It’s a little more difficult than other woodwinds, but it’s all relative. If that’s all she knows, that will be her reference/ baseline. I also believe that when someone loves an instrument they will put in the time. Better to have her play an instrument she loves than to spend money on an instrument she doesn’t.  

Comments

@brueghel I am said daughter - I loved it!  

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@obverse25921 I remember!  

Answer 17

. Oboe intro 15 seconds in
https://youtu.be/qI9IS4IWWOA

Answer 18

Everyone’s comments are spot on. I’m a band director. The thing with oboe that I see is that it takes a long time to sound good, despite doing everything required of them. Patient students do well. And the reeds are expensive. If your child isn’t careful with their stuff, you will be spending a small fortune keeping her in reeds.  

Comments

I remember at least half or more of the band members dropped out by highschool from lack of interest in it or loss in will to continue - I love this about orchestra though. it teaches the beauty of progress overtime which is never immediate. I wish others could learn this. It takes YEARS for most to become decent

Answer 19

I played the oboe starting in middle school and played into college. I didn’t find it any harder than other instruments I picked up later. What I loved about it was how unique it sounds and you’re certainly in you’re own special double reed club which I loved.  

Answer 20

Hi, I play french horn ( started in 4th grade right on the horn which is really rare) and when we were selecting instruments, we had to test them with an instructor to determine what we could actually play. The embouchure for oboe requires a lot of strength as the reed is unique so that makes it more difficult. She needs to try it to see if she thinks she would enjoy it. Oboe also does not sound pleasant usually for the first few years.  

Answer 21

Let her try, plus 203 and 204 have amazing music teachers!