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Original poster

Too many flutes. Oboe or Clarinet?

51 replies

AntEater · 14/02/2007 13:07

DD1 play the flute to an average school orchestra standard, only prob is that the orchestra sounds justlike James Gallways band as there are SO many flutes.. (plus all the kids with the hyper competitive mums play Flute )
Anyway, time for another wind instrument.. I like the oboe, dw likes the clarinet.
Any advise on this??

OP posts:
KathyMCMLXXII · 14/02/2007 15:59

My parents got me to play the clarinet rather than the flute precisely because they thought everyone played flute, and guess what.... it turned out there were far too many clarinets at my school (around 12 in a school year of 90 IIRC).

So for that reason I would say oboe.

OTOH the BIG advantage of clarinet is that you can shift to saxophone very easily because mouthpiece and fingering are similar in the right size sax, so you are effectively learning 2 instruments for the price of one, and of course, the sax is pretty cool.

beckybrastraps · 14/02/2007 16:01

blimey - that's expensive

This is the new version of my first oboe.

harpsichordcarrier · 14/02/2007 16:08

enough witht he oboe porn
can you find me some cello porn
that's my particular special interest
pref with a Nice Young Man playing

IntergalacticWalrus · 14/02/2007 16:09

Now you atre talking HC

I know many cellists. Most of them are female, and all the male ones are ug

KathyMCMLXXII · 14/02/2007 16:10

If you're talking cello porn, Harpsi, I assume you know the quote from the conductor Thomas Beecham to a bad female cellist:
'Madam, between your legs God has put a beautiful thing, and all you can do is sit and scratch it....'

IntergalacticWalrus · 14/02/2007 16:12

extreme cello playing

Kathy, as a cellit, if I had a quid for eveytime I have heard that quite, I'd be a millionaire now

beckybrastraps · 14/02/2007 16:15

Didn't I read yesterday that cellists are the sexiest of all musicians? In terms of both aptitude and appetite...

IntergalacticWalrus · 14/02/2007 16:16

Yes, it was in the Times on Saturday.

It's all true as well

beckybrastraps · 14/02/2007 16:18

Well of course....

KathyMCMLXXII · 14/02/2007 16:26

Yes, I suppose I should have thought of that IW.

MrsSpoon · 14/02/2007 16:43

I played the Oboe at School, however I would have much preferred the Clarinet, thought it was a far more mellow instrument and you didn't have to contort your face quite as strangely to play it.

potoroo · 14/02/2007 17:11

I played the oboe too - I miss it.
Best bit was that once I'd been doing it for a few years I got out of school lots to play with nearby school orchestras - I was the only one for miles around

paulaplumpbottom · 14/02/2007 17:54

I play the French Horn and it really is lovely to play. If you really want a woodwind I'd go with the oboe to.

Californication · 14/02/2007 18:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

harpsichordcarrier · 14/02/2007 18:57

yes
about the cello players
ime

harpsichordcarrier · 14/02/2007 18:58

hold on I missed out the there

pointydog · 14/02/2007 19:45

"nevr enough Frenchh Horns"

because they are buggers

Bekks · 14/02/2007 20:18

I played oboe and I loved it. The cost might be an issue though - not only the initial instrument, but constantly buying new reeds. I also learned to scrape and make reeds which was good - although they were never good enough to use properly! I got to play in orchestras other than the schools ones (e.g. local university, amateur dramatics). However - it probably is harder to play well - I practiced up to six hours a day - although I did play pretty seriously - the oboe is quite hard to play "for fun" - I did a bit of pop music, but very little, and as an adult learned to play flute as it's much easier to play casually.

How old is she? They say you shouldn't start playing oboe younger than 11 because of the pressure needed to play it

Other factor is her embouchure (spelling?) and what might suit her mouth shape best, e.g. oboe probably not a good choice if you have big sticking out teeth!

Someone might have already said this, but there are lots of clarinets too.

IntergalacticWalrus · 14/02/2007 20:20

I played the oboe ok wioth big sticky outy teeth. And I wore fixed braces for 5 years, and still played ok.

I think the best thing for your DD would be for her to have a go on either instrument and then she can decide

MrsJohnCusack · 14/02/2007 20:47

there are blardy loads of clarinets as well (I am one of them) so she would be v.popular as an oboist

she should probably choose as she's more likely to progress on an instrument she's expressed a preference for. so try them both out

bearing in mind - as has already been said - that she may be too young to be successful at the oboe, and that oboes ARE more expensive than clarinets (as are the reeds)

nearlyfourbob · 14/02/2007 21:10

I stuck with the flute despite extreme pressure to choose something more unusual. I'm glad I did, my trick was to take up the piccolo, and play the thing properly. That was niche enough for a very nice time at music college, because none of the "proper" flautists wanted to play piccolo and we can't all be first flute. Also I could go to concerts with just a handbag.

MrsJohnCusack · 14/02/2007 21:19

and no reeds for the flute - v.convenient

or be like me and end up playing every variety of clarinet/flute/sax in a pathetic attempt to get as much playing as possible. she can then turn up with 25 different cases hung around her limbs and neck and get stuck in doorways or fall over in the snow and lie like a tortoise on its back, unable to get up...

paddingtonbear1 · 14/02/2007 21:30

I used to play the clarinet. I did try the flute first but couldn't blow it - can't remember why! I still have the clarinet, but can't remember how to play now - looked at my old grade 8 pieces the other day and said to my dad, 'how did I ever play these?'!
I think if you're young, the clarinet is probably easier to learn than the oboe. Not sure on cost now - aren't they all expensive?!

PeachesMcLean · 14/02/2007 22:03

Clarinet. Oboe notirously difficult. Clarinet players can take up saxophone fairly easily, meaning a whole load of musical choices beyond orchestral music. Oboe players can take up bassoon. A truly fabulous instrument but again, it's pretty much classical or nothing.

liquidclocks · 14/02/2007 22:12

oboes are more difficult than clarinets IMO but once you've mastered them they sound amazing.

I have a rosewood one that is not a well known make (Master) but it as beautiful tone and is far better than the resin bossey & hawkes one I had in high school. Whatever you go for rent if you can for a while and then go a try lots of different types before buying one.

If you go for an oboe I've always found rico reeds easier. Clarinets have the advantage of cheaper reeds btw so lower running costs