Okay i want to play the Bassoon a lot. I play many instruments mainly alto and bari sax. So I started learn Bass clef which i am getting a hang of. But my question is. Is the double reed hard to play from or learn how to play from? also. Is the fingering hard to learn or easy to learn.
love to hear from you and maybe become a bassoonsit!!!
JesseJo34

I can only speak from personal experience.

I used to play piano and clarinet and then tried the bassoon.

It's great, really.

I don't think you should have much problems really if you're already used to a reed instrument.

I find though that the bassoon gives you much more variability (and after practice control) of tone colour
and pitch control because you deal with a double reed instead of a single one.

Going back to the clarinet I feel constricted and blocked in.

Please try the bassoon and feel the beauty of freedom on the reeds.
I got hooked to the bassoon when I heard "Peter and the Wolf" when I was a kid, took me a while though
until I was able to afford one. IF you get the chance TRY IT OUT.

Good Luck
James

thank you for the info!!!!!
jess

Definitely go for it.The reed may feel strange at first but your mouth will get used to it. Chances are you'll fall in love with this beautiful instrument right away. Get a private teacher if possible. It'll give you a great advantage.

and always remember the stereotypical excuse for screwing up during practice.... but Mister Band Director, MY REED IS BAD!

and as my bassoon professor says, "Slow and steady wins the race." Don't push yourself too hard when someone says you aren't "good enough" it can cause you to start taking anti-depressants. Which you can never get off of. *cough* Mr. Gratz *cough* yeah. Don't let anal compulsive directors kill you. We are human beings, and no one is perfect. We all make mistakes.

I know it sounded forward, but it really helped me in high school, and now I'm the top bassoonist in college. (DURING MY FRESHMAN YEAR)

Good luck with bassoon, and ENJOY YOURSELF. You have chosen a magnificent instrument.

You're not gonna find anyone discouraging you from playing the bassoon here! (Doesn't stop it being the best instrument ever though :p)

But yeh, i'd say go for it. I'e found that the majority of bassoonists started on something else. I personaly played flute for 3 years before starting the bassoon, and it helps a lot if you're not starting from scratch. As you already play a wind instrument you'll already have the whole breath control thing and will probably develop a half decent tone pretty quickly.

Reeds do give you freedom, but they're a lot of hassle. As you get better you'll get pickier about your reeds, and they're extremely complex. I've been trying to make my own for about 2 years now and i've only made one that works! (though hopefully will be better now i have my trusty new adjustable reed shaper!) But you don't have to worry about tha too much till you get to degree standard. And it's worth it anyway.
So yeh, go fo it good luck and let us know how you get on.

i will nkow if i get to paly the bassoon the 20th of August because htat is when my band dirextor gets back from his break

By the way, I've played alto since 3rd grade, switched to bari in 7th, and then picked up bassoon right before 9th. I learned the basics and was able to handle my highschool music within a few months.....it can be done, and I still play bari for marching season!

i started out as an alto saxist when i was 10. in sixth grade i switched to bari. now, i play bassoon, so i know where you're coming from. the most difficult thing about switching from bari to bassoon is your embachoure (spelling?). the figering is quite similar, except in the high range. the best advice i can give you is learn with a teacher. i didn't, and i wish every day that i would have had a teacher to keep me from learning bad habits. also, if you're having a particularly hard time, its much easier to figure things out with a teacher.

I am a bassoon player now have been since sixth grade and i love it it is just enjoyable to play and the fingerings aren't really that hard....... of course they are going to be at first but if you already play sax(which i happen to play also so I'm kind of partial to both)the fingering should be just fine!! Follow what you believe that you should do, and don't be afraid to try it(you will probably sound pretty bad but trust me it gets way better!!)

Hope you love it just as much as me which is pretty hard to get there being the geek that i am!!

~Lexa