for me (i havent even started yet) the hardest part, DEFINITELY, is getting a bassoon lol. There are ABSOLUTELY NO STORES AROUND (not even close) who sell bassoons under 5000 CAN,. There are no bassoon players within 1 1/2 hours drive, and 99% dont even know what a bassoon is, around me.

I`m hoping to get a 3 yr old Amati 41 off of a priv. seller for 2000$, rentals are 850$ a year (!) and I am not allowed to use Ebay (darn). So its worth it.

Even Toronto, which is 2 1/2 hrs away from, has little to offer in terms of bassoons.

i want to play the basson but my band teacher dont know how to play it so i need lessons

I have been playing Bass Clarinet since Grade 7 and now that I`m in grade 9 I want to play either the Oboe or Bassoon.

The problems are

1)The music teacher won`t let me switch because my teacher says:
"the oboe/bassoon is too expensive","a double reed takes a while to get used to","you have been holding on to the Bass Clarinet so learning another instrument will put you behind the class","I have no time to teach you outside of class", and "I want someone playing Bass Clarinet because my other Bass Clarinetist is away in Brazil".

2) I`m torn between Oboe and Bassoon. I have one shot judging by the attitude of the music teacher so I have to make the right choice.

3) Whatever I choose I have to stay with for as long I play music in that school.

I have a very good shot at Bass Clef because when I learn music, I associate the key fingerings to what space/line the note is on. Not to the letter. I don`t care what letter name is the first line I just know I press back key, front top key to make the right sound.

Suggestions?
What should I do?

You should really learn the names of notes if you want to accomplish anything. The association thing you do won`t cut it when your switching back and forth between bass and tenor cleff on the bassoon.

What about some help or suggestions for the problems stated before that?

Well, this thread has got so long I`ve almost forgotten what the original subject was, but RAJ, if your teacher won`t let you switch instruments, then he won`t let you, and that`s that. The one thing you could do is spend your own money to rent an oboe and then a bassoon on a short-term basis, try them at home (give them at least a month`s trial each) and see if you like one of them.

A bassoon is a hard instrument to master, despite what some of the other respondents have said, but once you do, you will have a much better chance of getting into groups, orchestras, etc., in later life, because of less competition. Maybe scholarships also, if you get good enough.

It is difficult to get used to, but if you really want to do it you can! just try if you want and see for yourself what youm think.

I currently play T. Sax, Piano, and Bassoon. I used to play alto sax, and then played cello so I could be in the orchestra, then when I got to our High School, I wanted to join the band, and the director made me choose between tuba or bassoon. I chose bassoon for sake of the intersting-ness of the parts, and how unusual it is. At first, I was half-hearted about it, but then I switeched teachers, and my new teacher motivated me to practice around 5 hrs a week. Most important to switching to any instrument is playing piano. That makes transposing, reading different clefs, and tuning a ton easier. For the sake of being seen in marching band and making more sound, I will be switching to tuba for marching band. Bassoon is an excellent choice, however, if you don`t have a good teacher, you wil have to end up working out all your kinks later on, pertaining not to fingering, but reed-making, sound, and versatility on the bassoon. If you do end up playing bassoon, find someone to teach you how to make your own reeds. Store-boughten reeds have a lousy sound, and new plastic reeds are worse. Keep in mind that bassoon is expensive, even if you arent going to buy an instrument. Getting the mechanisms re-oiled, buying reed tools, and other bassoon items will take a toll on your wallet. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions.

im currently in high school i have played the bassoon for about 1 year. and i found it to be really easy but depending on how u are i cant say, but its worth the shot its trully a great instrament

Well, I just got the bassoon about a week ago, and I`ve wanted to play it for around 1 year, and I`ve finally laid my hands on a borrowed bassoon, free for 1 year luckily, but I ended up taking it to the repair shop just now, a few minutes ago because I got a cleaning swab thing stuck... how retarded.

Anyways, since I switched from oboe to play bassoon, and I can play piano, clarinet, flute, oboe & now bassoon, it wasn`t that hard, but yes it is not an easy instrument at all. Keep in mind that the bassoon is EXTREMELY expensive, not just the bassoon itself, costs a couple thousands on most cases, there`s some for even 10, 100 thousands, yeah pretty scary. Well the reeds are expensive as well, I got a Jones reed for $16 CAN, $18 with tax. AND, it split in a few days and my teacher said it was a very poor and expensive reed for no good reason. Well she did suggest that I should make reeds myself after a few years of bassoon, and that`d save me money.

The bassoon rocks!There
`s not many of us,but it makes that much cooler.Persistence&practice.Oh & sometimes its hard to get good info. on bassoons from directors.

hey yall! i play the bassoon and i think it rox! not many people play the bassoon and some people hav never even heard of it! but it can get u a good scholarship AND its fun AND if u like 2 be different than everybody else, this is ur kind of instrument. lol! its not that hard once u get used 2 it. thats all i gots 2 say! bbi

So Ive played for almost 4 years and yeah, its pretty hard, but its the most fun instrument ever!!!! I would never play anything else. It`s also really versitile, with over a three octave range.