Alright, so I’ve been playing Clarinet since I began band in the 5th grade. I love clarinet, don’t get me wrong, but I was one of those people who “finger learned” to play it (Meaning I learned when to finger the right fingering and not the actual notes). Now, being in the 9th grade, It’s become increasingly hard for me to play my Clarinet (I’m not HORRID at it, but I’m not the best player either.) So, my teacher suggested that I switched instruments. He suggested maybe Saxophone or Bari. Sax, and I considered playing the Bari. Sax for a while… but then during our instrument step up sale recently, I found and tested an Oboe. I immediately fell in love with it, and according to a Bassoon player who had heard Oboe playing before, I “wasn’t half bad”. So, now, I suggested it to my teacher, and he said that I’d half to work amazingly hard to become good at it.

I REALLY want to play Oboe but the fingerings are different, and I’m concerned that I’ll be really bad.

So, what should I do?

I would first answer, “Learn to read music!” From the sound of it this student is switching because he/she has “finger learned”. What’s going to change if the kiddo switches instruments? Hmmm.