I'm just beginning to play oboe but don't have the money for private les

Question:Would it be impossible to do well and keep up with the rest of my high school band without a private teacher to assist me?
My family really doesn't have the money for a private teacher but I really want to play.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Would it be impossible to do well and keep up with the rest of my high school band without a private teacher to assist me?
My family really doesn't have the money for a private teacher but I really want to play.

You don't necessarily need a private teacher to excel at oboe. Do you play any other instruments such as clarinet? If so, some of the oboe fingerings are similar and so you don't have to start all over. One thing that would be very helpful to you is to buy the book Essential Elements 2000 (or whatever other technique book your high school band uses) and go over the fingers for the notes one by one. Just take it slow, listen to your pitches as you produce them; and dedicate yourself. Oboe can be frustrating at first because the double reed is very different from a single reed. If you have a piano at home you can check your pitches of notes as you learn the fingerings. As long as you practice and apply yourself, you can do it! Perhaps even your band director would let you sit beside the flute and clarinet section as you play...the notes they play will often match oboe notes. Good luck with your progress!

you can do fine without a private teacher. i started playing this year the cello, and im really good at it! i dont have a private teacher either. you can teach yourself! DONT GIVE UP!!!!

totally, you learn as you go

I played the oboe in my school band 2 years ago. since i was the only oboe player at my school the teacher didn't have time to teach me. i actually enjoyed learning it all by myself. i regret quiting band the next year because i couldn't afford to by it, so don't give up and try your best. i'm sure you will do well, i wish i could do it again but it's to late, so stick in there and work thing out.

Put an add on Craigslist.com. Either under the "For Sale" or the "Services" sections. Don't do it on both or they'll reject your add.
It's a free service for everyone.
-First: Go to www.craigslist.com.
-Second: Chose the State and the City you want. And, if you're in another country other than USA, you could also chose the country of your choice.
-Then:
-On the "For Sale" there's a section "Free", put the add there "Offering to trade something for free lessons", it could be another service or something you want to get rid of.
Then in the "Services" there's a section "Lessons", and do the same thing I mentioned before.
-Make a Catch with the Title... Trade or Free or something like that...
-Inside the add explain First your intentions. Then your problem about not having money but that you need the lessons.
-Don't write a huge story. Just good and to the point. Something people would read and be interested in.

-(I hope it works for you and wish you all the luck in the world. Keep making music!)-

surely your band instuctor could assign you some excercises
and listen to you for 5 min a week.

play plenty of scales and arpeggios in all the different keys

I'll tell you the same answer I gave you the last time you asked this question.

You can most definitely keep up yourself if you're willing to practice. Ask your band director if they have any method books for you to borrow, or, ask for method book suggestions. Visit your local music shop and buy a good oboe method book. Practice out of it daily! Once you complete the method book and you feel comfortable, find a beginner's etude book and work through that.

Do you have another oboist in the group? Ask if you can practice with them once a week.

With daily practice, you'll be fine.