I don't know if my band teacher will understand, but...?

Question:My band teacher (i'm in high school) gave us a list of scales to play for him last month, and we're supposed to go to him during lunch or afterschool to play them in front of him so he can check them off and we have to have them all finished by the end of this month.
the problem is, i did half of the 24 scales on my clarinet last month, and at the beginning of this month i switched to oboe (i'd asked a local music store to call us when they got an oboe and they called me so we borrowed it). i practiced my oboe over winter break and didn't touch my clarinet at all because i'd told my music teacher i would switch and i wanted to get better before school started.
i'd forgotten about the scales, and now i have a big problem because when i tried to play my clarinet today my oboe embouchure was established enough that i''d forgotten my clarinet embouchure and i couldn't play!
i'm not good enough at the oboe to play the rest of my scales on it but i've forgotten enough of the clarinet

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: My band teacher (i'm in high school) gave us a list of scales to play for him last month, and we're supposed to go to him during lunch or afterschool to play them in front of him so he can check them off and we have to have them all finished by the end of this month.
the problem is, i did half of the 24 scales on my clarinet last month, and at the beginning of this month i switched to oboe (i'd asked a local music store to call us when they got an oboe and they called me so we borrowed it). i practiced my oboe over winter break and didn't touch my clarinet at all because i'd told my music teacher i would switch and i wanted to get better before school started.
i'd forgotten about the scales, and now i have a big problem because when i tried to play my clarinet today my oboe embouchure was established enough that i''d forgotten my clarinet embouchure and i couldn't play!
i'm not good enough at the oboe to play the rest of my scales on it but i've forgotten enough of the clarinet

While the fingerings vary, the embouchures are completely separate from one another...? I played clarinet until eighth grade and then switched to oboe too. My private teacher would not let me play clarinet for marching band, in fear I would mix up the fingerings from the clarinet to the oboe, so future tense you need to pick one or the other to stick with.

However for the "now" you need to talk with your teacher right away (like before school tomorrow!!) and find out if he has any suggestions. It has infact been a short period of time since you were playing the clarinet, and you need to complete your commitments.
I would think that if you really know your scales/fingerings on clarinet, it might take a couple days of woodshedding, but you can do it- at least to make the grade. Then start the new semester with your oboe.

music teacher/ oboist

So, you talked enough to convince yourself that you cannot do either.
Not a very good projected outlook. Why would you forget the scales?
Come on, be a straight shooter. It sounds as though you are prone to excuses. It can be and most often is an insidious affliction.

"I can't walk backwards because it might effect my ability to walk forward." Work your tail off or accept the consequences and good luck. You have many years to switch and innovate. No one forced you to put aside the clarinet and take up the oboe, did they?

You haven't forgotten enough of the clarinet. It just means you need to practice to reawaken your muscle memory.
Secondly, I'm confused here---you said you were switching after Christmas break, but you pick up your clarinet after break. Did you switch, or not? Why are you playing scales on clarinet if you're playing oboe?

You "forgot" your clarinet embouchure because you didn't practice it while learning the oboe. To keep things separate, you must practice them both whether or not your main focus is a different instrument.

It sounds like you're pretty much screwed whether you talk to your band teacher or not, so what have you got to lose? I would personally be more forgiving of a new player on a new instrument AS LONG as the KNEW the fingerings of the scales, even if they couldn't get them to speak on the instrument.

if he's a musician he'll understand.
here's an idea. practice both.

That's the thing with playing two instruments...you have to practice both equally. I'm pretty sure you didn't forget most of what you learned on the clarinet...it's like riding a bike. You just changed your muscle memory and it's needs to be tweeked again. Be honest with your director and see what he has to say and is willing to do.