Best Beginner Oboe Music (Sheet Music and Book Guide)
If you are in the first year of learning to play the oboe, or have a student who is, this is the beginner oboe music I recommend.
Table of Contents
Technique Books
The first order of business is learning the basics. The first year will include fingerings, embouchure, breathing, instrument assembly, reed care, and more. Unless the student is transitioning from another instrument, beginner oboe music will need to cover notes, rhythms, key signatures, and basic music theory.
Rubank Elementary Method
This is my go-to book for beginner oboists of all ages and the very first book I recommend. Becasue of the pacing, it is great for both younger students and adults learning the oboe for the first time.
Additionally, there is a fingering chart included in the beginning of the book.
Pars Scales for Oboe
What I love about this scale method book is that the scales are tonic to tonic. While scale books that offer “full range” can be an incredible technique builder later, I find this can be ovewhelming for the beginning oboist.
Each chapter provides a new scale and builds progressivly. The scale is listed at the beginning, with additional exercises in each key.
Oboe Art and Method
This book by Martin Schuring is a must-have for all oboe students. While the information is in-depth and covers all aspects of the oboe, it incredibly helpful to read right away.
Included is information on breathing, embochure, oboe technique, reed selection, reed adjusting, reed making, instrument selection, and more.
Duets
Duets are one of my favorite ways to work with beginning oboists of all ages. They provide a comfortable learning enviroment with the security of another instrument. Beginning oboe duets also help the student learn ensemble and listening skills.
Christmas Duet Fun Book for Oboe
A classic for the holidays, this book offers really easy, familiar holiday pieces in duet format that can be played with another oboe or any treble-clef instrument. Enjoyable in lessons, these duets can also be used for fmaily gatherings or as sight-readable music for intermediate students playing gigs.
Beginning Band Fun
What I love about this duet book is how easy the melodies are. This is by far the easiest duet book to start with. The melodies are familiar, the manuscript is extra large, and the book has dozens of songs to work with.
Solo Music
After the beginning oboist has spent some time learning the basics, they can move onto some solo music. Solo repertoire is the next step with beginner oboe music and will challenge them to play on their own, learn phrasing and musicality, and build more endurance.
Concert and Contest Collection
This collection is often used for solo contests. However, it is also a great collection of easy pieces that can be a nice introduction to solo repertoire. The piano accompaniment book can be purchased seperately for students who have the opportunity to play with a piano. I recommend this book if the student is ready to progress past show tunes and familiar melodies.
First 50 Songs You should Play on Oboe
This book can proceed the Concert and Contest Collection as an oboists first solo book. It has a wide range of songs that is sure to include something familiar to everyone. The melodies are very approachable and the familiarity of the tunes will make learning the music easier, while providing something that is fun to play!
Disney Solos
These books offer a fun challenge to the beginning oboist who is ready to move onto some solo music, but maybe isn’t interested in the classics, and/or just loves Disney tunes! These beginning oboe music books are also great for students who needs more stimulation in the practice room. The Play Along audio helps build ensemble and listenting skills and keeps things interesting.
Disney Solos for Oboe: Play Along with a Full Sympony Orchestra
This book has 12 familiar Disney pieces and comes with orchestral accompaniment. The easiest of the these books, this book ranges from 0-3 flats. Online audio is available via the link in the Amazon description and in the first page of the book.
Disney Movie Hits for Oboe: Play Along with a Full Symphony Orchestra!
This is an intermediate 12-collection play-along with symphony orchestra. Some of the pieces have up to 5 flats with more complex rhythms. Preview available on Amazon and Audio Access included in the book.
Disney Greats for Oboe
This collection has 15 Disney pieces and comes with Audio Accompianment. Some of the pieces in this book are very easy, while some offer more complex rhythms and key signatures. Preview available on amazon and Audio Acess included in the book.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beginner Oboe
What is the best beginner oboe?
The Fox Renard Model 333 Protege Oboe is the best choice for players just getting started on the oboe. It has a high-quality plastic resin body and won't crack. The Fox oboes are easy to adjust and keep in good playing condition.
Is clarinet or oboe harder?
Both instruments have their challenges, but the oboe is arguably harder. Oboe reeds are very thin and can easily break. They also don't last as long as clarinet reeds. If you have a quality reed with an instrument in good working condition, it is relatively easy to get a sound out of either instrument.
Is the oboe the hardest instrument to play?
All instruments are difficult to learn. However, if a student chooses to progress to a professional level, they must learn to make their own oboe reeds. This part of the process is incredibly challenging and makes the instrument one of the more difficult ones to master.
