Learning objectives - Bassoon

The bassoon is a large instrument, and students need to have reached a certain physical maturity to handle it. This is especially true for the hands, which need to be a minimum size. Typically, students need to be around 12-13 years old to start learning the bassoon. It's recommended that students intending to play the bassoon learn another instrument first to, among other things, become skilled at reading music.

More about bassoon studies

Level 1

Range: E – g

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 96, scales played in quarter notes
Scales

(Choose two out of four)		 G major, F major, E minor, chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic E – c

Works and exercises

Piece "Kvölda tekur" from Melodinord

(or a similar piece)
Practice Sludge Pump from 25 pieces,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: Length should be about 8 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 8 bars

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 8 bars

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Easy Winners
  • Melodinord
  • 25 Fun Moments for Bassoon

Level 2

Range: C – c’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 120, scales played in quarter notes
Scales

(Choose two out of four)		 G major, F major, B-flat major, E minor, A minor, Chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic c – c’

Works and exercises

Piece ,

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise No. 6 from Weissenborn op.8,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 12 bar blues, 1x melody line (e.g., original), 1x solo

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Weissenborn
  • Melodinord
  • 25 Fun Moments for Bassoon

Level 3

Range: C – c’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One or two octaves, within the given range
Tempo M.M = 80, scales played in eighth notes
Scales G major, F major, B-flat major, C major, E minor, A minor, G minor, D minor, Chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic F – f’

Works and exercises

Piece ,

(or a similar piece)
Practice ,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 16 bars, range over an octave.

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 16 bars, range over an octave.

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Weissenborn
  • 25 Fun Moments for Bassoon

Level 4

Range: ,Bes – g’

Basic exam

All scales in one file

Scales

Range From root note up to the highest triad tone and back to root note
Tempo M.M = 96, scales played in eighth notes
Scales G major, F major, B-flat major, C major, D major, E minor, A minor, G minor, D minor, B minor, Chromatic

(all minors are melodic)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic ,Bes – g’

Works and exercises

Piece Gavotte by Gossec, No. 25 from Vi Spelar 4 (We Play Vol. 4)

Serenade by Haydn,

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise No. 45 Garibaldi,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 16 bars, range over an octave.

  3. Play a piece of your choice, of similar difficulty to other exam pieces

    Length should be about 16 bars, range over an octave.

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before