I have been playing trumpet since fourth grade, and I am really good and advanced for my age. I have been considering changing to bassoon, and I was wondering what changes it would be and the difficulty of changing. Like for example, I know that the ambrachure would be different, and the clef is different. I also play piano so I can read bass clef. Any advice?

'Any advice?'

If you want to try bassoon find an instrument that works, a real bassoon teacher (they can be hard to find)& go for it!

Thanks. I know a guy who plays the bassoon, so my friend is going to try and get in touch with him at school and see if he would even consider teaching me. I still am wanting to know about the changes in ambrachure, how hard the fingerings are, etc.

Naturally the embouchure will be completely different - you are holding something in your mouth rather than fitting against a mouthpiece. You can google bassoon embouchure and get several excellent articles which tell you how to form the embouchure. Get a fingering chart in the same way.

I played clarinet for two years and then my band teacher asked me if I wanted to switch to bassoon. I said yes and pretty much had to learn it myself. I learned the basics in about a month and now I have been playing for one year and I'm caught with my bandmates who have been playing their instruments for three years.

I would recomend you to switch. I taught myself quickly. I can still play my clarinet, so the switch for me wasn't really too hard.

go ahead and switch. The embrouchure will be looser than the trumpet. (I know this cuz I tried to play trumpet last summer in a beginning band, but couldn't make my embrouchure tight enough, and ended up playing baritone.)

switch! Not only will it be easier to get a college scholarship with it, but it's fun! Bassoon is not for those who give up easily, however. The fingerings are extremely difficult and make no sense at all. Did you know there are 9 thumb keys alone? Not to mention the rest of the keys...
Can you play a double reed? It is different than a single reed, and requires exquisite care. Lastly, can you truly afford it? This is the problem that most bassoonists have. Reeds run about $15-$20 dollars apiece, and bassoons cost thousands of dollars. Lastly, bocals average around $800 dollars if you wish to replace one. You should pursue bassoon, as it is definately rewarding, but keep in mind the difficulties.

oh, and erica-
That sounds risky. Most likely you have not developed proper tequnique...
It may be a good idea to get a private lesson soon to see if you are on track, and if you aren't, fix the problems before you get to far along. It is very common for somebody to attempt bassoon without a teacher, then end up with difficulties later on. Even one lesson will help, and act as a safety net for your future bassoon career.

I agree. It is important to get a teacher. You can be playing completely wrong and not even know it.

".... bocals average around $800 dollars"

That is a bit of an exageration - that is the cost of a top quality bocal (eg Heckel) not an average price. The prices for other brands suitable for student instruments will be much less.

Also the fingering is totally different from the trumpet - instead of having only 3 or 4 valves to operate you use all fingers & both thumbs - up to 9 for the left thumb!

really? $800 is an exageration?
Wow, that's nice to know... I must have been paying waaaaay to much for bocals all these years. Who knew?

Ever since being told that $800 was the average price by my teacher back in seventh grade, I have always assumed that was normal. Never even crossed my mind that he may have been joking...