Kinda freaking out! I want to eventually play all of the double reed instruments, so this isn't a big deal, but I'm going to have to stop playing bassoon soon. I've been playing for 4 years, but I have to switch due to certain circumstances. I need to learn a smaller double reed instrument, preferably not oboe or English horn. Any ideas? I really want to continue with double reeds, though if I can't figure it out, I might end up trying piccolo. But please help me find another double reed instrument! Any help or comments are welcome!

Hmm. Sort of odd question.

Our friend wikipedia gives some pointers. Personally, I believe it is never wrong with contrabassoon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_reed

/Gunnar

I've been researching so many double reed instruments, but I'm curious as to whether there any are still relevant other than oboe, English horn, bassoon, and contrabassoon. I have a dream of playing contrabassoon but I need something smaller than bassoon.

"I need something smaller than bassoon".

Racket perhaps?
http://www.renwks.com/products/rackett/rackett.htm

Or bag pipes (they are double reeds as well) ?

Seriously though, there are only a few double reed instruments used in modern orchestras.

o The basson family has the bassoon and the double bassoon, and a new entrant the contra forte. There are smaller bassoons, as far as I know only used for smaller children learning to play: variously known as fagottino or quint-fagott or minifagott or tenoron (they are not quite the same, but sufficiently similar for this purpose).

o The oboe family has the oboe, the oboe d'amore, the english horn and the bass oboe. And of course the rare beasts on each side of the size spectrum Heckelphone vs piccolo oboe (both very rarely seen).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxj0OLftfFk
https://bandestration.com/tag/piccolo-oboe/

And that is about it for modern double reeds. And as we know, double reed means double trouble. The smaller the reed, the more trouble.

So, just maybe, single reed instead? Ever tried an alto sax? Or why not a bit of brass -- trombone as example?

/gunnar