Thanks guys..some very useful comments there. My son is quite good on the oboe even without the practice, which makes it even harder for me to say "You'd be better if you practised more". I understand the reluctance to practise actually, as it's only in the last year or so that I've been doing any regular practice and I'm amazed at how much better I've become since I started doing it. But scales and arpeggios and playing the pieces you've had set isn't particularly fun. What I keep trying to get them to understand is that you can pick up your instrument to play, for enjoyment, at any time of the day and it is still practising. I'm hoping that Richard will join in some sessions this year and that that will encourage him to practise the sort of tunes that are are played (which is why I'm now practising). He played in a session at Bedworth and thoroughly enjoyed it..he was also pleased with himself because he managed to pick up a couple of the tunes he didn't know....and THAT's something that comes with practice too!

Love Lynne