All The Oboe Tips You'll Ever Need.
Choosing your first oboe can be a minefield. There are so many choices of instrument out there. So follow my oboe tips and you won't make a costly mistake. Where should you begin? Oboes vary in price and are made either from wood or plastic. Beginner Oboes Beginner oboes are designed as a temporary, basic oboe. They are typically very simplified, stripped-down oboes, usually without the complicated keywork of more expensive models. Their costs range from $1,000-$1,500 new (£700-£1300), and $300-500 (£400-£900) as a used instrument.
Buying a used Oboe is also an option. But here you have to be very careful that the oboe is in good working order. Many times the oboe isn't in playing shape or is "barely" playable. There's nothing like a badly adjusted or leaking oboe to dampen a beginner's enthusiasm for the instrument, since all problems will be blamed on the player rather than the instrument. Your best bet when buying a used oboe is to buy from a reputable shop that has its own repair shop. Then you can be fairly sure that the instrument will have been set up and tested before you purchase and of course if you have any problems you can bring it right back again.
Intermediate oboes are designed for the serious student and developing player. They are often what we would call modified conservatory, which is to say that they have all essential key work. Costs range from $2,500-$4,000 (£2000) new and $1,800-$3,000 (£1000) recently used. These oboes may be plastic or wood. They will usually serve the oboist very well until they need a professional instrument.
These oboes are made of wood and are made with silver keywork usually. Sometimes you get variations in the wood (rosewood for instance) and you may even get gold keywork on some! Current prices for these oboes range from $5,000-$7,000 (£3000-£6000) for a standard grenadilla wood oboe with silver-plated keys. Listen here to one of the most sublime pieces of music for the oboe...
First of all what does "conservatory" system mean? It sounds complicated but actually it just means that the keywork of the oboe is based on a standard set of fingerings. So a Simplified Conservatory System is usually found on beginner oboes which lack certain keys. A Modified Full Conservatory System is usually missing a few of the extra keys found on professional oboes but has all the essential keys. Full Conservatory System actually can mean any number of keys but should mean that all the necessary keys are there. What differs is that each manufacturer may include different variations of keys depending on their own oboe designs.
Like many woodwind instruments oboes are manufactured in wood and plastic. Obviously plastic instruments are cheaper but they have come a long way over the years and shouldn't be seen as a poor-man's alternative to the wooden oboe. Here is a list of the pros and cons of wood and plastic: Wood Pros – sound quality Cons – requires more care . must be played-in before it will sound it's best . can/will crack . sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity . Only lasts for about 3-6 years after which it will be past it's best.
Plastic Pros – durability. does not crack . longer life . no playing-in necessary . can better withstand harsher playing environments. (If you're going to playing in a band outside then plastic is really the only option!) . reacts less to moisture and temperature changes Cons – The sound of a plastic oboe is not as endearing as a wooden oboe
I have borrowed heavily from the Covey Oboes site, check it out here for a more in-depth view of the oboe
Many oboists begin by buying their reeds from an oboe reed maker. This is OK to begin with but soon you will want to make your own reeds. What you need in a reed is unique and depends upon you, your personality and the way you play. There is no “best” or “right” reed for everyone, no matter who you are. There are a few qualities that MUST be present in a reed, no matter whose it is or where you get it. A good, functioning reed of any kind RESPONDS and is STABLE. Which means it behaves in a flexible way and doesn't change all the time! Reeds cost from $15 (£15) each. Which is why students soon start to make their own!
Moisture left in the oboe after playing will cause pads to deteriorate. So swab the inside of the oboe after playing and use a cloth to wipe off moisture and finger marks. Blow moisture out of the reed (by blowing down the reed from the wrong end) and put it in a reed case so that it can dry out. If the pads are sticky place a clean cloth (or dollar bill) under the pad, close the key, and pull the cloth through.
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