Doublereed Archive - Posting 000033.txt from 2004/12

From: "Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [DR-L] Left thumb position on oboe
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 16:12:16 -0500


<<<I am curious how other oboists position the left thumb while
playing.>>>

The technique you described as the one you have been using sounds to me
like the most workable approach.

Oboists who formerly played the clarinet often have less of a problem
with this. On the clarinet, one becomes accustomed to the technique of
operating the register key while keeping the thumb in place on the thumb
hole. A similar approach tends to work well on the oboe.

I have heard John Mack say, "The thumb should always remain on the
wood." (I guess that could also be, "on the plastic.") And, I'm sure
he didn't mean moving from one place to another on the wood, but rather
remaining in the "clarinet-like" position I described above.

There is one advantage to keeping the thumb completely off the oboe when
not using the octave key, and that is that students can't press down
hard with the fingers if the thumb isn't on the back of the instrument
to counterbalance that force. Thus, occasional playing in that way can
promote relaxation of the hand.

In any event, I feel that the one technique that must be avoided is to
place the thumb somewhere on the wood, not necessarily near the octave
key, and then to pick it up and move it to the octave key when needed.
Unfortunately, this is the way many students learn to play, and it is a
very difficult habit to break.

Ed Lacy
University of Evansville

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