 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wan
Date: 2002-07-11 19:33
I have a beginer student asked me a question: "why the orchestra tune the oncert "A", not concert "C", or something else? Why does it come from the oboe, not from the concertmaster, or the clarinet?" After he asked, I was looking at him for few minutes silent....and nothing came to my mind. So guys, does any of you know about this commom question? Please advise. Thanks.
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Author: LaLa
Date: 2002-07-11 19:59
From what i understand we generally tune to A because in an orchestral setting the strings tune to an Open A... which i understand to refer to the pitch their strings vibrate at when no fingers are placed down. The oboe tunes because generally speaking it is the hardest of the instruments to tune. Interesting side note, The Boston Symphony for a time, not sure if they still do it this way, tuned to a box that gave a concert A because some string players complained about the oboe's A and he got fed up. :-)
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2002-07-12 01:53
I think it may also be because the oboe has one of the most projecting sounds which can blend well with the strings when they are tuning.
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Author: jblair
Date: 2002-07-12 02:31
I play both oboe and clarinet- I'm a clarinetist at heart ... but anyway. I have found the oboe reed adjusts easier than adjusting the embouchure of clarinet. You also cannot really adjust the "length" of oboe as you can a clarinet. My guess is oboe is more consistant. I am almost always in tune with tuner on oboe but my clarinet flucuates more with temperature.
Learning the oboe has made my clarinet embouchure more consistant.
Just my rambling thoughts.
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Author: LaLa
Date: 2002-07-12 04:44
The oboist was fed up with the string players complaining about his A...
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Author: Gnomon (Eoin McAuley)
Date: 2002-07-12 07:28
I've found that Youth Orchestra often use two tuning notes. They tune the strings to an A but all the brass and clarinets to a Bb.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-07-12 13:38
Back when I "fought" the oboe for our local symphony, I had a number of lessons on reed making. My quite expert, older teacher, advised the use of a tuning fork [A, 440 cps] while adjusting reeds, so that the orch received proper pitch, section-wise, reeds or brass, lastly strings. Oboes have very little "pitch-latitude". The exception is when a piano is used, the oboist takes his/hers pitch from it. In our concert community band, we usually tune to the solo clarinet, I have heard the solo oboist checking her pitch during the "warmup". "Where is your A today??" Its been a long time since I've had to adjust my bass cl's tuning neck!! Do what the conductor says!! Don
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Author: DLE
Date: 2002-07-12 14:17
I never really have gotten a definite answer to the above question - and (SORRY, BUT...) it seems no-one else above has either. The strings tune to the A, for their 'open' A string, from which they can judge the tuning of their other E, G, D etc. strings (Somehow). Anyhow, the oboeist (Sp) nowadays comes 'equipped' with an electronic tuner (I.e. All players in orchestra who are oboeists are expected to have one and to bring it along to rehearsals, not that they ever do), to which he/she is EXPECTED to be the tuner of the orchestra (So I have been told), though this all depends on his/her capability I suppose. Why not a Clarinet? - Because Clarinets vary too much in tone and tuning, and oboes do not as much, depepnding on the player. Flutes are in between, and if you ask me, Bassoons are by far the worst of the core woodwind instruments for variability of tuning.
That takes care of the orchestra, now what about wind bands...
Brass tune to a concert B-flat since it is the open C on the trumpet. Clarinets tune to a concert A or B-flat, depending on the general consensus.
Am out of time, otherwise I would explain more.
Happy Clarineting!
DLE. :-)
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-07-12 14:27
There's just something about A-440 that people find easy to tune to. (Personally I find it to be the most annoying note in the world.)
I've heard three reasons why it's oboes instead of other instruments:
1. Next to no effect from weather changes on tuning.
2. Not much tuning range.
3. slightly more difficult to tune.
Also, as a side note, the concert "A" gives trombone players a chance to tune their extensions and tubas a chance to tune their fourth valves. And it allows for an open note on French Horn.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-07-12 17:07
As a player of both the oboe and the clarinet, I've had a lot of fun with tuning notes. The A of the oboe is usually given as a tuning note in the orchestra because the strings like to tune their open A strings. In bands, the oboe often gives a Bb tuning note because the brass instruments like this tuning note, especially the trombones.
When making oboe reeds, I try to ensure that they are stable, meaning that the crow pitches don't vary when crowed with different levels of air pressure. A stable reed will, for me, generate a note very close to an A440 as well as an ok sound on my oboe. To make a reed for A442 on my oboe(Loree) would be next to impossible because this oboe wants to play in the ballpark of A440. With an unstable reed, all bets are off and pitches can be wildly different from what one wants, as much as a half tone off. One must be aware that a reed can change from stable to unstable during a rehearsal session, so one needs a good backup reed and/or a sharp knife.
I always have an electronic tuner on the stand when giving the tuning note, with a backup tuning fork in the oboe case if the batteries die. There are never arguments with the other persons over pitch. In a lot of orchestras, the players are tuned up ahead of time so the oboe A is just to give assurance that people are reasonably together before starting. Good luck.
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2002-07-12 18:00
Remember oboists have performed with orchestras historically for a longer time than clarinetists.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2002-07-12 19:45
I recall reading in a book of witticisms by and about Thomas Beecham that an oboist turned up at a researsal much the worse for wear after a night on the town and gave out a warbling tuning note. "Ladies and gentlemen," said Beecham to the orchestra, "take your pick.''
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Author: LaLa
Date: 2002-07-12 20:41
From what i understand strings are able to tune their other strings based on this open A because of chords. The E string is a 5th above the A. G is a 3rd above E, and D is a 5th above G, leaving A as the 5th above D. It's much easier to tune 5ths. If you can get a chord consisting of a tonic and the 5th above said tonic than the 3rd should resonate and be heard without actually playing it.
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Author: LaLa
Date: 2002-07-12 20:42
That is... this aforementioned chord of tonic and 5th must be perfectly in tune for the 3rd to resonate.
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2002-07-12 21:27
String players tune their open A to the oboe. Then, they play their [in-tune] A string at the same time as their [not yet tuned] D string and correct the D. Then they play the [tuned] D with the [untuned] G string and correct the G. Then, the violinists do the same with their E string and the violas and cellos tune their C strings. I'm not sure about the basses, they're tuned in fourths anyway.
Give the string players a break- its hard to tune 4 strings in 30 seconds or less with tons of other people tuning around you. When I play violin in an orchestra, I usually tune alone a little beforehand to my tuner's A. I only retune if the oboist's A disagrees with mine.
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2002-07-14 01:57
I play clarinet, oboe and viola. So yeah, the reason it's tuned to A is so that the stringed instruments can tune to that (On a violin and bass, the strings are EADG (bass is GDAE), viola and cello are ADGC) After tuning the A, any other string can be tuned using that as a reference.
I too have found that it is easier to tune an oboe than a clarinet, as with an oboe a simple readjustment of your embouchure can alter the pitch, where on a clarinet you must adjust the length of the instrument. The oboe has a more consistant and, also, a more prominent sound. You can always hear an oboe (it sounds like a dying cat! :D)
So yeah, that's my take on it.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-07-14 06:18
You can tune a clarinet, but can you tuna fish?
Tuna fish. Get it? Tuna fish...
Sorry - that's the best I can do at this late hour...GBK (putting his head back into Baermann III)
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Author: IHL
Date: 2002-07-14 09:46
you can, if you freeze it and hang it from a rail. Sort of like a tubular bells made of herring.
anyway....
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Author: Ed
Date: 2002-07-15 16:12
Some of my thoughts on tuning- I think that it is important to note as someone above did, that historically, the oboe has been in the orchestra longer. While i realize that many people say that the oboe does not have the flexibility, I am always amazed at how far they can bend pitch. On a clarinet you can bring it down some before losing it, but there is not much room to bring it up.
I get frustrated with hearing oboists tune to a "false A". By that I mean, you hear them bring it down to match the tuner at 440 and then when the orchestra begins to play, the player is up at 442. Lastly, since most if not all ensembles tune to a player who is using a tuner to set their pitch, I don't think it matters who plays the tuning note. Since the box is setting the pitch, it is only a matter of who is producing the sound.
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