 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2010-04-09 11:06
Hi,
Question - How do different players evaluate the Oboe sound?
I am not looking for a subjective response -
rather, what objective criteria do you use to evaluate the sound production?
What makes an Oboe special to you? What are the dimensions - characteristics of the sound .............. etc.
Mark
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Author: RobinDesHautbois
Date: 2010-05-28 10:10
Along with Peter Hurd (www.oboes.us), I like almost all the sounds that can come from the instrument. That being said, I still have a predilection for John Aberger's Classical and Baroque oboes. I like the "goosey" and rich/mellow sounds that come from them and I've come to approximate them with wider shapes and European binding & scraping techniques.
Criteria for "good" vs "bad" are first and foremost tuning (!!!), then stability of the notes. Notes can sound differently, but there's a "center" to them and poor instruments and/or poor reeds will get many notes to either "wobble" or simply sound "soggy".... sorry for the difficult adjectives, when you hear it, you understand!
But depending on the repertoire and the other instruments in the group, bright, dark, buzzy, mellow or even harsh - all sounds can be perfectly appropriate and each has its place. It's about how everything blends.
Robin Tropper
M.A.Sc., B.Mus., B.Ed.
http://RobinDesHautbois.blogspot.ca/music
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2010-05-28 17:02
Robin,
I agree with your assessment that a sound that is closer to the Baroque
has certain attributes which I find appealing - fullness, mellowness, roundness, warmth - without an edge.
I feel that certain makes of instruments come closer to this ideal than others.
What make Oboe do you play?
Mark
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Author: RobinDesHautbois
Date: 2010-05-28 20:53
Oh, that question hits the nail right on the head!
I play two instruments: a 1985 Loree (full-professional standard bore) and a 1921 Pan-American (student model). The Loree has a clearer tone that tends to the buzz but it is sooooo easy to blow. The Pan-American sounds lovely, but it's an extinct student model.... don't go there! My Loree is being revoiced right now: I don't know if the tone colour will change.
Best for you is to read the comments on www.oboes.us (Peter Hurd's website). My prof used to play a Marigaux and he sounded great.
Also, reeds are extremely important. What I do is concentrate on the sides tapering very thin and the heart blending in well to the tip. NEVER any hump or bump in the heart and "I don't do windows".
But this is a HUGE can of worms to open. So best you get more advice from more experienced oboists you can actually see in person and take years perfecting your reeds.
If you don't make reeds yourself, might I recommend
http://www.le-roseau.ca/index_en.php?noneu=1
Best of luck!
Robin Tropper
M.A.Sc., B.Mus., B.Ed.
http://RobinDesHautbois.blogspot.ca/music
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2010-05-28 21:06
Robin,
I play a Marigaux 901. I feel it has more of those Baroque characteristics: warmth and fluidity and radiance.
Mark
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2010-05-29 11:07
Robin, do you mean you make a long scrape reed? When you say using "wider shapes and European binding & scraping techniques", what are those specifically? Some time ago, i experimented with a long scrape that seemed to be something like how you described, but could never get a working higher register (which sagged terribly). Do you still overlap your reeds?
Regards,
Howard
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