 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-07-04 15:25
Hi,
It seems my octave G slur to D is hesitating.
I have a Philadelphia Facilitator - and I haven't had problems in the past. Problem is consistent somewhat across all my reeds.
I have readjusted the facilitator key - a little tighter and looser - no great changes - although tighter seemed better. I examined the C and D ---> E adjustment screws too - did not make any major adjustments there.
Of course with more air and a firmer embouchure - the problem is somewhat manageable; however, it should really slur up with ease.
If I play the scale up top the D - it sings beautifully ..... it is just the G to D slur. Of course if I lift my first finger completely off the B key - it slurs well - but I don't like the timbre at all. And yes, I am sliding my finger off the half hole cleanly and efficiently.
How should I systematically approach the adjustment problem?
Mark
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-04 17:14
On the low C key touchpiece arm there are two screws - the outermost one (nearest RH3) is the Philadelphia D adjustment and the one mounted directly on the arm controls the venting of the RH2 fingerplate, so this is the one to adjust to help top C# and D.
Set this up so when the low C key is fully closed, there's still a tiny amount of movement in the RH2 fingerplate - much less than half a millimetre, but neither fully closing and see how you go from there.
Also try screwing down the LH1 fingerplate so it too almost closes and see if that helps - but this is usually done when lifting LH1 off instead of rolling or sliding down.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2011-07-04 17:33
From a reed perspective you can try making a reed slightly more stable. Leave a little more in the spine, and a bit more in the very back while making the thinnest part of your windows just below the heart. When you start scraping the back, play it and see if that slur is stable. Then slowly start taking more out of the windows, until you feel it loosenin just a hair, and stop.
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-07-04 17:49
Howard,
The slur always works if I lift the B key to get the D to speak; however, that is bad form!
Mark
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-07-04 17:59
Chris,
Thanks so much ............. I lossened the adjustmetn screw on the C key ever so little ............and voila - the G ---> D slurs easier now.
Thanks - I had a feeling it had to do with the RH2 fingerplate - but I was sure how to approach it.
Kind regards,
Mark
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-04 18:28
Lifting, rolling or sliding LH1 are all standard practice - depending on what you're taught or what works best. If anything, sliding LH1 down is considered 'bad form' as that may not be as reliable as rolling LH1 down particularly due to perspiration.
Normally when the LH1 fingerplate is screwed down almost closed, the left index finger is lifted. On cors, d'amores and bass oboes where the split plate has an adjustment to control the closure of the pad, the lower plate is screwed down so it barely moves so the left index finger can be lifted off completely.
With the LH1 fingerplate opening fully, the left index finger is either rolled down or slid down to uncover the aperture. On cors, d'amores and bass oboes where the split plate fully opens, that means rolling onto the lower plate and allowing the upper plate to open.
On fully automatic instruments (oboes, d'amores and cors) where the LH1 fingerplate is linked to and lowered by LH3, you can lift off or roll/slide down depending on how much opening the LH1 plate has (which is adjustable and controlled by the closure of LH3).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-07-04 18:36
Hi,
Please don't misunderstand my post.
I am saying that to lift the finger up and off the B key to get the octave D to speak is bad form.
I am not commenting on the rolling or sliding the first finger.
I have been taught to slide the finger from the half hole as too completely ensure the half hole is uncovered as well as to ensure that the hand position does not twist to accommodate the rolling of the finger.
I realize that there are two schools of thought here.
Mark
PS: My first teacher was a roller .............. it didn't really work well for me.
Off to a 4th of July BBQ!!!!! ......
Post Edited (2011-07-04 18:37)
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2011-07-05 06:22
I think by B key you meant LH 1, haha! I thought you meant LOW B key. I actually know some people who finger low B for either G or D all the time. Anyways glad you solved your problem and happy belated July 4th to all my American friends!
Howard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-06 17:27
I see - I thought you meant 'bad form' as in bad technique.
Depending on how your LH1 fingerplate is set up (amount of venting) or the size of the diamond aperture in it, that can affect the reliability of top C# and D as can the amount of closure on RH2 with the low C key closed.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-07-06 20:17
Chris,
In a previous post I mentioned how I had my diamond hole adjusted - actually with wax - to facilitate the thrid octave Eb to speak better ............ As my repair person mentioned - to rob from the D to give to the Eb.
It worked very well indeed!
Mark
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-06 21:19
And with having the top fingerplate aperture waxed in, you can adjust the amount of wax filling in the aperture and the size of the hole through the middle by melting it with a hot needle until it's right.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2011-07-07 02:36
Chris, what kind of wax stays the best for this kind of job? For years i would have to re-wax countless times (because the aperture changes through time, probably because of the heat we get here in Malaysia) and get a slightly different result every single time due to doubt. I have asked quite a few people for a slightly more permanent solution but not one has been able to give me an answer....
Howard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-07 04:19
Beeswax is fine for cooler climates, but you should use a much harder wax like the stuff used by jewellers for lost wax castings, or even shellac as these can be adjusted with a heated needle and they stay put once cooled down.
The disadvantage of using a harder wax is they require more heat to make them stick to the metal, so the fingerplate may need heating up but do make sure the pad doesn't shift when this is being done.
Another thing you could do is glue a piece of nylon or similar low density plastic rod or monofilament into the aperture and melt a hole through it with a hot needle (or have it pre-drilled so the hole is central), but this isn't as easy to adjust as wax is but it won't change due to temperature like wax can.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2011-07-07 15:03
Chris, just to make sure;
Your suggestion is to drill or ream out the diamond-shaped base of the well in the LH1 half-hole key, and then fill it with wax? Then use a hot needle to adjust?
The reason I ask is that my C# sounds pretty fuzzy and I would love to be able to experiment with the half-hole, which I am sure is the problem. Specialist oboe repair people are hard to come by, where I live.
J.
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-07-07 15:45
Hi,
Contact RDGWoodwinds ...............
or Kristin Bertrand - if you have a Marigaux Oboe.
She did my work.
Mark
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2011-07-07 15:49
good question J, mine is always waxed at the top of the hole. J, i can assure you that it will take away the fuzziness but sometimes i also experience noisy attacks around the same notes (c#-d#) AFTER waxing that perhaps could have been done better.
Post Edited (2011-07-07 15:49)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-07 15:50
Don't drill out the diamond!
Just fill in the aperture with wax right to the top (applied with a hot needle) and then use a hot needle to melt through. Then check and adjust the newly made aperture until your top C# and D are better (along with adjusting the venting of LH1 with the adjusting screw).
The wax is effectively narrowing and lengthening the aperture and as it's wax it can be adjusted easily, added to or removed which is the good thing about it.
On some instruments (usually student thumbplate system oboes) I've pushed wax right down so it fills in the diamond and then made a 1mm hole through the centre of it so the aperture still had the full depth but there was now a circular hole at the base instead of a diamond.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2011-07-07 19:27
yes, but ..
I think the diamond on my instrument is too narrow. The fuzziness clears up when I lift LH1, but is way too sharp.
J.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-07 21:05
Drill through the centre of the diamond with a 1mm drill and see if that helps. If you do make the aperture any larger, you can always fill it back in with wax.
The problem with a diamond aperture is that it's never an exact size from instrument to instrument depending on how cleanly the diamond shape has been formed, but a circular hole is an easier thing to determine as drill bits are all made to specific diameters.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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