 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: matt_lin18
Date: 2014-12-05 02:41
Attachment: IMG_4946.JPG (769k)
I received a sheet of piece music that I will be playing as a live audition the oboe position in the pit for the musical. The only section I'm playing for the audition is II. 23 in 2/4 time.
I'm a freshman in high school and started playing since I was 6th grade, it's more on the difficult side. The rhythm isn't too bad I've never played in the key of G flat before so I'll practice that. Also, what note what would be the double flatted E? I'm thinking it's a D, then slurring to a D flat in the second beat of the measure.
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Author: darryoboe
Date: 2014-12-05 09:20
Looks like an etude to me. That's not really a commonly used key.
Yes, you're exactly right - E double-flat is the same as D natural.
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2014-12-05 09:42
Learn it in G Major first to get the note values correct. The Ebb will become Eb.
Then learn the Gb Major original. Not an easy key for Oboe, especially as in bar 6 , you have an F before Eb and Db. The F is fingered as the 'fork' F. I assume you have an F vent. If not . you'll have to add the RH Eb key.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2014-12-05 09:43)
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Author: matt_lin18
Date: 2014-12-06 03:11
Thanks for your replies. I asked where the music was from and he said it was from a book full of sight reading music for a variety of instruments with varying difficulty levels. The fingers are super awkward but I can play the song at about 60 bpm after the first night practicing and I think the improvement was good.
Barry, why do you recommend that I learn the piece in G major first? Thanks for the tip before bar 16 as well, right now it's a complex maneuver from Ab, normal F, quickly switch to left F, while still playing the note, then to D natural.
Also, what tempo marking would Allegretto be? I see people say anywhere from 100 to 140. And at time, E flat is difficult note to get to speak and usually has an explosive attack. And if I slur from a note to E flat, the sound just stops when I finger E flat.
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Author: WoodwindOz
Date: 2014-12-06 04:41
Hi Matt,
Barry's reason for playing it in G major first is so that you are focusing on one concept at a time - getting rid of the complexity of fingering and having to remember flats in order to get the rhythm and dynamics going first.
It's actually a really good practice technique if you have complicated rhythms - choose a note (or an easy set of notes) and get the rhythm right first before adding the original notes back in, or playing the notes in order with no rhythm to get the finger changes right. I use this with all levels of students.
I think the reason for this excerpt is because a lot of pit music is written in wild keys like this. F#, C# major are unfortunately not uncommon in musicals. They want to know you can play in that key because there's a good chance it will turn up!
Rachel
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2014-12-06 07:36
Matt. I suggested that you practice it in G Major first to get the note values correct. Otherwise you'd be concentrating on the remote key of Gb as well as the note values. I assume that you realize that the notes remain on the same lines & spaces, just that you'd be practicing in the far more easier key of one sharp.. (The double E flat becomes Eb ) Then after you get the note values & rhythm correct you move onto to the far more difficult key of Gb. Also , it's measure 6 that I've noted that the 'fork' F must be used as it comes just before the Eb & Db. Not measure 16.
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Author: matt_lin18
Date: 2014-12-07 01:32
Thank you all for your advice! I was not aware that if I played this in G major, the notes would stay the same (except for the double flat E). My reed maker actually plays the same musical I'm auditioning for on Broadway so she has a lot of experience with it! She's sending me some excerpts of the sheet music tomorrow so that I may get a peek at the music. Thank you all again for your help!
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2014-12-07 12:00
Have someone take a look at your Eb and Db, make sure that you can hold down LH Eb and play Db without needing to raise your LH pinkie. I am a little concerned when you say that Eb is "explosive" - this sounds like an instrument adjustment issue.
In pieces like this, especially at speed, you can use your LH pinkie on both Ab and Eb at the same time :-) This works really well and simplifies fingering. Just watch intonation on your F naturals.
J.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-12-07 21:46
On some instruments with a forked F vent, the upper register forked F can still be further improved by keeping the Eb key held open as the forked F vent doesn't always do what it should.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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