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Re: Exotic wood bells

Author: d-oboe
Date: 2006-02-07 13:46

The difference between those two players is not the wood....it's their bodies! Sherry Sylar and Richard Woodhams do not have the same body, and of course they don't have the same sound concept. (Nobody does - it can only be similar, not exactly the same)

Take your Rigoutat analogy - yes it's true that one player can sound bright, and another player dark, on the same oboe. But it's really not the oboe - it's the player's concept of sound, their physical makeup, and to an extent, the reeds.
Some players might argue that they hear a major difference when playing different oboes. However, if one did a double-blind test and played in front of a panel of professional oboists, that panel probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

I agree that the wood density has an effect on the oboe, no question - but it doesn't instantly change the "sound". (such an elusive term anyways) It changes (slightly) how the oboe functions. The difference is in the response, pitch and stability of the oboe. Some oboes have great response, yet aren't as stable. Some oboes are very stable (Howarths) but tend to be slightly less responsive. How does the wood choice come into play? Well, a softer wood combined with a tighter bore might yield great stability, whereas a harder wood and a wider bore might give great projection. So many variables!

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