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Re: Looking for a good oboe

Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-07-28 11:17

"The (low Bb) vent *does* help with the pitch, but it also helps the Bb to better match the B in tone color."

The reason why the low Bb vent was added was because without it (and with the current length of bell employed which is about 4mm too long), the low Bb is flat.

Then you all say " Why not just shorten the bell?" This was done for a while when 440Hz became standard, but it made the E unstable so they reverted back to the older long bell (from the 435Hz era) and added the vent which only opens when the bell key closes so it only brings the low Bb up to pitch. And when it's closed it restores the full length of bell that helps stabilise the E. On pro Marigaux oboes, the bell vent opens for low B as well.

Similarly, the forked F vent remains closed on conservatoire system oboes to help stabilise the Bbs (xxo|xoo) and only opens for forked F (xxx|xox).

On PURE thumbplate systems (but not dual system as these are conservatoire system with an added thumbplate) the forked F vent remains open until RH finger 2 is closed - and on all d'amores and cors anglais it's open to help vent E as well, and only closed when RH 2 and 3 are closed together, as well as by the low C key to give the correct venting for high C#, D and Eb.

The F resonance key is mainly fitted to German spec oboes - it's a small tonehole about the same level as the forked F vent (but smaller in diameter and on the opposite side of the joint) and only opens with the cross F or LH F key (xxx|xxFo or xxx LHF|xxo).

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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