Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2006-12-03 03:16
<< are B-flat / E-flat transposing instrument key positions any easier to play in more sharps with their key setups, relatively speaking, than playing 4, 5 or more flats on concert C oboe ?! >>
vb --
IMHO, oboe fingerings are easier than clarinet fingerings, especially in reference to the pinky keys (which are the keys under discussion here).
For one thing, the clarinet has FOUR (count 'em) right hand pinkies, and either three or four left hand pinkies (depending on whether your instrument has the left Eb or not). The standard-issue conservatoire oboe has just three for the right hand, and then four plus the G# key for the left hand. (Of course, some oboes just have two for the left hand, but we don't play on those, do we?)
I find navigating the right hand oboe key cluster to be definitely easier than the clarinet right hand. Left hand oboe cluster has it's challenges, but once you get the feel, is certainly not more difficult, and perhaps easier, than clarinet left hand. Oboe trill keys are also easier to deal with, IMO, than clarinet trills.
One of the big differences between oboe and clarinet fingerings is that the clarinet has alternate keys for just about everything -- two Bs, two Cs, two C#s, and sometimes even two Ebs. You really do have to master them all if you want to play smoothly in keys with lots of sharps or flats. There are times that I wish the oboe had this flexibility, but more often, I am glad that I DON'T have to deal with that anymore. I have small hands, and generally felt like I was "fighting" the clarinet -- it felt too big for me.
Just don't talk to me about the banana key. What's up with that, anyway? My teacher says she has used it possibly ONCE in her entire symphonic and chamber career. My weensy little fingers can't reach it.
Susan
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