Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-01-13 23:41
Claire, has your oboe got an added thumbplate or is it pure conservatoire system?
The problem is mostly due to the cold weather, and the best and simplest solution is to take the top joint off and shake it to dislodge water from the main action toneholes (when you have time during playing to do this, and also making sure you are holding it firmly as you shake it!), then close all the fingeplates with your left hand and the end of the tenon with any finger from your right hand and open each 8ve key while sucking and blowing into the top of the joint to remove the water from the 8ve keys. The run your pullthrough up the top joint to absorb any that gets in the bore.
Condensation is something we all will have trouble with, but deal with it as calmly as possible - and no noisy blowing into toneholes like clarinet players do!
On oboes with a thumbplate (both thumbplate and dual system), the Bb abd C toneholes are open standing, so shaking the water from these is easy. On conservatoire system oboes, you will have to hold the upper end of the rocker bar down against the body to open the Bb and C toneholes to clear them.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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