Author: vboboe
Date: 2008-07-08 21:01
hey A.U.K. (alma mater country)
... based on my experience with an intermediate grenadila oboe, and from what others have said, i suspect it probably takes 12-18 months to blow in an oboe to the point it's settled down enough so it's reasonably stable and doesn't need much tweaking any more -- on the other hand, it certainly takes at least that long to somewhat stabilize a renewbie's chops
(1) Your under-performing A and possible water trap
Can't seem to repeat this one often enough -- if condensation level is up in the top joint, (read this next bit in CAPS) the top joint's not warm enough yet ! (end caps) -- and it gets warmer much faster if blow long tones in bottom half's lowest register first, then move up to HH leaps & drops, etc. -- important thing, establish a drip line down below before even daring to open either octave key, especially in cooler weather
If A always tends to collect condensation, check habitual playing angle and change that angle slightly & more frequently up, down & sideways -- higher angle increases pull of gravity so condensation will drip to the bottom side of the pipe more readily, whereas the 'snake charming moves' will help shake drops off -- these slow sinuous moves done during instrument's long-tone warmup period
After 20 minutes any reed is 'wetter' than it started and the characteristics of a 'wet' reed may produce unwelcome changes, especially ye average ordinary workaday reed -- immediately, change to a 'drier' reed (just wet enough to play), see if that improves things -- if it does -- rotate reeds regularly
(2) 2nd Octave Forked F weak and wooly
The important question is -- was forked F much better originally on this oboe?
If yes -- have you tested forked F with Eb down, and does that improve (brighten) it -- or does it change the pitch microtone to split semitone?
(use tuner, keep embouchure rock steady)
If no pitch changes, that's hopeful no oboe adjustment needed -- if yes, oboe might not need adjustment either, read on
When you play 'the zone' notes -- E, F, F# and G (both octaves) -- are they in tune, or out from each other, and are the octaves stable or significantly flat/sharp to each other and/or tone pitches are different relative to each other in different octaves? Must be able to hold a stable embouchure for this test
If wonky, it's much more likely * the reed * needs adjustment, and there may be some improvement to stuffy Forked F also when the reed's in better shape
You say the F can be wild -- is this reed 'wowwing' around pitch and very hard to stabilise? -- are you using a well blown-in reed? Have you got a used one you can rely on to give you a comparison to the newer one?
If the F is crazy on this particular reed, try to fix the reed, so it focuses F better (although suspect too much wood off in wrong place if F's this wonky)
(3) Can't budge screws
Seems like the oboe maker is trying to tell you something -- it worked beautifully 'as is' when it left the shop, so don't muck it abaht -- first, fix the reeds so they work properly in this particular oboe, might have to change one's reed-making style, or assumptions, to make that happen
(4) IF, as cjwright suggests, could be octave vents are gunked up, so soon with newish oboe?!? with such meticulous attention to detail gone into making this Royale instrument, is the owner being fastidiously meticulous about establishing pristine oral hygiene before blowing Royale? One has to be particularly wary of drinking any sticky beverage to slake one's thirst -- just drink fresh clean water while playing any instrument, go celebrate with hop flavored bubbly afterwards
Hope some of these ideas help
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