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Re: So, is oboe really difficult?

Author: jhoyla
Date: 2008-07-23 08:15

All of the brass instruments are anchored to their fundamental note and its harmonics. The valves essentially change the length of the tube and thus the fundamental note, and all the harmonics change. The harmonics start far apart from each other, and then get closer and closer together as you get higher up the range of the instrument.
The brass player adjusts the size and shape of his mouth cavity, together with the tension etc. of his lips in/on the mouthpiece and selects valves to produce his desired harmonic - which is the note you hear.
On the French horn, the player also modifies the apparent length of his instrument with his left hand cupped gently inside the bell, to adjust tuning and/or tone minutely.
The major problem with the French horn is that the instrument is generally played in the range where the harmonics are extremely close together. This is why so many wrong notes are heard in the horn section of practically every orchestra in the world. The horn isn't difficult to play - it is difficult to play correctly.

On the other hand, the oboe must have been conceived as an instrument of torture and frustration! Played badly, it sounds coarse and brutal. Getting a decent sound takes years, the nicest sounding reeds are the shortest lived, the smallest leak can make it unplayable, it is ludicrously expensive and prone to cracking. Half your life is spent whittling tiny pieces of reed bark and it takes years (or a washing basket full of bad reeds) before you learn to make decent reeds.

Which of these two is more difficult? hard to say. Which is more frustrating? Oboe - no contest.

Which one has the most beautiful, ethereal sound in the world, a sound that pierces your very soul? Also no contest. Return that French horn to your local plumbing supplier and join us here - on Oboe.

J.

J.

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So, is oboe really difficult? new

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2008-07-22 19:46