 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: ceri
Date: 2010-01-14 21:00
I have read in various places that on thumbplate oboes the C sounds better (is less hollow) than on conservatoire oboes. Is this true? And if it is true, why is it the case? Whether you release the thumbplate or use your right-hand index finger, the same key opens so surely the tone ought to be the same.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-01-14 21:56
Closing RH1 is the difference - it should in theory add resonance to the C, though it does make the C much brighter in practice - brighter than the thumbplate fingering with all the keys open below it (apart from the G#).
For those with conservatoire system instruments, you can hear the difference if you play C in the normal way (xoo|xoo) and then play C by fingering B and holding the upper part of the linkage on the top joint down to get the C with the thumbplate venting (with RH1 is open).
And for those with thumbplate and dual system instruments, play C (with the thumb off the thumbplate) and open and close RH1 to hear the difference in tone quality of the C.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: ceri
Date: 2010-01-15 07:35
Thanks Chris, that makes sense.
The C on my oboe tends to be sharp so I usually cover at least partially the right-hand 4th finger hole which also makes it less bright.
The reason I asked is that I want to replace my oboe and am wondering whether to opt for a dual system one. My oboe is conservatoire only and my cor anglais thumb plate only so in theory I am used to both fingerings. I find the thumbplate on the cor anglais comfortable because it makes the instrument that much wider and requires less movement to open the 1st octave key. However, I tried a dual system oboe about a month ago and found it very hard to adapt to because when I play I the oboe in fast passages I don't have my thumb resting against the oboe and so I kept leaving the thumb key open by mistake. I also found the third octave key awkwardly (and uncomfortably) placed. My conclusion was that if I did buy a dual system it would take me considerable time and effort to get used to it. On the other hand it did have a distinctly nicer C than any of the other conservatoire systems oboes I have tried over the past few months.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-01-15 08:59
If you went for a dual system I think you'd adapt to it fairly quickly. When I returned to oboe playing after around a 10 year gap I bought a dual system Yamaha 821TP, but had previously played thumbplate system (as most beginner oboes in the UK are thumbplate systems).
As this Yamaha was a dual system which was done by Yamaha adding a crude thumbplate (and the 3rd 8ve key was still in the conservatoire position - this was in 1998 and they have redesigned it since), the thumbplate fingerings for Bb and C were on the sharp side - especially the Bb as it hadn't been tuned for thumbplate fingerings.
So to train myself off thumbplate fingerings and to play using conservatoire system fingerings as the main ones I took the thumbplate off so I could only get Bb and C with the conservatoire fingerings. Then put the thumbplate back on as it felt more comfortable (exactly the same reasons you mentioned) and now only use thumbplate fingerings for Bb and C in arpeggios (eg. F major and G minor).
The 3rd 8ve key is set off to the left of the thumbplate and set very close to the joint surface so you have to move across to operate it. If it was set so the touchpiece was higher (level with the thumbplate) then you'd have to hold your left thumb in a position so it doesn't accidentally touch the 3rd 8ve key - so the cork on the underside of the thumbplate and 1st 8ve key should be thick to increase their heights, and the 3rd 8ve set as low as possible (almost against the joint surface) and out the way so you can't accidentally open it. You can have a 3rd 8ve touch set to the right of the thumbplate, but that's more difficult to make due to the position of the thumbplate pillars and key arm, but it is possible.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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