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 Re: Thumbplate C tone
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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 Topics Author  Date
 Thumbplate C tone  new
ceri 2010-01-14 21:00 
 Re: Thumbplate C tone  new
Chris P 2010-01-14 21:56 
 Re: Thumbplate C tone  new
ceri 2010-01-15 07:35 
 Re: Thumbplate C tone  new
Chris P 2010-01-15 08:59 


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