Author: cjwright
Date: 2015-02-05 13:02
I recognize you're mostly speaking in the realm of community orchestras, but I thought I'd give you my 2 cents.
First of all, I play all of the time in my professional orchestra (60-70 concerts a season) with the tuner on. It's not for me to point to one person and tell them they are flat or sharp, but for me to keep a general gauge to keep track of where the other sections are going (usually sharp) and by how much. I use this information to know just how far I need to go, and in reed preparation. For example, i know the performance hall is generally very cold (strong AC) and very dry humidity so when I make reeds at home, they have to be slightly sharp and open to compensate for the differences in climate).
In terms of exactly at the same pitch as the previous day, I'd say its not important to get exactly the same pitch as you were the previous day but to get it exactly in tune immediately with the flute (faster than the previous day), and I should be able to tell where the flute is in pitch assuming that note is not the first note of the concert, and using the tuner will give me a very good sense of where the flute is going to be so I can match that. This is particularly an issue in a very quiet situation (where flutes notoriously go flat) or in a very loud situation particularly in the lower register where flutes tend to force and consequentially go very sharp. I would also say that my reedmaking is extremely consistent to the point that I can play at virtually the same pitch on almost every note if need be, despite changing factors around me. This is demanded of me by our principal conductor and principal guest conductors, who have come to rely on me for pitch stability, particularly because I do not rotate. I will only say something like, "Hey can we bring the pitch down there?" if it's really unreasonably sharp.
Again, I realize I play in a very different situation (4 hour rehearsals M-TH, 1.5hr rehearsals Fr and Sat before our 2hr concerts), and with different players (every section has a co-principal but our oboe section, so I'm always playing with two different bassoon, clarinet, and flute principals).
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
Post Edited (2015-02-05 13:09)
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