The Oboe BBoard

The Oboe BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Re: Keys below low Eflat suddenly become a semitone sharper

Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-08 17:42

Check your forked F vent is closing along with RH finger 2. It will open fully when RH3 is closed, but is then closed by RH2 so you can get all the notes from Eb downwards. It's usually the cause of poor response of the low notes if it has gone out of adjustment.

Hold down RH3 and when opening and closing RH2, check the closure of the forked F vent pad with a feeler gauge. You may also see it moving very slightly if you hold down RH2 and open/close RH3. It shouldn't move at all.

But it definitely needs to be held closed by RH2 which a lot of general repairers miss as they may not know how it works and can see it's closed when RH3 is released (when there aren't any fingers closing the RH main action).

And it's also worth checking the closure of the F# vent (the small pad cup between RH fingers 1 and 2 right next to the RH C-D trill lever) as that will also compromise the response if it's not adjusted correctly - neither too light so anything below E won't respond nor too heavy preventing RH 2 and 3 closing.

If in doubt, go and see an oboe specialist repairer as they will have the right knowledge to deal with this part of the mechanism which often eludes some repairers and is one of the most common problems to plague players.

If it's just happened suddenly, it sounds as though the key cork may have become compressed or fallen off the linkage/RH2 key foot. It's only a very tiny piece of silencing material, but enough to stop things working if it's worn out or missing.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2016-08-08 17:47)

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics