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Re: Adjustment guide for the Thumb Plate Oboe

Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-04-20 14:26

English Thumb Plate Oboe Adjustment Guide. March 2017.
*Base on the Oboe (Conservatoire) Adjustment Guide by Brian Seaton
* Brian has given me his permission to use his Guide as a basis for the following Adjustment Guide of the TP Oboe. The modifications to Brian's narrative only pertains to the actual adjustment guide. Of course , it is highly recommended that you read all his narrative prior and after his adjustment guide.

This is the Adjustment Guide for the English Thumb Plate Oboe which generally follows that of Brian Seaton but modified for the Thumb Plate (TP) Oboe. The particular type of TP Oboe that is being considered here is the Howarth S2. This Oboe is typical of this type mechanism system and is similar to other TP Oboes which were still commonly being used up to the 1950s, but mostly in Great Britain at that time.
The Howarth S2 has semi-automatic octave keys. Two trill keys (D and C#) on the top joint and one trill key (D) on the lower joint. It has a low C-B connection but no low Bb vent on the bell. There may , or may not be a side G# key over-lapping the Bb side key on the top joint. It usually doesn't have a left hand F (long F) but does have the F vent pad on the lower joint. It has open rings for the fingers except finger 1 and 5, which are covered with perforated plates.
In it's time it was a professional Oboe and even today this type of Oboe is still much loved for it's simplicity (as compared to the heavily mechanised Conservatoire Oboe) , it's lighter weight compared to the Conservatoire system (less mechanism and thinner body) and the fact that the player has something to keep his left hand thumb on during playing (an extra support point) gives a more secure feeling in supporting the Oboe.

The S2 TP Oboe and other Oboes of similar less complex mechanism are much simpler to adjust. All this makes this type of Oboe a very suitable instrument for a Clarinettist for example , to double up on and who has no ambitions to go on to more advanced Oboe playing which would require an instrument with more additional key-work.

Here is the Adjustment Guide for the Thumb Plate Oboe as described above.
There are 4 adjustment screws on the top joint and 8 on the lower joint. I'll be using the same adjustment procedure as what Brian uses for his Guide with the difference in that any adjustment screw that is not on the TP Oboe will be marked with N/A. (not applicable)

The following pads should be closed when no keys are depressed.
Upper Joint The two octave keys. The D and C# trill pads.
Lower Joint The G# . F , and F resonance pads. The Eb and Db pads.
Keep in mind that it is useless doing any adjustments if all the pads are not sealing correctly.

`` [Octave Key screws **] The upper screw regulates the amount of opening of both octave keys. It connects both keys. Adjusting it clockwise will decrease the amount of opening of both pads. The lower screw regulates the opening of the thumb key. Make sure both pads (usually of cork ) are seating with the same amount of resistance to the testing paper.

[Screw #1 ] N/A.

[Screw #2] Regulates the C plate (half hole opening) Adjust this key so that it is very slightly opened when the TP is pressed. The height of this key modifies changes to the pitch of the high C#.

[Screw #3 ] regulates the tension on the Bb and C pads when the TP is depressed. . Place the cigarette paper under the Bb pad and then press the TP. The testing paper should now be held by the pad against the tone hole. Pull the paper out and take notice of the amount of resistance from the pressure of the pad. Next , repeat this procedure for the C pad. You should feel more resistance under the Bb pad than the C pad. The difference between them should only be enough that you are sure the Bb pad has slightly more resistance. If you detect the Bb pad has less resistance than the C pad, turn the screw anti-clockwise 1/8 turn. If there is not enough resistance under the C pad , turn the screw clockwise 1/8 turn. Repeat this process until the desired resistance is achieved between both pads.

[Screw #4] N/A

[Screw #5] Regulates the G ring in relation to the Ab key. To start, turn the screw anti-clockwise on full turn then play F# while depressing the Ab key. If the tone stops or loses sound then turn the screw clockwise 1/8 turn. Repeat this process until the F# doesn't 'quiver' while you tap down on the Ab key. If the screw is tightened too far then the G ring will not go down all the way therefore the first finger of the right hand will most likely not seal up it's tone hole completely.

[Screw #6 N/A] [Screws 7 and 8 ] These work together and must be adjusted carefully in order for the right hand notes to sound easily. To begin , turn screw #8 anti-clockwise one full turn. This deactivates the F- resonance pad from the forked-F plate and allows you to test the relationship of the fork-F plate and the F# pad without interference of the F-resonance pad.

[Screw #7] Regulates the pressure of the F# pad and the E ring. Insert the testing paper under the F# pad and depress the E ring. Pull out the paper and notice the resistance. It should be reasonably resistant. To add resistance to the F# pad while the E ring is depressed turn Screw #7 clockwise 1/8 turn. The resistance under the F# pad while depressing the E ring should be less that the resistance of the F# pad while depressing the forked-F plate. Continue to check with the testing paper and adjust accordingly.

[Screw #8] With Screw #7 correctly adjusted you can now move on to Screw #8. Depress the Fork-F plate which should lower the F-resonance pad. If you turned Screw #8 back one turn before adjusting the Screw #7 then the F- resonance pad would not go down all the way. Turn Screw #8 clockwise until the pad touches the tone hole. Let the F- resonance pad rise again and insert the testing paper under it. Depress the Fork- F plate and pull the testing paper out. The resistance on the paper should be very light, just enough that you can feel the pad gripping the paper securely. Continue to turn Screw #8 and test with the paper until correct.

[Screw #9] Regulates the tension between the fork-F plate and the D pad.
Insert the testing paper under the Fork-F plate and depress the D key (C lever) . Remove the paper and notice it's resistance. Now place the paper under the D pad and check the resistance by depressing the D key (C lever). There should be more resistance under the the D pad than the Fork-F plate. Turn the Screw #9 clockwise to add resistance to the Fork-F plate and anti-clockwise to add resistance to the D pad. This adjustment is very important to the pitch of the high C#.

[Screw #10] is located on the Eb pad lever and regulates the instrument's ability to play a Db/C# (both octaves ) or a low C while depressing the left hand Eb lever at the same time. Start by turning this screw anti-clockwise one turn. Now play a Db/C# and depress the left hand Eb lever. The Db/C# should no longer sound because the Eb pad is now open. Turn Screw #10 clockwise until you can play a Db/C# while depressing the left hand Eb lever at the same time. If screw #10 is too tight than the D pad is being held open and notes below D will not sound.

[Screw #11] is located on the C# pad key and regulates the instruments ability to play a low B while depressing the C # key. This screw works exactly like #10. Start by turning screw #11 anti-clockwise one turn. Play a low B natural and place your right hand little finger on the C# key. The low B should no longer sound because the C# pad is now open. Turn screw #11 clockwise until you can play low B while depressing the D key (C lever) or the C# key. If screw #11 is too tight then the B pad is being held open and the low B and Bb will not sound.

As pertaining to the low C-B linkage. If the above adjustment with screw #11 is correct you should be able to play the low B natural without pressing the C lever. Likewise with the low Bb. If the latter note does not sound easily then the side low Bb (bell key) linkage screw must be slightly adjusted till the lowest note of the instrument sounds easily without undue pressure on the low Bb lever.
(* note from Chris Peryagh) The C-B linkage should close the low C pad with slightly more pressure than the low B pad to ensure you can get a low B cleanly (but the low B pad should also close under normal finger pressure) Similarly, the bell key pad should close with less pressure than the B key (which in turn closes with less pressure than the C key pad) so that you can slur from D-Bb with no problem.

These 10 adjusting screws greatly improve the playability of this type of Oboe and if adjusted in this order can make almost any Oboe function better. Keeping the mechanism in proper adjustment allows the instrument to perform at it's fullest potential.

Skyfacer

Post Edited (2017-04-22 05:54)

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