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Re: True purpose of the split D key

Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-05-26 03:25

You don't want the LH Eb key to close the F# vent and open the forked F vent if you use that key for certain altissimo notes, so the link from the LH Eb key only lowers the independent inner bush (to bring the E down to pitch with the Eb key open) and not the outer ring which is directly linked to the F# vent and forked F vent.

If the linkage from the LH Eb key lowered the RH3 fingerplate (if it's one with a hole through it), that will close the F# vent and open the forked F vent just as it would if you held the RH3 fingerplate down with RH finger 3.

The split RH3 D#-E trill fingerplate is an elaborate design, but it was designed like that for a reason.

There are a couple of other D#-E trill mechanisms where lifting off RH3 will close the Eb pad cup automatically to make sure the E is in tune. Selmer Paris oboes have such a mechanism and another is the Bleuzet D#-E trill which has a linkage from RH3 (like the top joint Ab-Bb trill link) running under the feather key barrel and closes the Eb pad cup with the extra adjusting screw fitted to the lower end of it. This is why you sometimes see older oboes (B&H Imperial, etc.) with the double adjusting screws on the Eb pad cup (but without the Bleuzet mechanism fitted) when the only one in use is for the low C-Eb link and the other is redundant.

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

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