Author: GMac
Date: 2006-02-23 13:56
Oh picking oboes...what a fun venture!!!
I just attended a masterclass on evaluating, buying and maintaining oboes from Brian Seatin who worked at Paul Covey's oboe shop for years, building and repairing oboes, so I think I can probably offer you a bit of advice in this area.
First off, don't assume that having one reed play an oboe a certain way means that that oboe will sound the same way with a different reed! I am always amazed when my teacher will make a reed for his Yamaha, and it will sound great, and then he'll play it in a Loree and it won't sound good at all. However, the opposite is true...if it's made for a Loree, then the tone won't sound good on a Yamaha. That being said, if you're buying your reeds from a certain supplier that you like, maybe using one reed to test all of them is best. However, the best solution by far is to make a reed for the oboe you're trying to really see what the instrument's potential is.
I would personally advise you to look at more instruments than just the Greenline or the Loree. I don't know what level you are or what level of oboe you're looking for, but there are a lot of great oboes out there waiting to be discovered. Have you tried the top models from Paul Covey, Laubin, or Yamaha? In particular, (now I am biased, because this is what my teacher plays) the Yamaha pro models sounds really, really great (even with a not-so-great reed, which can be a total godsend), they won't change a huge deal as you break them in, so they're easier to pick out at first, and the intonation is usually really even. I've found with Lorees that it's almost impossible to find a good instrument, and even then you'll have a lot of trouble with intonation and keeping it in adjustment. If you're looking at a Loree, really make sure that you check the intonation in the scale, because often the intonation can be really variable.
Was the Loree you mentioned a new Loree? This is another thing to think about again. The French makes of oboes are designed in a way such that they change much more as they break in. You want to find one that's kind of stuffy and dark, because as it breaks in it will become more focused and warm. With makes like Yamaha, Laubin, Covey, and the more American-style makes they won't change very much as they break in. Personally I like this better, but a lot of people argue that you'll end up getting a nicer sound out of the French oboes, particularly the Lorees. Good luck, if you want to try doing that! However, I honestly think it's a game of luck and you have a good hcance of running into problems.
Anyway, good luck with everything, and hope you find what you're looking for. Oh, by the way, is there really a Schubert oboe concerto?? I've never heard of such a piece! If it really does exist, please let me know about it.
Graham
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