 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: zanc
Date: 2022-07-05 18:03
Does anyone have advice on the effort of moving from thumb plate to conservatoire only oboe, or should I go with a dual system oboe? If its any help I am an elderly player with approx 4 years experience and I want to move from a student to intermediate oboe.
roberto@zanconato.org
Post Edited (2022-07-05 18:03)
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2022-07-06 01:02
This really depends where you live. If you are in the UK a dual system or staying with thumbplate makes sense, but if you elsewhere, thumb plate instruments are not the norm so you consider the change. When I was young in NZ, most people played thumbplate but now few do, similarly in Australia. I changed from Thumbplate to conservatoire after many years playing and had no problems at all making the change, I mastered the change inside a week. Then many years later I went back to thumbplate and the change back was even quicker. Both systems have their advantages and challenges but personally, I find thumbplate easier and prefer the sound I get on the B flats and C. However, if I needed to borrow an instrument in an emergency, it would be difficult as few thumbplate instruments exist where I am. All my students play conservatoire and that is what I would recommend for the area I now live in.
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Author: zanc
Date: 2022-07-06 12:59
Thanks for your advice and experience. A dual system does seem the most practical choice. I must try and visit a dealer and try a few out. At the moment my student oboe, a very old F Buisson - London, has a nice tone with the exception of the C and a top register that does not seem to follow normal fingering (thanks to https://secure.woodwind.org/wfg/ for encouraging experimenting with alternative fingering).
roberto@zanconato.org
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-07-06 21:29
Hello Roberto. Whereabouts in the world are you?
My advice is to go for a dual system oboe.
Dual system (conservatoire with added thumbplate) is the best of both worlds plus some other things neither pure thumbplate and pure conservatoire systems can't do.
Most conservatoire oboes can have a thumbplate added at any point to convert them to dual system, but only have the conversion done by someone who knows what they're doing and is using nicely made parts. I'd only recommend Howarth do the conversion work as their thumbplate castings are a decent size and nicely shaped compared to all the others I've seen and used myself.
If there's a 3rd 8ve key, the touchpiece can either be left where it is if you don't use it when adding a thumbplate, or a new and much longer 3rd 8ve touch can be fitted if you use it a lot in the top register. Obviously that will have an impact on the cost of the keywork conversion.
I retrained myself to use primarily conservatoire fingerings when I took up oboe again back in the '90s (after a ten year gap) and have played dual system instruments since then.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2022-07-07 14:33)
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Author: zanc
Date: 2022-08-29 01:38
Sorry for the late reply, but thanks for your views. I've come to the conclusion that a dual system is probably the best way to go.
roberto@zanconato.org
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