 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: missjamie
Date: 2006-04-01 21:48
hello, I just started playing the oboe total about a year ago, and i've made some really good progress. I really am in love with it. My teacher was a graduate from UNI and majored in oboe study or something like that. Shes a really great teacher. I am looking around for new oboes and so far the conclusion i've come to is that Im looking for a full conservatory system with a nice tone, wood for around 2000 dollars or less, but i DONT want a peice of junk. I was reading through this forum and decided i had to join, i learned a lot of technique things from just reading around on it. THanks everyone. But i just wondered about a few things on my oboe in particular. I have no idea what year it is, but my teacher also went to my Highschool and she rented THE SAME OBOE. so it's seen better days, it's a wooden Lesher, but it has some major leakage in the upperjoint. And it tends to honk on the low Bflat and C. Besides that i just keep telling myself if i can play i must be pretty good. My teacher an I both decided i should be in the market. If you know anyone with some good used oboes or new for that matter, I am looking for an intermediate one for a steal! Now for some techical questions:
When i compare myself to the other oboist in my band, it seems like she always honks and plays loud, she doens't do vibrato, and doesn't know as many scales i do in as many octives. I feel very prejudiced because i still got second chair. I wondered: how do i minimize the airy sound that i get from the leaking in the headjoint when playing-it especially affects the above staff a b and c. oo and any tips on slurring the higher notes like d e f's and around there-it's always so choppy. I have a lot to learn and i wont always ask this many ... how do i say this- elementary- questions. But i just had to ask this once. Thanks if you have any info for me.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2006-04-02 05:32
Hi happy girl loves oboe glad you dropped in :-)
... are you renting the Lesher, if so, take it in with your list of problems and get it serviced ASAP, leaking pads can be replaced or adjusted, unless it's something else entirely, repair technician's job, not yours or teacher's
... get a replacement rental for the duration, this will give you playing exposure to a different oboe *** before *** you buy your own, if they can't fix Lesher, wow, maybe you'll be playing a better rental oboe instead
.... if you must buy one, how about a second-hand intermediate Fox? Think of it as 'my next oboe' with the idea in mind you'll want to step up again in about 4 years time, the Fox will then have an important role as a good backup instrument when your future step-up has to go in for ... routine maintenance and servicing (at least once a year)
... second chair is the most important learning position you'll ever have in your life, learning to listen carefully and blend in or harmonize with first oboe (and rest of the woodwinds) period. If she really is as 'bad' as you say, you, the self-proclaimed better player, have got a lot of embouchure exercise right there, tuning in to her notes so sound is like one honky instrument instead of two cats mewling at each other in different keys
Yes, you might be better (except your oboe doesn't sound like it is in good enough shape just now) so that's all the more reason to show how good you are at blending, never missing your timed entrances, playing all your notes blended just right , etc. She may not have the advantage of having an oboe teacher like you do, so be kind and supportive and be there, always. The day she's away sick with flu ... you're there, right? That's when you play it your way, remembering to still blend in with the other woodwinds
Slurring top D E F - have you asked your teacher this question? What does she say is the solution? I'm only guessing it could be a weak 3rd finger and an unco-ordinated half-hole roll-over, common prob
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Author: sylvangale
Date: 2006-04-02 07:20
Another Lesher!
I have a lovely Lesher in my closet. Myself and my last teacher found it to a better player than a Yamaha 211 (and probably the 411 since they share the same bore design). I'm afraid you'll probably never find an oboe that is quite as free blowing as your Lesher, but you'll certainly find a better scale and realize just how much more you were working on your intonation than you realized.
Finding a decent repair person to restore that Lesher to playing condition is gonna be FUN (not), so I'll suggest checking out this article on buying a new oboe: http://www.public.asu.edu/~schuring/Oboe/instruments.html
and avoid Ebay
On the D, E, F... assuming you meant the second octave. If you're using forked F, that is why you can't get a smooth slur. There is a little key between your second and third finger of your right hand which should be used for the primary F fingering. Now if that's the method you're using than there is probably something mechanically wrong with your oboe that needs to be fixed.
Regards,
Stephen
Los Angeles, CA
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2006-04-02 14:44
Miss Jamie:
The first question I would ask regarding the D-E-F slurring issue is whether or not the oboe you are playing has a left-hand F key? If it doesn't, then you're always going to have a certain amount of blip while attempting to slur those tones.
I like vboboe's suggestion of a used Fox. Brilliant idea, actually. And I am not as sour on Ebay as Stephen. My experiences there have been excellent, both as a seller and a buyer. Gotta use your brain a little, and if something looks "too good to be true", it most assuredly is. But lots of solid citizens and reputable dealers sell on Ebay.
There has recently been a discussion on this board about the Barrington oboe, which is sold at WW&BW (online and catalog, mostly). It has gotten surprisingly good reviews, and it is about as inexpensive as you're going to get, for a new instrument. I've never played it, myself, but it might be worth a try.
Just make sure that whatever you buy has the left F and the B-Bb keys. Articulated C-C# is another really necessary feature, in my opinion. And it is great to have all the trills, too. The r.h. C trill is a godsend.
A good general site for young oboists is here:
http://www.oboesforidgets.com/brands.htm
As far as places for buying used oboes, there are many. One person who has lots of oboes, and will bend over backwards trying to find you a good one, is Peter Hurd. He's a gentleman, a great communicator, and knows oboes big time.
http://www.oboes.us/
Another person who has lots and lots of oboes for sale in good shape is Marti Hess.
http://www.usedoboes.com
Let both of these folks know what you are looking for, and I wouldn't be surprised if they can find it for you.
Good luck, Miss Jamie, and let us know what you decide.
Susan
Post Edited (2006-04-02 14:55)
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2006-04-02 21:50
-- "that i get from the leaking in the headjoint when playing-it " --
Any idea where the leaking is coming from? If you hold the upper joint on its own and block the bottom hole with blutac, a cork ..or something, you can hold the keys down and blow hard down the reed hole. You, or someone else can then feel where the leak is coming from.
Regarding Ebay, I've never had a problem. Quite the opposite. I would never dream of buying music accessories anywhere else! I've bought an oboe, clarinets, saxophone and even a flugelhorn from Ebay and haven't regretted it one bit.
Steve
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Author: sylvangale
Date: 2006-04-04 17:17
Sorry for mixing that up.
For the third octave it's just tricky fingering that requires that good old fashioned frequent, slow, correct practice.
A third octave key helps as it will let you play E with your Eb fingering, F with your E, etc. There's probably some more efficient fingerings with the third octave key, but I haven't bothered to seek out alternatives.
Regards,
Stephen
Los Angeles, CA
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Author: oboeblank
Date: 2006-04-04 22:06
??? I don't think that your third octave should be allowing you to play a semitone above the fingered note.
I can't get a sounding F"' while fingering an E"' with my third octave down. Perhaps your third octave is opening too much? When it is open it should appear almost closed down and impossible to get a piece of cigarette paper under it.
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Author: sylvangale
Date: 2006-04-05 01:30
When I finger Eb3 I simply add the third octave key and I get a lovely E and when I finger the E I get a lovely F. It also turns my D into an Eb, but I prefer the natural Eb fingering timbre as with the 3rd octave it's a bit bright sounding.
That's just how mine works and I'm certainly not going to try changing it. It's rather nice having dual fingering options. Getting the E using the Eb fingering is just a godsend... certainly makes trilling significantly easier if one had to trill up there.
Regards,
Stephen
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Author: sylvangale
Date: 2006-04-05 06:04
I'm not crazy after all! Adding 3rd octave key to D, Eb, and E fingerings should raise a semi-tone for everyone with a third octave key.
See this fingering chart:
http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/oboe/ob_alt_3.html
Here I am thinking my oboe has a pretty nifty odd feature.
Regards,
Stephen
Los Angeles, CA
♫ Stephen K.
Post Edited (2006-04-05 06:05)
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