The Oboe BBoard

The Oboe BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Re: Oboe purchase- comments requested

Author: rgombine
Date: 2004-04-27 14:38

I'm also a recreational oboist playing in several community orchestras in the Philadelphia area. My original instrument was a Loree which my parents bought for me as a new instrument 25 years ago! I now have a Yamaha professional which I bought on the recommendation of my old teacher.

I would echo the comments already made. Much of what an instrument sounds like is dependent on you and the reed. That said, the instrument certainly is a major variable. The biggest piece of advice I would give to someone shopping for a new horn is BRING HELP! Your teacher or an experienced player you trust should come with you and listen to you play -- most instruments sound very different to the listener than the performer.

If you aren't the most adept reed maker, swallow your pride and allow your teacher to provide you with good reeds that you're comfortable playing so that you can eliminate the reed variable as much as possible (although problematic since different instruments have different resistances and may need reeds adjusted accordingly).

Then . . . try a bunch of different instruments and keep an open mind. You are looking for the best balance between what you're comfortable playing and what sounds best "out there." I ultimately allowed the "out there" component to weigh the heaviest b/c I was looking for an instrument that could really cut through an orchestra. However, that decision has meant that some fairly hard for the last 6 months getting used to a new instrument and doing some adjustment in my reeds. It was a pain, but I feel it was worth it and I was happy with my decision.

Happy hunting!

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics