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Re: oboe hissing sounds

Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-03-28 21:40

Others will probably chime in here ( I hope), but what immediately comes to mind for me is that there is something interferring with the half-hole opening and/or the second (side) octave key. I say this because you note that the problem does not occur on a B natural, but does occur on tones where the half-hole is open. It may be more noticeable on the C# than the D, because that is a "stuffy" tone anyway.

I have experienced a situation in which water or some little piece of crud (or both) got into the tone hole which is covered by the half-hole key, and created the effect you are describing. I could demonstrate this by taking the top joint, covering the tenon opening and closing all the keys except the half-hole, and blowing. There would be a definite "whirr" sound coming out of the half-hole key.

I from time to time get watery blips (temporary, thank goodness) when I open any of the upper l.h. keys -- especially in a leap, but not always, and I presume this is coming from the side octave key.

It could also be a loose pad on the half-hole key, but I would think it would more likely be water or dirt in the tone hole itself.

Have you tried pulling the octave vents (and perhaps the trills) and cleaning them, and likewise, removing the half-hole key and cleaning it out? Taking off and putting on the octave keys is easy, if you have the right tool. It's a little more difficult to reassemble the trills, but I've done it successfully several times.

Or, you could just let the instrument dry out for a week, if you have a second one to play. That works, too.

Susan

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