Author: Craig Matovich
Date: 2007-04-24 12:33
Susan,
My old Covey was having water problems in the octave vents and two things have helped a lot.
First, I took Hautbois' advice... using a small needle spring, with octave keys removed, cleared the hole of any debris with the needle, (a silk thread or two came out of one hole), then dipped the pin in key oil, wiped it nearly clean and then worked the needled around inside the octave vent to leave a very smll oil residue on the side of the vent.
Secondly, I use a cotten non pull-through swab for the top joint any time water gets in a key. Mostly, I use silk pull-through, but doing this other swab really seems to help.
A couple more thoughts... remembering something Mr. Mack suggested at the oboe camp. Warm the top joint a while holding it in hands, then use a eye dropper to put a drop or two of water into the bottom of the top joint. Look down into it upside down at a light angle, heep tone holes on top side and guide the water down the bottom of the joint almost all the way to the reed opening. I don't think he meant this was needed with every playing, but something to do to remedy the bad water path inside the oboe, to get it 'retrained'.
I would probably oil the bore slightly first then try to train the water path.
These days, I use a conducting baton moistened with oil and work that around the upper joint instead of my old pull-through oil soaked swab, because that was getting oil in the tone holes.
I also noticed this past winter, while leaving my recording gear powered up for several days in my studio, the room was always warm and so the oboe was warm when I picked it up. Water did not condense in the vents and that was great for the recording minus gurgles, but the lesson was in the pre-warmed oboe.
Hang in.
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