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Re: 2nd Octave A not sounding properly

Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-08-30 22:35

In a perfect world we need an 8ve vent for nearly every note from C# upwards, but this will only make the mechanism too complicated to make, as well as keep in adjustment as it will need to be connected with the relevant fingerplates and also to be operated by a single touch. There's just no room on an oboe for all this keywork - and oboes are already at their limits in terms of the amount of keywork fitted (especially German system oboes).

So the main 8ve vents (including the diamond aperture in LH 1) are reduced to three to control the lower and upper parts of the upper register with the least amount of complexity, both mechanical and from a physical point of view, and the lower 8ve (and 3rd 8ve vent) help with the altissimo. But all these 8ve vents are pushed to their limits, so compromises have been found in order to keep the playing aspect as simple as possible.

It's just as well they work as well as they do - they may not be perfect in design (as there's no such thing as a perfect oboe), but they do allow us as players to do our job, and we should also understand the limitations and work around them as best we can.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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