 The Oboe BBoard
|
Author: A_person13
Date: 2006-07-11 16:29
Just like the title says,I don't have an oboe to play with over summer vacation.The oboe I played was a school one,and I had to return at the end of school(which was a month ago.)My parents and I have been looking for an oboe,but haven't found any to rent.I'm dreading that when I get back to school,I'll sound sort of horrible(which I probably will.)So I've been just trying to pretend I'm playing oboe with my oboe reeds and clarinet.
I don't think pretending to play an oboe is as good as playing a real one,and I'll probably sound bad when I come back.Any tips on what I should do for now?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ClariTone
Date: 2006-07-11 18:05
Hello!!!
There are several options for you and your parents to consider.
1) You and your parents could rent an oboe from a local retailer. This would afford you the opportunity to play over the summer on an instrument which may in fact be superior to the one offered at your school for a low rate (usually a monthly charge in my experience)!!!
2) You could consider purchasing an oboe of your own. There are a wide variety of models, and brands and styles to choose from (Fox and Loree are VERY good). Student level oboes can be purchased for about $1000 dollars (there are also rent-to-own programs you could consider. Check with your local music retailer). These instruments are usually plastic and have a very basic keywork system (usually no left F, 3rd 8va key, etc.) and the workmanship usually leaves something to be desired... Intermediate oboes are anywhere from between $1000-$2500. These instruments are either plastic or wood (or a combination) and have more keys (Left Hand F, Low Bb, more trill keys, etc.) and are made of better quality materials and more detail is given to the design and intonation of the instrument. Pro-level horns are upwards of $2500. These oboes usually have a "full conservatory" keywork system (all keys included) and the keys are usually silver plated. These instruments are usually wood, but several plastic models are available. These instruments are usually top-of-the-line, and much care must be taken to avoid damage and cracking. These instruments generally have amazing tone and intonation.
I don't know enough about oboes to suggest a model or brand, but there are several threads here (search the archives) and many knowledgeable oboists on this site who I'm sure will chime in and answer any questions you may have.
Best Of Luck!!!
Clayton
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dutchy
Date: 2006-07-12 22:14
Don't know how much your folks wanna spend on your oboe habit, but there are a huge number of reasonably priced (under $100) El Cheapo used oboes for sale on eBay. If all you need is a stopgap oboe to keep your embouchure from disappearing over the next 6 weeks or so, I'd just buy one of those.
[ Snipped - GBK ]
They're not *bad* oboes, they're just "merely adequate". They'll not have full conservatory keywork, and they're not the oboe you're going to keep the rest of your life and cherish forever, but for a couple months of summer vacation's embouchure workouts, they'll do just fine.
I have had good results with buying things on eBay. You may shop without fear.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mschmidt
Date: 2006-07-12 23:08
Tell your parents to contact the school and have your parents explain to the school that their policy is just stupid. Do they allow you to take your oboe home to practice during the school year? Summer is just like your average winter evening, only longer.
When I was in junior high, I got the school's oboe year-round. That was in a better time, when administrators and bureaucrats trusted teachers to know what was best for the students, and the idea of arts education was not something that legislatures and governors weren't at war with. If a student can't keep an oboe over the summer, we are entering the dark ages, and we need to fight this nonsense rather than finding a work-around.
Talking about having to buy or rent is saying, in effect, that only rich kids can play the oboe. Well, I guess that's true anyway, what with the reed expenses....but still. Give me their address and I'll send them a letter. Betcha the football team gets to take gear home during summer training....
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sylvangale
Date: 2006-07-13 01:34
On Ebay are many oboes that are lauded to play wonderfully, but are in unplayable states. Do not purchase an oboe without a trial if it can be avoided. Cheaper instruments don't usually offer trial, but $1000+ should definately. Purchase on Ebay with the plan to have to take the oboe in for an adjustment, factor that into the cost.
Some oboes are older than they look and may require overhauls or re-padding. Confirm the age of instrument or assume the worst.
Ebay is also home to unknown brands made in unknown countries for obscenely low cost. Do research the brands... some odd brands like Yellow River or Selman pop up from time to time which should be avoided.
Alternatively some oboe shops offer used oboe listings themselves, a few:
http://www.usedoboes.com
http://www.clarinuts.com/
Overhauls instruments and re-sells them. Not many oboes, but fairly inexpensive, are re-conditioned, and have warranties. *woodwind.org advertiser
http://www.garyarmstrong.com/
GaryArmstrong is doing something interesting to student oboes, adding Left hand F mechanisms where they weren't there before (About time someone started doing this). *A woodwind.org advertiser
http://www.charlesmusic.com
http://www.mmimports.com/
MMimport, does offer oboe rentals, but you're probably better off buying an inexpensive Selmer to tide you over rather than renting.
Regards,
Stephen
(edit: regards)
♫ Stephen K.
Post Edited (2006-07-13 02:12)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dutchy
Date: 2006-07-14 14:56
Quote:
have your parents explain to the school that their policy is just stupid. Do they allow you to take your oboe home to practice during the school year? Summer is just like your average winter evening, only longer.
Well, actually, summer vacation is not "just like" taking the oboe home during the school year, because the school year is over, legally speaking, and there's always the possibility that the student won't return for the next year, because students do--their dad gets transferred to Wisconsin in July or something, and off they go with the school district's oboe.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ClariTone
Date: 2006-07-14 19:39
Very true Dutchy!!! Plus, who knows, the band director may decide to be generous and get the oboe overhauled!!! ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Clayton
Post Edited (2006-07-14 19:49)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: vboboe
Date: 2006-07-16 18:32
... agree that basic beginner plastic oboe is probably a good summer plan.
Also, it could be your own back-up oboe at home if school one has to go in for servicing and repairs during the school year. Band-room accidents can happen in spite of all your best efforts to look after the instrument properly.
It's middle of July already. Oboe embouchure is toast already.
Two ideas for you.
Play your clarinet ** daily ** to exercise your fingers in particular. Finger muscles go off too. Do very steady beat, very clean and accurate scales, and your favorite tunes once slowly, next moderato, next as fast as you can play accurately. Keep challenging yourself to work your fingers around tough finger combinations. All fingers need to work independently and in combinations. Only playing will make fingers work at this.
To salvage & maintain your oboe embouchure do plastic drinking straw exercises. Don't do them right before or after playing clarinet. At least an hour between.
Cut ordinary plastic drinking straw into approximately reed size pieces and put a piece in your pocket, and other pieces beside your favorite chair, computer, bedside and other favorite hang-outs at home.
As often as you can during the day in spare moments, do oboe embouchure reps.
Make the embouchure, hold to a specific count, release, repeat many times. Roll over, roll out, repeat many times. Practice this humming tunes, add your oboe breathing through corners of mouth.
These exercises help develop and keep your oboe embouchure in shape.
Also, once every single day, check to see you can maintain a steady long sound on a real oboe reed. Use up your oldest reeds for this, and keep the youngest ones for startup in September.
Remember to pre-wet reed in clean water, first. Also, remember to blow real reed with nice clean mouth, clean your teeth, no sticky beverage or bits of food still in there.
Remember exactly how you have to shape your mouth to hold that long steady sound, and that's the position you practice forming, many times over, on your drinking straws.
You can use tougher soda straws to increase the exercise load, don't worry about spoiling embouchure by playing weaker old reeds, oboe embouchure needs to be *** adjustable ***
It's middle of July already. Get started today.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: marzi
Date: 2006-07-17 12:54
what is just as bad is being sent home over the summer with a school oboe that needs work, we put some money into it so son could at least get started on it, but fortunatley his teacher is gifted at rounding up oboes for students or we would be oboeless right now. the school would rather let the oboe rot away then fix it, but you are correct , there are many more sports venues than any other activity. students have to pay for advanced class tests, have their own transportation or come up with funds for anything not sports. and then they want the budget passed with no questions asked. ha.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: marzi
Date: 2006-07-17 13:01
oh yes ,to clear something up, that would be his summer oboe teacher finding the oboes, not his school music teacher...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dutchy
Date: 2006-07-19 01:41
I do not now have, nor have I ever had, nor do I ever intend to have, any oboes for sale on eBay, used or new. I own one (1) oboe, a Fox 333, which I fully intend to bequeath to my heirs. Let *them* sell it on eBay if they want.
--just FYI and for the record, for whoever snipped the manufacturers' names out of my post in which I was merely recommending some eBay search terms for the OP.
Post Edited (2006-07-19 01:44)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2006-07-19 01:53
Dutchy wrote:
> --just FYI and for the record, for whoever snipped the
> manufacturers' names out of my post in which I was merely
> recommending some eBay search terms for the OP.
GBK and I are the moderators; either of us will "snip" parts of posts when we feel we need to. eBay references (as posted prominently in the Rules link) are examined thoroughly and almost all deleted.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
