Post on 26-Jan-2016
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OBOE Parts & Assembly
Parts
http://myorch.org/sites/default/files/Parts_of_Oboe_Scrollworks.jpg
Assembly 1. Put the case on a flat, stable surface, with the latches pointing down. Open
the case. 2. Take the upper joint by the section that has no keys or rods in your right
hand, and the lower joint by the section that has no keys in your left. Gently twist the two pieces together, taking care not to bend the bridge keys. The bridge keys should be aligned at this point.
3. Gently twist the bell onto the lower joint, again taking care not to bend the keys. The bell key lever should align with the bell key at this time.
4. Soak the reed, and then gently twist the cork of the reed all the way into the reed socket. Tuning is not achieved through adjustment of the reed position in the instrument, so be sure the reed is fully inserted. The reed should be orientated so that the broad side lays flat against the player’s lip when the oboe is in playing position.
Care & Maintenance
• Daily Care o Clean the oboe with a soft, clean swab after each playing session. Drop
the weight of the swab down the bell of the instrument and pull it all the way through.
o Store the reed in a reed case to avoid excessive moisture, which can lead to mold and warping.
• Maintenance o Grease the cork joints of the instrument if they become stiff or hard to
move. Put a small amount of cork grease on the joint, and use your fingers to spread it around to avoid over-‐application.
o If the oboe keywork goes out of alignment, take it to a double read repair specialist. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ADJUST SCREWS/KEYS/RODS ALONE!
Playing Posture & Hand Position
The goal of a proper oboe set-up is to allow an uninterrupted air column from lungs to bell. To achieve this, the player must sit up straight and balance their head on top of their spine, looking neither up nor down, then bring the oboe to themself rather than themself to the oboe. The oboe should be held at a comfortable angle, which is a little less than 45°.
http://www.baldwinsmusic.com/tcms/rubricOboe.html
Many middle and high school students play with too-flat fingers, which limits technical dexterity and can lead to tendonitis and other unfun things. Correct oboe hand position should be slightly flat from the first to second knuckle, and curved from the second to the tips of the fingers.
http://www.baldwinsmusic.com/tcms/rubricOboe.html
Embouchure 1) Say TOW, and keep that mouth position
2) Center the reed on the bottom lip, cradling it like a small child
3) Pull all four corners of the mouth in (i.e. tighten lips like a drawstring)
Correct Oboe Embouchure
https://barbaratheoboe.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/the-right-embouchure/
• Pink of lips visible • Flat chin • Not pinching/clamping down on reed • Firm lips
Incorrect Oboe Embouchure
https://barbaratheoboe.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/the-right-embouchure/
• Lips wrapped too far over teeth • No pink of lips visible • Crushing reed • Bunched chin
http://www.instrumentalsavings.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/embouchure%202.jpg
Articulation 1. Play a long tone on which to practice articulation 2. Touch the tip of the tongue (one taste bud) to the tip of the reed and
withdraw 3. Imagine saying “too” or “tah” on the reed
• Articulation is achieved when the tongue leaves the reed – when in contact,
the reed cannot vibrate and therefore cannot make sound. • Beware of students “articulating” with the throat/glottal stops • Watch out for students using too much tongue/too large a motion for
tonguing
Breathing
http://webspace.webring.com/people/hf/flutepower55/breathing.gif
• Proper breathing results when there is an unobstructed pathway from the bottom of the torso all the way through the body and into the oboe. This can only be achieved through correct posture.
• A proper breath should result in the slight expansion of all sides of the torso and chest – though students should not be tensing their shoulders or raising their chests/shoulders in an exaggerated way, they also should not be unnaturally still. Breathing is a movement, and requires loose, relaxed muscles.
• If students are becoming lightheaded, experiencing dramatic backpressure, or are unable to sustain tone for more than a few notes, there is often an embouchure problem. Direct the student to use a cool, focused stream of air that starts at the bottom of their lungs and goes all the way through the bell of the oboe.
• Be aware of “playing against oneself” –the support and self-created abdominal resistance needed to not pass out from back-pressure. Much like bassoon, the
abdomen must be constantly engaged in the process of tone production. This action helps take some of the pressure off the embouchure/tiny reed opening, and will allow for longer phrases/proper breathing.
Tone
Much of an oboist’s tone is determined by the reed. See Reed section for more information.
http://www.fredonia.edu/music/oboe/pages/pages/young.html#tone
Oboe Fingering Chart Created by Amy Sandlin
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Oboe Fingering Chart Created by Amy Sandlin
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Oboe Fingering Chart Created by Amy Sandlin
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Reeds Reeds are arguably the most important part of the oboe, affecting tone, intonation, and general playability. Commercial reeds are generally not great, and students should try to get their reeds from local professionals or their teachers. Oboists will learn to make their own reeds if they become serious about music and the oboe.
Bad Reeds!!! Does My Student Have One?
By Henry Mulligan The father of American oboe playing: Marcel Tabuteau, was famous for inventing the “long scrape” or “American Scrape” oboe reed, as opposed to the European/short scrape, which produces a vastly different sound. After popularizing the American scrape, he became selective of who his students were. When his students first played for him, and if it went really well, he would either take the reed and keep it for himself, or break it right in front of them. He would explain this behavior by saying, “you played that on a good read, now you must learn to play on a bad reed!” Why is it important to have a good reed? Tabuteau makes a good point. Many oboists will get bogged down with how perfect their reed could be and put less effort into producing a good tone, articulation, or expressive range. This is extremely typical for beginning oboists who are switching reeds and claiming the previous one was better, beginning reed makers who have to break away from reeds made by others and begin playing their own messed-‐up creations, and every oboist ever because we all have standards for a good reed. Working past the typical oboe baggage and learning to problem solve is important for every oboist. But… even though there are legitimate complications with the instrument and the musical demand, there are pitfalls that can have short term and long term incurable consequences. Things like: Biting, jaw strain/pain, tension in the shoulders, neck, or other places in the body, poor stamina per phrase and per day, uncommon intonation problems, poor dynamic range, poor tone, limited access into the high range, uncontrolled articulation, lack of musical control, and more!!!! These pitfalls can happen without bad reeds, but a bad reed will encourage bad habits to a point where it will take months or years to get over something because you thought you could just work past it. The worst part is, is that most students don’t learn how to properly select reeds until college, and it takes all 4 years or longer to master it (it is slowed down by learning to make the reeds themselves,
which is a time consuming, expensive, and almost folk-‐arty way that often sends mixed signals to those learning). All instruments, not just oboes, are made in such a way the human body (with practice) can produce the desired sound the way it is. Instruments are built in equilibrium with the body, that’s why mouthpieces are usually the same approximate size and only vary with practical purpose. Its also why your instrument plays in tune, and you can play more than one note at a time, and why after thousands of years of musical innovation lead to your instrument being built the way it is. The reed is the instrument, and is as equally significant as any of the keys, or pads, or joints, or the bore itself. If your instrument were broken, why would you refuse to get it fixed, and tell yourself to “tough it out,” or “work through it.” Back to the big question, how can I tell if this is a bad reed? There are a couple of obvious things you can check such as: Does the reed have a visible crack? …yes… toss it no matter what Do the two blades touch (dry or soaked)? …no… then toss it no matter what Is my student (who can make sound on many other reeds easily) having trouble making a sound that is not typical, and is doing unnatural and/or unneccesarily difficult things to make a sound? …yes… toss it no matter what Would you describe it as “unreasonably out of tune in every register? …yes… toss it unless you know a private teacher or pro oboist who can adjust it Does it sound more like the quacking of an angry tortured duck and the student has been playing more than 4 years? …yes… toss it, unless you didn’t by it from a factory and know somebody who can adjust reeds The rest will take some explaining, and some identification on your part. Looseness: The Secret Killer of Reeds
Reeds are made of cane, which looks like bamboo and can grow in any climate because it is a weed. They look like they’re straight from a distance, but looking closer you see that every piece of cane you will ever find will have a curve to it. Sometimes the bad cane is obvious and reed makers will refuse to use it over their dead body, other times they will let it slide and make a reed anyway. This allowance could be due to a lack of skill with selecting good pieces (yes it’s a learned skill) or too high of a demand for reeds/cane to care what they send out into this cruel, cruel world.
Many things can cause a loose reed, but 9 times out of 10, it is bad cane that frowns (as opposed to smiling). Reeds are made through the bending of a thinned
piece in half, and you either used a smiley piece or a frowny piece. If it smiles, the blades press against each other via their own natural curve. If it frowns, then the natural curve of the cane will separate the blades for as long as they exist. Mechanically it’s like having a mouthpiece that gets physically bigger the more you play it. Cane will always “remember” its natural tendencies. This is why you must throw away any reed whose blades don’t touch, dry or soaked.
Its not always the makers fault though, don’t blame them right away, but tell them so. Sometimes it happens in the mail because of weather conditions during shipment, especially in the winter, occasionally in the summer. This might also cause them to crack on the way, leaving you with one less reed even before you receive it. If one reed is loose or cracked after 2 or 3 orders than it’s likely weather is the culprit. If it’s almost the whole batch more than once, stop ordering from them. Either they’re terrible, or there’s nothing they can do about the crazy weather.
There are some teachers that will promote the squishing of a reed’s opening, or breaking it in over a period of time to change the opening size to make them fit. They are idiots, or they have never listened to the emotionally frantic ravings of a true oboist. That only works with big openings where the blades still touch, and even then this solution is a temporary figment of their imagination. Remember, Cane will always “remember” its natural tendencies, and the opening will open right back up no matter how much squishing you do.
Why have I dubbed looseness as the secret killer? Because it is rare that a
student has been heard of a loose reed until college. Learning this is usually followed by a time in their life where they reflect on all the reeds they can remember and feel worse and worse as they realize how many of them were loose reeds that they could’ve just thrown away. Its like learning Santa isn’t real. So if you still are wondering why most oboists before college sound that way, it’s because nobody taught them how to pick a reed. Odds are they’re telling them to adjust like crazy on a terrible reed that a professional wouldn’t give to their worst enemy. Just got to hope that they got a good one.
Some parents will also be adamant that they paid for the reed, and now they’re obligated to use it and get their moneys worth. Tell them it’s like buying and using a broken wheelchair, or driving with a flat tire, or eating an apple you discovered was rotten while eating it and thinking, “I have to keep going now.”
Not all looseness, or faults in general, is so blatant as blades not touching. It shows in playing, if nowhere else, and can be found through a series of tests. These tests show a slew of other problems, but overall they will show you when the droopy and un-‐tamable qualities of a loose reed The reed tests:
These tests, most popularly taught by the oboists Linda Strommen (of IU) and Elaine Duvas (of not IU). Their main purpose is to determine the next step in the
process of reed making. I am repurposing them to help you decide if your students have good reeds or not.
If you are buying reeds made by people the odds are that these will be accounted for and you are fine. But not all people make all perfect reeds, and factory made reeds have almost no standard upon completion. Only perform these tests if the student sounds uncharacteristically bad, otherwise they must learn to do them on their own. The instrument must also not have any problems of its own that would interfere with the tests, such as pad problems, water in the keys, or cracks in the bore. If you’re unsure about repair needs, have a professional look at it, or perform the tests with a reed that you know is good the first time around These tests must be performed with as little compensation as possible, so play as low in your voicing, and with as little pitch manipulation as possible. A good method is to start in normal playing position, and then make it as flat as possible while in that position. This is called finding the reed’s Pitch Floor (the point at which the reed cannot play any flatter). Remember: you’re checking to see how bad the reed could possibly be during a concert, not how good you can force it to be. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t do in a concert, and make it musical
1. Aspirated Attack-‐ finger a High C and blow air into the instrument without making any sound. Slowly put more effort into it until it makes a sound. Do the same thing on a low D.
The ideal reed should be able to make a sound with as little wind as possible while still being in tune. You should be able to “hold it up to the wind and make a sound with it” (but not really that’s impossible).
They should also be in tune at the easiest resistance, and while playing normally in all dynamic ranges.
There is wiggle room here, but not much. Too resistant and you can’t play quietly, or get that proper oboe poise. Everything will sound hard and flat-‐footed, and manipulating tuning will be impossible.
A good reed maker can adjust (if its not loose) This is probably the least musical of the tests
2. The Crow-‐ this tests the pitch center of the reed, and will explain pitch problems and
Crowing a reed is when you take the reed alone and “peep” it with your lips closer to the thread (while still holding onto the reed). With a good embochure, low voicing, and good air focus, you should be able to get octave C’s or C#’s to come out. This might take practice for you or your student, and it’s a good way to warm up before playing.
It must be a C or C#. If it’s a B than it will be too flat to play, and if it’s a D it will be too hard and sharp to play. C# is for oboes built more naturally in the sharp end of the spectrum, and C is for the flatter oboe.
If the crow isn’t playing octaves two things can happen. First-‐ it could be rattly and sound more like a bassoon crow than tuned octaves. It this happens then it must be thrown away. It will never work no matter who works on it because it’s loose. If it doesn’t crow at all (and your student and
you definitely can on other reeds) than there is not enough “lows” in the reed and reaching low notes will be near impossible. You will crack notes A and below.
A good reed maker can adjust (if its not loose) 3. Octave Slurs-‐ the ultimate test of stability
With no adjustment and minimal effort, play an A and slur up the octave by simply leaning on the side octave key. Do this exercise with all of the notes in this group ascending chromatically: High A, Bb, B, and C.
Those octaves should be perfectly in tune in an ideal reed. There is some wiggle room, but the flatter the high A is, the harder it will be to use vibrato, tune, retain tone, articulate, and change dynamic with anything that plays above an F. Biting is definitely likely if this reed fails the test
A good reed maker can adjust (if its not loose) 4. Hard Tonguing-‐ tests pitch and articulation ease
Tongue as hard as you can on the oboe with these notes: ascending chromatically: E, F, F#, and G; and this group: High A, Bb, B, and C.
An out of tune reed will make those droop like crazy, or it will play them all sharp and pointy. Tuning manipulation is possible, but like the octave slur test, it will make you do a lot of work that is unnecessary and will damage good technique. This could be a sign of minor looseness
Check also the ease of articulation. Without reed making skills there’s no way to fix hard articulation, but naturally you’re looking for easy controllable tonguing
A good reed maker can adjust (if its not loose) 5. Playing Position Peep-‐ another pitch test
This is also done with the reed alone. Simply take the reed and use your normal embouchure. Find the position on the reed your lips will be when you play things normally, and simply make a sound. This should tune to a B natural or a C. Some people can get a Bb to work, but only for so long before it gets too hard to support and rise in pitch.
A good reed maker can adjust (if its not loose) 6. 3 Note Slurs-‐ this tests the cane qualities effect on the tone
Slur from C to B in the midrange. The more connected and smooth it sounds the better the cane was. The more pointy, jagged, and grating it sounds the worse the cane quality was in terms of fiber thickness and hardness.
Check also high G to high A with the octave. This is a natural break in the instrument, and requires tuning adjustment between the mid range and high ranges. Like the octave test, this should be easy, but will still vary from reed to reed. If cane quality is bad, you must work harder for the tone
Slur from low A to low G, the other break in the instrument. This tests the reed’s reach into the low range, and if there is any
flatness inherent in the cane, or tone shallowness and sharpness due to the limit of an under-‐scraped reed (see crow test).
The only test that usually can’t be adjusted for because it is the final test in the sequence and is more of an indicator of what you’re stuck with
Finally if all else fails, and there are still response problems and more there’s probably a leak
Reeds, weather they’re loose or not, can be incorrectly tied together, or misshaped in the early stages of reed making. The blades can be completely tight (and not loose) and still there will be a gap on the sides, usually near the thread. Gaps can also be along the sides towards the top opening because of mistakes while prepping the cane. You can check this by covering the bottom of the reed at the cork with your finger, and blowing in the reed. If there is no leak, and the reed is good, you will just sit there trying to blow through it and no air will escape. If there is a leak, you will feel and/or hear air coming from where ever the leak is. Quite obviously you will feel the air from the outside with your other hand, and from the blowing, which wouldn’t be possible if the reed was good.
There is a cure for some leaks, beeswax and/or fish skin. If you don’t make reeds and have no private teacher, than you don’t have either one and don’t know how to use either. Throw it out.
Final note, don’t ever buy an oboe reed with wire on it. The maker likely
ended up with an opening too small to play on and had to squish it open. It will never sound easy and will always be shrill, always lack vibrato, and always be a pain to control and play delicately.
Equipment Typical equipment for the middle and high school oboist includes
• Oboe and hard case • Cleaning swab • Pad paper/cigarette paper • Small screwdriver (jeweler’s screwdriver) • Reeds and reed case • Metronome • Tuner
If a student is studying reed making (which is not common at this level), typical equipment includes
• Reed knives and sharpening stones • Razor blades • Mandrel • Cutting block • Plaques • Ruler • Cane • Thread
Playing Considerations
Special Considerations If at all possible, young oboists should absolutely take lessons with a professional. Because the oboe is uncommonly complex, students often have trouble progressing as quickly as their peers in band, and can easily become demoralized. Having them work with a teacher will help them develop correct habits, provide them with good-‐quality reeds, and help them learn to adjust the oboe’s delicate key work if needed.
LET’S PLAY� OboeBy Catherine Paulu
Updated by Grover Schiltz
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Catherine Dufford PauluCatherine Dufford Paulu (deceased) was a graduate of the Eastman School of Music where she was a member of the original Eastman Wind Ensemble, and the principal oboist in the early recordings of that group. She was also a member of the RochesterPhilharmonic Orchestra, as well as the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra. For twelve seasons she was principal oboist of the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra.
Grover SchiltzIn 1959, Grover Schiltz joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as assistant principal oboe,moving to English horn in 1964. In prior years he played in the Lyric Opera of Chicago, theGrant Park Symphony and toured with the Boston Pops. He also played with the St. LouisSinfonietta and spent three years as a principal oboist of the Kansas City Philharmonic.
Schiltz is active in chamber music ensembles in the Chicago area including the ChicagoSymphony Winds. He has taught oboe and baroque performance practice at NorthwesternUniversity and serves on the faculty at Roosevelt University and the University of IllinoisCircle Campus. He currently teaches oboe and English horn privately.
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INTRODUCTION:This booklet has been prepared for the band andorchestra director who must teach the oboe but is notan accomplished oboist.
These suggestions are intended to cover some of theimportant points to be considered when starting a student on the oboe, maintaining the instrument andadjusting the reeds. The fingering chart is basic and issufficiently complete to be used with any Fox or Renardoboe, and with almost any other Lorée style oboe.
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INDEX
Introduction........................................................................3
Starting the Student on Oboe...........................................5
Assembly and Care of the Oboe....................................6-7
Embouchure .......................................................................8
Soaking the Oboe Reed ....................................................9
Reed Cases ....................................................................... 9
The Commercial Reed .....................................................10
Adjusting the Commercial Oboe Reed ...........................11
Pitch of the Read .............................................................12
Tips for Solving Specific Reed Problems.........................13
Oboe Fingering Chart ................................................14-20
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STARTING THE STUDENT ON OBOE
The student may start directly on the oboe or may transfer from anotherinstrument. However, a prior experience on piano or another instrument is a great advantage.
The student who already has a basic knowledge of rhythm and notation is better able to concentrate on the specific problems of the oboe and the reed.
The hand positions do not require a large stretch. The embouchure canadapt to both small and large lips. Larger lips seem to adapt more easilythan thin lips. Many students make good progress even with braces ontheir teeth.
When a student is in late elementary or junior high school, it is an ideal time for them to start the oboe. It’s important that the student be mature enough to handle both the instrument and the reed with care.Careful handling of the reed is basic, or both the student and the teacherwill be continually frustrated!
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UPPER JOINT LOWER JOINT BELL
ASSEMBLY AND CARE OF THE OBOE
1. Cradle the upperjoint in left hand.
2. Place right thumb on the E key of the second joint.Carefully maneuver the twoparts together, gently pushing in a clockwise direction untilthe bridge mechanism is properly aligned.
3. Hold the lower end ofthe lower joint in yourleft hand. Place yourright thumb on the Bellkey. Push and twist thebell into the lower joint.
Bell keyE key
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■ Always soak the reed while putting the oboe together(see section Soaking the Reed).
■ Cradle the upper joint in the left hand. Place the rightthumb on the E key of the second joint and carefullymaneuver the two parts together, gently pushing and in a clockwise direction until the bridge mechanism isproperly aligned. Be careful not to bump the “arm”above the F# key.
■ Place the right thumb on the bell key. This holds it upand out of the way while pushing and twisting the bellinto the lower joint. (Left-handed people should reversehands in the assembly procedures).
■ The reed is put in last. It will work best when pushed allthe way to the stopping shoulder.
■ When putting the oboe away, put the reed into thereed case first. To separate the oboe, reverse theassembly procedures. Always clean out the oboe with a soft cloth swab, a Fox silk swab or a turkey feather.
If using a swab, be sure to drop the weight into thelarge end of the upper joint. A Fox silk swab should be pulled all the way through the upper joint, but if asoft cloth swab is used, it should be pulled until slightlysnug and then removed from the large end. It isextremely important to avoid wedging a cloth swab in the small end of the upper joint.
■ Never subject the wooden oboe to any extremes oftemperature. To reduce the chance of cracking thebody, the instrument should be allowed to warm toroom temperature before playing it. To prevent dustand lint from settling into the mechanism, it is importantto frequently dust the mechanism. A soft watercolorbrush is ideal for this. The joints of the key mechanismshould be oiled every few months. A capillary oilerworks very well. However, too much oil is worse thannone at all. Too much oil can cause the pads to stick. If the joints are too tight, use a little cork grease tomake it assemble more easily.
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EMBOUCHURE
The oboeembouchure isformed between the teeth, not in frontof them. In forming aproper embouchure,the tip of the reed ispositioned midway onthe lower lip. As abreath is taken, thelower lip is rolled inover the lower teeth.The upper lip ispulled down and inover the upper teeth,producing a doublelip embouchure.
When properly done, just the tip of the reed should be felt by the tongue inside the lips. The corners of the lipsshould not be pulled outward, but focused inward. Usingthe word “home”, the circular concept of a good
embouchure can be visualized. Care must be taken not tohave pockets of air between cheeks or lips and the teeth.
The embouchure must be thought of as “live”. It mustfunction to control pitch, dynamics and tone color. In theupper octave, the lips and reed are rolled in slightly tocontrol pitch. The lips are opened slightly for increase indynamics. The amount of reed behind the lips is importantin determining tone color. Too much insertion of the reedresults in a shrill, bright tone. The reed is easiest to controlat the tip, where the cane is thinnest.
Care must be taken in the choice of the reed. Too strong areed opening will cause the lips to tire quickly, resulting ina loss of control. Conversely, a weak reed may lack a gooddynamic range or a tone with good projection.
Normally, the instrument is held at a 45 degree angle fromthe body. However, since not all of us have the same facialstructure and dental alignment, it is useful to experiment abit, raising or lowering the instrument slightly, to achievethe best tonal result.
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SOAKING THE REED
Dip the reed in water, shake off the excess water and let it stand for about two minutes before playing on it. It is not necessary to soak the reed by letting it stand in water. Saliva works well too.
REED CASES
It is important to have a reed case that supports the reed in such a way that nothing can damage the delicate tip. It should also allow for air circulation around the reed to keep it dry when not in use. There are commercial reed cases available or cases can be made by the student. Do not use the plastic tubes in which some commercial reeds are packaged as reed cases, unless some holes are provided to permit drying of the reed.
The embouchure cannot functionproperly unless a strong, focusedstream of air provides a steady res-onant tone. A good embouchureshould help the performer in thegoal of true musical excellence.
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THE COMMERCIAL REED
Serious students of the oboe will begin learning the reed making process as soon as they are old enough and carefulenough to manage the necessary tools. If reeds are not available from a private teacher or local player, attempt topurchase the American or “long scrape” reed.
While the French scrape is more easily obtained, there are a variety of “long scrape” style reeds available. Almost all professional oboists in the United States now use some variation of the “long scrape”. The thinner, shorter tip may bemore fragile, but the pleasant tone quality they produce willmake the extra care the reed takes very worthwhile.
The grading of oboe reeds as soft, medium or hard has littlerelationship to the fact and varies from one manufacturer toanother. Many commercial reeds are too soft. Try reeds fromseveral manufacturers to determine which is most consistentand best suited to your instrument and style of playing.
There should be some “resistance” in the reed to enable theplayer to play with good breath support.
FRENCH or“SHORT SCRAPE”
AMERICAN or“LONG SCRAPE”
Tip
Heart
Backbone
Shoulders
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It is important to know the techniques used in adjusting commercial reeds.
The following four pieces of simple equipment are essentialfor students to begin adjusting reeds:
A SHARP KNIFE:A sharp knife for scraping the reed is the most importanttool. It can be purchased from reed making suppliers orhandmade. The blade may be either hollow ground or with abeveled edge. A sharpening stone and honing oil are alsoimportant. It is necessary to keep the knife-edge sharp andfree from nicks.
PLAQUE:The plaque is a small piece of metal that is insertedbetween the blades of the reed while scraping.It supports the blades. Plaques are availablecommercially or they can be handmadefrom a single-edge razor blade.
ADJUSTING THE COMMERCIAL OBOE REED
CUTTING BLOCK:The cutting block is used tosupport the tip of the reed while clipping it with the knife.They are available commercially or can be handmadefrom a piece of hardwood that has been smoothly sanded to eliminate all grooves.
FISHSKIN:Commercially, fishskin is called “Goldbeaters Skin”. It isused to seal the sides of the reed without adding weightto the reed. Added weight will inhibit the reed’s vibratingqualities. A reed must not leak air below the portionthat is in the mouth. Cut a strip of fishskin about 11⁄2” by 1/4”. While slightly moistened, pull the strip of fish-skin tightly around the reed, starting midway or less upthe reed. Pull tightly around the reed spiraling down-ward until it overlaps the top of the winding thread. Donot over moisten. If the fishskin is too wet it will shrivelup and disappear. A little practice is necessary to handleit correctly.
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PITCH OF THE REED
Pitch of the reed is determined by:
1. LENGTH of the reed – The reed should play in tunewhen it is inserted into the oboe to the stopping point. 70-72mm is a good average total reed lengthfor most instruments and players.
2. OPENING of the reed is equally important. Reed openings can be easily adjusted.
A reed that is too open will usually play flat. A reed whichhas a too-closed opening will tend to be sharper in pitch.Old and worn-out reeds become more closed andbecome too sharp in pitch.
The opening of the reed is an important factor for otherreasons as well. If a reed is too open, players are forced to “bite”, whether they are aware of it or not, and theembouchure will quickly fatigue. If the reed is too-closed,it is impossible to blow into it with adequate breath support.
Too open
Too closed
Correct opening
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A. IF THE REED IS TOO SHARP –1. The reed may be too short. Scrape a little more wood from
the back of the reed.
2. The reed opening is too closed. There is no remedy for correcting this. One may apply wire, but this can have anadverse affect on the vibrating qualities of the reed.
3. The reed can be pulled out of the instrument a small amountbefore it adversely affects the intonation of the instrument.
B. IF REED IS TOO FLAT –1. Check to see if the reed is split. A cracked/split reed is
often flat.
2. The reed is tool long. Cut off the reed about 1mm or less.Thin just the end of the reed tip to make it respond. If it isstill flat, repeat this procedure a few times. It is sometimesnecessary to cut off the entire tip and scrape a new one inorder to make the reed respond.
3. Cane is too wide. Making the reed shorter might compensate.
4. Opening is too large. If it seems to respond well, try holdingthe tip of the well-soaked reed closed for several seconds
TIPS FOR SOLVING SPECIFIC REED PROBLEMS:between the fingers. This will weaken the reed slightly.Repeat this procedure a few times. If unsuccessful, itwill be necessary to scrape the shoulders a slight amount.
C. THE REED IS STIFF, STUFFY OR SLOW TO RESPOND –
1. Make the very end of the reed tip thinner.
2. Remove a little wood from behind the reed tip.
3. If it appears that the back is still too thick, scrape a bitmore off, particularly if the low notes do not respond.Be careful not to remove the “backbone” or the reedwill become flat, or the octaves will be flat, forcing theplayer to “bite”.
D. THE REED IS TOO FREE AND EASY TO BLOW –1. Too much wood has already been taken out of the reed
or the tip may be too thin. Clip the tip and readjust.
2. Proceed as in B-2 above. It is possible that the reed willbecome too short and sharp while doing this. If thishappens, discard the reed and try another. You canalways take more wood out of a reed but obviously it isimpossible to put it back.
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OBOE FINGERING CHART
The following is a basic fingering chart that isused for tuning Fox and Renard oboes. The oboehas approximately a 21⁄2 octave range and very few alternate fingerings. The one exception is“Forked F”. Many students brought up in a bandprogram acquire the habit of using only the“Forked F” fingering. “Forked F” is an alternatefingering to be used when necessary: when “F”occurs before or after E�, D, C �, low C, low B orB �. The basic fingering for “F” (or the left “F” keyon those instruments that have it) produces betterintonation and noticeably better tone quality.
LEFTHAND
RIGHTHAND
Left Thumb(Located under instrument)
Cradle of 1st Finger
1st Finger
2nd Finger
3rd Finger
4th Finger
1st Finger
2nd Finger
3rd Finger
4th Finger
15
� � � � �� �� � ��B � B � C D E � D � EC � D �
OR*
�
NOTE: Not all brands of student oboes have a low B �. * Use left-hand E � key if before or after D � (C � ).
16
� � � � � � ���F 1. 2. F � G � A � G � A B �B � A �G
�
1. Forked “F” (See page 14)2. Left-hand “F”
�
17
� � � � � ���C C � D � D E F 1. 2.E � D ��
1. Forked “F” (See page 14) ** Use left-hand E � key if before or after D � (C � ).2. Left-hand “F” ** E � Key may be used with Forked “F” for stability on some instruments.
OR*
**
18
� � � � ��� � �F � G CA B � A ��
* Left Thumb Key may be left down to ease facility on A, B �, B � and C.
G � A � C � D ��* * * *
� B � � �
19
��D E � D � F �F�
** Use before or after high E � (D� ).** Use before or after E � (D� ).
E G� � � � � �
OR* OR**
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