8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

1/49

 A Guide to theOboe and 

 English Horn

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

2/49

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS GUIDE ................................................................................................................... 1

OBOE AND ENGLISH HORN FINGERINGS AND TRILLS ........................................................ 2

GUIDE TO KNIFE SHARPENING ............................................................................................... 3

NOTES ON “DIAGRAM OF FINISHED REED” .......................................................................... 5

DIAGRAM OF FINISHED REED.................................................................................................. 6

REED ADJUSTMENTS ............................................................................................................... 7

REEDMAKING............................................................................................................................. 8

REEDMAKING GUIDE ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................................................. 12

A GUIDE TO OBOE SCRE ADJUSTMENT ........................................................................... 13

PRACTICE SCHEDULE HINTS................................................................................................. 15

THE PRACTICE SCHEDULE .................................................................................................... 16

OBOE AND ENGLISH HORN TECHNI!UE ............................................................................. 17

MODERN TECHNI!UES........................................................................................................... 18

A FE NOTES ON THE ENGLISH HORN ............................................................................... 2"

TIPS ON PHRASING ................................................................................................................. 23MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS ......................................................................................... 26

BASIC REPERTOIRE ................................................................................................................ 2#

STUD$ RESOURCES ............................................................................................................... 32

A TECHNI!UE AND MUSICIANSHIP LIBRAR$ ...................................................................... 33

EAR%RECOGNITION OF INTER&ALS ...................................................................................... 3'

GETTING STARTED IMPRO&ISING......................................................................................... 35

SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PERFORMING CRISES ............................................................... 36

SUPPLIES ................................................................................................................................. 37

INSTRUMENT CARE AND MAINTENANCE .............................................................................

'1

OBOE(ENGLISH HORN ORLD IDE EB PAGES ............................................................ '5USING THE CHORD(SCALE CONSTRUCTOR........................................................................ '6

THE CHORD(SCALE CONSTRUCTOR .................................................................................... '7

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

3/49

1

About This Guide

This text, “A Guide to the Oboe and English Horn,” is an updated version of a small book on these two

instruments whih ! wrote while in ollege" #ou are welome to learn and teah from these materials as

 $ou see fit, as long as $ou don%t tr$ to sell them for a profit"

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

4/49

Oboe and English Horn Fingerings and Trills

FINGERINGS

Bb0~ 0 *** *** Bb CB0 0 *** *** B CC1 0 *** *** CC#1 0 *** *** C#D1 0 *** ***Eb1 0 *** *** EbE1 0 *** **0F1 0 *** **0 F

0 *** *0*F#1 0 *** *00G1 0 *** 000G#1 0 *** 000 G#A1 0 **0 000Bb1 0 **0 *00t 0 **0 *** C#? Eb?

B1 0 *00 000h ~ 0 *0* *** Bb Ch @ 0 *0* ***

C2 0 *00 *00h ~ 0 *0* *** Ct 0 *00 *** C#? Eb?

C#2 0 /** *** C#

D2 0 /** ***Eb2 0 /** *** EbE2 1 *** **0F2 1 *** **0 F

1 *** *0*h ~ 1 *** *** Bb C

F#2 1 *** *00h 1 *** *** B C

G2 1 *** 000h 1 *** *** C

G#2 1 *** 000 G#h 1 *** *** C#

A2 2 **0 000h 2 *** ***

Bb2 2 **0 *00

h 2 *** *** EbB2 2 *00 000h ~ 2 *0* *** Bb C

h @ 2 *0* ***C3 2 *00 *00h ~ 2 *0* *** Ch 2 *?* **0 Fh 2 *?* *0*

C#3 0 0** *?0 Ct 0 /** *0* C#

D3 0 /** 0?0 Ct 0 0** 0*0 Ct 0 /** 00* C#

Eb3 0 /** 0** B

0 /** 0*0 G# Ct 0 0** 0*0 G# Ct 1 /** 000t 2 *00 *00 Dt C#tt 2 000 ?00 Dt C#t?

E3 1 /** 0** G# Eb~ 1 /*0 000

F3 1 /*0 0** G# Eb1 /*0 000 G#

@ 1 /*0 000F#3~ 1 /*0 *0* C

~ 3 **0 **0 C@ 1 /*0 **0

G3 ~ 1 /*0 *00~ 3 *00 **0 lG# C F?@ 1 *0* *00

G#3~ 1 /00 *00 P~ 3 *0* 0** B~ 3 *00 *00@ 1 *00 *00

A3 ~ 1 /0* 0*0@ 1 000 *00

Bb3~ 1 0** 0*0 G# rEb~ 1 /0* 0*0 G# rEb

B3 ~ 2 /*/ **0 C#tC4 ~ 2 /*0 *00 C#tC#4~ 2 /*0 *00 C#t Dt

TRILLS

B0-C#1 0 *** *** C# B!C1-Db1 0 *** *** altC C#!

Db1-Eb1 0 *** *** lEb C#!D#1-E1 0 *** **! lEbEb1-F1 0 *** *!* EbF1-Gb1 0 *** *!0 F

0 *** *0!F1-G1 0 *** !*0 F

0 *** !0*F#1-G#1 0 *** !00 lG#G#1-A1 0 **! 000 SG#1-A#1 0 *!* 000 G#A#1-B1 0 *!0 *00 lG#

0 *!0 *00 PB1-C#2 0 !00 000

0 *00 000 C#t!C2-Db2 0 !00 *00

0 *00 *00 C#t!C2-D2 0 *00 *00 Dt!C#2-D#2 0 /** *** lEb C#!D2-E2 0 /** **!

Eb2-F2 1 *** *!* EbF2-Gb2 1 *** *!0 F

1 *** *0!F2-G2 1 *** !*0 F

1 *** !0*F#2-G#2 1 *** !00 lG#G2-A2 1 **! 000G#2-A2 1 **! 000 SG#2-A#2 1 *!* 000 G#A#2-B2 2 *!0 *00 lG#

2 *!0 *00 P

B2-C#3 2 !00 0002 *00 000 C#t!

C3-Db3 2 !00 *002 *00 *00 C#t!

C3-D3 2 *00 *00 Dt!D3-E3 1 0** !00 lG# FD#3-E3 ~ 0 /*! 0** B

~ 0 /*! 0?0 S C@ 1 /** 0** G#! Eb!

@ 0 /** 0** B rG#! rEb!?Eb3-F3 ~ 1 /*! 000 lG# G#pad!

~ 0 /*! 0** B rG#!@ 1 /*! 0**@ 0 /*! 0** B@ 1 /*! 000@ 0 /*! 0?0 S C

E3-F#3 ~ 1 /!! 0** G# Eb @ 1 /*! !** lG# EbF3-Gb3 ~ 1 /!0 0** G# Eb

~ 1 /!0 000 G#@ 1 /*0 !!0

F3-G3 ~ 1 /*0 !00 lG# @ 1 /!0 !*0 lG#

F#3-G3 ~ 1 /*0 *0! C!~ 3 *!0 **0 C lG#@ 1 /!0 **0 lG#

F#3-G#3~ 3 *!0 **0 F C@ 1 *!0 **0

G3-Ab3 ~ 1 /!0 *00 P~ 3 *00 **0 F C lG#!@ 1 *0! *00

G3-A3 ~ 1 /!0 !00 B@ 1 !0! *00

G#3-A3 ~ 3 !0* 0** B~ 1 /00 !00 P B@ 1 !00 *00

N O TATI O N

~ oboe only

@ english horn (EH) only

! key to be trilled

t fingering is a trill fingering, or keyis a trill key

trilling keys should be alternated

r right hand

l left hand? key may be omitted

P the little key between the first two

S the small key that curls over the

rG# key. n EH use rG# key instead.

altC the banana key by the third

finger of the right hand

CO MM E NTS

!irst "va key may be used instead of #rd$ightly touching back of reed with teeth

eases oboe %, &', ', and EH (#

!or oboe trill from %b to %, trill from%b to & and hold low % vent shutwith knee

!or first Eb*! trill, trill the G# +aditself, not the G# key

rills derivable from fingerings and visaversa are not listed

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

5/49

Guide to Knife Sharpening

(reverse illustrations for a left*handed knife)

1) -nives () %eveled and (%) Hollow Ground / 0irection of cra+ing

 A B

2) %urrs () 34rong5 side, (%) 36ight5 side, (&) 3heared5, and (0) 3&urled5 / 0ir. of cra+ing

(%urrs greatly enlarged for clarity)

 A B C D

) troke #1 * 0one until burr is entirely on 3wrong5 side

Cutting Edge

"Low Angle"

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

6/49

') troke #2 * 0one until burr is entirely on 3right5 side

Cutting Edge

"Higher Angle"

7) troke # * 0one once or twice to shear off burr 

Cutting Edge

"Flat"

6eminders

est the burr (by dragging the blade along a thumbnail in both directions) every one or twostrokes. 8t will catch in the direction of the burr.

$ubricate the stone (with mineral oil or water) at the start of each session.

9se the same angles each time you shar+en (once you have determined the angles which work best

for your knife).4ith each stroke, be sure the E:86E blade is covered with e;ual +ressure.

8f the burr is not +eriodically checked during shar+ening, it may 3curl5 and seem dull. his usuallyindicates a +articular 3angled5 stroke has been overused or used at too high an angle.

he stone must be large enough so the knife doesn

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

7/49

Notes on “iagra! of Finished "eed#

he following is a list of the various +arts of a long*scra+e reed, in order of thickness

1. he rails and area between the end of the back and the binding (bark)

2. he s+ine

. he heart

'. he back 7. he ti+ (e=ce+t the edges)

>. he e=treme edges of the ti+ (these are as thin as +ossible)

Tip his is the thinnest +art of the reed. he e=treme ti+ and sides of the ti+ are as thin as +ossible, but

the ti+ gradually becomes thicker from end to heart and from the sides to the middle. he definition between the ti+ and the heart should be clear, but not at all abru+t. here should be a few thicker fibers

(vascular bundles) e=tending from the middle of the heart into the ti+. his should hint of a continuation

of the s+ine. he ti+ usually e=tends about 'mm from the end of the reed as measured on the reed sidesand 2mm as measured in the reed center.

$a% his is the area of graduation between the thin ti+ and thicker heart. 8t should be longer on the sidesthan in the middle.

Heart 4ith the lay, this area forms the core of the sound. he line of demarcation between the back and

the heart can be angled (as in this illustration), or flat (as in the illustrations in the reedmaking section ofthis guide).

"ails hese are narrow stri+s of bark e=tending from the binding to the heart along the sides of the reed.

Spine his narrow stri+ of thicker cane runs along the middle of the reed from the beginning to the end of 

the back. he merest suggestion of a s+ine may continue through the heart, but the definite structure is no

longer there.

General :otes

8f the to+ reed blade must be severely sli++ed, a ra?or blade can be used to gradually trim the overla+

(beginning at about >mm from the e=treme ti+) by the smallest +ossible amount.

he crow of the reed should be 3&5 in two or three octaves.

o test for leaks oak the reed, wet one finger and use it to close the cork end of the reed, assume a

normal embouchure at the very ti+ of the reed, suck out all the air from the reed, and slide the reed outof your mouth while maintaining the vacuum and kee+ing your finger against the other end. 8f the

reed does not leak, you will hear (+ossibly after a second or two) a 3+o+5 as the two blades se+arateand air rushes in.

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

8/49

Tip

4mmHeart4mm

Back

11mmBark4mm

Staple

4mm

      i  a  g  r  a  !   o

   f   F   i  n   i  s   h  e   d   "  e  e   d

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

9/49

@

"eed Ad&ust!ents

6EE0 8 !

rim the ti+. soft reed has a weak, low, sickly crow.

6EE0 8 H60%eginning with the ti+, thin the entire reed

6EE0 A$B H6A

1. $engthen the back towards the binding (remove bark)

2. $engthen the lay (es+ecially the sides) and thin ti+ sides

. 9nsli+ the blades or s;uee?e ti+ o+en (or try a wider sha+e ne=t time)

6EE0 A$B !$

1. rim the ti+

2. li+ the blades (more), +inch ti+ if too o+en

. 8f this +roblem becomes habitual use a narrower sha+e

6EE0 A$B !

1. rim the ti+

2. cra+e the lay and the area immediately around it

. 9nsli+ the blades or s;uee?e ti+ o+en

6EE0 A$B $90

ee 36eed is oo Hard5

$4 :E 0 : AE- 4E$$1. hin the ti+ e=tremes

2. $engthen the lay at the sides

. cra+e the entire back of the reed

'. $engthen the back towards the binding7. &heck that the blades are uniform on both sides

H8GH :E 0 : AE- 4E$$1. rim the ti+

2. hin the heart, es+ecially Cust below the ti+

6EE0 9:0 %68GH 6 H68$$

1. hin the ti+ corners and ti+ sides (and lay sidesD)

2. rim the ti+

. :arrow the rails and s+ine'. cra+e the entire back (cautiously)

6EE0 9:0 06- 6 9!!B

hin the entire heart and ti+

6EE0 F9E- : &- 

&ho+ a tiny bit off the ti+. &ho+ corners if frayed.

6EE0 8 08!!8&9$ &- 

ee 36eed is oo Hard,5 +aying s+ecial attention to the ti+

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

10/49

"eed!a'ing

(hilosoph%

6eeds are easily the most common source of com+laint for oboists. ll +rofessionals and serious amateurs

make their own reeds, as the cost of commercial ones can be +rohibitive and their ;uality is inferior to

handmade, +ersonali?ed reeds. %ut, once oboists begin to make their own reeds, they find that not all oftheir reeds work well, and they fre;uently worry and +lay badly due to this 3reed +roblem.5

%ut there is a solution ;uantity of +roduction. 6egardless of the success rate of your reeds, you

can insure yourself a good reed to whatever +robability you desire sim+ly by making enough ofthem.

side from really concentrating on what you are doing when you are making or adCusting a reed, which by now should be +art of your a++roach to the entire instrument, there is one general way to raise the

;uality of your reeds consistency. Get the best e;ui+ment you can, and stick with it until you can turnout identical, +layable reeds. Bour oboe cane (start with 1.7mm*11.mm diameter, .>*.'7mm gouge,

Gilbert#1 or similar sha+e), sta+les ('@mm, clean, good socket fit, identical fit on mandrel), oboe (in +erfect re+air), work acoustics (as 3dead5 as +ossible), and even work light should be identical each time

you +ick u+ a +iece of cane. !inally, you may also find that if you can work on reeds a little bit every day(without com+romising your normal +ractice time on the instrument) you

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

11/49

. i+ thinning. 0raw a +encil mark down the center of the ti+ of an old reed, and be able to evenly

thin the ti+ while leaving the line. %e able to make the e=treme ti+, the corners of the ti+, and thesides of the ti+ as thin as +ossible without fraying or losing them (i.e. learn the limits). %e able to

make smooth graduations of decreasing thickness from the center and beginning of the ti+,radiating outwards. Bou will find that it is almost never a++ro+riate in the final stages of ti+

thinning to merely guide the knife straight down the ti+ it must usually be at some outward +ointing angle to +reserve the subtle center 3s+ine.5 here should not be a 3catch5 or thicker

region at the e=treme ti+ (caused by lifting the knife as it a++roaches the +la;ue).

Habits This Method Assu!es *ou Ha+e

1. Bou shar+en the knife to a keen edge 4HE:EIE6 it is even slightly dull.

2. Bou check the reed for leaks +eriodically during its creation and first few days of use. 8f it leaksyou can moisten the reed and a++ly a stri+ of fishskin, but with good e;ui+ment leaks should be

rare enough to where you can discard the reed and avoid the troublesome fishskin.. t any stage after +rofiling, if the o+ening is too large, you di+ the reed in water and gently

s;uee?e the ti+, holding it shut for ' seconds.'. Bou know how to crow the reed (+utting the reed alone in your mouth u+ to the thread and

 blowing), and that you listen to the effects different crow sounds have on the way the reed +lays.Bou should know that a crow without octaves is a sign that an old reed is colla+sing. Bou should

also know that the best reeds usually crow 3&5 in two octaves. 8t should not be necessary toactually use the oboe until the fine tuning stage.

7. Bou constantly check the reed to see that all four sides of the scra+e look the same through light.

>. Bou know when to retire a reed. 8f the o+ening has com+letely colla+sed and cli++ing would

shar+en the reed more, if the ti+ has become damaged, the reed leaks, or the reed has gone shar+, break off the cane and save the sta+le for a new reed.

@. Bou di+ the reed in water for a second before scra+ing it. &ane that is too wet cannot be scra+ed

(the knife Cust 3glides5 over it), but cane that is too dry may s+lit.

". Bou are consistent in your a++roach to the reed. Bou concentrate on what you are doing, and tryto make each new reed e=actly like the best one you have tried. fter you tie some blanks, you

should be able to +ick them u+ later knowing they are all identical.J. Bou +roceed from the blank stage with a blank that has the cane aligned with the flatter side of the

oval sta+le (fig. 1), +roceeds in a straight line from the sta+le, and is e=actly @mm long (unlessyou have changed the measurement * if it is too short the cane will bind, if it is too long the sides

will never seal * wider sha+es re;uire longer tying lengths). he thread must : be overtied(e=tending above the to+ of the '@mm sta+le), nor should it be undertied by more than .7mm.

here should be no cracks e=tending more than a few millimeters above the binding. 0uringtying, the sides of the cane must close e;ually and simultaneously as the thread is tightened this is

 best accom+lished if the first wra+ is as close to the end of the sta+le as +ossible * the thread then

doubles back automatically.1. 8t is assumed that you have watched at least one +erson tie a blank and make a reed, or havewatched a videota+e on the subCect. ome +rocesses can only be easily understood this way.

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

12/49

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

13/49

Finishing

1. he reed will feel thicker after having sat overnight. 0i+ it in water and let it sit for a minute.

&heck for leaks. Ainch the o+ening as necessary.

2. &li+ ti+ and thin re+eatedly, checking the +itch of the reed and its crow against your tuningmachine. he final length should be between @ and @1mm. 8f the ti+ looks and acts +ro+erly, but

the reed feels constricted, cane may need to be evenly removed from the heart.

. :ow the reed should +lay, but may have s+ecific +roblems. :ote these and +roceed directly to thene=t ste+.

Fine Tuning

ake adCustments to the reed (ee 36eed dCustments5) while kee+ing the following in mind

1. 0o one thing at a time, and try to +redict the effect the adCustment will have before you test it.

2. to+ when the desired result has been achieved.

-ee+ in mind the basic order of reed +riorities

1. (it)h. (:EIE6 +lay an out*of*tune reed because it 3sounds nice and 8 can adCust.5 8n +ractice,

this almost never works.)

2. "esponse. ll registers should res+ond to both fortissimos and soft attacks. 6a+id articulationshould be free. Bou need the feeling that you could +lay the reed for a solid hour before tiring. s

Kose+h 6obinson says, 3he only security comes from fle=ibility.5

. Tone. 8f you have a firm idea of the tone you want, you can make any reed sound more like it in aminute through careful listening, which will +roduce unconscious embouchure adCustments. 8f the

reed is out of tune or res+onds +oorly, the audience will not be listening to the beautiful toneanyway. one 8 the lowest +riority.

6eeds sometimes take several days to settle. Bou may have to s+end several +ractice sessions using the

reed and adCust it over a +eriod of several days before it is fit for +erformance. 8f you are starting a newreed every one or two days, as you should, you will be +roducing them more ;uickly than you usethem. 0o not let this deter you from working on them daily Cust set the e=tra ones aside or give them

away.

30o not a++ly a scra+e to a reed, scra+e it according to its needs.5 * Kohn ack 

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

14/49

"eed!a'ing Guide Illustrations

!!mm

Figure -

Figure .

4mm 4mm

Figure /

!"mm

Figure 0

!!mm

Figure 1   !!mm

!"mm

!!mmFigure 2

#1mm

Figure 3

Figure 4

m

ar 

"mm

m

ar 

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

15/49

A Guide to Oboe S)re5 Ad&ust!ent

o adCust oboe screws you need only three things

1. screwdriver.

2. +iece of cigarette +a+er cut into the sha+e of a triangle, ta+ering to mm at the small end.

. he knowledge that the +roblem is not the fault of you, the reed, or a leaking +ad.

8f you are a beginner, you may be bewildered by the many different screws and may be afraid of makinga mistake. %ut if you turn only one screw at a time and remember its original +osition, you can always

 bring the instrument back to its original state. hen, if all else fails, you can see your teacher.

Bou will be asked during several of the troubleshooting solutions to 3check the tension of a +ad.5 his is

done by sli++ing the small end of the test +a+er (described above) between the oboe wood and key the

key is then closed with normal +ressure while the +a+er is +ulled out. he resistance the key offersagainst your efforts to +ull out the +a+er tells you how high the tension on that key is. lways insert the

 +a+er at the +oint on the key farthest away from its +ivot rod.

0o not confuse adCusting screws, which 3+oint5 into the oboe, with screw*headed rods, which +oint alongthe surface of the oboe and secure the key*holding rods in +lace. hese should always be screwed all the

way in.

4hen adCusting, turn the screw no more than 1/" of a turn before testing it. to+ immediately when the

desired effect is achieved.

Alease be aware that what is given below is only a brief summary it does not cover some of the less

commonly adCusted screws (like the octave key screws) and does not cover the adCustments on the english

horn (some of which are slightly different). !or a com+lete and illustrated guide to the adCustment ofscrews on both instruments, +urchase the e=cellent te=t on oboe maintenance by &arl awicki (The Oboe &evealed ).

lso be aware that it is assumed throughout this guide that the oboe in ;uestion is a +rofessional, full*conservatory system instrument. here should be no e=tra or missing screws. dditionally, none of the

keys with a hole in the to+ should be even +artially +lugged with dirt.

! or +roblems with & throu g h ! # in the middle of the staff

hese +roblems usually hinge on a lack of balance between the key and the & vent directly above it, the

G key and the %b vent directly above it, and the two vents with each other.

!irst find the screw between the key and the %b vent that is closest to those two keys this screwregulates the balance between the %b vent and the & vent, which must be e;ual. est the two tensions

with the test +a+er and adCust the screw until they are e;ual (turn it 3towards5 the vent whose tension youwish to decrease).

 :ow adCust the tension between the key and the & vent the a++ro+riate screw is located between thesetwo keys. !or this +rocedure, the !# key must remain down. s before, turn the screw towards the key

whose tension you wish to decrease. ry to get the tensions e;ual, but err on the side of the key(+rimary key) closure if you cannot.

 :ow re+eat the +rocedure of the above +aragra+h for the G key and the Gb vent again the screw is located between the two.

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

16/49

! or +roblems from low ! down

%egin by turning the screw on the ! resonance key (the one nearest the ! resonance o+ening) counter*

clockwise one full turn this will disengage it and make other adCustments easier.

owards the +ivot +oint of the E key you will find two screws almost touching each other. he one wewill be using here is the one which would be closer to the reed, should the oboe be assembled. dCust it

until the E key and E resonance key (between E and !#) give the same +ull on the test +a+er. 8f you cannot

e;uali?e them, let the E key have the slightly greater tension. :ow re+eat the above +rocedure, e=ce+t between the 0 key and the vent, using the screw (of the twomentioned above) which would be closer to the bell should the oboe be assembled.

 :ow you will reengage the ! resonance screw which you turned a full turn at the beginning of this +rocedure. urn it clockwise until the tension on the ! resonance key is the same as that on the E vent

when the E and 0 keys are de+ressed with normal +ressure. 8f you go too far, there will be an odd sense

of 3resistance5 on the E key.

-now that if the small low %b resonance +ad has fallen out, the ;uality of E naturals will changedramatically.

! or shar+ hi g h 0 of a turn, until this effect disa++ears.

! or f a ulty ! #*G# trill

Alay an !# and trill the G# key. here should be no change in the !#

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

17/49

(ra)ti)e S)hedule Hints

Introdu)tion

te+s four through eight of this daily schedule are 3+racticing e=ercises.5 heir +ur+ose is threefold they

hel+ you achieve an understanding of the se+arate functions involved in +laying, they hel+ bring flaws intechni;ue to the surface so they can be worked on individually, and they form habits of actions which are

 +erformed correctly. Aracticing e=ercises re;uire intense concentration, which is +ossible only if thee=ercises are done $4$B. low +ractice is one of the fastest +aths to im+rovement.

te+s nine through eleven are 3+erforming e=ercises.5 hey stress musicality and +hrasing.6emember here that +laying 3securely5 with inade;uate dynamic variance is worse than attem+ting

true +ianissimos/fortissimos/f+

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

18/49

The (ra)ti)e S)hedule

1. 6eview the 3echni;ue5 section of this guide, if necessary.

2. &row and test the soaked reed you will be using. ne cannot gain a healthy conce+t of 

embouchure +laying bad reeds.

. 4arm u+ by +laying low 305. &oncentrate on the strong, even, unhindered flow of air from the bottom of your lungs through the bell of the oboe.

'. Aick a note and hold it until you have +erfected the tonal ;uality. hen slur u+ or down a half ste+

and match that tonal ;uality. 0o this in the lower octave until it is 3anchored5 before slurring tothe middle octave and re+eating the +rocess. he third octave is done last.

7. Aractice slow, even, slurred scales (chromatic to to+ of range, maCors in all keys, and Lo+tionallyMminors) with ar+eggios. &rescendo while ascending and decrescendo while descending to

counteract the tendency to back off in the high register and honk in the low register.

>. Aractice crescendos/decrescendos on various notes go evenly from +++ to fff in a certain number 

of beats and back down to +++ in the same number of beats. %e able to su+erim+ose articulation on

this e=ercise without disturbing it. lso +ractice fff N +++ O fff and different degrees of accent.6emember that a change in volume does not mean a change in tem+o, +itch, or tone ;uality. +++

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

19/49

Oboe and English Horn Te)hni6ue

(h%si)al Te)hni6ue

1. Good Aosture

. it/stand u+ straight ado+t good hand/arm +ositions.

%. 0o not ti+ your head down or hold the oboe too high.

&. 6emember to smooth and minimi?e your finger movements.2. %reath

. 8nhale with full breaths to the bottom of your lungs. Alan breaths to occur between +hrases.%. 3ing5 (+lay) with fast, driving, abdominally su++orted, warm air. his +roduces +roCection

and natural vibrato.

&. he flow of air should maintain a driving intensity, es+ecially between intervals, while

articulating, in the high register, and during soft +laying/decrescendos.. !orming the Embouchure

. 6ela= the Caws and face. $et the bottom Caw dro+ and set the reed lightly on the bottom li+.

8nhale. he to+ li+ is lowered while kee+ing the teeth comfortably a+art (es+ecially the

 back teeth) and e=+osing as little reed in the mouth as +ossible. he li+s are then slightly

rolled in with the reed, which is held in the center of the embouchure.%. he face muscles should feel fle=ible (after all, they, not the teeth, change the

embouchure). he mouth and throat cavities should feel 3big5. eeth are comfortably a+art.9se as o+en a vowel (3o5 or 3a5) as +ossible.

&. Aressure should be e;ual around the entire reed (es+ecially the sides). he formed

embouchure should feel round, but rela=ed.0. Alay as far toward the reed ti+ as +ossible.

E. u+erim+ose all notes in all articulations and dynamics on a continuous forte low 0. hink 

of the air stream as traveling the same distance on all notes as it does on a focussed low 0.he embouchure adCusts for shar+/bright notes, while the air stream almost always remains

a constant. 0on

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

20/49

Modern Te)hni6ues

8n the last ' years, new techni;ues have been develo+ed for +roducing unusual sounds on the oboe. anymodern com+osers have written works calling for these s+ecial sounds. hey work best with an easy and

res+onsive reed, and are worth cultivating only as an advanced +layer.

he instructions and fingerings in each avant*garde +iece will usually be uni;ue therefore, the best way to

learn the avant*garde is to +lay and listen to the avant*garde. ne of the most res+ected +layers of avant*garde music is oboist Hein? Holliger, and his +erformances and recordings in this area are often the

definitive ones.

 'ouble(Triple()lutter Tonguing  0ouble/tri+le tonguing is accom+lished by alternating the normaltonguing consonant 3t5 with 3k5. his techni;ue is useful and is called for in some standard orchestral

works, but should not be attem+ted until single tonguing has reached its limits of s+eed and control.

nother accelerated method, detailed in 0avid Aino

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

21/49

"0 ** *** Bb C$  +roduces %1 and "0 ** *** C$  +roduces &2, but "0 ** *** B C$

is halfway between the two.

0ariable 0ibrato, Hairpin '$namis his is self e=+lanatory. &om+lete control over the vibrato (beingable to turn it on or off and change its width and s+eed) is often re;uested by avant*garde com+osers. Bou

must be ca+able of going from fff to +++ almost instantly and be ca+able of all the dynamics between.E=+losive accents are also +o+ular.

 'ouble Trills hese are accom+lished by trilling with e;uivalent keys alternately. !or e=am+le, trill from02*Eb2, alternately striking rhEb and lhEb. 8t is also +ossible to +erform a 3tone trill5 by trilling between

the normal fingering for a note and a coloring fingering for the same note.

 &olling Tones, -ultiphonis 9sing regular fingerings, 3rolling tones5 can be +erformed from %b to 0l

 by merely setting the embouchure at the base of the reed. %ut entirely new fingerings are re;uired formulti+honics, which result in the oboe +roducing several notes at once. here are innumerable

multi+honics the following is merely a sam+le

0 0** 000 0 0** 00* Bb C0 **0 0** 0 0** 0** C C# Bb0 *0* **0 Bb C 0 **0 **0 Bb C

0 *** 00* C 0 *** **0 B? C0 *** 0** C# 0 */* **0 B? C0 */* **/ B C 0 **/ *** Eb

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

22/49

A Fe5 Notes on the English Horn

Introdu)tion

he english horn (cor anglais) is a relative of the oboe which is larger and is +itched a fifth lower (a

fingered & on the english horn will sound as an !). ost +rofessional oboe +layers will own and often bee=+ected to +lay the english horn. his is no great handica+ +laying the english horn can im+rove one

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

23/49

E=cluding teeth embouchure notes, which do not work nearly so well on english horn as on oboe, the

 +laying limit of the english horn a++ears to be written b (though one almost never sees notes aboveE). :one of the oboe fingerings and trills work from !# u+ they are re+laced by different ones (see the

fingering chart in this guide for details).

E=ce+t for harmonic !2, the classical harmonic fingerings all work. ost english horn multi+honicfingerings are of the form "0 0** 0?? ?$. any fingerings and trills (adding low % or low & keys, for 

e=am+le, to notes above low 0) do work, and many of the other common 3coloring5 fingerings work andcan be very effective.

&ircular breathing also works well the difference in tone during the inhalation +hase is harder to detect,

as the instrument

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

24/49

 binding, with the loose ends twirled together and +ressed against the reed toward the binding. 8t must be

firmly against the cane to manage the o+ening, but should not bite into the cane. &ut off the e=cess wireand, if you like, file down the rough ends of the wire. he wire can be s;uee?ed at the sides if the reed is

too closed, s;uee?ed from to+ to bottom if the reed is too o+en, and +ushed u+ and tightened if it sli+s.

good length at which to tie the blanks is 7Jmm, which +roduces finished reeds at about 77mm (another 

good length). f course, de+ending on the bocal, this measurement may have to be adCusted. 8t is often

good +ractice to leave +ro+ortionately more cane unscra+ed between the back and the binding, as thisseems to alleviate many of the intonation divergences of the english horn. ti+ that is too long can causethe same divergences.

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

25/49

Tips on (hrasing

3usicianshi+ and style are learned attributes. ome may be born with the gift of talent and intelligenceand learn ;uickly * others more slowly * but all have to learn.5 * hurmond, ote Grouping 

Three ,ig Tips1. $isten to recordings or +erformances of great wind +layers and singers with score in hand. ry to

analy?e what they are doing identify the s+ecific +hrasing techni;ues that they use, and try to

logically antici+ate them. rying to du+licate nuances of an instrumental or vocal artist from arecording is another valuable e=ercise.

2. lways +lay with the greatest level of musicality you can muster, regardless of the difficulty of the

 +assage. Each +hrase has something to say, and it is u+ to you to find it and bring it out (or im+osesomething on it, if the music is +oor).

. -ee+ in mind that you may sometimes be overestimating your +hrasing, because not everything you

are doing +hysically may be translating into a noticeable difference in sound. 8n some cases you

may have to 3e=aggerate5 +hrasing more than you think you might.

The Intuiti+e (rin)iple of (hrasing8 “The !usi) al5a%s !o+es for5ard9#

1. ssuming you have listened to many recordings, Cust H8:-8:G of this rule may cause moree=+ressive +laying.

2. 4here intuition fails, logic can su++ly hints. !or e=am+le, a stream of identical re+eated notes or onelong note will not move by itself some sort of decrescendo or (more commonly *es+ecially before

the clima= of the +hrase) crescendo is often e=+ected by the com+oser.

. Aush the air and the music all the way to the last clima= of the +hrase (often, but certainly not

always, a clima= is contained in the +hrase

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

26/49

The $ogi)al (rin)iple of (hrasing8 “:hat is une;pe)ted or hard on the ear ed for the ear to a))ept it9#

1. Aossible means of em+hasis might be increased volume, an accent, a +ause before the note, or a moreintense tone.

2. 9sually, crescendo away from the tonic note, and diminuendo back toward it. 9sually, crescendo

when ascending the scale (though sometimes a tonic high note +layed +ianissimo can +roduce a

wonderful effect).

. 0elay the e=+ected (this is why fermatas are so often +ut on notes immediately before the resolution

to the tonic).

The ?isual (rin)iple of (hrasing8 “(hrases are finite in length@ and ha+e a

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

27/49

'. ry to lose yourself in these +hrasing techni;ues, or in the sheer Coy of +laying.

7. ssume the stage with some degree of confidence, look at the audience (or at least don

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

28/49

Mis)ellaneous Suggestions

&ount constantly. -ee+ the +ulse (the beat the metronome or conductor is counting) in your mind with aconstant subdivision (2, , ', 7, or >). he subdivision is the greatest common denominator of the rhythm

 being +layed or of the rhythm that 48$$ be +layed on the ne=t beat.

o +lay in accurate time, the &8:G beat must be felt, not the beat you Cust +assed. 4hether you +lay

with a metronome kee+ing time or with a conductor kee+ing time, you should have the feeling of the beatreating the notes. void habitually ta++ing your foot or fla++ing your arms to the beat.

6emember to kee+ counting, even on the last note before a rest. 6eleases should be su++orted and in time

(+erha+s +retend there is one note after the last written one). !or a very revealing e=ercise, set yourmetronome to sound on the off*beats (see Hewitt

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

29/49

6a+id technical +assages are easier and sound better when +layed with solid breath su++ort and attention

to musicality.

here are often notes on each oboe that tend to be flat or shar+. 8f this is the case for you, make a s+ecial

effort to +re*hear them the way they H9$0 %E rather than the way the oboe wants to +lay them.

3lee+ing on it5 is a +o+ular e=+ression for a reason. 8f you +ractice a +assage at a moderate tem+o

com+etently, you may find that you will be able to +lay it at a much faster tem+o the ne=t day.

8f you remember to +ush the air the same distance on all notes as you do on low 0, and kee+ yourembouchure set at the ti+ of the reed, you should find that middle octave % and & do not +ose significant

stability +roblems.

!or low notes, imagine that the oboe is longer than it really is.

Bou can

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

30/49

here are really two classes of dynamic markings those for accom+animent +assages and those for solos.

non*solo +ianissimo should be taken literally, but a soloistic +ianissimo can be as much an indication of character or tone color as actual volume.

Bour first duty in a solo +assage is to be heard. 9nless your +erforming grou+ (chamber music e=ce+ted)is to+ notch, you may find yourself +laying many solos (or at least the hearts and clima=es thereof) at full

volume (but see the above comments concerning tone color and character). 9ntil you are told you are too

loud, assume you are not loud enough. his is often an issue of confidence, and similar comments a++lyto inter+retation.

%ecause there are relatively fewer oboists than there are +erformers of most other instruments, oboists and

english hornists are usually in demand by community orchestras and other volunteer ensembles. Getting

a +aid, full*time Cob in an orchestra is another matter +lease investigate and be realistic about yourchances before deciding on this as a career.

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

31/49

,asi) "epertoire

his list is intended to +rovide reasonable +ossibilities for recital or solo contest selections it is :intended to be all*inclusive. Aieces marked with an asterisk are the most*often +erformed works in their

category, and all ensemble works are also available for oboe and +iano. here are several reference te=ts,including -usi for Oboe 123451644 by %ruce Haynes and The !ndex of Oboe -usi (with su++lements)

 by 4ayne 4ilkins, which document oboe re+ertoire.he 3orchestral e=cer+ts5 categories contain works that are commonly re;uested at orchestral auditions

(see %rent 6egister, 3elected 9.. udition 6e;uirements for boe and English Horn,5 The 'ouble &eed , !all 1J">, +. 7') they are listed in order from 3most re;uested5 to 3least re;uested.5

9naccom+ani e d boe

rnold, !antasy

%erio, e;uen?a (avant*garde)%o??a, uite onodi;ue

%ritten, i= etamor+hoses fter vidQ

Aersichetti, Aarable

9naccom+ani e d En g lish Horn

Aersichetti, Aarable

4agner, olo from ristan, ct 888

boe and Aiano

%ach, onata in g minor %o??a, !antasie Aastorale

%ritten, 8nsect Aieces and em+oral Iariations

0utilleu=, onata

Hindemith, onata

ilhaud, onatine-alliwoda, arceau de alon

$utoslawski, E+itath

Aasculli, Iariations and &oncertoAiston, uite

Aoulenc, onataaint*aens, onata

chumann, 6omances

4ol+e, onata

En g lish Horn and Aiano

%o??a, 0ivertissement%o??a, $ied&arter, Aastorale

Handel, &oncerto in c minor (transcri+tion)Hindemith, onata

Bvon, onata

boe with rchestra or tring rchestra

lbinoni, &oncerto +J, #2 (and others)

%ach, &oncertos in d minor and !, 0ouble &oncerto (b, Ia)

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

32/49

&arter, &oncerto

&imarossa, &oncerto&origliano, &oncerto

!rancai=, !lower &lock Goossens, &oncerto

Handel, &oncertos in %b and G minor 

Haydn, &oncerto in &

Hummel, 8ntroduction, heme, and Iariations8bert, ym+honie &oncertante

Kacob, &oncertos 1 and 2

arcello, &oncerto in & minor 

artinu, &oncerto

ilhaud, &oncerto

o?art, &oncerto -1' in &Q6ochberg, &oncerto

trauss, &oncerto

elemann, &oncerto in ! minor (and others)

Iaughan*4illiams, &oncertoIivaldi, &oncerto #J in 0 (and others)

En g lish Horn with rchestra or tring rchestra

&arter, Aastorale

&o+land, Fuiet &ity (with trum+et)

0oni?etti, &oncertino

Kacob, 6ha+sodyAersichetti, &oncerto

Aiston, !antasy6eiche, &oncerto

boe with tring Ensemble

%liss, boe Fuintet (b, 2In, Ia, Ic)

%ritten, Ahantasy Fuartet (b, In, Ia, Ic)o?art, Fuartet (-@) (b, In, Ia, Ic.)Q

Kacob, Fuartet (b, In, Ia, Ic)

iscellaneous

%ach, rias/infonias (oboe, voice, basso continuo)%o??a, he+herds of Arovence (oboe and english horn)

%eethoven, rio (two oboes and english horn)!rancai=, Fuatuor (english horn, vn, va, vc)

Ginastera, 0uo for !lute and boe

-oetsier, Aartitia (english horn and organ)$uttman, editation 88 (english horn and organ)o?art, English Horn Fuartet (english horn, vn, va, vc)

Aoulenc, rio (oboe, bassoon, +iano)6imsky*-orsakov, Iariations (oboe and concert band)

owerby, %allade (english horn and organ)Iaughan*4illiams, %lake ongs (oboe and voice)

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

33/49

rchest r al E = cer+ts boe

%eethoven, ym+hony #

chaikovsky, ym+hony #'

6avel, ombeau de &ou+erin6ossini, cala de eta verture

trauss, 0on Kuan%rahms, &oncerto (violin)

%rahms, ym+hony #l%rahms, ym+hony #2

0ebussy, $a er 

%eethoven, ym+hony #@

rchest r al E = cer+ts En g lish Horn0vorak, ym+hony #J 3:ew 4orld5

%erlio?, 6oman &arnival verture0ebussy, :octurnes

!ranck, ym+hony in d minor4agner, ristan und 8solde

%erlio?, ym+honie !antasti;ue!alla, hree &ornered Hat

ibelius, he wan of uonela

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

34/49

Stud% "esour)es

8t is almost im+ossible to become skilled as an oboist or english hornist without having a good teacher. 8nterms of finding a good teacher, one good a++roach is to contact the +rinci+al oboist of the best orchestra

in your area. 8f he or she does not teach, he or she will at least be able to refer you to someone who does.

8t is also almost im+ossible to im+rove your tone without knowing what sort of tone you are trying to

achieve. he best way to gain a good conce+t of tone ;uality is to hear live +erformances by +rofessional oboists the second best way is to listen to good recordings.

o avoid coming to think of +hrasing only in terms of the oboe and its limitations, it is im+ortant to listen

to artists other than oboists and english hornists (es+ecially singers). !or a change of +ace, you mightalso try listening to a few recordings by the modern Ca?? grou+ 3regon5 most of their albums feature

e=tensive oboe and english horn im+rovisational work.

Stud% ,oo's

 +eginning through !ntermediate

+renkle/$edet, The Art of Oboe .la$ing 1. 6ubank, +eginning, !ntermediate, and Advaned or 

1. %laine Edlefsen, 7tudies and -elodious Etudes

 Advaned 

%ooks on reedmaking and screw adCustment

2. %arret, -ethod . !erling, 86 Etudes

7emi5.rofessional 

tevens Hewitt, -ethod for Oboe

'. %o??a, 16 'ix5Huit 7tudies

7. Gillet, 7tudies for Advaned Teahing of the Oboe

 .rofessional 

tudies/etudes of own choice

rchestral e=cer+ts/solo works (ndraud

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

35/49

A Te)hni6ue and Musi)ianship $ibrar%

Tehni9ue

%rowne, The Art of *or Anglais

Hewitt, -ethod for Oboe

$ight, Essa$s for Oboists

+renkle/$edet, The Art of Oboe .la$ing 4hittow, A &eed +lown in the :ind 

7rew Ad;ustment 

c!arland, A -ethod for Ad;usting the Oboe and English Horn

awicki, The Oboe &evealed 

 &eedmaking 

%erman, The Art of Oboe &eed -aking 

&a++s/4eber, The &eed -aker%s -anual (videota+e also available)

Hedrick, Oboe &eed -aking 5 A -odern -ethod $ight, The Oboe &eed +ook 

Iea?ey, The Oboe &eed 0ideo (videota+e) 

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

36/49

Ear7"e)ognition of Inter+als

$earning to recogni?e intervals by ear can im+rove intonation by giving each tone a familiar mental3cubbyhole.5 Bou can +ractice interval recognition (and du+lication) by +laying an interval re+eatedly on

an in5tune +iano until the sensation becomes very familiar to you after this, you can sustain the lowertone on the +iano and +lay the interval tone on your instrument to gain a +hysical sense of what the (in*

tune) combination feels like.ome musicians need a little hel+ in the early stages of this +ractice. hough they claim to have 3no ear,5

they can sing or whistle familiar tunes with accurate intonation. ssociating the interval at the beginningof a +o+ular tune with its a++ro+riate name can hel+ immensely. he following suggested list may be of 

assistance

8:E6I$ &E:08:G 0E&E:08:G 68

m2 Kaws ...H. 1>/17

2 Ha++y %irthday ary Had a $ittle $amb J/"

m &am+town 6aces his ld an >/7

4hen the aints Go arching 8n wing $ow, weet &hariot 7/'

A' Here &omes the %ride 8J' (the

twelfth root of two) gives the fre;uency of the note one chromatic ste+ higher.

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

37/49

Getting Started I!pro+ising

4hether or not one becomes a great im+rovisational musician, learning to im+rovise can yield several benefits

1. classical +erformer familiar with the idea of 3owning5 an im+rovised solo might be able to, whena++ro+riate, inter+ret orchestral solos more freely and e=+ressively.

2. 8m+rovisation can hel+ one develo+ the ability to +re*hear and +lay intervals by ear and,ho+efully, then +lay all intervals better in tune.

. 8m+rovisation develo+s memori?ation and sight trans+osition skills.

'. 8m+rovisation gives +erformers a chance to create music which is truly their own.

he key to good im+rovisation is being able to +roduce on your instrument se;uences of notes that you +re*hear in your mind.

E=+eriment with this whistle or sing the melody to a song you know, and then try to du+licate on yourinstrument what you Cust whistled or sang. :otice that most melodies contain silence and re+eated notes

good im+rovisations often do the same as they build musical +hrases. he best im+rovisations usuallyhave a sense of direction they build tension as they a++roach their clima=, and relieve tension after this

 +oint.

good +lace to start e=+erimenting with im+rovisation is a 12 bar blues +rogression in '/ ' time (in &,

the +rogression would be &@ !@ &@ &@ !@ !@ &@ &@ G@ !@ &@ G@ L&@ last timeM). here is a s+ecial blues scale which can o+tionally be used with this +rogression and its variants (in &, this scale would be &

Eb ! !# G %b &). ne of the reasons this is a good +lace to start is that this 3blues scale5 does :

change as the chords change a blues +rogression in & uses a blues scale in & for the entire length of thesong. Bou might want to become comfortable with the blues style before moving on to more com+le=

styles.

Here are some final ti+s

s the old saying goes, 3there are no bad notes, only bad resolutions.5

$istening actively and intelligently to good +erformances will im+rove the ;uality of the music you +re*hear.

4hen you im+rovise a solo with an ensemble, remember to listen to the rest of the ensemble

(es+ecially the bass).

n e=cellent method of +ractice is to choose an artist you like and +lay along or im+rovise along withone of his or her recordings. Every once in a while, turn off the recording and try to +lay by ear the

melody you last heard.

nce you have develo+ed your +re*hearing ability to a level you are +ersonally comfortable with,you may wish to strengthen your technical skills. Kerry &oker> is a good workbook 

for techni;ue.

8n many Ca?? +erforming styles, you must be able to kee+ time and follow a written chord +rogression while im+rovising this skill should eventually be ac;uired if you want to +erform with

other Ca?? musicians.

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

38/49

Solutions to Co!!on (erfor!ing Crises

:aterlogged 'e%s8

 !mmediate 7olution Aress a +iece of cigarette +a+er between the key and its tone hole. eal one end of that Coint with the +alm of your hand, close all the keys, blow in the other end, and o+en the

waterlogged key only. 6e+eat until the cigarette +a+er shows no moisture when removed. %lowing a

shar+ burst of air over the tone hole may also clear the +roblem.

 .ermanent 7olution 0isassemble the surrounding keywork and follow te+s 7 and @ of 3nnual

aintenance Arocedure5 (for keys other than octave keys). Bou should attem+t this only if the +roblem occurs regularly with a +articular key if you aren

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

39/49

Supplies

$argely due to the necessity of reedmaking, oboe and english horn +layers must de+end onmore accessories than almost any other instrumentalist.

The follo5ing supplies )an often be found l%ing about the house8One plasti ?3mm film anister with lid  his is for holding reed soaking water. 6eeds should be soakedfor a few minutes before being +layed, and the best way to accom+lish this is to di+ the reeds in water and

let them lie on a flat surface for a few minutes. English horn reeds re;uire more soaking time.

7ealant  9se this to seal the bindings of reeds. %e certain to use a non*to=ic, water+roof brand.

 'esk lamp he best way to see the structure of a reed is to hold it in front of a bright light. desk lam+ ishandy both for this sort of reed back*lighting and for +roviding ade;uate working light.

Two short penils ne of these goes in the reed tool kit for marking cane, the other goes in the oboe casefor marking music. Aencil in any changes or instructions your conductor or teacher gives you you will

 +robably not remember them later and certainly will not remember them during a +erformance. Highlightanything you consistently miss.

*igarette paper  his can be a lifesaver. -ee+ some in your reed case. 8f water becomes tra++ed under akey, sli+ a +iece of cigarette +a+er over the hole, +ress the key down, and slowly +ull out the +a+er

while the key is being held down (sometimes, blowing a shar+ burst of air across the hole will clear it aswell). n octave key is holding water if it seems to sto+ functioning high G or will turn into low G or

because one of the two octave holes is clogged and will not o+en.

 .ipe leaners -ee+ some +i+e cleaners both in your oboe case and in your reed tool kit. Ai+e cleaners can

 be run through old sta+les and old reeds to clean them out.

 &a>or blades -ee+ a shar+ one in your reed kit. 8t can be used for various odd Cobs (such as cli++ing the

ti+ of a reed) that would might dull the edge of a good reed knife. Heav$ mineral oil in small waterproof bottle -ee+ this in your reed kit. %efore shar+ening the knife,

s+read a few dro+s of oil on the stone. 0e+ending on the ty+e of stone, you may not need to use oil if it isone of the new diamond stones, use water instead.

 )) n$lon thread  his is for tying reeds. ome reedmakers +refer EE nylon thread, which is slightlythinner. 8t is useful to get a variety of colors so one can tell the reeds a+art.

 &uler  -ee+ a small millimeter ruler in the reed kit for measuring reeds.

These supplies !ust usuall% be sent a5a% for8

 &eed knife 0ouble hollowground knives and beveled knives are the most +o+ular varieties. %e sure to get

a sheath for the knife to +rotect it against otherwise dangerous dro+s.

7harpening stone any oboists who have tried them +refer the new diamond shar+ening stones to the

older models, but it is a matter of +ersonal +reference.

 -andrel  he mandrel is the device that fits inside the sta+le to hel+ it kee+ its sha+e and give yousomething to gri+ while the reed is being tied. 8t should fit standard sta+les e=actly and have a non*circular 

handle that is in line with itself (so one can tell whether the cane is aligned on the sta+le while tying).

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

40/49

 .la9ue his sliver of metal fits between the reed blades while you are scra+ing. 8t should be made of 

 blued steel, but may be flat or contoured.

*utting blok or +illot  his s;uat, slightly rounded cylinder of wood is used with a ra?or blade to cli+

reed ti+s.

Toolkit  ne needs something to safely carry these tools in. 8f all else fails, any oboe su++lier will have

leather tool satchels for sale.

*ork grease his should be a++lied when necessary to the cork that connects the three +arts of the oboe.

7ilk swab his is the only worthwhile item for swabbing moisture from the inside of the oboe. he silk 

swabs can be +ulled through the fully assembled oboe. his should be done several times during each

rehearsal or +ractice session and immediately before +utting the oboe away.

 )ishskin his is used in an emergency to seal a leaking reed.

Oboe srewdriver set  9se this to turn the adCustment screws.

Oboe staples lthough sta+les are reusable, a good ;uantity of them (2 or more) is desirable. 8f the

sta+les are too large to easily sli+ in and out of your oboe, try sand+a+ering the cork for a better fit. s thesta+le is a continuation of the oboe bore, the length of the overall sta+le and the sha+e/si?e of the oval end

should be the same on all the sta+les you use. his can be checked by insuring that each sta+le fits on your mandrel the same way.

*ane @Arundo 'onax "B he beginner is advised to buy cane on his or her teacher

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

41/49

. 8t discourages learning to +lay in tune by matching the given +itch, which is the only real way

to stay in tune in an ensemble.

%ut if you feel you must use this function, close your eyes, attack the note, then o+en your eyes and look

at the needle.

he +itch sounding feature is by far the more beneficial function. $earn to match +itches by having the

machine sound the note while you +lay the same tone on the oboe when the +itches are out of tune with

each other, 3+ulses5 will be heard at regular intervals. 4hen the notes are +erfectly in tune, these +ulsesdisa++ear. ry to +re*hear and attack notes in tune.

nother a++lication of the +itch sounding feature is in interval +ractice. Have the machine sound a tone

which will be considered the key signature for the e=ercise. Alay different intervals of that note, +re*hearing them before you +lay them, identifying them by the sound, and remembering the sound of that

interval when it is in tune.

 Eletroni metronome Kust as rhythm is the most basic element of music, the metronome is the most

im+ortant tool for +ractice. 8t is should be used almost constantly if you have a choice between buyinga tuner or a metronome, buy a metronome. 4hen you +lay, the metronome beat becomes the framework 

your notes fit into. here is no need to ta+ the foot or fla+ the arms to the beat the +ulse is inside the

mind, but is tied to the reality of the clicks.

Oboes 8f you

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

42/49

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

43/49

Instru!ent Care and Maintenan)e

Considerations ,efore and uring Ea)h (la%ing Session

1. 4arm the instrument +ro+erly by o+ening the case and +utting the to+ Coint under your arm+it (or 

wra++ing your hands around it) until it no longer feels cold to the touch. 8f the instrument ise=tremely cold, let all three Coints sit in the o+en case until they are close to room tem+erature

 before warming the to+ Coint. :ever blow air through a cold instrument.2. %e careful of the levers bridging the sections when assembling. $ubricate tenons with cork grease

or Iaseline if necessary.. %egin the session by +laying a few low long tones.

'. wab the bore (with a +ull*through silk swab * not a feather) +eriodically during the session.

7. :ever set the instrument key side down.

Caring for Ne5 and Bnused Instru!ents

n instrument that loses its normal humidity level (through a +eriod of disuse or being new, sometimescom+ounded by a dry climate) may suffer binding keys (lower octave, Eb, , or ! res sto+ working or

 become sluggish) or a crack when +layed. 8f your instrument has not been used for a long +eriod of time,consider +utting a 3dam+it5 ty+e humidifier in the case for a few days first (but not in the bore, as the

instructions indicate, and be sure it doesn

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

44/49

(rin)iples of Oboe isasse!bl%"easse!bl%

1. $et s+rings disengage/reengage the a++ro+riate key is being removed or re+laced. his willsave the s+rings< tension, which might be altered should the s+ring have to be +ulled into +lace

with a s+ring hook.2. nce the key is removed, +ut any +ivot screws back into their correct +osts and +ut any rod screws

 back into the key. any things that look interchangeable are not.

. Alace the keys on the table (+referably a large, well lit one) in a recogni?able order.'. 0o not set keys on the table with the +ads facing down.7. 0o not remove more keywork than is necessary.

>. 6emove keys in the recommended order when +ossible.

Instru!ent isasse!bl% Order

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

45/49

Tarnish "e)o+er%

ome +eo+le have skin which causes their instrument

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

46/49

J. Aolish the keys (with a silver anti*tarnish +olishing cloth) if necessary and recommended by the

instrument

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

47/49

OboeEnglish Horn :orld :ide :eb (ages

(rofessional So)ieties

8nternational 0ouble 6eed ociety htt+//idrs.colorado.edu/

Online Arti)les

hird octave key fingerings h tt + // www. m s.u ky .edu / T m oses / doub le r eed / d r .a rti c l es/third*"va.html

6eed tie*off lengths htt+//www. m s.u ky .edu/T m oses/doublereed/dr.lists/tie*off.html

8nformation on Arundo 'onax htt+// w uarchi v e. w ustl.edu/doc/ m isc/or g / doublereeds/ g eneral/cane.ht m l 

8nformation on &alifornia*grown cane htt+//www.oboe.or g / dona=.htm

is)ussion Groups

he 0oublereed*$ 0iscussion $ist htt+//www.wuacc.edu/cas/ m usic/doublereed * l /

?endor $istings and Other Infor!ation

he 0ouble 6eed Aage htt+//www. m s.u ky .edu/T m oses/doublereed/

Oboe and English Horn Suppliers

&harles 0ouble 6eed &om+any htt+//www.charles m usic.co m / 

 :ora Aost htt+//www.nora+ost.co m /

!orrests usic htt+//idrs.colorado.edu/forrests/forrests.ht m l

c!arland 0ouble 6eed ho+ htt+//www. m i nds+rin g .co m / Tdblereed/

http://idrs.colorado.edu/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.articles/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.articles/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.articles/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.articles/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.lists/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.lists/http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/doc/misc/org/doublereeds/general/cane.htmlhttp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/doc/misc/org/doublereeds/general/cane.htmlhttp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/doc/misc/org/doublereeds/general/cane.htmlhttp://www.oboe.org/donax.htmhttp://www.wuacc.edu/cas/music/doublereed-l/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/http://www.charlesmusic.com/http://www.norapost.com/http://idrs.colorado.edu/forrests/forrests.htmlhttp://www.mindspring.com/~dblereed/http://www.mindspring.com/~dblereed/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.articles/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/dr.lists/http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/doc/misc/org/doublereeds/general/cane.htmlhttp://www.oboe.org/donax.htmhttp://www.wuacc.edu/cas/music/doublereed-l/http://www.ms.uky.edu/~moses/doublereed/http://www.charlesmusic.com/http://www.norapost.com/http://idrs.colorado.edu/forrests/forrests.htmlhttp://www.mindspring.com/~dblereed/http://idrs.colorado.edu/

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

48/49

Bsing the ChordS)ale Constru)tor

o get started, make a co+y of the &hromatic %ar (the two*octave chromatic scale at the to+). o obtain ascale, +osition the &hromatic %ar beneath the name of the scale you desire and slide the bar to the right

until the note you wish the scale to be based on is resting directly beneath the 315. he remainder of thescale can be seen by looking at the notes on the &hromatic %ar directly beneath each of the numbers the

numbers in +arentheses to the right indicate what chords would fit that +articular scale. he same +rocedure is followed to obtain chords the numbers in +arentheses to the right of the chord s+ellings

indicate what scales would fit with that chord (scales which might work well in Ca?? are underlined).

ne of the fastest ways to im+rove one

8/17/2019 (773873480) Oboe-guide

49/49

The ChordS)ale Constru)tor

The *hromati +ar 

& 0b 0 Eb E ! Gb G b %b % & 0b 0 Eb E ! Gb G b %b % &

7ales

1 &hromaticQ 1 2 ' 7 > @ " J 1 11 12 1 (all)2 8onian (aCor) 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (1,2)

0orian 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (,')

' Ahrygian 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (')

7 $ydian 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (1,2)

> i=olydian 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (1)

@ eolian (:atural inor) 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (')

" $ocrian 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (>)

J elodic inor 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (,7)

1 Harmonic inor 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (7)11 ltered aCor 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (1,2,,7,1)

12 3Hungarian5 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (7)

1 $ydian ugmented 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (11)

1' 3rabian5 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (",J)

17 3Gy+sy5 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (2,11)

1> 3+anish5 1 2 ' 7 > @ " (@,")

1@ 3%alinese5 1 2 ' 7 >

1" 3&hinese5 1 2 ' 7 > (1)

1J Aentatonic 1 2 ' 7 >

2 Aentatonic inor 1 2 ' 7 > (')

21 3%y?antine5 1 2 ' 7 > @

22 3Aersian5 1 2 ' 7 > @2 ugmentedQ 1 2 ' 7 > @ (2,7,11)

2' 4hole oneQ 1 2 ' 7 > @ (",J)

27 8nverted 0iminishedQ 1 2 ' 7 > @ " J (1,,',>,@,J,1)

2> 0iminishedQ 1 2 ' 7 > @ " J (1)

2@ %lues cale 1 2 ' 7 > @ (blues +rogression)

1 aCor i=th (>) 1

*hords

7 > (2,7,>,11,1",27)

2 aCor eventh (@) 1 7 @ (2,7,11,17,2)

inor i=th (m>) 1 7 > (,J,11,27)

' inor eventh (m@) 1 7 @ (,',@,2,27)7 inor w/ aCor @th (m#@) 1 7 @ (J,1,11,12,2)

> Half 0iminished @th (U@) 1 7 @ (",27)

@ 0ominant @th (@) 1 7 @ (>,1>,27)

" ugmented @th (V@) 1 7 @ (1',1>,2')

J @th / 0i 7th (@b7) 1 7 @ (1' 2' 27)