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Oboe Handbook

1.Discuss hand position of oboe; what concepts are different and similar across the woodwind
family.
The oboe is held similarly to the clarinet. With the left hand on top and the right hand on the
bottom. However, unlike clarinet, which has a register key, is the back octave key that oboists
are aware of. While the right thumb is supporting the oboe, the left thumb is bouncing between
the back octave key and beneath the octave key.

2.Discuss breathing and support of the oboe; similarities and differences across the woodwind
family. What are some strategies for teaching good breathing habits to your students?
Students need to know how to properly breath from the diaphragm as well as beoing able to
focus their air into the oboe. Unlike other wind instruments, breathing into the oboe is like
feeding it a contact stream of air.

3.Discuss tonguing and the oboe and across the woodwind instruments; differences and
similarities. What are some strategies to teach articulation to beginning students?
Like clarinet and saxophone, oboe tonguing is achieved by lightly touching the bottom of the
reed with the tongue. However unlike other reed instruments, oboe players must be cautious of
the back of the tongue and it covering the hole in the reed, impeding air flow.

4.How would you instruct a beginning oboist to put an instrument together?


Using only small twisting motions when attaching the pieces. Starting by connecting the bell to
the bottom joint, being careful of the bridge key if the bell has one. Adding the joint barrel to the
rest of the oboe, be cautious of the bridge keys that go over the parts of the oboe. Use small
twisting motions with the bridge keys lifted. Do not over twist the parts, only minute twists.
After, attach the reed to the top of the oboe.

5.Discuss issues associated with reeds and the young oboe player.
Frequent problems that occur with reeds deal with fragility, being easily warped and broken.
Also, their hardness will determine the success of the player. If the reed is too hard, the player
will have issues causing the reed to vibrate.
6.Discuss common embouchure problems associated with the oboe.
Many people clamp down on the oboe reed, decreasing vibration. Other beginner players like to
pull their corners out too far, also causing tension. The reed needs to gently sit on top of the
bottom with slight pressure on the reed from the top lip.

7.What are the most difficult issues faced by beginning oboe students in a band class. What are
some strategies for managing these issues.
Some of the issues faced by beginning oboe players are aural skills and endurance with the oboe.
Players should practice on the reed only to build up endurance. They should also practice with a
piano to ensure pitch accuracy.

8.Why is oboe repair different than the other woodwinds?


Oboe is especially susceptible to weather, unlike some other woodwinds, Oboe reeds are almost
beyond repair when warped. When dealing with rods and keys, the oboe is extremely susceptible
to bending of the rods and keys and to be cared for. Rods and keys that become bent are not a
huge issue as this is normal for many woodwind players. However, cracks in the oboe are
extremely detrimental to the instrument and would need sent to a specialist to be repaired.

9.What advanced techniques are available to the oboe? Discuss each one briefly.
Some of the advanced techniques include multiphonics, upper register fingering, circular
breathing, and double tonguing. While multiphonics and circular breathing are extended
techniques for al wind instruments, doubling tonguing and upper register fingerings are unique
techniques for oboe. Upper register fingering imply that the student already has the air support
and tone quality to maintain such high notes while double tonguing would only be acceptable to
teach when the students proves to be dexterous enough to learn rep that requires double
tonguing.

Reflective Essay
While beginning on oboe, I saw quick success, I found to maintain a decent trajectory

upward to be much harder. I really hit a wall while practicing oboe. I believe it is because I really

used a lot of force and tension to create sound, which in limited burst of playing, gave me the

most success but as I had to practice more, I found that I couldnt play for more than fifteen

minutes. This leaves me to conclude that the oboes learning curve is starts out pretty simple but

becomes very steep quickly. Mostly due to the endurance needed to play the instrument. I think if

I properly learned the embouchure and did not build a bad habit of clamping on the reed, I would

have seen much more success throughout the semester. I also should have done more reed alone

exercises at the beginning of the semester to enforce embouchure and pitch.

As a trombone player, I found pitch on the oboe relatively easy. However, like my issues

above, endurance really played a part in whether I was on pitch or slightly sharp. I found that I

had the air support to support the notes but as my embouchure cramped, and especially as I was

relearning the embouchure, I found that my tone and pitch stayed relatively strong.

Oboe was not hard but also not easy. I found that it is very easy to build bad habits and to

be severely punished by them when entering the more experienced level on oboe. In practical

terms: early habits can greatly impede progress by year two on oboe. Playing the oboe has taught

me to be very meticulous on teaching good habits to my new players so that they do not hit such

a wall when they are practicing alone. I want to make sure that my students build up endurance

and are able to play on pitch; which will be taught through reed alone exercises before going into

much else in playing oboe.

Care and repair handouts


- Fox Lets Play Oboe pg. 6-7
- The Oboe pg. 8-9
Solos for middle and high school
- The Oboe pg. 13 (The Westphal book) & pg. 15-16
Chamber music for middle and high school
Instruments Brands
- The Oboe pg. 7-8
Student Models
- Selmer 123FB, 121, 101------- $2360-3340
- Buffet 4011, 4012, 4052------- $3500-3912
- Yamaha, 241 ------------------- $ 2800
- *Fox 333 ------------------------ $3000
Intermediate Model
- Fox 330---------------------------$3700
- Yamaha 441, 441P, 441A-----$ 3230-3390
- Howarth S20C, S40C, S40P- $3250-3850
- Fossati Tiery E 30 -------------$ 3100
- Cabart Paris -------------------- Market Price
Professional Model
- Yamaha YOB-841 ----------------- $6300
- Rigoutat ------------------------------$7000
- Howarth S55C, S55P, S5XL ----- $6000-8800
Fossati Artiste, Soliste--------------- $6000-8500
Marigaux 901, 2001 ----------------- $7000-7800
*Loree c+3, AK, Royale------------ $7000-8000
- Maintaining Oboe by Martin Schuring pg. 2-9

Reed sources
- Fox Lets Play Oboe pg. 9-11
- The Oboe pgs. 5-6
- Oboe Reed and Quick reed adjustment guide
- Carlos E. Coelho Woodwinds 3854 N. Washington Boulevard Indianapolis, IN
46205 Phone/Fax: 317-920-0519 Email: carlos@carlosoboe.com
- RDG Woodwinds 589 Larchmont, 2nd Floor Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 463-
4930 http://www.rdgwoodwinds.com/
- Midwest Musical Imports 2021 E. Hennepin Ave. #374 Minneapolis, MN
55413 1- 800-926-5587 http://www.mmimports.com H

Recordings-Articles-Books
- Fox lets play Oboe
- Allan Vogel Oboe Obsession - Romantic And Virtuostic Works For Oboe, Bach's
Circle Neil Black Mozart, Strauss, Weber: Wind Concertos, Mozart and
Beethoven: Quintets for Piano and Winds, Mozart: Clarinet, Oboe Concertos I
Brymer, Black, Marriner Nancy Ambrose King The Winning Program,
Evocations Schellenberger, Hansji:irg Romanzen by Clara & Robert
Schumann, Concertante, Bach Sonaten, Benjamin Britten: Musik mit Oboe
Robert Atherholt Schumann/Picker Romances and Interludes (Virgin Classics),
Mozart Oboe Concerto (Pickwick International) Emily Pailthorpe Oboe Though
Lovers Be Lost Alex Klein Fantasies and Partitas, Brtitten and Bliss, Vivaldi
Oboe Concerti, Oboe Concertos of the Classical Era Caldwell, James Building
Castles in the Sky

http://ryon.music.unt.edu/Ob.Studio.Study.Guide.2012.pdf
Oboe study guide by north texas
Has goals for each year of playing

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