Instruments
Oboe Buyer’s Guide
Citation: Oboe Buyer’s Guide. The Woodwind & Brasswind, 2011. <http://theoboist.blogspot.com/2012/10/embouchure.html.>
Article Title: Oboe Buyer’s Guide
Author: N/A
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: The Woodwind & Brasswind
Summary:
Article Title: Oboe Buyer’s Guide
Author: N/A
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: The Woodwind & Brasswind
Summary:
- Oboe Breakdown
- Upper joint, Lower joint, and bell
- Catagories
- Student
- Starters for a few yeats
- Plastic best material to begin with, durable
- Student oboes have less keys
- Student
- Intermediate
- More keys, higher quality
- Important to upgrade for musical growth
- Professional
- Most made of granadilla wood
- Full conservatory keys, necessary for advanced pieces
- Artist:
- Hand-crafted
- Materials
- Granadilla wood or resonite
- Require less maintenance
- Some with plastic upper joints only, most experience to cracking in fluctuating temperatures and humidity
- Key Options
- Low Bb: Extends range down, not on student models, open holes in bell mean it can’t
- Left Hand F: essential for advanced players
- Forked F and Bb Resonance: Improve quality of pitch, many models do not include these
- Ab-Bb Trill: impossible to trill without these keys
- G#-A Trill: Simplifies trills, better intonation
- Double Ring D#-E: fingering for trill and better intonation on E
- Left Hand C-D Trill: alternate for right hand
- Auxiliary Low C: low C to C# transition and trills
- Low B-C# Trill: Seamless transition
- Buying your own
- Consider musician’s age, skill level, and kind of use they need it for
- Consult band director
When Choosing an Oboe
Citation: Ramsay, Ginger B. Consideration When Choosing an Oboe. Covey Oboes, 1998. <http://www.wwbw.com/Buyer-Guides---Oboe-g25062t0.wwbw.>
Article Title: Consideration When Choosing an Oboe
Author: Ginger B. Ramsay
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: Covey Oboes
Summary:
Article Title: Consideration When Choosing an Oboe
Author: Ginger B. Ramsay
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: Covey Oboes
Summary:
- Consider
- Level of accomplishment
- Material the oboe is made of
- Age of the instrument
- Mechanical condition
- Playing environment
- Frequency of use
- Price
- Resale value
- Gather advise before you make a decision
- Level of instrument
- Beginners: basic, usually no left F, low Bb, and other keys, can be plastic or wood, ranges from $1000-1500, out grown quickly
- Intermediate: designed for serious students looking to improve, all essential keys, range $2500-4000, made of plastic or wood
- Professional: usually wood (Granadilla), full conservatory keys, excellent acoustics, ranges $5000-8000
- Keys
- Simplified Conservatory: basic, lacking basic keys
- Modified Full Conservatory: full, but missing some optional keys
- Full Conservatory: “full sets of keys” are different between manufacturers, some better than others
- Wood vs. Plastic
- Depends on the situation, student, and use
- Wood
- Pro: sound quality
- Cons: more care, must be broken in, sensitive to temp and humidity, peaks at 3-6 years, can “blow-out” after a while
- Plastic
- Pros: durability, doesn’t crack, longer life, no break-in, better for occasional playing
- Cons: not complex sound
- Environment
- Age of Instrument
- New vs. Used
- Warranties
- Resale Value
- Cases and Case Covers
- Approval/Trial Periods/Return Policies
- Your teacher
Buying and Maintaining an Oboe or English Horn
Citation: Schuring, Martin. Buying and Maintaining an Oboe or English Horn. <http://www.public.asu.edu/~schuring/Oboe/instruments.html#anchor141413.>
Article Title: Buying and Maintaining an Oboe or English horn
Author: Martin Schuring
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: N/A
Summary:
Article Title: Buying and Maintaining an Oboe or English horn
Author: Martin Schuring
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: N/A
Summary:
- To Consider
- Include your teacher in the process, do not buy it without their approval
- Deal with specialists only
- No bargains, get what you pay for
- Include your teacher
- Cost
- Not mass produced, more expensive
- Spend more; get quality construction, additional keys, refined tone
- Look for more keys and materials used to make it
- Plastic or wood
- Wood sounds better, Plastic more durable
- Can find student instruments in both
- Plastic good for English horns, especially in school settings
- Buying
- Student models cheapest, do not look for cheapest buy through, look for quality
- Models for acceptable student choice
- Used Instruments: As long as it is quality and in good condition, it can last you years
- Maintenance
- Links to sites for adjusting tasks on oboe
- Everyday: wipe keys
- Every week: Brush off dust
- Every month: check the adjustment
- Every 3 months: oil mechanism
- Shipping
- Packed safely and securely
- Label appropriately for safe travel
- Insurance is important for any personal owned instrument