OBOE: double reed instrument with conical
bore; overtone series based on the octave.
OBOE FAMILY:
| Oboe (in C) |
English Horn (in F) |
The oboe sounds where written.
The English horn sounds a perfect 5th lower than
the written pitch.
WRITTEN RANGE:
FOREIGN TERMS:
| ABBREV. |
ENGLISH |
GERMAN |
FRENCH |
ITALIAN |
| Ob., Hb. |
Oboe(s) |
Oboe
Oboen |
Hautbois |
Oboe
Oboi |
| E.H. |
English Horn |
Englisch Horn |
Cor anglais |
Corno Inglese |
While some music educators have contended through
the years that the oboe is not a desirable beginning instrument and that
one should first play another woodwind, there are many players who
believe that the oboe is a perfectly acceptable instrument on which to
begin applied study.
PARTS OF THE OBOE: (1) double reed, (2) upper
joint, (3) lower joint, (4) bell.
HOLDING POSITION: (1) The instrument is held
directly in the center of the front of the body at a 40-degree angle
to the body. (2) The weight of the instrument is on the right
thumb, balanced between the right and left thumbs and the
embouchure. (3) The right thumb contacts the thumb rest at the
base of the nail. (4) The left thumb is placed at almost a right
angle across the instrument so that the fleshy part of the ball is
against the body of the instrument, and the side just touching the
octave key. (5) Little fingers remain over their respective
plateau keys. (6) Fingers remain naturally curved.
EMBOUCHURE: (1) Keep the lips relaxed.
Drop the jaw so that the teeth are about a half-inch apart. (2)
Place the tip of the reed at the center of the lower lip. (3) Roll the
lower lip over the teeth until the tip of the reed protrudes just past
the lip. (4) Bring the upper lip barely over the teeth.
(5) Bring the lips together, pushing the corners of the mouth slightly
toward the reed so that it is supported with slight pressure from all
directions. (6) The lower jaw must be kept open so that there is
no pressure against the reed from the lower teeth. (7) Only
about 1/8th of an inch of the reed protrudes past the inside of the
lips so that it can be tongued.
TUNING WHILE PLAYING: (1) Contracting the
embouchure around the reed to increase pressure will sharpen the
pitch. (2) Relaxing the embouchure around the reed will flatten
the pitch.
THE FOLLOWING NOTES TEND TO BE SHARP:
THE FOLLOWING NOTES TEND TO BE FLAT:
BRANDS: Good student brands (American):
Linton, Bundy, Signet, Conn, Lesher. Semi-professional American
brands: Larilee, Renard (Fox), Selmer, Caputo, Miraphone.
Semi-professional foreign brands: Strasser, Chauvet (Gordet),
Benwal, Cabart (Loree). Professional American brands: Laubin,
Covey, Fox. Professional foreign brands: Loree, Gordet,
Marigaux, Rigoutat.
HISTORICAL TIDBITS:
Next to the flute, the oboe is probably the most ancient
instrument. Its invention predates recorded history.
The English horn in F was invented in 1760 by
Ferlandis of Bergamo.
