How to Play the Oboe
An instrument that is difficult but worth it!
The oboe: one of the more difficult woodwind instruments to play
The oboe is said to be one of the more difficult woodwind instruments to play. It first takes some time until the player can even produce a sound, and even then, a beginner has little ability to control it. There are many difficulties: Among other potential problems, the player may not be able to play a note high enough; he or she may be unable to produce a pp (pianissimo) note; or the note may not come out when the player intends, messing up the timing. This difficulty makes the joy when the player produces music well all the more exquisite. It would seem to be a challenging instrument.
The oboe is well-suited for this kind of person
Unlike with other wind instruments, there tends to be an excess of breath. Therefore, there is no handicap for people with small bodies. The structure of the keys is also more compact than that of the clarinet or the flute, and players do not need to press on the holes with their fingers directly, so there is no problem for people with small hands. Arguably, people with small hands even have an advantage.
Players must create the reeds for their oboes themselves, so the instrument would seem to be suited for people who enjoy detailed handiwork.
(Reference: Orchestral Instrument Trivia, Yamaha Music Media)
Musical Instrument Guide:Oboe Contents
Structure
How to Play
How the Instrument is Made
Choosing an Instrument
Trivia
- Why does the oboe lead the orchestra in tuning?
- Do the reeds have a front and a back?
- The keys recoil via springs!
- This is how the oboe and the cor anglais differ
- The charumera was the oboe's cousin
- You can reduce time spent breathing using circular-breathing techniques?
- The Wiener oboe that survived an existential crisis
- Oboe masterpieces: concertos
- Oboe masterpieces: chamber music
- What is the alto oboe?
- The heckelphone, which resembles the oboe
- The oboe is the bassoon's cousin