How to Play the Oboe
Various oboe tips and tricks

It is said that there are numerous secret fingering methods that are passed down from expert performers to those who are just starting out in the oboe world. For example, the high E♭ of "Promenade" from Pictures at an Exhibition, composed by Mussorgsky and arranged by Ravel, cannot be produced with typical fingering. However, the use of a traditional, special fingering passed down among players in the world of oboe players allows the note to be played almost without fail. This is but a single example-there are said to be countless similar others.

There are special ways of playing multiple notes at once on the oboe. These are not used in classical music, but modern compositions sometimes use these playing methods.

Examples of multiphonic playing methods

Multiphonic playing methods