Where Are All The Oboists These Days? Options

[Roseau]

I was rather (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) by the curled but straight bit......

This is actually a very good description and made perfect sense to me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I'll stick at it, a couple of days ago the stetch to cover the G hole was causing a problem so hopefully it's just going to be the case of practising and the fingers will get used it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

If the G was causing problems then it is definitely your wrist at the wrong angle. Try rotating your wrists outwards (if that makes sense).

Some thing you can try (for the right hand), although you ideally need someone to help you:
- hold your arms relaxed at your sides and shake your hands to really relax your hands
- get someone to put the oboe in your right hand with your arms still relaxed at your sides (your thumb should be against the thumb rest, your first finger on the F# key as if you are were going to play the note and the other fingers naturally curved over the other keys
- slowly raise your arm (a bit like in ballet moving up to second position)
- when your arm is high enough, bend your elbow and bring your arm towards you to put the reed in your mouth
- put your left-hand on the oboe and play

If you don't have anyone to hand you the oboe then you'll have to pick it up yourself but try to do so without adding tension to your hands/wrist.

[louise1712]

Thanks for all the advice so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Practice today was going over the first few units of the tutor book and blowing long notes into a tuner, the majority of these notes were sharp..... Next lesson is still a fortnight away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) but I've plenty to keep me occupied.

[Roseau]

Thanks for all the advice so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Practice today was going over the first few units of the tutor book and blowing long notes into a tuner, the majority of these notes were sharp..... Next lesson is still a fortnight away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) but I've plenty to keep me occupied.

If the notes are sharp, you're probably pressing down too hard with your top lip (a common fault for beginners and also a risk when you've been playing for a long time and your embouchure starts to tire).

After much dithering, I have booked myself on the Benslow oboe course at the end of July. It is, supposedly, diploma level but I exchanged several e-mails with the course tutor, talked things over with a couple of forumites and my teacher and decided I would give it a try and keep my fingers crossed that I am not hopelessly out of my depth (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) My teacher encouraged me to go, saying that he thought it would be very helpful for me to have some tutition in English, that you get more out of a course where everyone is better than you than one where you are better than everyone else and that given my tendency to over-intellectualise everything I would be able to store away lots of information in my head for future reference (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[louise1712]

Thanks for all the advice so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Practice today was going over the first few units of the tutor book and blowing long notes into a tuner, the majority of these notes were sharp..... Next lesson is still a fortnight away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) but I've plenty to keep me occupied.

If the notes are sharp, you're probably pressing down too hard with your top lip (a common fault for beginners and also a risk when you've been playing for a long time and your embouchure starts to tire).

After much dithering, I have booked myself on the Benslow oboe course at the end of July. It is, supposedly, diploma level but I exchanged several e-mails with the course tutor, talked things over with a couple of forumites and my teacher and decided I would give it a try and keep my fingers crossed that I am not hopelessly out of my depth (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) My teacher encouraged me to go, saying that he thought it would be very helpful for me to have some tutition in English, that you get more out of a course where everyone is better than you than one where you are better than everyone else and that given my tendency to over-intellectualise everything I would be able to store away lots of information in my head for future reference (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Thanks again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) that's what my teacher said, and I had done about an hour on the clari before the oboe tonight.....

Hope you enjoy Benslow, I'm going next month (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) bit apprehensive but really looking forward to it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Hardying]

[After much dithering, I have booked myself on the Benslow oboe course at the end of July. It is, supposedly, diploma level but I exchanged several e-mails with the course tutor, talked things over with a couple of forumites and my teacher and decided I would give it a try and keep my fingers crossed that I am not hopelessly out of my depth (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) My teacher encouraged me to go, saying that he thought it would be very helpful for me to have some tutition in English, that you get more out of a course where everyone is better than you than one where you are better than everyone else and that given my tendency to over-intellectualise everything I would be able to store away lots of information in my head for future reference (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)
[/quote]


Is this the Gareth Hulse one?
I went last year & learnt a lot.
Hope you have a great time.
The only Benslow one i'm doing this year is Andrew Knights one at the end of May - always really good (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


Louise 1712 - glad you're enjoying the oboe (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Roseau]

Is this the Gareth Hulse one?
I went last year & learnt a lot.

Yes, it is.
Could you tell me a bit more about what you did on the course? I am slightly worried that everyone is going to be much better than me.

The only Benslow one i'm doing this year is Andrew Knights one at the end of May - always really good (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Andrew Knights is the tutor on the chamber music course I do in France and he is a lovely person. However, May is not a good time for me to get away.

Are you doing any other courses elsewhere?

[Hardying]

Are you doing any other courses elsewhere?
[/quote]

Just the Sarah Francis one at Jackdaws.

Re Gareth Hulse, there were only 7 of us & only 3 were of diploma standard.
He tended to arrange it so that everyone had an individual lesson per day which others could sit in on, or disappear & do private practice elsewhgere. The evenings we spent in 2 small groups. There were also limited opportunities to play with those on the viola & harp courses which were running concurrently. I did leave feedback that it would have been good to have more playing opportunities & maybe some group sessions, so he might change it a bit. The harp totor also offered pilate sessions. We finished with a concert & the tutors also gave a concert one evening.

Hope you have a fab time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[Roseau]

Re Gareth Hulse, there were only 7 of us & only 3 were of diploma standard.

That's what he told me (and also that a couple struggled a little).
He also said that he thought this year there would be a pianist available some of the time, which wasn't the case last year.

I dithered between this course and the Marches Oboe School (where I went two years ago) and in the end decided to try this one: it's closer to where I usually stay in the UK, (and so doesn't involve crossing London mid-Olympics), the dates suit me better and I decided I would like to work on the technical side of things rather than doing lots of group playing (which is what the Marches Oboe School is).

[Hardying]

[
I dithered between this course and the Marches Oboe School (where I went two years ago) and in the end decided to try this one: it's closer to where I usually stay in the UK, (and so doesn't involve crossing London mid-Olympics), the dates suit me better and I decided I would like to work on the technical side of things rather than doing lots of group playing (which is what the Marches Oboe School is).
[/quote]

The addition of a pianist is a definite bonus (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) & was something else a few of us suggested.

[Hardying]

[quote name='Hardying' date='Mar 3 2012, 05:39 PM' post='1132946']
[
I dithered between this course and the Marches Oboe School (where I went two years ago) and in the end decided to try this one: it's closer to where I usually stay in the UK, (and so doesn't involve crossing London mid-Olympics), the dates suit me better and I decided I would like to work on the technical side of things rather than doing lots of group playing (which is what the Marches Oboe School is).
[/quote]

The addition of a pianist is a definite bonus (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) & was something else a few of us suggested.
[/quote]


I went to Marches, 3 yrs ago - at least to the 2nd half of it - what a shame we didn't meet. I found the emphasis was very much on the concerts & on the younger peoiple there. I'd be happy to go again, as I really enjoy small ensemble playing, but prefer the Sarah Francis & Andrew Knights weekends. However, if money was no object (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[hoboe]

Hello All - just dipping in again.

I want some sympathy - I've had my oboe serviced and it's absolutely horrible now. I wish I hadn't bothered. I'll never be able to play it again.

Hoboe

[Arundodonuts]

Hello All - just dipping in again.

I want some sympathy - I've had my oboe serviced and it's absolutely horrible now. I wish I hadn't bothered. I'll never be able to play it again.

Hoboe

Surely it has to go back?

[barry-clari]

Hello All - just dipping in again.

I want some sympathy - I've had my oboe serviced and it's absolutely horrible now. I wish I hadn't bothered. I'll never be able to play it again.

Hoboe

Surely it has to go back?

See above. If any wind instrument is misbehaving like that after overhaul, take it back to be checked again.

[hoboe]

Trouble is. I don't trust the repairer now and will have to pay again to take it somewhere else.

[Arundodonuts]

Trouble is. I don't trust the repairer now and will have to pay again to take it somewhere else.

If you now have an instrument which is not fit for its purpose I would suggest you have cause for redress under Consumer Rights legislation. So he either puts it right or reimburses your costs. As I recall that is an expensive instrument you have (an XL right?). To be left with that in an unusable state is totally unacceptable.