Oh how exciting Des, good for you, Puchner do make lovely Oboes...2years old should be just nicely blown in for you so no worries there. Is it Conservatoire or does it have a thumbplate added? any chance of some pictures of it? Would be nice to see it, is it one of these http://www.puchner.com/en/oboen.php

Regards

Andrew

My oboe teacher has just phoned up about lesson times and suggested I have a 60 minute lesson this year

In the music school you pay the same price regardless of the length of lesson and you get 30 minutes in Cycle 1 (the first four years), 45 minutes in Cycle 2 (the next four years) and 60 minutes in Cycle 3 (the 9th year and upwards). I have been learning for about four and a half years and haven't taken any of the exams which you are supposed to take to move from one cycle to another so I am not theoretically entitled to 60 minutes but very pleased to be having them He's also said that he has put me as his last pupil of the day so that we can run overtime if we want to

His last piece of good news was that the recorder teacher wants to set up a baroque music group (all instruments not just recorder) and he asked me if I would like to play in that so fingers crossed that it's not on one of the days when I'm working and that I will be able to go.

Finally (nothing to do with the music school) I plucked up courage last night and drove the car to a wind band rehearsal. I had heard about them last year and had been told that they were looking for an oboe but it's on a Tuesday after a very long working-day and I have to drive to get there and I hate driving (I haven't driven at all for something like six years). However, I don't start work for another two weeks so I thought maybe if I get into the habit of going when I'm not exhausted I will just carry on once work starts again.

Oh good for you Keri, sounds like you are doing well and your teacher wants to spend more time working with you... You will find you get a lot more done in the hour than you could previously manage and if it over runs then you will find yourself more relaxed not clock watching.

Go for the wind Band thing see if you like it...The Baroque group sounds fun but will you need a Baroque Oboe? or do they just play Baroque music on modern instruments? Don't worry abou the driving, just pop some nice music in the car and the journey will whisk away...

Andrew

I hope you enjoyed it!! Glad everything is going well for you.





Thy weren't an instant hit here, she took to them when rehearsing wiht her Piano Teacher. He's one of these people who's enthusiasm is infectious. He loved the way that the interpretation was open and thought they were really fun pieces.

It's got a thumbplate, I'm not sure if its original or added by Howarths. From the pictures I would say it was a 733 C, though the keywork's not in gold!

well it sounds lovely,....I wouldn't worry about it not having gold keywork, thats a little TOO much Bling in my opinion...next you'll be wanting a diamond set in your gold front tooth...

I am so pleased for you, enjoy it...

Andrew

Hi everyone

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply to this, haven't been able to log in for a while.

I think I am going to be taking my Grade 3 in November (will get confirmation from my teacher this evening....) but I have been playing mostly through the pieces and scales for that (and I'm sure I will be until the exam comes) I chose the Handel from list one, have changed my unaccompanied piece to one from the Hinke and I'm still not too sure about list two but I guess I had better choose soon.

I've been playing with a local wind band in their training group and I think that's really helping with technique. It's got me used to counting properly again, it's so easy to be less bothered about things like that when you just play on your own (I'm sure my teacher would really hate to hear me say that....), and my diaphragm gets a real work out there. Still no sign of a new oboe yet, but I have been promised that I can go and look properly if I do well in my next exam. That's doubly good, a new oboe and a trip to London!

Interesting. I was thinking of having a go at G3 next March, but yesterday teacher suggested Nov might be doable. We'll get a better idea over the next couple of weeks I think. I seem to be in the same boat as you - Handel, Hinke and summat else.

Ooh, local wind band (Cheshire eh?). Training group? Even better. $64k question - do they take adults?

Whilst I fully support anyone taking an exam...I do urge you not to rush into them, whats the hurry...Always best to be prepared thoroughly and KNOW you can do it even if the wheels fall off due to nerves or a dodgey accompanist...Know you can play the whole program without thinking about it and have double the required scales prepared i.e. harder ones, so the easier ones for your particular grade are your warming up buddies and not a hurdle to be negotiated...They should sit so easily under your fingers that even if you drop down in a dead faint that your fingers will keep going come H.E.L.L. or high water and you can still get a top mark..Apologies for the funny type the censor is a bit too sensitve on this board..Good grief.

I am not heaping scorn but I would not reccomend anyone to rush into exams... For what it's worth I have not taken one single exam on the Oboe, Piano yes, theory yes but not on the Oboe and I will be preparing for grade 8 next year...there's no rush and if I or my teacher feels I am still not quite there then I will work a little longer...I may even take grade 7 before just to get me back into the habit of playing in exams but I will take them when EVERYTHING is settled and the music falls from my fingers...

I hope I have not offended anyone here that is not my intention but we see so many people, particularly younger members here rushing through exam after exam and I wonder in all reality how much they have learnt as a musician aside from doing exam pieces...There is a whole heap of wonderful music out there which is not on any exam syllabus and it seems such a shame to miss out on playing it and learning all the time...you can't buy experience and sometimes I think it's preferable to have a fuller repetoire than that of the exam syllabus. Always give the examiner something beautful to listen to so they can relax knowing that you are going to pass with distinction easily and not a "will they won't they white knuckle ride" experience

Kindest regards

Andrew

I completely agree with you Andrew, I only started down the examination route anyway because it gave me something to concrete to aim towards (I find I learn better this way!) My teacher says I am definitely ready so I believe her. I have told her that I would like to take a break before Grade 5 though, to explore some of the pieces that you were talking about in your post and also just to try to get something different from our lessons for a while. Equally, I will be taking the theory exams I missed out on whilst I was at school (and am regretting mightily that I didn't do then), and when I do this I don't really want to have to do a practical as well but I guess we'll see.

Pushpull, yes our training band does take adults (since I qualify as one in body at least ) It's a real mix of ages in fact.

Well George Andrew, I did say earlier I was after a good mark when I eventually do go for it but I can't see me waiting until I get to Grade 8 before having a go.



Come on then, give us a clue. Are you close (ish) to Stockport?

Sorry Pushpull, we're in South Cheshire so not close to Stockport at all.

Rats.

Anyone know know where a tyro oboist can go to do some group playing near Stockport?

How do you trill from A# to B on a conservatoire oboe?
The fingering I found on a website involving the G#key and moving the second finger works but is very awkward. Are there any better suggestions?

Isn't it something to do with the spatula key?

(not currently at home, so don't have oboe nearby to check)

Digging out my Schuring trill chart, I see 1,2, LH G#, 5 - trill 2nd finger. Is that what you found? I'm not up to doing this sort of thing yet, so feel free to ignore me, but I've just had a go and it seems OK to me.

The only way I know of to do the A sharp-B trill is: finger A sharp but also slide the 1st LH finger across onto the little 'spatula' key which is just to the side of the 1st finger plate. This makes no difference to the A sharp, but when you lift the LH 2nd finger (keeping 1st finger on the spatula) you should get a B (of sorts!)
I hate this trill!!! It's awkward to get onto (and off) the spatula without uncovering the top plate hole, and after all the effort gives a horribly out-of-tune B (just about bearable if you trill fast enough).

As to using the G sharp key ... are you perhaps thinking of the G sharp to A sharp trill? (finger G sharp and lift 2nd finger to get A sharp)

Hope this makes sense (probably haven't explained it very well!)

Allegra

The G# key fingering is the one push-pull has given (and it is A# to B, not G# to A#). The fingering is all right if I just play the trill but I find it very awkward actually putting all those fingers down quickly and then lifting the 2nd finger to trill.

I did look at the sptaula key but it doesn't seem to move at all on my oboe so I just assumed it wouldn't work. I'll go and try actually using it to trill with later on and see if it works.

Pushpull - have just tried the fingering you suggest (which I didn't know) and the B is a lot better in tune than the way I suggested! However, that fingering is so 'ingrained' with me that I'd have to think very hard to remember the better-in-tune one (either that, or do some practice!!!)
Allegra

It's only a one-off event, but maybe Eccles, 15th November 2008, playday?

Did somebody call?

These events are worth attending. You may well make some useful contacts apart from having a fun day out meeting fellow Forumites.

It's off a chart which came via my teacher so I would tend to accept it as the correct way. Going back to kerioboe's last comment, I too did think it would be a bit of a sod getting the fingers down in the first place.




10/10 for persistence. Go on, the form's on its way.



Yes, yes. I'll do it. OK? Aagh. Help. what am I doing?

yes thats right it is the spatula key just next to the half hole key..little thing just poking down. The tuning can be dodgey though so be aware of that..

Subtlety has never been one of my strong points pushpull

Thanks for sending a form in, see you on 15/11!

Thanks Petrat!! Just need Sophoula to come on board too. I think it's time the pair of you met lol.

That would possibly be 5 oboists at one forum event. I think that may be a record!

Oh good. I can mime then.

What actually happens at these events? I'm just down the road...

Ooo, that's me, I'd better reply.....

I'm hoping to be in Eccles as well, I have one or two issues to sort out with transport and so long as my exam isn't scheduled for that day as well everything should be set. Does anyone know how long it takes to get to Eccles on the tram from Manchester Piccadilly, would I be better waiting for a train?

I wish I could go to the events...



Had such a great time playing in the cyo today (first rehearsal). Beethoven's 5th there's 4 oboes and 2 are playing 1st oboe and me and another year 11 2nd oboe.

The tram from piccadilly to eccles doesn't take very long at all, I would guess that including waiting it would be unlikely to be more than half an hour.

Have just tried the spatula key (and it does work - I didn't realise it would only do something if I had the left-hand first finger key down). However, I find it very awkward to keep this key down without pressing the second-octave key at the same time - I think I need longer fingers ! And as Allegra said the B is really not pretty.

I think I'll go back to the fingering I found with the G#key. I can get the fingers down, what I can't seem to do is to remember instantly that it is the second finger that I need to move to trill.

It takes about half an hour on the tram from Manchester to Eccles. The Liverpool Train stops at Eccles Station but I think this may be from Victoria rather tha Piccadilly,

If you know what time your train is arriving I could try to organise a lift from the station. There will be several people going back into town that you should be able to travel with.




The events are really good fun. They are basically a scratch band, everyone gets a part and there's a rehersal in the morning and then a play through. They aren't meant to be very formal. Everyone who goes seems to enjoy them.

They all must seem very far away from you lizbun.

At Eccles, you turn up with your oboe, and you play music (mostly provided by yours truly) in an ensemble. It's designed to be a fun day making music together.

Hope you can come!

Website is here, along with the application form.

lizbun : I know we haven't been to Cornwall/Plymouth yet. Unfortunately, there's nothing planned yet for that part of the world in 2009, and, with organisational involvement in Greenwich, Eccles, York, Market Harborough, Aberdeenshire, Northern Ireland, Chester and Braintree in 2009, I'm now at saturation point, so you'll need other forumites to help get something going. Sorry...

I can manage to catch a number of different trains, I'm coming from Crewe so there's several which could get me into Manchester at a variety of times. What would be a good time to arrive?

The Eccles train does go from Victoria which was why I was asking about the trams. I'm all for giving myself an easy life, I know I could walk from one to the other but I have this annoying tendency of getting sidetracked very easily and all those shops may just be too much for me

If you're there by about 10-10:15-ish that'll be fine Sophoula.

The playing starts at 10:30am.

Discussed with teacher tonight. Application going in for November (well she is confident) and it's going to be:
A, Handel, B, Mussorgsky - Tranen (a nice contrast) and Hinke p.18, no. 1.

First oboe lesson after a 12 week summer break tomorrow

Hope it goes well.

I was meant to have my first lesson yesterday (1 hr lessons arranged at last!) but my teacher was away so I have to wait till next week. or maybe friday but probably not.

good luck with the grade 3s!

Is it usual for a reed to be nice and softish (almost too soft) when you start playing it and suddenly after a week or so it becomes too hard/unresponsive to play with? I use winfield mh.

That seems quite an extreme change, but yes, in general I find that you get a new reed just right, and the next time you play on it it has hardened up again. Wish I understood the physics behind that! Eventually it will settle down (once you've scraped it a few times).

I don't know if it is the same with oboe reeds but clarinet reeds (esp. Eb reeds) change a lot with different weather conditions. There is 1 hall I perform in regularly that is extremely dry, I always have to prepare reeds that are way too soft when practising at home to get anything other than a tree trunk in the concert.

As oboe reeds are a lot more tempermental than clarinet reeds and a lot smaller I suspect humidity changes them as well.

It does.

I sometimes think I could use my oboe reeds as a barometer for relative humidity. My teacher often says in spring/autumn when the weather is changing that he doesn't want to scrape the reed this week because if the weather suddenly gets wetter (or drier) then the reed will become playable again by itself.

I got some new reeds from my teacher the other day with the instruction NOT to chuck out the old ones yet as the day will inevitably come when the only one which will work properly will be one of those.

Thinks, must get a bigger reed case. Mmm, shopping

On the whole it was a good first lesson. It is surprising how much difference an extra 15 minutes makes (my lesson has gone from 45 to 60 minutes).

My teacher started by taking the second octave box off and cleaning it which will, I hope, (fingers crossed) solve the water problem which has been driving me mad.

On the playing side of things...
I didn't play at all for almost eight weeks and, much to my surprise, when I started again I found that by taking a complete break my playing had somehow become a lot more fluid and that my stamina had improved. Although the difference seemed important to me, part of me couldn't help thinking that it was just an impression and so I was curious to know if my teacher would notice anything or not. He did He commented on how much progress I had made over the summer and in particular how much my tone had improved and said I must have worked really hard. I told him I had actually worked very little and not played at all for eight weeks - and he just said that it proves that sometimes a break can be a good idea.

On the downside, he said my playing is still too intimate and that I need to work on occupying the whole available space when I play

You must have a strange consititution!

I've had about 10 days/ 2 weeks without playing, and when I practiced last night I was starting to get tired after half an hour. Normally I can manage an hour! I've got a lesson next tuesday so I need to get my act together by then...

Every other time I have been like you; when I've come back I could only play for about 10 minutes before my embouchure gave out and it took me weeks to get back to how I was before. In fact, at my last lesson before I went away I said to my teacher I found the thought of how much I would lose over the summer to be really depressing and he said not to worry it happened to everyone, even to him. (Although I didn't say so I thought it was even more depressing that even professionals have the same problem).

I have been pondering on why this year should be different and the only thing I can think of is that I am usually very tense when I play (my teacher says I have too high an expectation of myself and that I worry too much). Maybe because when I started again I had no expectations of playing well I wasn't putting any pressure on myself to play well and paradoxically this removed the tension which prevents me from playing well (if that makes sense). Having discovered that I could play differently (and physically knowing what it feels like) I have just continued.

I don't often post here, but read pretty much every day what's going on in oboe world!

Just thought I'd share some news...

Ordered a cor yesterday... and got my MMus results from Uni... I passed!

Congratulations for your MMus
and for buying a cor.

A question for those of you who play both. At my last wind-band rehearsal I was given a part for both oboe and cor. It starts with the cor and then switches to oboe after about a page. As I am the only oboe, the conductor asked if I could transpose the cor part and play it on the oboe. I told him I do have a cor I just hadn't brought it with me so he asked me to bring both next week. However, having said that I then got home and thought about the practicalities of switching instruments.

Presumably this means I need a stand to put the instrument I am not playing on (at home I just put the one I'm not playing on the piano). Will both instruments fit on the same stand or do I need to buy two stands? And (this is may major worry) are the stands stable? And finally is one bar enough to swap instruments in?

Hi Keri,

Firstly congrats on going to the windband, I hope you enjoy it...In truth you will need a double stand, switching instruments over is not really practical when you have a quick-ish change. It is quite normal to play both the Cor and the Oboe and switch between the two, this is standard practice usually for the second chair but seeing as you ARE the Oboe section the duty has fallen to you...Do get a double stand you will find it much easier but for heavens sake get a heavy one the lightweight plastic ones are way too flimsy and your Cor might go for a bit of a bump...not worth the risk in my opinion..

good luck,

Andrew




Many congratulations on passing your MMus what a wonderful achievement, I am very impressed and very pleased for you...

Which Cor have you ordered?

regards

Andrew

There are many good-quality stands you can buy - I actually use a Hercules double clarinet stand after having to use one for a production at the start of the year, it fit both the oboe and cor very well so i bought one. Before that I just put it on my lap or on the floor! ok in a spaced out chamber orchestra but perhaps not in a band where you're surrounded by people...



I totally agree, I've seen clarinet stands (though never oboe) which are just two pieces of plastic slotted together - I would be terrified about leaving an instrument on one of those!