Hi so I have a recital in a week and my 2nd Octive D isn't working. It doesn't play unless I hold it down a lot which isn't really possible for the piece. I'm going to ask my band teacher if he has a second one I can borrow until I get this one fixed but can't until Monday. There's also no one around who can fix it within a reasonable time so yeah. Any suggestions?

Good afternoon, Me and a colleague are looking for rep written for oboe and low voice, any help would be very appreciated :) Have a great day!

So I’m totally new to the oboe, but just for the future, what the rough cost of reed making per month? Because right now I spend about 45 every four weeks on reeds, which is like 3 reeds. I like to have a good supply of money just in case I break reeds. But after the initial cost of the equipment, how much would reed making cost per month?

There are a bunch (they're never-ending 😭) in one of the pieces I'm playing in my school band. It's all 16th notes at 160 bpm. I used to be able to play them pretty evenly at a decent speed (I did learn them at a slower tempo and gradually increased the speed), but now I'm rushing certain bits of the runs. It also gets super chaotic at those sections during rehearsals and other people rush (with the 16ths) too, which in turn makes ME rush. I think I'm supposed to like, focus on my OWN part during those sections, but it's really difficult to do so.

I want a list of about absolutely everything I would need for oboe reed making. If there is a good brand for them, or possibly a nice reed making kit(I know most of them are trash). Any help would be appreciated,

Hello oboists!

I’m an alto sax and clarinet musician looking to pick up oboe. I’ve heard that there’s a lot of things in student model oboes to avoid, like missing keys (I seem to recall something about a Bb and Eb?) and I’d like to avoid picking up bad habits so I was wondering:

Do you have suggestions for a good student model oboe that has most or all of the keys necessary while still not breaking the bank? I would prefer to go used (if that’s the recommended consensus). I’ve heard to avoid Selmer, but other than that I’m at a loss. This would just be to start out with while I figure out if I love it or not. If I do then I would go to something more high-end (and I’d be back here for more suggestions haha).

Thank you so much! 🎶

Does anyone know a good place to buy a reed making kit or separate parts so that I can make my own reeds? Preferably what would be good quality for a budget of around 300€. I also need some new needle springs because those I have are too thick.

Hi everyone!

I am looking into programming my Master's recital with ONLY female composers. I am wondering if there are any compositions that are underplayed/not as well known and are also on the older side (if possible, before the 20th century). I'm beginning to do some research and wanted some starting points if there are any.

Thank you all!

Edit: My current program has Pilgrim Soul (Augusta Read Thomas) and Chrysalis (Alyssa Morris). I’m now thinking of doing two recitals (one for just oboe and the other English horn), just to highlight as many female composers as I can

I’m looking at an oboe tomorrow that is being sold for a 3rd of what it’s worth. It’s a Yamaha student oboe, which sounds just like what I need. I played a little bit on an oboe owned by my high school, and since graduating I have regretted not having my own to keep learning on. The only problem is that it doesn’t have keys for B and B flat, just holes to cover with your knees. Is that normal? Should it be a deal breaker?

I can play fingering rlly good on clarinet, but im rlly struggling on my oboe.

Hi All,

I'm looking to try and make my own reeds as while I get on with the bought ones I use, I would like to learn how to get them to work better and eventually make reeds from scratch.

I'm wondering if there are any recommendations for the kits out there that can ship to the UK. Howarth's always seems out to stock but I suppose I could email and enquire?

Thomann sell a kit, but I'm hesitant as they're not a specialist in woodwinds. Does anyone have experience with their kit?

Similarly, crook and staple sell a kit.

Any recommendations/advice is welcome. I'm used to tinkering with my clarinet reeds and getting them to do exactly what I need - I realise I'm in for a steep learning curve with oboe reeds but would enjoy the challenge!

I hope this question is ok, but I’m looking to buy something practical for my partner who plays the oboe. I literally don’t know anything about music unfortunately, and hope this community can help give me basic pointers.

They have a professional grade oboe equipment already (like a $>7000 oboe) and they make their own reeds. I don’t know anything about oboes though, and I don’t want to buy them something that they’d never use.

Are there good practical gift ideas for an oboist? I considered getting them rare sheet music or something, since they seem to like classical music, jazz, or big band style songs, but… I think there’s a very high chance I’d buy them music they don’t care about. I’d appreciate any ideas!

So i was browsing forever for a kit to make reeds for oboe and eventually decided to go to rdgwoodwinds.com, but i need some help. I chose quite literally everything i will ever need but the cane. knife, block cutter, you name it, i found it. but i have no idea which cane to choose. Does anyone have any recommendations? (If it says anything i play medium soft reeds)

All of a sudden I'm struggling to get the E (middle or bottom) out of my cor anglais. If I do manage to play the note, it feels very strangled and can cut out very easily. Any ideas what might be causing this?

With the holiday season coming up I was wondering it anyone knew of a nice arrangement of Greensleeves for oboe. A good duet would be nice too.

I’ve just been wondering this because I’ve always played on mediums, and I’m thinking about buying some hards to try out. But will it improve my sound at all?

I'm an oboe player who's been practicing occasionally as a hobby and I've joined an orchestra that's playing this piece in 2 weeks. Does anyone have any tips/things I should note when playing this piece? I'm especially struggling with the tempo in the 3rd movement.

PS - what level would this be roughly on ABRSM scale?

Hello again random oboe humans on the internet,
I just got some new ones of my favourite reeds after being stuck with random amazon reeds for a couple of weeks while I waited, and now I'm noticing that my low c# and below are cracking up sometimes if I'm not careful. These reeds are more closed than the other ones so maybe that's part of it, but if any of you have any embouchure tips so I can work on that consistency I'd appreciate it ^-^

I’ve been experimenting with my oboe and it seems like the LOW B flat sound can’t be produce in a air conditioned environment but it can be produced in a warm environment. Any reasons for the sound changes due to temperature. When I try to play the low bflat in an air conditioned environment it just goes up an octave. I had this oboe fixed 2 months ago ago.

Trying to learn the oboe is hurting my hands. The rings (older oboe) are far enough apart that stretching the ring finger on the right side is downright painful and my index fingers keep slipping when the ring fingers are held down on both sides because of stretching difficulties. My fingers hyperextend and on the left hand my fingers get "stuck" because the joints lock up, I'm certain it's because the upper joint isn't big enough to properly wrap my fingers around.

I'm sure I'm not the only person to experience this. Any advice before I toss the case into the back of the closet and never see it again?

Hey all, through my extended use of the English horn for gigs, and my increasing need to double, I’m beginning to develop joint pains on my right hand and thumb. I feel it’s time I invest in a neck strap. What would be some good recommendations? Would using any neck strap from another instrument (alto/ tenor sax, clarinet, oboe, etc.) be possible or does it have to be specifically for English horn?

I've been playing a resin oboe in my community orchestra, and one of the other participants generously loaned me her extra wood oboe! I'm still getting used to the differences between the two instruments (I've never played a wood oboe before), but I'm not sure how much of a difference there should be? It feels like it requires more air in general and I'm having trouble getting D (low and mid octaves) to consistently sound in different dynamics/articulations. I figured out part of the problem is the left hand Eb key pushing on the Ab key in runs, but I still have some trouble outside of that context. Is this normal or does the instrument need an adjustment? Also, what should I be doing to make sure I'm properly caring for the instrument?