Valparaiso, Indiana

Archive for the ‘Advanced Oboe’ Category

# 1

Advanced oboists are performing very challenging literature for solo, chamber music, band, and orchestra.  Tone, balance, blend, and intonation are the four major challenges for the best advanced performances.  At this level of playing most conductors know that advanced oboists can figure out on their own the beat, rhythm, and fingerings.  However, the most noticeable flaw in advanced musical performances is often the intonation.

# 2

When comparing large ensembles at the elementary, middle school, high school, college, and professional levels, the major difference among all five levels is the quality and consistency of the intonation.  At the elementary and middle school levels the conductors have to tell the student they are out of tune and what to do to correct  the problem.  At the high school and college levels the oboists know they are out of tune and what to do to correct it.  At the professional level everyone in the ensemble know who is out of tune; thus, the conductor does not need to make a comment and  to solve the intonation problem.

# 3

The best musician is the musician who can immediately hear the intonation being  unacceptable and correct it in a split second.  When playing octaves out of tune either the lower or high note is going to be too sharp or too flat.  Ideally, both players instantly hear the problem and both make the correction immediately making the intonation conflict inaudible to the audience.  This skill is important and necessary when playing in a professional orchestra.

# 4

Most often when two players are playing an octave the top sound is too sharp and needs to be lowered and the lower sound is too flat and needs to be higher.   As the lower register of oboe  tends to be flat, it is important for the oboist playing in the upper register not to play the least bit sharp.  As the upper register of the oboe tends to play sharp, it is important for the oboist playing in the lower register not to play the least bit flat.

# 5

At times the oboist will find specific notes out of tune with the clarinet and flute in an orchestral or chamber music setting.  Notes in the middle of the oboe register (“A,” “Bb,” “B,” and “C,”) can be a challenge to play in tune with the flute and clarinet , especially when playing in unison, thirds, fifths, or octaves.  When the oboist is playing in the extreme low or high registers, there can be major adjustments necessary to match the intonation of other instruments.

# 6

Bands tend to tune sharper (“A” =442 c.p.s.) while orchestras prefer to play right on the pitch ( “A” =440 c.p.s.). Cycles per second is often abbreviated as “c.p.s.”  As a musical performance continues, the intonation of the  entire group tends rise or sound sharper.  It is important that everyone in the group is in tune with each other although the overall pitch of the group is moving gradually higher as the concert progresses.