flute to oboe

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hi there
I am new here i just created this about two min ago.
I am in high school playing the flute at a grade three AMAB level.
recently ive been hearing more about this instrument callled the oboe and ive done tones of research and im thinking about asking my parents if i can play oboe too!!!!
I have high musical dreams so its not a question of practice.

I am interested in knowing; how does the oboe compare to a flute in fingering embushure (i know ive spelled that wrong.
and all the other aspects of playing and learning an instrument.
I consider flute hard to play at first but once youve gotten over the hurdle of tounging your on your way.
how does the oboe compare

oh by the way i must apologise for my spelling and for the fact that i have no punctuation exept for full stops; its because of my keyboard; im trying to get it fixed but...yeah its stuffed up!

also im sure this has been asked before but zhat are your own personal oboe make references and what would you recco,end for me
I can only really afford things 5 hundred australian dollars and under witch i know isnt much.

and does anyone have any tips for learning the oboe that i can take with me to my first lesson
maybe with regards to breathing or anything else...!

sorry this is sooooo long!

hope you can help
PP

giftwraplady
(2 points)

I made the conversion from flute to oboe; it was an easy transition. Fingerings are similar. Embouchure is quite different and challenging.

Although I love my flute; I've learned the oboe is much more appreciated since there are fewer players available, especially in high school. In making the step up the oboe many more musical opportunities were available to me.
Wishing you well.

oboist425
(25 points)

I made the same conversion almost two years ago. Oboe is easier than flute. Embrochure is a lot different, but once you get it, you're pretty much set. If you have a little trouble with the embrochure, see a teacher, and they can help you with about anything.
The fingerings on oboe are almost the same with the exception of F and Bb and C and the high/low notes.
Tonging is a lot easier because, well, oboe music is easier than flute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've researched this a lot, so here's what I know:

For a beginner, I'd reccommend brands like Fox, Larilee, Lesher, and Linton. Fox 333 and 330 are your best bet for a resonite (plastic) oboe. You can probably find wood Larilee's, Lesher's and Linton's on eBay in your price range. Wood produces the best sound.

Just so you know, you will not find any new Lesher's or Linton's. They were bought out by a cheap American company in the 90's.

Oboes that you don't want: Conn, Selmer, Artley, Yamaha model 211, and anything american. (exception: fox) Usually if a company makes every kind of instrument, their oboes pretty much suck.

Semi pro models that you may want to consider in a few years: Buffet, Yamaha 411, Fox 300, Older Loree's, Chudnow, laubin, Kohlert, Bulgheroni, Tiery.
(I have a Kohlert that I got for US$350 on eBay. It's in the repair shop being fixed up to playing condition)

Pro brands: most Loree's, Fossati Soloiste, Fossati Artiste, Fox 400, any Marigaux, Buffet Greenline

Some smaller brands might be ok, I don't know. Your best bet is probably to go with a French, Italian, or German oboe. Kohlert was made in Czecoslovakia, and bought out by a bassoon company.

Some websites:
www.usedoboes.com
www.ebay.com in categoty Oboe and Bassoon

Oh and I should Probably tell you about Reeds...
They can be a major PAIN. Not all brands are good. Jones Reeds and Woodwind Reeds are ok for beginners. They're cheap and work easily. You will probably want to go with a Medium-Soft reed. Once you get the hang of an oboe reed, you will want to move to something with a better sound, and you will want it to be "hand scraped", which means that it is hand made and not mahine made. I use Marlin Lesher Reeds. Dunkel's are supposed to be good, but they're kind of expensive. Reeds may need a bit of adjusting, and a teacher can show you how to do that.

Best website for reeds (that I know of):
www.wwbw.com
Go to Woodwind, then Reeds, then Oboe/Bassoon Reeds

The best thing about learning oboe: once you can play an oboe, you can always learn to play an english horn, bassoon, or any other instrument in the double reed family.

If you do decide to get a wood oboe, You may want to get a case humidifier. Avoid getting a crack in your oboe at all costs. If the one you decide to buy has a crack, make sure that it has been pinned professionally.

StephenK
(389 points)

Just a few comments on the advice given.

Linton and Kholert oboes are on Peter Hurd's outline of oboe brands as oboes to be avoided: http://oboes.us/resources/makers.html

Any oboe lacking the left hand F mechanism should be avoided. This will knock out any Lesher oboe you will find on ebay and most old oboes on ebay that feature a ring key, but an unusually low price. I did like my Lesher

Yamaha model 211 and 411 share the same bore design, just different keywork. The 241 and 441 series is a bore redesign. The 241 should be avoided though as it lacks left F. The 441 is equivalent to the Fox 333, lacking articulated C#. Though Fox is better regarded.

Here's an interesting oboe brand shootout:
http://www.norapost.com/pintail.html

It is much better to explore handmade reeds. You will find reeds of the same strength actually play at or near the same strength, the pitch is reliable, and the tone is superior that any mass market machine made reed.

You can get them on the cheap or pay out the mouth:
http://www.nielsen-woodwinds.com - This place has the cheapest reliable reeds you can find. Try both the purple and green threads, different makers, different tastes.

http://www.goodtoneguild.com - Lovely reeds. Regular reeds use cork staples, professional reeds use Chudnow brass staples. All reeds come wired unless requested otherwise. Wires come in handy when the reed is approaching death as you can push the wire up and open the reed to give it a far longer life span.

Here's a long list of reed suppliers:
http://www.oboeinsight.com/stories/storyReader$449

Bear in mind one maker's medium may be another's hard. You can talk to these makers personally and tell them what you are currently using and get advise on what would best for you.

oboist425
(25 points)

Again, since you have never played a double reed instrument, you want to learn on the cheapest reeds you can find. It's a 99% chance that you'll break the first 1 or 2 reeds you use. I did, and most of the other oboe players I know went through the same dilemma. Once you get the hang of the embrochure, then you can try the hand scraped reeds without wasting them.

And to the other commenter, My Kohlert Is a fine instrument. It is as good as the Fox 330 that I played on in school. It also has an interesting history to it, and it does not look like it is an antique. Personally, I like it better than the Fox.

oboedude888
(373 points)

Apparently the fingering is very similar.

oboescanjazztoo
(13 points)

I currently play on a Yamaha YOB441 (similar to the YOB411, I believe, which is what my classmates play on) and it has served me very well. I believe this is an intermediate model and it is excellent to me!

Here is some advice on making your first reeds last a little longer. (I made these mistakes when I was first learning.)
1. Never wear chapstick, lip gloss, lipstick, or any kind of lip covering while playing your oboe.
2. When you go to play your oboe, try not to jam the reed into your mouth.
3. In general, watch where your reed is. If you need to get up from where you're practicing, don't leave the reed on the oboe. Accident waiting to happen.
4. Dip your reeds in water when you soak them and then place them somewhere safe for 5 minutes to soak.

Again, I also recommend Marlin Lesher reeds. I've tried the following brands of reeds: Rico, La Voz, Gower, Marlin Lesher (Standard, Artist, and Pro reeds), Chartier Long Scrape, and Vandoren. So far my favorite are the Marlin Lesher Artist Reeds. The Vandorens I bought did not last me long and seemed really fragile. My local music store carries La Voz and they are alright, but I prefer Marlin Lesher Artist reeds. Tip: WWBW usually doesn't carry these reeds. I've had quite a few problems with them when ordering these reeds.

choc_powder
(13 points)

gosh! a YOB 441!! lucky you~ i'm currently playing YOB 411...anyway..

Oboes are great!! you should try it!!
i'm playing for my school's orchestra and its killing mee!!

i'll be playing Russian Christmas Music and the triplets are killing me!! anyone has advice on dealing with these fast running notes???

angel_trumpeter
(15 points)

most of the fingerings are the same until you get into the higher octives

Jockem
(12 points)

i play BOTH oboe and flute and in my opinion oboe is WAY harder to start playing. I started playing and it sounded like a duck being strangled... not good.

keds723
(1 point)

I play a mirade of instruments and I specialize in oboe and English Horn, which are virtually the same. I too started on flute and I would have to say that the transition was easier.

At first, it didn't sound quite good and it was hard to play for long periods of time because my cheeks would hurt very badly or I would get extremely dizzy. It hurt...and I didn't know why. But as I practiced more, I got better and the tone of the instrument actually changed from a loud goose like noise to a more controlled goose like noise. As I progressed, it sounded better. The fingerings are virtually the same as the flute, but there are certain tricks that can get you by some of the harder fingerings such as four different alternate fingerings for the F.

So here's some general tips from one oboe player to another:
-Learn how to make your own reeds
Music marts suck when it comes to making double reeds and there's no way to test them. In the meantime, you should check to make sure that there are no cracks and there is about a centimeter of space between the two canes. That should help and increase the longetivity of the reed's life. Also, don't forget to soak them for at least 5 minutes in water when you get them. This helps to make the sound better and helps to ensure the life of the reed.

-Don't give up!
It takes a lot of practice and a lot of people will make fun of you, but just make sure you practice long tones especially in the upper and lower octaves.

-Breathe from your diaphragm.
This helps with playing longer and decreases the amount of pressure your mouth has to use, thus decreasing the cheek pain (which eventually can feel like a numbing pain like after you've been to the dentist). If you're a singer, this should be no problem. You'll notice that once you are able to play at a decent level on the oboe, you can play for 16 measures, exhale, and then play another 4 before needing a breath!!!! This helps with the flute too!

-Embrochere Matters!
Only use about a 16th of an inch of the reed. This helps gain more control over the instrument and again, decreases the pain. NEVER USE YOUR TONGUE! Tonguing on an oboe is awkward and double tonguing is near impossible, so it takes practice. don't rest your tongue on the reed because it will feel really weird. try it. i dare you! Vibratto is achieved through diaphragm rather than embrochere, again another plus side of the singing.

Flute helps with this only with fingering, everything else is different. I hope this helps!!!!

-Kristen

flute to oboe

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