I play in a community band, and early last spring I was recruited from the flute section to cover the 2nd chair oboe position. I played oboe throughout HS and some college, but that was many years ago, so I`m essentially a beginner again (though the fingerings came back pretty quickly). Anyways, I`m finding that I`m getting a serious amount of pain in my right hand, in the joint where the thumb and forefinger meet. I assumed that I was holding the oboe improperly, but when I asked the 1st chair oboist (BM-oboe performance), she said I was holding it correctly. Has anyone had a similar problem and know of anything I can do to eliminate the pain?

i also used to experience pain in my right hand from playing in the usual "45 degrees from the body" position. i`ve since started working with a professor who teaches the John Mack style of oboe which is held much closer to the body, which has eliminated the pain for me.

But barring that sort of switch, there are a few things you can do. You can wait it out for a few weeks and see if the fatigue decreases. You can invest in a thumbrest which might help a little bit(cheap rubber, or that stuff harp players use is good). And you should also check to see which part of your thumb is holding the instrument up. Altering the angle of your thumb on the rest (forward, backward, etc.) may help relieve the pain for you.

Thanks much. I`ll give your suggestions a shot!