Buying an oboe is not only looking for a good scale or a dark tone, it is finding the voice with which you will speak and communicate your ideas. When I purchase an instrument I look for certain qualities that I know can sustain the demands of my career. Its very confusing setting up ones' priorities of what one must have in an oboe. For example: is tone more important than scale? Is there too much resistance in the high register? Will it sap my confidence living with an oboe that is a little shallow but everything else is great?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to find an oboe that is balanced in every category. Please know that you have a fine instrument in spite of a few flaws that can be compensated for with the help of a teacher or repair person. I have listed below certain factors that have guided me in selecting my instruments which is prioritized for my needs.
HISTORY
oboe make___ oboe year created ___ year bought___
last overhaul___ year sold___ price bought___ price appraised
at___
1 ) General pitch of the oboe
a) sharper than normal b) flatter than normal - c) acceptable
2) Low register fluency
a) are the low notes, starting with F a) easy b) resistant
3) General tone quality
a) full and rich b) shallow and empty c) unfocused d) is there a buzz in certain notes?
4) Intonation - scale
chart the oboe intonation with a tuner if sharp if flat if unstable
5) Stability
a) in the mid-register (particularly E and F#)
b) in the upper left-hand range
6) Harmonic register
a) does the C#''' or Eb''' produce the lower partial in a diminuendo?
b) too much resistance
c) pitch too sharp d) pitch too flat
7) Is the general resistance of the oboe manageable?
a) in the high register b) mid-register c) low register
8) Are the notes that are out of time able to be adjusted?
(some notes cannot be changed, such as if one octave is high and the other is flat and the tone hole cannot be moved either up or down.)
9) Dynamic range
a) plays softly and cannot get loud b) loud and brassy c) flexible
10) Dependability in slurring to high D
a) does not speak or cracks b) slurs easily and predictably
11) Is there flexibility of tone color of individual notes?
a) too dark b) too bright c) tone opens up full and rich in a crescendo d) tone spreads and is unfocused when loud
12) Can I perform with confidence on this oboe?
13) Is there good suction in the top joint?
14) For used wooden instruments
a) has it cracked or warped? (cracking is actually better as warping effects the intonation and resistance)
b) how many times has it cracked?
c) are there chips out of the bottom of the bell?
d) are there any open cracks? (there will be little suction)
15) For new instruments
a) Is there some resistance compared to your old instrument? (new instruments are stiff in the beginning and need about 6 months break-in time to loosen up and be at its best)
b) Is the quality dark or dull? (the tone of an oboe gets thinner, brighter and sharper in pitch as it gets older)
c) Does the oboe have enough resonance? (you should be able to feel the vibrations under your fingers and the tone should have a certain edge to it)
d) Is the low C# too flat? (the C# will remain at that pitch for the duration of its life even as the oboe gets sharper)
e) Do the open notes of A, B and C have enough resistance in them to match the long tube notes of D', E' and F'? (Ralph Gomberg uses this test that also reveals the amount of undercutting in those notes)
f) Is the F stable and up enough? (they tend to be low
g) Is the F# low enough? (they tend to be sharp and wild)
h) Does the A' have enough resistance and is not too thin?
16) If I don't like this instrument in a few months, is it good enough to resell?
Always test new or used instruments with a responsive non-resistant reed. The reason why this is valuable is because you won't be able to disguise the problems in the new oboe. Having a false resistance in the reed will make the instrument seem fuller and deeper than it is and make the unstable notes not so apparent. It's always a good idea to have as many people play the oboe as possible as you can hear both the problems and the good features more readily. Should you decide to sell your older instrument, it is not uncommon to offer a 10% commission to the person or music store who sells it for you.
I hope this guide will help in your deciding which oboe will speak for you.
Stuart Dunkel is currently on the faculties of Boston University, New England Conservatory of Music, and Boston Conservatory. He is principal oboe with the Opera Company of Boston and recently authored the book "The Audition Process: Anxiety Management and Coping Strategies".