by guest blogger, Jeremy Polmear, Oboe Classics The pieces in this playlist range in technical difficulty from grade 2 to way beyond grade 8. Many of them appear in the exam lists of the ABRSM and others, but my main purpose is to show that whatever level of oboist you are, there is good music out there for you to play. The first nine tracks come from the Oboe Classics CD ‘Ready, Steady, Blow’, which has interesting pieces even at the pre-grade 1 level. However the tracks that are up on Spotify start at the Grade 2 level. It was…
Articles
Welcome
Thank you for visiting LearnToPlayTheOboe.com! This website has been set up to help make it easier to find out more about the oboe and how one goes about learning to play the instrument. On this website you can find several articles introducing the oboe as well as numerous collections of audio and video examples. We are also building an active support community of discussion forums and classified ads so that you can always find the advice or oboe related products/services that you are looking for. If you have any questions about this site or have any suggestions about how it…
Choosing a Reed Supplier
Why is finding the right reed important? Finding a good source of oboe reeds is crucial to enabling a student to develop their oboe playing. When starting the oboe it is particularly important that the reeds are not too hard so purchasing reeds that are Soft or Medium-Soft is advisable in most cases. There are a number of differing styles of reeds, scraped to different dimensions and also shaped to different sizes. An existing reed website called Reed Reviews (http://reedreviews.net/) features a number of UK based reed makers with feedback on each reed. Choosing a suitable reed is something that…
Choosing an Instrument
Once you have found a teacher, the next step in learning the oboe is to find the right instrument for you. Depending on your budget there are several options available to those wishing to start the oboe. There are a number of oboe makers who offer student, graduate and professional models of their instruments. For a beginner, the student models offer the best option as they feature less keys, are lighter than the more advanced instruments (ideal for younger students) and are considerably cheaper than professional models. For example, there are instruments such as the Junior Model by Howarth of…
Finding a Teacher
When starting to learn the oboe, your first task is to find the right teacher. Once you have a teacher you are happy with they are most likely to be in a position to help you find an instrument and suitable reeds. It goes without saying that there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but it is always worth finding an oboe teacher who has studied the instrument to at least undergraduate music college level. How do I find a teacher? Using your preferred search engine, it is worth beginning your search with your local music service (now referred…
Links
Below are a selection of useful links to various oboe manufacturers, shops, reed makers etc. If you know of a link that should be published here, do please contact us directly. Courses/Masterclasses/Double Reed Days Gloucestershire Double Reed Day Marches Oboe School The Big Double Reed Day Ensembles Pipers 3 The Oboe Band Oboe Accessories Gregson Knives June Emerson Sheet Music Keys to Success Fun Duets Bucher Profiling Machines Wonderful Winds Music Oboe Manufacturers Buffet Bulgheroni Howarths John Packer Instruments Loree Ludwig Frank Marigaux Moennig Puchner Oboes Rigoutat Sound Alchemy Yamaha Oboes Oboe Players Albrecht Mayer Alexei Ogrintchouk Francois Leleux Nicholas…