The Care and Feeding of Your Oboe
Written by Professor Kristy Meretta, Oboe
Face it.....the oboe requires a little coddling. It's a sensitive instrument, prone to any number of mechanical ills, from bent keys to sticky pads to cracking. But smart oboists know that they can add years to the playing life of their oboes (and save $$$ in repair bills) by developing some simple habits of proper instrument care.
So let's put together a checklist on the care and feeding of your oboe.....and begin treating it like the very special friend that it is.
THE CASE FOR CAREFUL ASSEMBLY: Repairmen and women tell me that the most common problem in oboe repair stems from improper assembly. The linkage keys that connect the top and middle sections of the oboe "somehow" have jammed against one another and the instrument won't play. To avoid this, keep the corks clean and greased, keep your eye on the linkage keys as you gently twist the sections together, and keep your right hand fingers OFF THE F# KEY ! When your fingers depress this key, notice how the lower linkage key pops up into the path of its partner from above. It's wiser to PLACE YOUR HANDS NEAR THE VERY TOP AND BOTTOM OF THESE TWO SECTIONS, well away from the keywork.
SWAB, BLOT, AND BLOW: Swabbing the oboe after each use helps to prevent "water on the keys" ( an annoying but not serious problem) and "cracking" (every oboist's nightmare). For the gurgling you hear when moisture settles into a tone hole or pad, simply locate the trouble spot with this formula: the water is in the first open hole BELOW the note that gurgles (e.g. it it gurgles on A then look under the G, etc.). Then blot it out with cigarette paper (carry this right out on stage with you every time you play) and blow air into the offending hole. Later, as time allows, swab out the entire instrument.
CRACKING: Cracking is a response to sudden change in temperature and humidity. When you blow warm moist air into a cold dry instrument (as we are typically asked to do on a winter's day), the "outside wood" of the oboe (with the keywork) remains in a cold, contracted state while the "inner wood" of the bore suddenly swells with the hear and humidity of your breath. The results are well-documented and heartbreaking. A cracked instrument should be sent immediately to repair.
The remedy is obvious. NEVER PLAY ON AN OBOE THAT IS COLD TO THE TOUCH. In winter, or in cold drafty rooms, place the top joint of your oboe under your arm for warmth, or use your hands to "massage" the outer wood and hasten the warming process. Remember, BLOWING AIR INTO A COLD INSTRUMENT IS NOT THE SOLUTION, IT IS THE PROBLEM. Using a pull-through swab helps absorb excess moisture in the bore (turkey feathers merely disperse it).
BUT IT'S SO MESSY: Oil the keywork every month or two. Use just a drop on the tip of a needle (or purchase a "needle oiler" from an oboe supply house) and let the oil sink into every moving seam along the long silver rods. Gun oil from a hardware store or Nye clock oil (available at jewelry stores) are acceptable alternatives to the key oil sold by suppliers. FORGET 3-in-1 oil ! And try to keep the oil away from the wood of the oboe, or worse yet, the pads.
A STICKY PROBLEM: A tiny bit of dust or debris can cause a pad to stick. Launch a 3-point campaign against the culprit: (1) insert a piece of paper under the pad, press on it lightly but firmly while removing the paper; (2) repeat, using a small amount of talcum powder on the paper; and, (3) oil the keywork surrounding the sticky pad.
HIDE THE SCREWDRIVER? A screwdriver in the hands of the uninformed is an invitation to disaster. Still, in some instances, common sense can save an unnecessary trip to the repair shop.
Look at the oboe's keywork. Some screws go into large round "knobby posts" resembling mushrooms. These are set screws that hold the keywork in place. If these screws work loose, it is smart to tighten them. Other screws, on the keywork but not on "knobby posts" are adjustment screws that govern intonation and pad coverage. LEAVE THESE ALONE, even if they "look" loose, or your instrument's mechanism may really be screwy! Patrick McFarland (P.O. Box 13505, Atlanta GA 30324) has a spiral bound adjustment manual that is concise and easy to read, should you be the handy sort.
HAVE OBOE, WILL TRAVEL: Keep your oboe in its case, and carry it with you when you are on the go. NEVER leave it in the car on a hot (or cold) day.
SERVICING: And, finally, every two years or so, take your oboe in for its 5000 mile checkup. Let an oboe SPECIALIST fine-tune the adjustment, clean or replace the corks and pads, etc. Your oboe deserves the best!
HAPPY CARETAKING!
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