Oboe Tips: Keeping Water Out of Your Keys

[@user-zz4tf8uc8l]

Hello, Katherine. I jumped looking for help after a VERY humbling experience this weekend, and I found this gem! My orchestra concluded our season with a wonderful program that ended with Dvorak 9. I had been looking forward to it for the whole season. Two performances - one on Friday and the other on Saturday evening. On Friday evening, the first note of that gorgeous English horn solo - you've never heard a gurgle so exquisitely perfect in gurgly-ness. I watched your video Saturday morning. Saturday evening, I swabbed carefully before the downbeat and kept the Eh on my lap with keys up for the whole first movement. Perfect. It may have been fine without my hyper-vigilance. I'll never know. But my confidence that it would NOT happen was huge, and for that I am eternally grateful. I've changed my "at rest" habits permanently. Thank you!

[@eskarina1000]

I wish I had this advice available when I was in college. During one of my end of semester solo performances, I had water in my octave key right at the climax at the end of the last movement of the Poulenc Sonata. I was devastated.

[@BlakleyBassoon]

I was smiling during your entire introduction. Sometimes it is SO important to state the obvious. But then, I could really FEEL the anxiety over how your held that oboe. While your advice may not be particularly musical, it is still artistic- an emotional roller coaster!

[@wifiiwakura2820]

bfk

[@sharmanpiper8716]

Thank you! I've always been meticulous about laying my oboe on its back, but never thought about the subtle vertical angle, nor about laying it down on a slope. I can't wait to try these things out!

[@sallyfinneytimm9617]

Thanks so much for posting this. It's clear I need to make a few changes to the way I handle my instrument.

[@uhhhsure2055]

I love the way you explained everything. Appreciate it :)

[@JoseJuanOrtega]

Gracias por compartir la información. Puede ir muy bien a los estudiantes que no saben como eliminar el exceso de humedad en las llaves. Personalmente tomo las precauciones con respecto al agua de una forma muy parecida a las tuyas. Me pongo malo cuando un alumno inclina el oboe con las llaves hacia abajo, y tampoco soy amigo de dejar el oboe apoyado en el pie.

[@CommunistBearFighter]

Can someone please explain to me what the backstory of Katherine's comments is? As in what has Marcel Tabuteau got to do with this?

[@Alice-mg9sy]

Thank you, I always kept my oboe straight because no one has ever told me that this could end up being problematic and I hadn’t had any problems until today and I was extremely confused.

[@homeofcreation]

Thanks for this wonderful gift, I never really thought of this.

[@NathanielRobinson]

I’m a violinist but I’ve always wondered what that blowing noise was at an orchestra gig. 🤣 All oboists should view this - this makes sense. It kind of reminds me of string players who don’t keep their bridges at a good angle which leads to them getting all warped - then the bridge snaps in half.

[@fuffy442]

I once has a clarinet that, due to the grain inside the bore (I assume), always had water getting into one of the side keys (C#-G# in case anyone is interested). I don't remember who taught me to do this, but I drew tracks around the tone hole with linseed oil. It worked pretty well. I was wondering if this is something you've ever heard of or done yourself. I really enjoy your posts,. 🙂

[@katrinamundinger3133]

Definitely clarinetists have to do this--the keys are closer to the back of the instrument than the keys on an oboe. :)

[@fuffy442]

@@katrinamundinger3133 When I switched from Buffet to Selmer the problem, thankfully, was no longer an issue.

[@rogernewengland]

THANKYOU so much, i had been doing as you said without thought of the water tracking into keys if tilted as you said. my biggest issue is getting reeds to play consistently on key/pitch at certain octaves, but more than that is issue where room is consistently about 65 F or chillier and have problems with upper trill keys sticking open. another specialist in oboe recommended the cozy, and i added a heat strip taped to outside to transfer heat to inside, and that seems to help as long as i keep oboe in it when not playing. it is sort of a costly venture but going on few weeks and is working out nicely. heard you play the piece you wrote/scribe and is wonderfully done. I like to hear any other tips you have for us as I am sure you have some since you been professional playing for some years to help us out. Bye.

[@elizabethstarrmasoudnia5525]

Interesting and entertaining! I like your hair ( is that shallow?) and also want to know more about your t-shirt. PS I think Marcel Tabuteau would have loved this.

[@davidevans9194]

Thank you Katherine

[@jimpeter3453]

I just discovered that a player makes their own double reeds. Whew. Regards from Baltimore.

[@dmajmes51]

Priceless!

[@rgombine]

Just when I thought I had already accumulated all the things that I needed to be paranoid with respect to playing the oboe! But great advice. So who is going to design the angled oboe stand?

[@rgombine]

Nvm …. I see one is already available.

[@dahVEEDBBone]

@@rgombine Where is it available?. I've been playing for 3 weeks now and I already have "trapped-water" anxiety, now thinking about making a tilted stand out of PVC.

[@RosssRoyce]

You’re nice sweetie, you have a heart!

[@OboeLorin]

I’m primarily an oboist, but I just played an 8 month long gig on clarinet (and flute and sax). I found the clarinet MUCH worse than oboe for getting water in keys. Perhaps it was a clarinetist you heard in that recording?? Blame the clarinet section… 😂 ❤

[@wifiiwakura2820]

"and there are lots of embarrasing things"

[@jeffpaster9071]

very useful tips. however, unless you have nothing better to do, start this at 2:30 and then be prepared for a good bit of meandering and repetition

[@John-c7j3v]

Crazy eyes