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Oboe Resources

Oboe Resources

On this page you will find required materials for lessons on oboe here at Promethean Studios and various other resources for the oboe as well. The resources on this page are specifically for the oboe, more generic resources (music stores, recording studios, etc) are listed here. At the time this information was entered, all links worked and products listed were available. For information purposes only; we won't post resources when we know there might be any sort of problem with a product, business, or person listed but please check out the reliability, appropriateness, and reputation of any resource you plan to use.

Please have these for your Lessons

  • An oboe in fair condition (suggestions and details below) - Do not buy or play an oboe without a left-hand F key. I can advise you on the suitability of specific instruments.
  • Reeds - 4 reeds in a 4 reed holder, medium soft to medium hard strength.
  • 3 ring binder - with loose-leaf paper and pockets for holding handouts.
  • Pencil - Erasable, colored pencils are best.
  • Manuscript paper (music paper, staff paper) - Click here and print 5 sheets of ‘medium music paper, treble clef only’, bring them to your lesson. Feel free to download any of the other types of music paper you want and your friends can, too. For assignments and written exercises.
  • 5 GB flash drive or larger - suggestions and details below.
  • Download Audacity (optional) – details below.
  • Metronome or Drum machine - suggestions and details below.
  • Sheet music for 5 pieces - See below for guidelines on choosing music.
  • 6th grade band book (regardless of the student’s age, assuming you’re a beginner) - This will be used to learn note reading for beginning students. Any publisher will do, as they all teach the same basic things.
  • Tuning Fork A 440 - or a piano or keyboard, suggestions and details below.

More Details and Resources

  • An oboe in fair condition - I can advise you on the suitability of specific instruments. Always get the best instrument you can reasonably afford. Do not buy or play an oboe without a left-hand F key. The difficulty and poor sound quality of the forked F (required constantly if there is no left-hand F) is prohibitive - the left-hand F isn't really optional, it’s required. Modified conservatory is the normal term used to indicate there is a left-hand F key. The next step up would be a wooden oboe - requires maintenance, but well worth it for the step-up in tone.
    • Beginning oboe $2000 - $3000.
    • Intermediate oboe $3000 – 4500. This intermediate oboe to be made of wood.
    • Top oboes - Cabart, Fox, Loree, Rigoutat, and Yamaha are long-term favorites with oboists and a top oboe will cost $5000-$10,000.
  • Reeds - 4 reeds in a 4 reed holder. Oboe beginners should start with soft, handmade reeds. The extra $5 per reed you spend on hand-made reeds is well worth the price. You will be much happier and $15-25 per reed is pretty close to the price of mass-produced reeds in the store anyway. Buy these reeds online – they will break and wear out so you need to plan on a steady supply and always having 4 working reeds available.
  • Pencil - Musicians write with pencils because they make changes to their music and make frequent notations on the pages. Erasable, colored pencils are best.
  • 5 GB flash drive (or larger) - To record your lesson, bring this to your lesson. When you begin each lesson, give your flash drive to your instructor and they'll record your lessons. Be sure and take the drive with you when you leave and listen to it in your computer the day of or the day after your lesson. This will give you a way to review the lesson and give me a way to send demonstrations of technique or songs home with you. If you'll review your lesson each week, you'll progress about 5 to 10% faster.
  • Audacity - Also, if you'd like to get a even more out of some of your own practices, download Audacity, a free computer-based recording program. It does many great things to help you practice; people even make professional albums with it. You can change the pitch of your song, record yourself, record yourself playing with your song, or isolate sections of songs for practice. Many good things.
  • Metronome - Leave your metronome at home, but you need it to practice. Apps for iphone – Tempo Advance is the best - $4. For Android, Tempo - $2. Standalone metronomes: Planet Waves PW-MT-02 ($15), Korg MA-1 ($20-25). Use the metronome whenever possible. It will develop your sense of rhythm and counting; equally important, it will show you where you should be practicing. If you follow the beat from the metronome in songs and exercises, the areas where you don't do well will be revealed, and you'll know where to spend extra practice time. The metronome is your drummer.
    • When you’re having trouble getting into the metronome, use a drum machine. For iPhone, use Garage Band, for Android use Drummer Friend - $3. Standalone drum machine: Boss DB-60. And a little home keyboard with rhythms and metronomic markings works well, too. Students who practice with metronomes or rhythm machines will also progress about 5 to 10 percent faster.
  • Sheet music for 5 pieces - Some oboe students at Promethean Studios are working on two types of pieces at once: a classical piece and a ‘fun’ piece. Note pieces are usually the traditional classical piece where to succeed in the piece you must read and play the notes correctly. Many styles of music can be written as a challenging "note piece", but classical pieces are the normal choice. Fun pieces - a "top hits" book with a CD that has songs you like is a great choice. Don't worry about the difficulty.
    • Be careful not to get instructional material by accident. You will work through 1 song per month, and will need to keep a steady supply of songs available, as we learn the old ones. As the student progresses past the beginner stage, I will recommend note pieces and music to be purchased.
  • Tuning fork A 440 - Every orchestra in the world tunes to the oboe every day. You've got to have a great ear to play the oboe, so get a tuning fork and develop your ear.
  • Harvard Brief Dictionary of Music - Recommended, but not required. Definitions for many useful musical terms are found here.

More oboe resources

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If you have any questions regarding the Oboe, contact us today.

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  • You’ll love your lessons and have a blast while you learn.

  • You can learn online, in the studio, or in a band.

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