Professional Oboe

Review
“Professor Schuring’s book is an exceedingly comprehensive, thoughtful and articulate exploration into the a lot of complexities of the art (and craft!) of oboe playing and reed-making. It provides pages of worthful information, staged in a clear, concise, and easy to grasp manner. Congratulations to Martin Schuring for compiling his wealth of noesis into this exhaustive and informative compendium for future generations of oboists!”-Nancy Ambrose King, Professor of Oboe, University of Michigan, President, International Double Reed Society

“This wondrous book is a natural continuance of Martin Schuring’s effective work in the studio. It has very wise and thoughtful helpful hints, staged in a straight-from-the-shoulder style, which can’t help but be utile to help the in-person counsel most teachers will give their pupils. I have started out quoting from it to my students already! Oboe Art and Method will soon become perfectly indispensable to today’s severe oboist – teacher and student alike.”-Dan Stolper, Instructor of Oboe, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Visiting Faculty, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University

“This is probably the most necessary book on the practical craft of oboe playing that has been written in the English language in the past 50 years.” –Double Reed News

About the Author
Martin Schuring held orchestral positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, The Florida Orchestra, and the Phoenix Symphony before joining the faculty of Arizona State University in 1992, where he is now Professor of Music. He has played in the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra since 1980.

Professional Oboe

In Oboe Art and Method, veteran oboe performer and instructor Martin Schuring describes in detail all of the basic proficiencies of oboe playing and reed making, with expert tips and step-by-step instructions for how best to carry out each of these tasks with grace and technical efficiency. Schuring’s straightforward and articulate explanations of breathing, embouchure, finger technique, articulation, phrasing, and more help demystify the earliest stages of oboe playing and beyond. In addition, Schuring provides magnificent counsel on the “extra-musical”; practicing, instrument care and adjustment, professional development, and career development-related issues. The oboe is a notoriously perplexed instrument, and this book aims to remove as much of the complexity as possible, to present proficiencies that work, and to talk about these in a clear-cut manner. Students who commence with this book will learn with selfassurance that these methods will steer them straight down an effective path. A concise and eminently utile guide, Oboe Art and Method is a must-have for all who perform, teach, or are learning to play the oboe, in both conservatories and private instruction.

For a beginner oboe player, the original step in the learning routine is a rather evident one, – to buy an instrument to play on. There are a number of issues to consider in making the idealisti choice. These could in all probability be disunited into three main issues; – the type of instrument, the cost of the instrument and the make of instrument.

THE TYPE OF INSTRUMENT: There are two main fingering systems for the oboe. These are the “Thumb-Plate System” and the “Conservatoire System”. Most of the fingerings are identical but there are just a few deviations around the C & Bb fingerings in the middle of the instrument. I am not going to go into further detail over this here. Your best bet is to consult a player who will be competent to demonstrate the two systems. In the UK the vast majority of players use the Thumb-plate scheme whereas on the Continent of Europe most use the Conservatoire. Each country have a tendancy to have it is own ‘school’ of oboe playing which will focus on one or other of the systems. Ultimately, it doesn’t actually matter as both schemes have their amount of energy and weaknesses. You will find that humans who play on the Conservatoire scheme assert that it is the better one and those who play on the Thumb-plate make a similar claim. If you are having lessons with a teacher let he/she guide you.

Some of the frequent professional oboes now have a combined scheme which incorporates both finger schemes on the one instrument. If you are a beginner oboe player, you are highly improbable to be playing on such an oboe.

There is likewise the issue of the instrument quality to take into consideration. Some of the pointers here will be covered by the sectionalizations below, but there are dissimilar levels of instrument, i.e. – student models, intermediate models and full professional models. The divergence among the most inexpensive of these and the most highpriced runs into thousands of pounds/dollars.

THE COST OF THE OBOE: This is a tricky one as the Oboe is significantly more pricey than either the flute or clarinet. Instruments in the UK range in price from around £1000 for a good student instrument to in regards to £7000 for a professional instrument. Always go to a reputable oboe or woodwind specialist to buy an instrument and not just go for the most inexpensive oboe you may find on eBay or you are likely to end up with an instrument of highly dubious quality. The oboe is demanding sufficient to play even when you have a good instrument. If your oboe is poorly made it will be a nightmare to play.

Many of the specialist merchants who sells goods at retail will have hire schemes of one kind or another which will grant you to try out an oboe for a trial amount of time before making the final purchase. Until you start out to play you may never be sure whether you will take to the instrument or not. There will also be financial arrangements to grant you to disseminate the cost. Schemes such as this will only normally be available through the ‘good’ specialist shops. These arrangements may be very helpful to a beginner oboe player.

THE MAKE OF INSTRUMENT:The makes of oboe you will find available will depend on where you are in the world. Here in the UK we have, Howarth of London, who manufacture a whole range of instruments from student to full professional. Their instruments are excellent. Other oboes readily available in the UK are Loree, Marigaux, Ward & Winterbourne, Buffet and Yamaha, all of which are quality instruments. If you live elsewhere investigate available instruments and check their relative merits.

A final word on the buy of an oboe, if you don’t know precisely what you need then ask an individual who may give you informed and unbiased advice. For a beginner oboe player you merely must have a good instrument to commence on or you will find the whole experience of learning very dispiriting.

Professional Oboe Picture

Professional Oboe Picture

Professional Oboe Pic

Professional Oboe Pic

Most helpful client reviews

3 of 3 persons found the following review helpful.
An outstanding approach to the instrument and it is music
By detrieth
Oboe: Art and Method is extraordinary in it is precise and clear clear or deep perception concerning the instrument, technique, the player, performance, and career. This book is practical and useful, and readers will be grateful for the author’s accessible writing style. In addition, the value of the content reaches beyond the title. The sagacity of Chapter 12: Professional Behavior and Deportment is an example. I commend Oboe: Art and Method for any oboe player or lover of oboe music.

1 of 1 persons found the following review helpful.
excellent
By ycatS
I had the privilege of studying with Mr. Schuring I may say that his methods are staged here succinctly and clearly. His approach to playing the oboe, reedmaking, and overall musicianship made me a better oboist, musician and teacher. I highly commend this book to oboists of all levels and their teachers.

3 of 4 humans found the following review helpful.
A Terrific Book for any Oboe Player
By A
Before I purchased this book I was having a lot of difficulties with playing my oboe. You know bad tone, reeds weren’t working, and my breathing was all off. I was getting very frustrated! But, after I purchased this book and started out to read it I learned things I had even knew I was supposed to be doing. For instance, I never knew that you were only supposed to have a millimeter of the reed in your mouth. I lot of the selective information is just mutual sense selective information that you just never think about. It has in truth helped me a lot and I’ve only had the book a week! I love the clear way the author wrote the book. It’s so easy to grasp and the way he explains things is outstanding! If you are getting frustrated and even thinking of quitting STOP! Get this book it will aid you out immensely! And do not forget oboe is the most difficult and most elaborated instrument out there!

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