Oboe Facts

The oboe is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. It is classified as a double reed
woodwind instrument. The oboe was first referred to as an hautbois when it appeared in the
1600s. It spread quickly throughout Europe and was known by a variety of names including
howboye, hautboit, hoboy, and hautboy. Until the clarinet was invented it was the military
band's main instrument. The body of the oboe has three main parts, including the bell, lower
joint, and upper joint. From the 1800s, the oboe has served as the tuning note in an orchestra.
Interesting Oboe Facts:
The oboe was not invented until the 1600s but it is believed to have been descended from the
shawm - an instrument that dates back to 2800 BC.
The oboe has three main body parts including the bell, lower joint, and upper joint, plus its
other parts which include the double reed, key, rods, fingerhole, and pad.
Oboes are commonly made from wood such as boxwood, vulcanite, rosewood, or granadilla.
The mouthpiece of the oboe is a double reed with the reeds positioned close together.
The French oboe's bell is slightly flared while the bell of the Viennese oboe has a bell shape to
it.
The Viennese oboe is shorter and thicker than the French Oboe and widens at the joints.
The oboe does not have a mouthpiece like the clarinet. It has two reeds tied together.
A musician who plays the oboe can be referred to as an 'oboe player' or an 'oboist'.
Oboes are commonly found in orchestras, chamber music, concert bands, folk music, jazz,
pop, rock, and in film scores.
To play the oboe the oboist places the double reed between their lips and they blow. The reeds
vibrate and open and close quickly which send energy into the air column. The oboist plays
the keys and holes to produce different pitches.
The sound of the oboe has been described as bright, full, powerful, reedy, clear, and
penetrating.
The oboe plays well with the flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, horn, violin, viola, and the
cello.
Instruments in the oboe family include the regular oboe, the cor anglais (English Horn), bass
oboe, and heckelphone.
It is not uncommon for professional oboe players to make their own reeds. Reeds come in a
variety of levels of hardness.
The oboe is much more complicated to play than the flute.
In a modern woodwind section of an orchestra there are usually three oboists - two playing the
oboe and one playing the English horn.