Why are oboe reeds so expensive?

Why are oboe reeds so expensive?

Supply and demand is one reason. There are much fewer oboe players than clarinet and saxophone players. Fewer players means less sales which means more cost for the manufacturer and more cost to you. Another reason is the reeds are very time-consuming to make.

Is oboe the hardest instrument to play?

The oboe: one of the more difficult woodwind instruments to play. The oboe is said to be one of the more difficult woodwind instruments to play. It first takes some time until the player can even produce a sound, and even then, a beginner has little ability to control it. … It would seem to be a challenging instrument.

What is the hardest instrument to play?

It is a very popular orchestral instrument because of its distinctive tone. It makes a beautiful sound if played well. It's always interesting to be able to say you play a rarer instrument. Flute music (within a certain range) can always be played on oboe.

What is the hardest brass instrument to play?

The hardest brass instrument to play is the piccolo trumpet. This is because it presents all the difficulties that accompanies playing ANY brass instrument PLUS it takes a very well developed and strong embouchure to play.

How expensive is an oboe?

A $400 oboe is about as useful as a $400 car. There are three broad price categories for oboes: around $2,000, $3,000-$5,000, and ranging from $6,000-$10,000. In other words: basic, good, and professional respectively. The gap between $5,000 and $6,000 is filled by used professional instruments.

Is oboe harder than clarinet?

The clarinet is a relatively easier instrument to master as compared to the oboe. … There is more music available for the clarinet and more people play it than the oboe. Learning to play the oboe is more difficult by all accounts. It is hard to get the sound right initially.

Is oboe harder than flute?

The oboe is quite difficult to play because of the physical challenges associated with breath control. A flute requires quite a lot of breath, so it's possible for the flutist to flood the instrument with a big deep breath, which is exactly the opposite of what the oboist must do.

How much does a beginner oboe cost?

The new price of a Loree oboe right now is around $7,500. The price of a good used one is $6,000 to 7,000. For $4,000 to $5,000, you'll get something that's around fifteen or twenty years old – still servicable but maybe not as good as a new oboe that costs $5,000.

Is oboe harder than bassoon?

Bassoon is waaaaaaaay harder than the Oboe.

Is oboe similar to flute?

The oboe has great resistance, so it's exactly the opposite of the flute. Oboists sometimes have to exhale excess air before taking another breath. In terms of resistance, the order (from least to greatest) would be flute, saxophone, clarinet, and then oboe.

Why do orchestras tune to an oboe?

The penetrating sound of the oboe stands out from the orchestra, so it's easy for all the musicians to hear. Its pitch is also steadier than strings, so it's a more reliable tuning source. … “Therefore the other instruments in a performance must be made to match, and that is why the oboe is the standard for tuning.”

Which is easier to learn oboe or clarinet?

Why does my oboe sound like a duck?

A dark, warm, pleasing oboe sound comes from resistance of the reed, first and foremost. … Beginning students do not have the embouchure/air combination to play on a reed that a professional would use.

What is the easiest wind instrument to play?

Recorder. Probably the cheapest and easiest woodwind instrument to learn. Recorder is a good choice for children under the age of 10. Recorders are light, inexpensive, plastic (and so resistant to temperature/humidity conditions and mild abuse), and easy to make a sound on.

Where does the oboe sit in the orchestra?

The CLARINET sits directly behind the flutes and is long and black. It is descended from an instrument called the chalumeau. The OBOE sits to the right of the flute, is black in color, and has a wider opening at the end called the bell. The oboe is an ancient instrument, once called the hautboy, from the French.

What is the easiest instrument to play?

A big reason for the difficulty of the French horn is that the normal tessitura (comfortable range) of the instrument lies higher in the overtone series than other brass instruments. That means that the notes feel physically “closer together,” and it's easier to miss and crack a note.

Why are there no oboes in marching band?

Oboes typically don't project well in a marching sense because their bells are pointed straight to the ground, but unlike a clarinet they are double reed instruments and aren't as loud.

How much is a used oboe?

How much does an oboe player make?

According to 2007 figures from the classical music business blog Adaptistration.com, oboists and musicians employed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra earned the highest average wage among American professional symphonies with an annual rate of $108,160 per year.

Why does my oboe squeak?

A squeak can be a harsh reminder that you are not teaching piano or guitar, but if you are able to endure and solve this issue for your students, you may have a rock solid oboe section! Squeaks are often caused by fingers not covering holes in keys or an embouchure that clamps down on the reed instead of cushioning it.

What Clef is oboe in?

Oboe reeds are individually hand-made by the oboist. written in alto clef at concert pitch in certain Russian scores. It is similar in pitch and tone to the earlier instrument, Oboe da caccia. Here is a comparison of three instruments in this family.

How long do oboe reeds last?

Oboe reeds last for about 10-15 hours of playing and usually no longer than one month after construction, though some reeds, un-played and kept in stable environments, may last longer .

How much do oboe reeds cost?

Woodwind instruments have at least three distinct forms: flute / piccolo, single reed (e.g. clarinet and saxophone), double reed (e.g. oboe and bassoon). … Brass instruments adjust the length of the tube with valves or slides. Woodwind instruments open or close holes in the tube with fingers or keys.

What does a oboe look like?

With its black body and silver-colored keys, to the eye, the oboe looks like a larger version of the clarinet. … Conversely, while the oboe has no mouthpiece it does have two reeds-the oboe is a double-reed instrument. The shape of the bell is also quite different.

What does an oboe sound like?

Oboe – Sound Characteristics. Clear, bright, penetrating, acerbic, keen, biting, rasping, reedy, powerful, robust, full, insistent. The sound quality of the oboe is very versatile and ranges from the thick notes in the low register to the thin and piercing high notes.

Is clarinet easier than flute?

Flute is way easier. A flute is a pretty basic instrument – just a tube with holes. Learning to blow across the embouchure isn't that hard a trick. … Clarinet isn't a difficult instrument, but it's more difficult than flute.

What is the oboe made out of?

This oboe is usually made from grenadilla wood, though some are made of other woods from the rainforest, and student model oboes are usually made of plastic or resin to avoid cracking. The oboe consists of three pieces: the top joint, the lower joint and the bell.