I have played clarinet for 15 years, but recently got an oboe from a friend - I had it all fixed up, and am now trying to teach myself to play. It sounds pretty good (at least I think so), except for low G on down! it is so weird! I can not get a smooth tone it makes kind of a weird bleeting sound (or you might call it a wide vibrato)? Can anyone help?!?!?!? It`s driving me crazy - I`ve tried checking all the holes fr leaks, I`ve tried changing my emboucher every which way! UGH!!!!!!!!!!

Ive played oboe for about 4 yrs. I had that problem to. The G does give that bleating noise, Try to tighten your embochur and at the same time drop your jaw, but not to far. I hope I am of help. I am now learningthe calrinet, have any tips?

Check the reeds. Bleating sound? first I would check reeds and if that is fine. I would move onto a repair man because maybe one of the adjustment screws is out of whack. I hope this helps!

CHRIS

But, in my opinion, the low sounds should be a bit, well uh unsmooth? Well a nice sound though, because I think it`s pretty much impossible to get a clear smooth sound on the low notes, well for me I say, but some un-smooth-ness sounds lovely, and it`s a very warm sound. Kinda like a un-smoother version of the English Horn? Because the english horn... is just super...

Ahahahahahhaha what a confusing post~!

The whole scale of the Oboe needs to be smooth. Nothing more nothing less. But all that goes down to reeds and the instrument.

CHRIS

"except for low G on down! it is so weird! I can not get a smooth tone it makes kind of a weird bleeting sound (or you might call it a wide vibrato)? Can anyone help?!?!?!?"

You`ve had a bad adjustment. Some (too many) general instrument shops cannot play test an Oboe to make sure all kinks were fixed.