Hi there, I got my oboe over the summer and I've been doing pretty decent, but I've had some troubles T^T. I can't take lessons not matter how much I've begged my parents. Anyhow I learned all the notes, but I have trouble playing them.

lower notes from around f to c i growl when i start the note if I can play it at all. If I can sustain the sound, my tone quality is awful. Any note above that is perfectly fine.

My friends have been telling me that the problem is the reed. I use jones medium soft (planning on using mediums some time next year) since I can't make my own and I don't know anyone else who can make it for me.

Do you guys have any tips, or recommended reeds?!

I've been playing oboe for three years now and I didn't have a private teacher until I started at an arts school where we have visiting artists. I had the same problem when I started and everyone is right, there's a good chance it's the reed.don't necessarily go up in the hardness but maybe look into a different brand. I don't know what brands you can get where you are but when I started I really liked the Emerald brand ones and they kept good tone throughout the range. Good luck!

As well as reeds your problem could well be embouchure or breath support or a combination of all three. These problems are the sort of thing that should be easily sorted by having a tutor who is an oboe specialist but if you parents won't pay for this. With a techer you will make much better progress & avoid bad habits.
Also your oboe may need adjustment - possibly the fork F vent isn't closing fully. A visit to an oboe repairer would soon clear a problem like this & shouldn't cost more than a few $$ if that is all it is. It's best not to try & tweak things yourself - it is very easy to make things worse.

Good luck.

I'm in a highschool band where we play college level songs like satiric dances or melodious thunk. So I wanted to be as great as I can, be but I couldn't get anything lower than a concert F unless you count growling into the notes. I believe my embouchure is fine being that I'm pretty good at tuning, the lower octave is crazy crucial for me to be able to play. After I use up my current reeds, I'll try to get the emerald medium softs.

The advice you have been given is good. It could well be leaks in the oboe, which need the attention of a repair person. It could be the reeds. Sometimes the reeds don't have good low register response, and this can be helped by scraping a little in the right spots. Finally, it could be you. The embouchure needs to be loosened a little, and lengthened by pushing the reed out with your lips. Make sure you aren't hitting any keys on the oboe that might cause a closed pad to open slightly.

A teacher could help with all these things. Also, you may get some pointers from a local oboeist/teacher who you can buy hand made reeds from, even if you don't pay for lessons. Hand made reeds are really better than the commercial mass market reeds.

You might try a couple student reeds from stuart dunkle at oboe cane and reeds. They can be mail ordered and are quite playable.

Playing oboe puts you in high demand. Enjoy it!

Jim

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'll try some things out and I'll get some results back to you soon!