Chapter 1
The physics of the double reed
Chapter 2
From noisy outdoor shawms to royal courts
Chapter 3
The orchestra's ultimate tuning boss
Chapter 4
Oboe secrets and pop-culture crossovers
YOUR GOAL
Master of Why the oboe runs the orchestra
Ch 1 · The physics of the double reed
maestro Oboists manage extreme physical lung pressure while playing their instruments.
maestro A polished oboe gleams on a dark reflective surface under dramatic studio lights.
BETA
maestro Place the oboe in the orchestra to discover how its unique sound tunes the musicians.
Fun Fact
Reed scraping: Oboists spend up to ten hours every single week scraping tiny pieces of cane with a razor-sharp knife just to make a playable reed.
Glossary
double reed (noun)
A woodwind instrument mouthpiece consisting of two shaped pieces of cane that vibrate against each other. An oboe's cane blades vibrate at 440 Hertz to produce the standard orchestral tuning pitch.
A woodwind instrument mouthpiece consisting of two shaped pieces of cane that vibrate against each other. An oboe's cane blades vibrate at 440 Hertz to produce the standard orchestral tuning pitch.