Woodwinds · Double reed · Oboe family
Oboe
Non-transposing double-reed instrument with a conical bore.
Quick facts
| Family | Woodwinds — Double reed |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs | 422.112-71 |
| Pitched in | C |
| Transposition | Sounds as written (non-transposing) |
| Written range | B♭3 – A6 |
| Sounding range | B♭3 – A6 (233.08 – 1760 Hz) |
| Clef | Treble |
| Other names | hautbois, oboa, oboé, oobuwaa, гобой, 双簧管 |
Player's notes
- Non-transposing double-reed instrument with a conical bore.
- The orchestra tunes to the oboe's A because its pitch is stable and penetrating.
- Most professional oboists make their own reeds from cane.
About the oboe
The oboe ( OH-boh) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites.
The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, measures roughly 65 cm (25+1⁄2 in) long and has metal keys, a conical bore and a flared bell. Sound is produced by blowing into the reed at a sufficient air pressure, causing it to vibrate with the air column. The distinctive tone is versatile and has been described as "bright". When the word oboe is used alone, it is generally taken to mean the soprano member rather than other instruments of the family, such as the bass oboe, the cor anglais (English horn), or oboe d'amore.
Today, the oboe is commonly used as orchestral or solo instrument in symphony orchestras, concert bands and chamber ensembles. The oboe is especially used in classical music, film music, some genres of folk music, and is occasionally heard in jazz, rock, pop, and popular music. The oboe is widely recognized as the instrument that tunes the orchestra with its distinctive A.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Oboe”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Listen
Recordings from Wikimedia Commons, found via Openverse.
Notable repertoire
- Symphony No. 46 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1771)
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice — Paul Dukas (1890)
- Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1778)
- Rondo in C for Violin and Orchestra — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1781)
- Oboe Concerto — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1777)
- Three Romances for Oboe and Piano — Robert Schumann (1849)
- Mass in D — Ethel Smyth
- Henrico Leone — Agostino Steffani
- Concerto in A minor for Oboe and Strings — Ralph Vaughan Williams (1944)
- Concerto for Oboe and Strings in D minor — Alessandro Marcello
- Oboe Sonata — Francis Poulenc (1962)
- Six Metamorphoses after Ovid — Benjamin Britten (1951)
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the oboe?
The practical written range of the oboe is B♭3 to A6, which sounds B♭3 to A6 (233.1 Hz to 1760 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz).
Is the oboe a transposing instrument?
No. The oboe sounds at written pitch (concert pitch).
What clef does the oboe read?
The oboe reads treble clef.
How is the oboe classified?
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system the oboe is classified as 422.112-71.
Historic examples in museums
Museum →
Related instruments
English Horn
An alto oboe in F with a bulb-shaped bell; written C sounds F a fifth lower.
Oboe d'amore
Pitched in A between oboe and English horn; sounds a minor third lower than written.
B♭ Clarinet
The most common clarinet: written C sounds B♭ a whole step lower.
A Clarinet
Slightly longer sibling of the B♭ clarinet; written C sounds A, a minor third lower.
E♭ Clarinet
The small 'piccolo' of the clarinet family; written C sounds E♭ a minor third higher.
Alto Clarinet
Pitched in E♭ a fifth below the B♭ soprano; written C sounds E♭ a major sixth lower.