all in the mouth
All the instruments are tune to the piano. Before an orchestral concert, the musicians will either tune to a note played on the violin by the concertmaster, or an oboist.
A standard symphony orchestra can tune to three different members: the principal oboe, the concertmaster, or the solo pianist. The oboist is used to tune whenever there is an oboe in the orchestra, the concertmaster is used whenever there isn't an oboe, and the pianist/keyboardist will play the tuning note if he or she is the soloist for the evening.
The most common reason given is that the oboe is the most difficult to tune and always is tuned to because is piercing and loud. This reason is actually false. The reason the oboe tunes the orchestra is because when orchestras started to develop during Handel's time, the oboe was the most common instrument in the orchestra. It was easier to tune to the oboes since there was so many of them.
It is generally believed that the oboe is used as the pitch source to tune the orchestra because, of all the instruments, the oboe has the least ability to be varied. In this way of thinking, the oboist makes their reeds and strives to be able to play in tune, and since they can't be adjusted, whatever the oboist comes up with is what everyone has to accept and adjust to. There may be some truth to this legend. On the other hand, the oboe actually has a fairly large range of variability if the reed is well made and the oboist is professional-grade. (Consider this: If oboes were so impossible to tune, how could a Berlioz symphony employ four of them?) In actual fact, today, most orchestra musicians are already well-tuned to electronic tuners before the oboist sounds the first note, and the oboe-note/tuneup session is more for show than for real tuning.
To tune an oboe effectively, use a tuner to match the pitch of the oboe's A note to the standard pitch of 440 Hz. Adjust the reed position and the length of the instrument to achieve the correct pitch. Fine-tune by making small adjustments until the oboe is in tune with other instruments.
To learn how to tune an oboe effectively, you can start by using a tuner to match the pitch of the oboe to a reference note. Adjust the reed and the position of the reed in the oboe to achieve the desired pitch. Practice regularly to develop your ear for tuning and improve your technique.
all in the mouth
All the instruments are tune to the piano. Before an orchestral concert, the musicians will either tune to a note played on the violin by the concertmaster, or an oboist.
A standard symphony orchestra can tune to three different members: the principal oboe, the concertmaster, or the solo pianist. The oboist is used to tune whenever there is an oboe in the orchestra, the concertmaster is used whenever there isn't an oboe, and the pianist/keyboardist will play the tuning note if he or she is the soloist for the evening.
Wind ensembles typically tune to an A note played by the oboe before performing.
The most common reason given is that the oboe is the most difficult to tune and always is tuned to because is piercing and loud. This reason is actually false. The reason the oboe tunes the orchestra is because when orchestras started to develop during Handel's time, the oboe was the most common instrument in the orchestra. It was easier to tune to the oboes since there was so many of them.
Wind ensembles typically tune to an A note played by the oboe or another instrument before their performances.
It is generally believed that the oboe is used as the pitch source to tune the orchestra because, of all the instruments, the oboe has the least ability to be varied. In this way of thinking, the oboist makes their reeds and strives to be able to play in tune, and since they can't be adjusted, whatever the oboist comes up with is what everyone has to accept and adjust to. There may be some truth to this legend. On the other hand, the oboe actually has a fairly large range of variability if the reed is well made and the oboist is professional-grade. (Consider this: If oboes were so impossible to tune, how could a Berlioz symphony employ four of them?) In actual fact, today, most orchestra musicians are already well-tuned to electronic tuners before the oboist sounds the first note, and the oboe-note/tuneup session is more for show than for real tuning.
Typically two oboists play in the orchestra; with the 2nd oboist doubling on English horn when needed. Some larger professional Symphony Orchestras (like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra). Have a dedicated English hornist, that can double second oboe, or play the rare third oboe part in a pinch.
The oboe doesn't necessarily play a part per se, neither do all the other instruments. It is a network. However, the oboe has wonderfully fantastic melodic phrases and solos written for it, mostly melancholy or bittersweet, or even girly and childish! Mind you that the oboe is the main tuner for the rest of the orchestra because it is constantly in-tune at A440.
The instruments were tuned to the Oboe which could keep the tune up and not like the string instruments which got out of tune. Remember the Baroque orchestra did not have standardization.