Fingering Chart

The oboe underwent various changes in the 19th century. Extra keys extended the instrument’s range and corrected the intonation (purity) of certain notes. At the same time they afforded the tone greater uniformity. More keys also required a different playing technique. Here we see an oboe with ten keys and a chart with all the fingering for playing the instrument: which finger goes where? In the second half of the century, the oboe evolved into the modern instrument, with fifteen or more keys and other complex mechanisms.