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The Oboe is a Woodwind instrument which belongs to the Double-reed subfamily. It is played through a reed, which is made by folding a cane double and wrapping it on a metal tube. The body is usually made of grenadilla wood, cocus wood or Brazilian rosewood; while the keys are made of nickel silver, and they also can be made of silver or gold.
The oboe player produce the sound by blowing into the reed. It is pitched in the key of C, notated in treble clef and its playing range goes from B-flat3 to G6. In the low register the notes are thick, heavy and melancholy, and it is very difficult to play piano in this register. The middle register is bright, forceful and reedy. The upper register is shrill and narrow.
The English Horn is the big brother of the Oboe. The only difference is that the bell is onion-shaped and it has a crook where the cane must by placed, unlike the oboe, where you placed it into the tube. It is played like the Oboe and is made of the same materials.
It produces its sound by blowing into the reed, like in the Oboe. It is pitched in the key of F, notated in treble clef. So, it means when it plays a C sounds a G. It is written from B3 (B-flat3 in some instruments) to G6, but it sounds from E3 (E-flat3) to C6. In the low register it sounds warm, intense and rather dull. As well as in the Oboe it is very difficult to play piano in this register. The middle register is versatile, it can express a diverse variety of feelings. The upper register is sharp and insistent.