English Horn correcting flat G-Flat

Question

I just began playing the English Horn after playing oboe for the past 6 years. I have found that most of the notes are in tune, or close enough that I can correct with embouchure.

The main exception to this is the G-Flat right above the staff. This note, even when making extremely drastic adjustments with my embouchure, remains no less than 30 cents flat.

This may be because it is a cheap, school owned instrument or because of a not-so-great bocal (but I can't replace either).

Is there an alternate fingering or other way to compensate for this very flat G-Flat?

Answer 1

High G-Flat- and the equivalent on the oboe, the high D-Flat- is a notoriously hard note to tune. My advice: just play around. Try opening some of the trill keys in addition to the normal fingering. Lots of instruments require their own particular fingering for this note.

Answer 2

You really do not want to try to compensate via embouchure, since some day you'll get a good instrument and don't want to have to unlearn it. BTW, if the bocal were at fault, you'd expect all notes to be off, not just a single fingering.

I'm not familiar with Eng Horn fingering, but: if this note involves opening a hole (finger up, whatever), then possibly you can compensate by lining the hole with a few layers of tape. This narrows the opening and to a small extent will sharpen the pitch.