Semi-professional model (NS-1)
The NS-1 is a semi-professional model made of grenadilla wood, also available in LAMI. This oboe has silver plated keys, rods, and posts. It is a great student oboe. It has the famous Josef oboe beautiful tone and ease of blowing. It is the Conservatory Key System and includes the following mechanisms:
3rd octave
This key rests above the first octave key. On the Josef, it gives clarity of tone to high notes and allows choice of timbre through various alternate fingerings. It also aids high note response.
Left-hand F
The Left-hand F Key is located in the left pinky array, above the Low-B, B-flat, and E-flat keys. This key produces identical pitch as the right-hand F key, but facilitates technique and eliminates the need for forked-F.
Low B-flat resonance
The low B-flat resonance is located on the bell and opens when playing low B-flat. This keeps the pitch and timbre of the low B-flat in line with the other low register notes
Trill keys:
Low B-C#,
This trill is known as the "articulated C# mechanism", which allows low B to be played while pressing the C# key. This is also known as the "Tombeau key," named after the famous passage in the beginning of Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin.
C#-D#,
This is known as the left-hand E-flat key. It produces identical pitch as the right-hand E-flat, but enhances clean technique.
D#-E,
This mechanism is known as "split-ring D" because the d key is split into two concentric rings. This split tunes the trill while the left hand D# is engaged. This mechanism becomes critical when playing in keys of 4 or more sharps/flats.
A-flat-B-flat and A#-B,
This mechanism holds down the A key while the left-hand G# key is engaged, allowing the use of only one finger to achieve the trills.
C-C#, C-D
With these keys, one finger can execute the trills, elminating the half-hole break.