This is from the Sibelius site. Someone is asking this question:
The lowest note of an Oboe is Aflat below middle C but in Sibelius, if I create an ‘Oboe’ part from “Create -> Instruments” I can go down another octave and hear samples for those notes.
So, why is that ?
Hmmm. Low A♭?! That’s even lower that this blogger’s oboe plays!
The person who answered did suggest that the oboe only goes down to a low B𘐻 (sorry Alison!) and then explained that the program includes bass oboe range.
Sibelius allows you to write out-of-range notes for any instrument. And it can produce those notes with more or less the timbre of the instrument. It will display those notes in a color code to remind you they might be unplayable on the actual instrument.
The range for oboe is now down to A below middle C; Alex Klein had Lorée make him one.
Asked why he would have an instrument with no music written for it he replird, “Nobody will write for an instrument that doesn’t exist. Now it exists.”
Yep, I’m aware of the low A oboe, Bob; if you read Alison’s blog you’ll hear more about it!
I didn’t realize that’s how Sibelius worked, Bill. Interesting! (I own the program but never managed to get comfortable with it for some reason, so I gave up.)