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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000064.txt from 2004/10
From: "Miriam Williams" <mwquacker@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Another reed-physics conjecture
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 10:34:17 -0400
Good topic/discussion! Here's where a lot of the 'rubber hits the road'.
I think it's fine to experiment and do whatever you find works for you -
after you learn some basics. Each person's physiology is somewhat different.
Mine is different from my (former) teacher's, and I have changed my
embouchure just this last summer. I have more endurance, and better control;
tonguing fast is easier. Still working some on pitch in upper register.
And - I have found that a shorter reed doesn't necessarily mean a sharper in
pitch reed.
> To find the most balanced angle of the reed in the lips, place it in the
> mouth minus the oboe and play a B-flat pitch- look at its angle in the
> mirror and you will see why I feel most players hold the oboe too low.
I use a MUTS support and am holding the oboe at a closer angle than I used
to. Some rough measurements might be helpful to the discussion here!
I do think the angle makes a difference, but a teacher and student should
consider the overbite of the player. I've observed that people with more of
an overbite than 'normal' can hold the oboe closer.
Michael, do all your students use the MUTS support? If not, do you at least
have them try it to see how it feels?
> I am not as concerned with the length of the reed or its crow pitch
> as I am with the pitch it sounds with a proper embrechure- which I find
> to be Bflat. I use a short relatively soft reed and a very
> loose/well-cushioned embouchure that makes low notes easy and just
> slightly more lip pressure allows easier high notes.
I agree that your reed can crow a Bb and still play well in tune in the
oboe. More pressure on one blade does indeed affect pitch and can be a
useful technique, but the embouchure must be set so that (as in Phil's
description of Ray Still's advice) one can just use some hand pressure to
attain it.
MHO
Miriam
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