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Re: just let go . . .

Author: oboedrew
Date: 2009-10-27 15:47

mschmidt wrote:

> There's a problem with your drawing. The problem is
> that there is no linear airstream outside the reed. Your
> mouth is a high-pressure reservoir of air that is mostly
> immobile. It only starts moving rapidly near the reed
> opening, and near the opening it will move in the most
> efficient way possible (mostly converging), regardless
> of the orientation of the reed.

This is a fascinating observation! It's new to me, so I'd love to discuss it further. For years I noticed that a reed played at the side of the mouth is quieter and less resonant than a reed played at the center. But I never heard a satisfactory explanation of this phenomenon until a teacher passed along the explanation I illustrated above. But perhaps that explanation needs revision. Time for some pondering... here are my initial thoughts on this issue...

1) If the orientation of the reed inside the mouth didn't matter, then it should produce sound just as efficiently when played at the side of the mouth. But it doesn't. A reed played at the side of the mouth is quieter, less resonant. I've discussed this with a handful of other oboists who have observed the same, so I know it's not some weird fluke of my anatomy. And I have no axe to grind here, no special interest in any particular explanation. For me, observation of the phenomenon predated explanation. So I know there's no power of suggestion at work here. I'm not just feeling what I expect to feel when I play. There has to be some other explanation. Perhaps Jeremy's idea is more on the right track?

2) When I play with my typical embouchure, I have the sensation that the shape of the mouth and "pucker" of the lips are forming a funnel of sorts, directing air into the reed. Of course, this is just a sensation. I've never actually seen pictures of the inside of my mouth while playing. But if this sensation corresponds at all to reality, then the linear airstream would begin slightly outside the reed. Perhaps this explains the reduced resonance when a reed is played at the side of the mouth... perhaps the embouchure offers less assistance channeling air into the reed when it is played at the side of the mouth?

3) It seems this discussion is related to our other thread about clipping the tip at an angle. If the orientation of the reed inside the mouth didn't matter, then it shouldn't matter whether the short blade faces up or down when playing. But it does. I feel less resonance when I play with the short blade facing upward. And the more extreme the angle of the clip, the more I notice this. Again, observation predated explanation here, so I know I'm not feeling something just because I expect to feel it. There must be some other explanation.

To summarize, your description of the mouth as a high-pressure reservoir makes a lot of sense. But it still leaves some things unexplained. The orientation of the reed inside the mouth does make a difference to resonance and response, though perhaps not for the reasons I thought. The same can be said of the angle at which the tip is clipped. Hmm...

Cheers,
Drew

www.oboedrew.com

Post Edited (2009-10-27 15:49)

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just let go . . . new

oboeobo

2009-10-22 23:33