Author: WoodwindOz
Date: 2011-02-18 05:17
Just to follow on from Cooper's suggestions about reeds, I suffered for awhile from a hard reed ego brought on by playing clarinet - there is a bit of hierachy surrounding reed strength with clarinet players, as you may be aware!
I began oboe 5 years ago and assumed this to also be the case, that a hard reed would produce a fuller, rounder sound and was far superior. I have since learnt that you are much better off not attempting to play on a reed that is too hard for you, there is no shame in playing on a softer reed - in the long run, I feel it is better to learn to produce a good sound (therefore, good embouchure) on a softer reed.
One thing that I find helps me greatly with endurance is playing with others. It is much easier to stop when you get tired if you are by yourself, but like I say to my students, the band isn't going to wait for you to catch up, or stop with you when you get tired. You are forced to go past the point of fatigue, if you reach that point, and each time you do this increases your endurance.
If it is not a possiblity to play in a band, etc, you could even try one of those play along CDs (Movie tunes, jazz, whatever your flavour is). Like a band, the CD doesn't stop for you when you get tired, so there is the determination not to let the CD beat you!
And I do remember how much more endurance I had when I got my Marigaux compared to the old Cabart - the adjustment of your instrument makes an incredible difference. It didn't matter how much I played the Cabart, my endurance just hit a wall every time.
Keep up the good work!
Rachel
|
|
The Oboe BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
