 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-11-04 00:34
hi,
what reed techniques do you use to let a reed speak easily in the lower register while maintaining your core sound.
my reed making has really improved with my new blade curve and scrape; however, the core sound with less spread has created a reed that is less subtle in the lower register - d - c - b.
I would like to be able enter very softly in that range as I did with my older reeds that had slightly more spread in the sound.
suggestions?
Mark
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-04 01:13
One thing I do which works for me to get a pp attack (and to play at pp level in the lower register) is push upwards with the right thumb so the reed is putting more pressure on the top lip and also use a fairly firm embouchure for the low notes.
Try that out and see if it works for you.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2011-11-04 03:15
Well, my teacher always told me to roll OUT more for the low notes. And I guess that helps. But the other thing that I find helpful (given a reed that is adequately responsive) is to have the pharynx very open, and put very little pressure on the reed -- let the reed and air do the work, not the lips.
Susan
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-11-04 11:17
I am also interested in adjustments on the reed itself to faciltate soft pp attacks in the lower register.... Without losing core sound.
Mark
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Author: Oboe Craig
Date: 2011-11-04 14:55
Mark,
I find the reeds with the smaller tip openings tend to be more reliable for low volume low-range playing. So I like 10.5 - 11 mm tube cane for that.
Reeds that play with my embouchure further out on the tip also work best down there. That means the reed cannot be flat or you will take in more reed and lose the subtle tip control.
Very thin extreme tips work best for me down there, too.
A good oboe friend here in Colorado switched to the Chudnow staples with the o-rings and is convinced they help his low range low vol control. He says he can blow harder and still get softer with a fuller tone. His explanation is the extra resistance imparted from the staple causes the effect. It seems a little counter-intuitive, but makes sense when I observe my friend demonstrate it. I have not tried those myself, yet.
I used to believe there were good 1st oboe reeds and different good 2nd oboe reeds, but no longer approach them that way. It may be true the 2nd player does not go as high as 1st, but not true the 1st never goes as low as the 2nd.
A playing demand for the response you desire applied during the reed refinement process makes that a requirement rather than an unpredictable lucky outcome.
Playing drives... <pp -- p -- mf -- f --mf -- p -- pp>, articulating 8 - 9 notes on each pitch, and descending chromatically, say from low g down to low Bb is one way to improve these things. It will place physical demands on you and the reed and is something I do every day as part of the warmup. Then its also a good reed test for finishing the reed.
-Craig
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Author: JMarzluf
Date: 2011-11-04 16:13
First, to answer your question as it was asked, you may want to thin the extreme tip (.5 mm or less from the end of the reed), and increase the definition (by thinning the tip only slightly) between the near-center of the tip and the heart. Lengthening the windows may help a bit as well.
I find it most helpful to imagine specific vowel throat shapes for the different registers of the oboe, and avoid doing too much with embouchure. Try forming an "ōō" (as in "food") shape for G4 and lower, "ah" for the mid-range, and "ēē" for A5 and above. For altissimo notes, I imagine a sustained "h" shape as in the word "he" -- like a cat hiss. If you use these (and other) throat shapes, you should find you have much more control over the speed and volume of the air, can play more easily in all registers, and play better in tune (i.e. if you are sharp on a particular note, "lower"/open your throat shape first, then try more extreme fixes as necessary).
Also, If your oboe is out of adjustment, even a little bit, low notes will suffer first. A more "free" reed may have been hiding an equipment issue.
Best of luck with the new shape/scrape!
Jonathan
http://www.marzlufreeds.com/
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-11-04 18:16
Jonathan,
The new curve is quite remarkable.
the reeds seal better ........... the pitch stability is excellent.
The core sound is round and full with less spread.
The comments from my orchestra colleagues is positive.
But there is a slight learning curve (no pun intended) to the new reeds..... And they do require more support and a slightly different embouchure than my old reeds.... more firm .... since the pitch stability is good.
By the way .... my teacher played one of my new reed(s) and oftered to buy it! I declined !!!
Mark
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-11-05 02:10
Sorry, if I didn't make myself clear.
It's not a change in the shaper tip ..... it is a change in the curve of the blade on the gouger.
Mark
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Author: JMarzluf
Date: 2011-11-05 03:14
Of course! Sorry, now I remember your previous posts about your recent dealings with Dan Ross. I'm so glad the new curve is working well for you.
I expect delivery of my own refurbished Ross gouger any day now. I'm a bit nervous, as I have been a double-radius guy for many years now. I got such a good deal on the Ross machine that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to add it to my arsenal.
Please keep us updated on how the new reeds continue to treat you!
Jonathan
http://www.marzlufreeds.com/
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Author: Ian White
Date: 2011-11-06 19:26
'If your oboe is out of adjustment, even a little bit, low notes will suffer first. A more "free" reed may have been hiding an equipment issue.'
Just the observation I was going to make Jonathan.
As little as 5 mins work with a screwdriver by a competent technician can cause months of problems to disappear.
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2011-11-07 10:06
Ian, many years ago I was fortunate enough to take my oboe to a technician who believed in teaching a man to fish.
My advice to everyone who is not "all thumbs" is to learn how to adjust your own instrument perfectly - it is a relatively easy skill to acquire and is enormously beneficial to your playing.
We will always need technicians - oboes are made of wood, metal and cork that can warp, bend, shrink, develop hairline cracks etc. Technicians are lifesavers when this occurs.
By learning to regulate your own instrument you save yourself valuable time and money, and save your technician from spending his valuable time on what is usually a very simple task.
J.
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2011-11-07 10:47
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the advice,
I also believe and know it is very important to able to have sufficient ability to adjust your own Oboe .... for obvious problems.
As for me ............. I did lighten the reed ... by first dusting the heart / tip blend area, then dusting the heart and back. This is ususally what I do. Did I lose a "tiny bit" of core sound ... an insignificant amount.
The really challenge is practicing soft attacks on low notes and becoming very comfortable doing it.
You can cheat and really ease up on the reed too much; however, not develop the skill ...............to attack with ease low soft notes.
Mark
Post Edited (2011-11-07 12:05)
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2011-11-08 11:41
With all that in mind, an easy reed, an oboe in good adjustment, what is left then is pure technique. To me the hardest thing is to start a note with the withdrawal of the tongue, without a hint of micro movement from the embouchure. For the lower register, a find a few things crucial:
1. Tongue must completely cover the opening of the reed when preparing air pressure in mouth. To be sure, place a small amount of pressure on the opening. A logical amount of course.
2. There should be a decent amount of air in the mouth but little air pressure before the tongue is withdrawn from the reed. More of a feeling than science! So the less time to prepare the air in the mouth, the better.
3. Tongue must withdraw as fast as possible without an attack. It is a movement of going away, not attacking . I.e. Going forward before going away.
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