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Re: New to oboe: Help me with my tones on lower register, esp. third line "C"

Author: d-oboe
Date: 2006-09-09 17:49

The only thing you really need to do is blow - that's all. For now, stop embouchure-adjusting for that nasty "C" or nasty "B" and just think about creating a musical line. Think about how to play notes in relation to one another in order to make musical sense. Which notes should be the loudest, the softest, the most articulated? You will see that in time, that C will no longer stick out, because it will just be incorporated into your musical phrasing.

Of course, there are drills to practice that phrasing. Long tones. Take your phrasing structure (the crescendo-diminuendo pattern) and apply it to the nasty C. Make sure the pitch doesn't change, and more importantly make sure the sound doesn't change. The sound should all be in the same "family".

Ex. "oooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

NOT "ooooooeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaoooooeeeeeeeeeeee"

Remember as well, the embouchure is secondary in terms of oboe playing. It's always always always air first. And, in most cases, if you fix the air, nothing else will have to be fixed anyway.

But what does it mean..."fix the air"?!
It means to blow *against* the resistance of the reed. Not more, not less. It's hard to describe what this feels like, but it doesn't hurt. It just feels "easy". You don't have to blow your brains out on oboe - it's completely unnecessary. Nor do you need to pretend you are going to the bathroom - as this just gives a...well....constipated sound!

Relax, fill the oboe/reed with air (and maybe a bit of patience :P) and the problems should alleviate themselves.

D

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