Author: RobinDesHautbois
Date: 2011-02-24 01:01
In the thread on Endurance, I mentioned that long tones were not helping me lengthen my playing sprints. Actually, this entire bulletin board has hinted on a lot of wisdom on long tones that I never learned myself. So I would like to pick your brains on the subject.
I only know about long-tones with crescendi/diminuendi on single notes or on 3-octaves. I know about observing tuning and evenness of the tone, but I really never knew of any other purposes for long tones, other ways to practice or what to be wary of.
In terms of breathing, the best advice came from an old trombonist and clarinettist in a way that is easily adapted to the oboe. Using an old open staple or EH bocal, air-tightly held in your lips, breathe in until you can't breathe anymore: then inhale even more! Then, staple still in the mouth, exhale until no more air exists even in your imagination.... and exhale even more.
At that point, you'll need to open your mouth and breath in sheer desperation! But the feeling of the throat and lungs opening is amazing.
DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU SUFFER FROM ANY BREATHING, HEART, CIRCULATORY or any one of many other types of ailment.... but if you play the oboe, chances are you're fine! Doing this every practice session ---- I remember from years ago ---- helps with dynamics and tone production.
You know, that's something I can do while debugging programs at work!!! I'll try it tomorrow!
Cheers!
Robin Tropper
M.A.Sc., B.Mus., B.Ed.
http://RobinDesHautbois.blogspot.ca/music
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