Author: vboboe
Date: 2007-08-04 19:10
... hand in hand with long tone exercises to improve intonation (which is my assignment all next year) i'd like more clarification on air pressure, your learned comments please? Thanks
The Mack X is really helpful for hearing the *sound* of notes when air is too much or not enough, but i think i'm looking for similar kind of description for the *body awareness* part of getting the air pressure just so too
let's assume the reed's good and responsive, comfortable to blow, and the oboe isn't too resistant either, a smooth comfortable blow there too, can we define *how the body feels* for various notes, various dynamics, etc.
Let's also assume we have enough embouchure refinement for reasonably good tone, and that we can hold our face well for the duration
OK, let's start with this -- if 'basic air pressure' is a feeling of firm abs, with belly button pressing against belt buckle, the lower mid back is feeling comfortably 'taut', the ribs are expanded at elbow level, and the pelvic floor muscles are comfortably firmed up, and we're oozing our air smoothly like toothpaste, and our cheeks are able to stay flat against the air, lips aren't leaking ...
let's assume we're doing sustained mezzo dynamics for now, no swells with cresc e dim's on each note
first question -- are we getting enough air pressure to 'sound good' on oboe's entire range?
next question, do we have to adjust the air pressure (more, less) specifically for any note/s to keep the 'sound good' quality going?
Or, is our goal to maintain stable level of consistently same air pressure?
third question, to get our swells for each note, we're changing dynamics, so does that equal change the air pressure?
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