Author: jhoyla
Date: 2008-05-04 07:06
Is this student an absolute beginner? If so, some quick pointers ..
A small child with milk-teeth should probably not be started on the oboe - recorder or some other instrument that puts no pressure on the teeth or jaw is far more appropriate. Check that your student's incisors are fully grown before you start teaching! At the very least, get a written waiver from her parents so that you don't pay for orthodontic treatments five years from now.
Even though fibercane reeds are truly awful, they are long lasting with a careful student, consistent and much more durable. Consider starting your pupil with one of these for the first few months, at any rate. They can graduate to a real reed in six months or so.
First thing to teach your student is spacial awareness of where the reed is, in the instrument. A common problem with beginners is that they stab themselves (expensively) in the shoulder while looking for their fingering on the instrument.
Start with B, A, G using only the top-joint of the instrument - detached from the rest. After this is mastered, add the second joint only. Bell can be added later on once your student is used to the weight of the top two joints.
You are aiming for getting a strong set of notes and clean fingering. Second lesson is tonguing those notes. Don't move too fast!
You are ALSO teaching your student to read music as you go, so always make sure your student is watching the notes on the page as he/she is playing them. Stop in mid flow and ask the student to point to the next note. Encourage them - always - to ask questions!
2c,
J.
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