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Re: Dark Tone Quaility

Author: Hotboy
Date: 2005-01-19 20:04

You would do well to study privately, as a tutor would be able to help you get the sound you want. I have taught privately for over 30 years.

Oboemelli has made some good points, but here are some ideas for you:

1) If your colleagues can get a dark sound on your reeds and you cannot, then you likely have too much reed sticking into your mouth untouched by your lip. In the middle register, you should have no more than about 1/16 of an inch of the bottom half of the reed sticking into your mouth untouched by your lip.

2) One possible reason that you have too much reed in your mouth is that your embouchure is pinching the reed closed, and if you try playing out toward the edge like you're supposed to, a pinching embouchure will close up the reed. If you cannot move the reed left and right between your lips while playing, you are pinching. Can you drink a milkshake through a straw with that embouchure? Try rolling the bottom lip over your teeth, while at the same time pulling the corners of your mouth inwards into a very round embouchure shape.

3) One likely reason that you are using a pinching embouchure is that your air support is insufficient. Have you ever tried blowing up a very stiff brand new balloon? That is the level of pressure required to sustain the sound and make the reed vibrate even though most of it is touching your lower lip. Take a standard drinking straw (not a wide one from McDonald's) and place a lit candle on a table about 10-12 feet away from you. If you can blow through the straw and blow out the candle flame, that is the level of pressure you need to generate to play the oboe.

Dane
Bay Area, California

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