Author: robinsky
Date: 2009-09-18 11:10
Dear All,
Living rather isolated from teachers and other music makers in general (in the Scottish Borders), I have lots of questions about the oboe. One is how much oboe I can buy for around £2000 and whether it's better to go for a second-hand Howarth S2, for example, or a new S20 (or something similar from another make). But my main question here is embouchure.
I am an adult beginner (43), physically fit and practising daily on a hired S20 since May this year. Have previously sung in choirs, played other instruments and an A-level in music from many years ago, and the only thing slowing me down on the oboe is the embouchure. My lips give up after only minutes of playing, and anything in the second octave or beyond very quickly becomes agonizing and, well, flat! I understand that this is a common complaint, so assume that there is a tried and tested way of overcoming it.
Can anybody offer advice on strengthening the embouchure, building both stamina/endurance and an acceptable tone? Clearly there is no substitute for a teacher, and I make periodic expeditions to Edinburgh for this purpose, but there must be some general wisdom on getting the lips into shape that can shared on a forum.
Would be glad to hear from anybody - and also to hear in any way from oboe/wind people in southern/central Scotland and northern England!
Robin
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