Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-08-30 12:45
<<Let the air do the work not your embouchure. >>
Absolutely!
When I first started out, all the reeds seemed too hard.
As my embouchure developed, I began to be able to play stronger and stronger reeds, and came to the point where I preferred a good hard "pro" reed, largely for the tone stability it allowed.
Then I had an interesting experience. A few weeks ago, as I was in heavy preparation for my first-ever solo recital, I developed a dental infection in a wisdom tooth. It was so painful, I could barely form an embouchure at all.
The dentist put me on antibiotics, but warned that it would take several days for the swelling to subside. But I couldn't give up ANY days at that stage of my preparation (just a week out from the planned program).
So, very gingerly, I approached the oboe. My only option was to let the air, not the lip, control the reed. And what do you know!?!?! All of a sudden, my tone was a lot better!
The recital went swimmingly, thank you, played on a reed that I had previously rejected as being not resistant enough. But it was perfectly resistant for a minimum-lip, air-driven embouchure, and sounded glorious in the very resonant room where my program was held.
Now I think that dental problem was a blessing in disguise, because it *forced* me to do something that I would otherwise not have tried, and left me a better player.
Susan
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