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Re: Intonation

Author: kroboe
Date: 2005-09-07 11:34

There is no simple answer to all your questions. To start with, the reed is indeed part of the intonation-equation, as you put it, but there is no such thing as a perfectly tuned reed. With any reed your embouchure will have to adjust continously for you to play in tune from bottom to top register. A perfect reed in that sense would be one that allows you to play in tune from bottom to top register within the limits of comfortable embouchure control. If you can play A440 comfortably, and can play low and high C's in tune your reed should be ok. Generally, I would avoid reeds that tend to play flat though, because they tire your embouchure. Made to choose I would rather play on a sligthly high-pitched reed because then you can most often play in tune just by comfortably relaxing your embouchure. Anyway, your teacher should see to it that you have reeds that are ok. In time you will also experience that oboes have individual imperfections and will sound flat or sharp on individual notes. This you will have to adjust for with your embouchure. When you play with others the ability to adjust is vitaly important . Listen and adjust and remember always that it is more important to sound in tune than to be in tune. For the time beeing though, I think your priority should be developing your breathcontrol, your embouchure, and with that a good tone quality over the entire register. Leave intonation for later. But also bear in mind, that as you get on and one day can call yourself an oboist, that intonation at that stage will emerge as your main challenge, and that goes whether you play in a symphony orchestra or in chamber music settings.
kroboe

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Intonation new

Halcyon440

2005-03-29 14:27