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Aches, pains, and anemia

Author: d-oboe
Date: 2005-12-16 14:43

In regards to a recent post about pain while playing...

I think the most obvious reason for any pain while playing is due to unnecessary tension, and to inadequate warm-up.

The warmup....
As oboe players, we play an unusually taxing instrument. The aperture of the instrument is very small, which means that everything has to be juuuust right in order for things to sound ok. To most new players, this leaves them full of stale air. They tense up because they are oxygen-hungry. They squeeze the oboe.
Now instead of saying "Don't do these things" one has to figure out *why* they are happening. And the reason?

Inadequate warm-up!

The arms, lungs, abdominal muscles, intercostal muscles, fingers, neck, shoulders, lips, tongue...etc.... all play a role in oboe playing. EVERY TIME the oboe is picked up (or rather before it is picked up) they have to be introduced slowly to what they need to do. For wind-related items, stretching and breathing (in order to feel the expansion) is recommended. For non-wind related parts - they have to be stretched out and relaxed BEFORE touching the instrument.
If practice sessions are broken up throughout the day, the first should be mostly warmup, with subsequent sessions having a quick "review" before starting.

My initial warmup:

-Standing, stretch sideways, one arm over the head: The idea is to breathe and really feel a stretch in the sides. This loosens things up and allows for more expansion.

On the knees, with buttocks resting on the feet, hands touching the ground (like a yoga-ish meditation position) : breathe, feeling the expansion in the lower back, under the ribs. Breathe for a minute like this. It really helps for focusing too!

Hands and knees, like a puppy: stretch out the wrists in as many directions as possible. This relieves any tension in the forearm.

Face: massage the jaw, the lips, the back of the neck- anything to loosen up the face.

Sometimes I will do more, but this is what I do most often.

Now to the oboe....or sort of!
Take the reed, and do some "reed ups" that's to say, roll it in and out about 20 times. Split it up into groups of 5 if necessary.

Oboe time!
Do some low, slow, long tones. Nothing fancy, and don't bother with doing any crescendi or anything yet. Just blow, relax, and get to know the instrument.
Do a slow scale, slurred, on D Major (for simplicity's sake)

Now, move on to whatever techniques you do to get your fingers going, and then start the full practice session.

I assure that if a full warmup is done before playing the oboe, much much much less pain will result when actually practicing/performing.

[ please post in the appropriate thread. Mark C. ]

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