Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2006-06-10 22:09
Hey, Clayton!
Since I'm a former clarinetist who took up the oboe as my main instrument, I think I can relate to what you're going through!
I've had a really difficult time disabusing myself of clarinet habits as I have approached the oboe. But, according to my teacher, I've got it now. So I will try to tell you what I've "got".
What Dutchy said -- about using the word "home" -- makes sense to me. A whistling or "kiss" (pucker up) embouchure concept also works. Yes, you will turn that little spout of a mouth in a bit as you begin to blow, but you don't have to work at that -- it just happens. What you have to work at is keeping it OUT, as d-oboe says.
Back teeth should be comfortably open, which means your chin is down and flat.
And the most important thing of all: the control comes from the AIR, not from the lip. Try blowing as if you were going to force the air out your nose, but instead it goes down the reed. You just sort of squeeze (not puff) the air into the reed -- as if your mouth was a tube, and the air was glue, or toothpaste, or something.
(My teacher gave me another analogy, but it's rather, ummm, scatalogical. Contact me privately if you want to hear it.)
The focus is very, very small, and very very much in the center of the lip as it surrounds the reed.
I don't know what to say about your collapsing reed problem, except to surmise, as Dutchy has already said, that you are biting (pinching) down on it. Are you soaking the reeds enough? Do they have decent-sized openings before you soak, or are they closed flat already? If they're already closed, get some that aren't!
Have fun!
Susan
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