 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: lionheart3104
Date: 2007-09-06 00:08
Hello all,
I was wondering if any of you could give me a pointer or two on how to improve my low-C articulation at softer dynamic levels. The attack seems much easier at louder dynamic levels, and I would love to have the same ease at soft dynamics.
Thanks,
Justin H.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-09-06 01:06
I push upwards so the reed exerts more pressure against my top lip and teeth to get a pp attack on low notes without it blurting.
It's just one way of controlling the beast at low volume levels, and also the same way I can do a diminuendo down to nothing without the sound dropping out.
Also, use a comfortable strength reed that speaks easily.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-09-06 01:16
In my experience, the best thing is what Chris has said -- a comfortable reed that speaks easily.
My teacher has also advised that low notes come more easily when one is playing more on the tip of the reed, and with a more open embouchure (open the back teeth more -- more "ah").
I would also mention that making sure that your D tone hole is well-covered can be a factor. Some oboes (mine, for one) seem to have a longer "reach" for the D, and it's easy to slip off of it just a little, creating a difficult or impossible C.
Having the oboe in good adjustment is also critical to getting the C and below. If you are having chronic problems with the low C that don't yield to reed, placement, embouchure, and fingering adjustments, check your F resonance key. It may have gotten a little loose. Literally, a tiny tick of a turn can make all the difference in how easily your low notes come.
And finally, some oboes just have balky low notes. (One of the reasons I like my Covey is because it has really nice low notes.)
Susan
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2007-09-06 02:16
Chris and Susan has given ample advise regarding how to ease the attacks. Let me add that the movement of the tongue is of critical importance. Recently reading a copy of IDRS's journal, i stumbled upon an article that made me rethink the way i toungue and how the the tone is produced. I will not put the article up but it involves the discussion of the tongue moving AWAY from the reed, and not the opposite to produce a sound. Even when one re-articulates, it is so helpful to think of that movement. Rather than thinking of the tongue moving to and away from the reed, one can also try thinking of an up and down movement, because physically speaking one is indeed producing such a movement when scientifically examined. You will be surprised how such small observations on how one actually uses the tongue can improved flexibility in articulation and also ease of attack on lower dynamic levels, at least it helped me.
The reed is almost i would say... of 50% or more in importance relating to this topic. That is my own opinion of course. Hope this helps.
Howard
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Author: d-oboe
Date: 2007-09-06 14:36
Adjustment:
First, check the G# connection. Play a low C, and tap the G# key. There should be no change. If there is g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y tighten until there is no change. Then, check the tension in the adjustment keys of the left hand between the 1st and 2nd finger, and 2nd and 3rd finger keys - there should only be enough tension in the former to seal it (i.e. so there isn't a bleep when the key is tapped). There should be slightly more tension in the latter. If there is too much tension here, it can make the low register impossible to play.
Reed:
The reed has to be both responsive enough, and vibrant enough. In other words, the reed has to resist the breath that you place upon it; you shouldn't have to hold any back. If you make your own reeds, the best thing I can suggest is to make your reeds gradually. So, don't try to make them too perfect at the very beginning (i.e. worrying about small stability issues in the upper register). What usually happens if one doesn't, is the following: one might define the corners of the tip (this filters/decreases vibration, making the upper register more stable) but then after playing, or the next day, the reed has settled down and doesn't vibrate as much...but the definition has already been made, thus making the reed vibrate too little.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-09-06 16:11
Although the F#-G# adjustment should be in check i a perfect world, it won't impair the low notes if it's out of adjustment and there's some movement in the G# pad cup while RH 1 is down (as you don't use the G# key for the lower notes), though it WILL cause trouble if it's over adjusted as it will prevent RH 1 from closing.
The F# vent (the small pad between RH fingers 1 and 2) has to be adjusted in conjunction with RH 2 and 3, and the F vent has to close with RH 2 while RH 3 is held down - the rocker only keeps the F vent closed while RH 3 is standing open to stabilise the Bb (xxo|xoo).
The low C has to close the Eb key - again if this is out of adjustment it will impair playing C or C#(Db) to Eb while holding the LH Eb key down and then closing the C or C# keys. If it's over adjusted the low C won't close.
But usually low notes from E downwards are unstable or difficult due to the F# vent and forked F vent being out of adjustment.
I wouldn't advise anyone without any experience in adjusting oboes to take a screwdriver to one, as any adjustment that's been overdone by a small amount will cause grief.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: wrowand
Date: 2007-09-06 16:54
I agree with everthing Chris P wrote, but in addition, the B-flat and C keys (operated by the first finger of the right hand in the conservatory system) can also interfere with the production of low-C if they are out of adjustment.
The F#-G# only causes a problem if, as Chris said, it's overtightened, or if it is your (bad) habit to lean on the side A-flat key while playing low notes. It's better to fix this by fixing your hand position rather than turning screws.
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Author: Bobo
Date: 2007-09-06 18:19
"I wouldn't advise anyone without any experience in adjusting oboes to take a screwdriver to one, as any adjustment that's been overdone by a small amount will cause grief."
I appreciate the point immensely; however, for anyone who's even slightly mechanically inclined, it's worth the $15 investment in an adjustment manual (mcfarland or sawicki), which give very systematic instructions that allow one to methodically adjust the instrument from top to bottom and understand the linkages (which are after all visible right there on the oboe). They deal with Chris's issue by instructing one to loosen some screws by a half turn and then tighten them again bit by bit until the right point has been found. If done carefully, this helps avoid overadjustment. At first this takes time to master, but then becomes a routine. The downside of not mastering this relatively simple (though limited in the case of bad pads and springs, etc.) skill is relying on someone else to do it on their timetable or at cost, which means playing an out of adjustment oboe much of the time. Also, there is nothing more satisfying than turning a few screws and having beautiful low notes suddenly pop out or other notes come into tune!
Chris, one question I still have though: McFarland is big on the primary keys having slightly more drag than the secondaries (everywhere but the low B/Bb pads). Sawicki almost always recommends finding the point of equal drag. Is the Sawicki method better, if harder to accomplish, or does McFarland have it right?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-09-06 18:47
If you have cork pads (or any other pads for that matter), then ideally you want even drag on all of them on the main action and the other keys controlled by the main action (Bb and C vents, G# cup, F# and forked F vent, Eb and C# pads) though the three large pads (low C, B and bell pad)should be successively lighter in pressure going towards the bell pad, though still making full contact with their toneholes.
It is more difficult to achieve equal drag (though it's good practice), so sometimes allowances have to be made which is why some pads may need to be lighter than the ones controlling their closure otherwise the primary pads may end up being too light.
It's usually the top joint Bb and C pads. LH 3 closes the Bb pad with equal pressure, though the link from the Bb to the C may need to be lighter when closed by LH 3 than if it's closed by the link from RH 1 (the 'conservatoire bar' or 'con bar') due to the short barrel being slightly loose on the steel (due to wear or the barrel reamed out too large, or the steel being papered up over-enthusiastically) causing it to rock on the steel. So when both Bb and C pads are closed by the con bar only, they should both have equal drag (and LH 2 should have equal drag as the C pad when closed), though the C pad will be lighter when closed by LH 3 (with the con bar wedged down at the lower end).
The lower joint main action is much easier to regulate, though the F#, mid fingerplate (RH 2) and F vent are critical, and getting equal drag on all three pads will mean going round in circles. And on pro cors with the rocker mechanism this can be a headache for anyone not accustomed to regulating such a mechanism (and what a work of genius this design is!). The average jack-of-all-trades repairer found in a local shop used to working on school clarinets may not know how to regulate the F vent mechanism on an oboe, so I'd recommend anyone to have their oboes worked on by specialists. I've seen players struggle with the low notes due to badly regulared F vents where the repairer could see it was closed fully while RH 3 was standing open, though didn't realise it has to be closed by RH 2 while RH 3 is closed.
So it's a bit of everything - take the best advice from all sides.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Schell
Date: 2007-09-07 05:27
For attacks in general (and it is especially applicable to difficult ones), it is crucial to be sure your air is already going before the attack takes place. The actual start of the note should be the release of the tongue from the reed not the touch of the tongue to the reed. Have your air moving and then release your tongue and your attacks will be made much smoother and easier in all registers and dynamics. This is also a good habit to get into because it starts a sense of line before the notes actually start. If you think of a phrase as notes being placed on one wind and thought of as a whole idea, rather than individual parts, then the first note in the phrase should also be included in the whole, and not thought of as a single part. Paying non-musical attention to the first note in order to get it to speak breaks the line. But if one can articulate by having air already in motion it will not only ease attacks and make them more accurate, but encourage a nice musical line where even the first note is part of the whole idea.
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Author: borris
Date: 2007-09-08 05:00
MAX, you say "air is already going before the attack takes place". Also, you say the note starts with release of the tongue. So, the tongue at that moment closes the opening of the reed. But "air's moving". Moving where? There is no another hole to direct the air (nose, may be? LOL). Please explain.
Boris
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Author: sylvangale
Date: 2007-09-08 06:30
There must be sufficient pressure for the sound to start. It's best to start a note with sufficient backing otherwise it won't be pretty...
♫ Stephen K.
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2007-09-08 07:02
I think i understand Max's point. You don't have to blow 10 seconds before the actual start of the note. The method is very useful for instance in the big solo of the 2nd movement of Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony where the starting notes are pick up notes, which seem to come from another phrase before. Start blowing (Only for about a milisecond perhaps!) then release the tongue and when done properly (with a lot of practise of course!) the tone just comes out from no where. It takes some practise to make the attack reliable though.
Howard
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Author: d-oboe
Date: 2007-09-08 17:26
Perhaps it could have been better said as:
There has to be correct air pressure before tonguing a note. One has to experiment to figure out how much air pressure is actually needed, then you can figure out what variables to change. Keep these principles in mind:
Air pressure should stay constant throughout the ranges. It doesn't decrease as you go lower, or increase as you go higher. If air pressure should be "5" then every note played should have an air pressure of "5". Not 1 for low notes, and 8 for high notes. Tuning, "centeredness" are good indicators of this.
Air volume necessary to play decreases as you go up in pitch. Lowest Bb needs the most air, and each note up requires slightly less.
Air velocity necessary to play increases as you go up in pitch.
Air volume and velocity are interdependent. For example, when ascending in range, by keeping pressure the same, the decreased volume of air that passes through the embouchure (by creating a smaller hole through which it can pass) automatically increases the velocity.
Think of a garden hose - once you turn on the hose, it has a set water pressure. As you close off half of the opening, less water gets through, and that water is automatically going at a faster speed.
Same thing for the fluid that goes through your oboe!!
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Author: Schell
Date: 2007-09-09 02:20
The condition of the air already being in motion is really more of a state of mind. What physically takes place is that there is pressure behind the reed the resembles the pressure when playing and the muscles involved in blowing are in the same state that they would be when blowing. The idea is to avoid puffing the first attacked note while pushing your tongue against the reed opening as this causes unpredictablitily in attacks and breaks the line.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2007-09-12 01:42
... went shopping yesterday and among other things picked up a soft Dunkel reed (the only structured kind they had in stock) and i thought, well maybe being a 'harder' brand of finer quality cane it might work out, what the heck ... ?
... well, i tell you it does low C, B and Bb like a dream, full, sweet, easy, effortless -- so having a really responsive reed for the low register is my #1 recommendation
... maybe try sanding your difficult C reed all over just a very little bit with fine emery paper, or use the red & white sides of a regular manicure file, then sand the tip, heart & blend just a little bit, just enough to free everything up without taking too much wood off and going flat as a pancake
... on the flip side, this soft reed hasn't got enough meat in it for the upper register, can't get louder than mf without cackling, it's unstable and sharp from E' up, and tone goes very thin and whiny at 2nd 8ve (and it's too soft for me, but it'll do as a home practice reed when all i have to do is put in some embouchure time -- lightened up a lot, good practice in itself)
... the Quest for "The Perfect Reed" continues ... {:-0
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-09-12 12:04
I just mucked up a good reed - I caught the corner of it and tore off a strip which I thought could be glued back with superglue (it worked on a contra reed with no trouble), but now this reed is totally buggered and hard as nails. So superglue on the reed tip is a no-no.
So I did a concert last night with a new reed that worked well enough (after a bit of frantic scraping), but was still too hard so my forked Fs suffered and A-C in the lower register were hard to keep up to pitch.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: GMac
Date: 2007-09-13 21:41
I hope I'm not repeating anything that has been said above...I was hoping to avoid reading through all 16 responses!
A few pointers (IMHO):
- #1 is breathe DEEP! Get a big, full breath of air in and this will always make things easier. It's amazing how much of difficulties in the low (and really, any) register can be solved by getting plenty of air and supporting like crazy
- Do peeping exercises. Before you try to tongue the note, try to 'peep' it, i.e. you do an air attack as softly as possible. Once you have figured out how to set up your embouchure to do that, tonguing at mp will feel easy!
- Put as little reed in your mouth as possible; play out on the tip of the reed
- I'm sure this has been mentioned, but scrape more wood out of the back
Good luck!
Graham
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