 The Fingering Forum
|
Author: Ken
Date: 2004-08-15 03:54
How can I improve my tone and intonation on the oboe. I have been playing for about 8 years now and I still can't play all the notes in tune. When I play one note in tune all the others are either flat or sharp. Also how can I get my tone to be richer and fuller. Also does any one else have a problem reaching High D (slurring to it particularly).
Thanks a bunch
Ken
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ember
Date: 2004-08-15 12:29
Why don't you use a tuner?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: hautbois
Date: 2004-08-15 12:56
Those are most things you have to suffer on the oboe.
that is why there is a difference between a very good player and one who is not. tone is very subjective but as long as you are not sounding like a duck, you should be doing just fine, or even very good! (you might be complaining too much.)
Firstly, we will blame the instrument, which is usually and more often blamed than anything else.
Apparently, that is stupid. If you have a decent well rounded instrument, i suppose, intonation and tone shouldn't be a main issue for now.
Then we start to blame the reed. Oh well, all's well ends well here. Who makes the reeds? A good player who makes them will surely give the assurance of safe intonation and tone. Assuming you have that on hand you can't blame anything now but yourself. How do you adjust your reed?
How do you prepare them before playing?
AT LONG LAST AFTER SO LONG we start to blame ourselves.
Being not god enough and all that. It sounds cruel but problems like this are just too often neglected.
Is your embouchure formation correct for your type of playing? Reed placement? Air support? Tight embouchure?
Posture? Some notes on the oboe needs quite a bit of adjusting on most well made oboes, for example, middle d-e range is usually sharp and bottom range flat.
A flat high register might be a problem caused by support.
ETC ETC ETC......good intonation requires a lot of work and you have to keep on working and working to get the results. Complain at times and try to think more before you sound a note each time. That works pretty well i can assure you.
As for the High d problem. Suppose you believe that you have good enough support and air pressure try to look for more alternatives for the d fingering. It is sometimes advised to use overtone fingerings, which not only improves tone but also intonation. AND also, some of these fingerings are used on more particular situations. I myself have a knowledge of 6 middle c fingerings, imagine the other possibilities.......not all of them sound good. Experimenting is the key.
More lip or as i like to say it, cushioning is said to give a fuller tone. Differences may occur with each style and reed....be aware of that too. The difficult slur is just a matter of concentration with the basics. Again its all about support and the precision you take to your fingers and their aimed fingerings.
After 8 years of struggle i think you are already a good player. Much better than you have expected yourself to be i suppose. So good luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: hautbois
Date: 2004-08-15 13:01
and yes i noticed you said ALL notes.
if the tuning problem is not that serious it is ok to go over with it.
If you ae the perfect type believe me, just play more in ensembles, go back to your long tone and interval exercises, scales of all keys in their relative minors, and maybe even diatonic and augmented scales.
My advise is that you think more positively.
If still confused about all this, stop thinking and find a teaacher.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: d-oboe
Date: 2004-08-15 16:14
Tuning is not only inherent to the oboe; it is inherent to all instruments. To be able to play in tune, Ken, the majority of the control has to come from your air stream. You must breathe very deeply, by moving your abdominal muscles out of the way, to allow you a nice full breath. This is called "belly breathing". Now, blow your air through oboe as fast, and as *focused* as you can. You will notice now, with this increased air pressure, that a lot of your notes will be sharp. Now it's time to relax your embouchure. Only make your embouchure as firm as it needs to be to not leak out the sides of your mouth.
Another word about embouchure: many teachers will say to "smile" or curl your lips in. On the types of reeds that are usually played in this country, it's really inefficient to play this way. To have the most control, play with your lips only...NOT lip-covered teeth. It may feel unusual at first, but once you develop the necessary muscles, your tone will be much more flexible, allowing you to play your notes ....*drum roll*...in tune!
D-oboe
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Davide
Date: 2004-08-16 16:19
As "hautbois" posted before, every note has a position for fingers, embrochure and diaphram, and you need only a lot of practise to manage all of it.
For high D is the same thing: have a lot of practise to reach it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
