For more about the reed and tone see here. The quality and condition of the instrument also has an effect on tone. A poor instrument can add hiss to the sound or poor focus and pitch on certain notes. An instrument that is not adjusted well can have poor response and an uneven, out of tune tone. With the English horn, the quality of the bocal is also important for good tone and pitch. The richness, flexibility and ease of tone are all affected by the level of tension in the body.
The more fluid and balanced a performer is, the more fluid and easy the tone will sound. See Body Use for more information. Tone and pitch can be compromised when connecting between registers. To make large intervals legato and more even dynamically, it is important to support the first note, low or high, right until the very end of the note, and make a sudden, as necessary, embouchure and air support change on the second note. From high to low intervals, the embouchure needs to suddenly open, and from low to high, suddenly roll in.
Acoustically, the oboe is softer in the high register than the low register. For ease of response and so the volume matches that of the lower register, blow more strongly and with more focus in the air stream. Another way to adjust the oral cavity for more focus is to lift the palate, which can be accomplished by raising the eyebrows.
For a fuller, flatter tone on C-sharp, D, and E-flat6, usually the embouchure can be more open with the reed farther out of the mouth. For E6, F6, G-sharp6 and A6, more embouchure pressure is needed and the lips rolled in a lot more to get these notes to respond with good volume and be in tune.
If the reed is stable enough, F-sharp6 and G6 do not require this same level of embouchure pressure. For all these notes, air pressure needs to be greatly increased as well, which can lead to becoming lightheaded or getting headaches at first.
The low register notes of the oboe may tend to be flat and blatty, as well as respond unreliably, requiring an embouchure shift for better control. Success in the low range also depends on reed response and ease, as well as good instrument adjustment. Sometimes it takes awhile to master control in this register, even at the college level. However, be cognoscente of the pitch, as opening and rolling out leads to flatness, and compromises will need to be made. Imagining the low notes as sitting gently on top of the pitch like a balloon can be helpful.
The job of the second oboe player is to make the first oboe player sound good. When playing second, allow the tone, articulation and volume of the first player to predominate, but give a good, strong pitch and tone base for the first player to rest on. Many second oboe parts should be played nearly as loudly as the first parts. Some second oboe parts are very low and quiet, requiring delicate playing and a responsive reed. On occasion, the first oboe player should adjust their pitch to the second, especially when the second is playing C-sharp4 and lower.
Please refer to Intonation Basics for information on pitch and tone. Teaching Woodwinds: A Guide for Students and Teachers is a comprehensive resource perfectly suited for university woodwind technique classes, band directors needing woodwind details, or anyone looking for in-depth information on how to play flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, or saxophone.
Teaching Woodwinds is the only resource of its kind: a book and a website. The book contains playing exercises for each instrument, group exercises in score form, and fingering and trill charts. Designed to be a lifelong resource, the platform of a book and website has provided the authors with a rich palette with which to deliver the content with clarity and precision.
This format serves as an effective woodwind methods curriculum, and will continue to be a valuable resource for music educators long after graduation. Skip to content 1. Other tonal issues Large intervals, specifically downward slurs High register response Low register concerns Playing second oboe 5. Resources 1.
How to achieve good tone Most oboe players are able to produce uniquely beautiful tones with some work and experimentation. Student has trouble getting high D D6 to respond. It may be helpful to first practice air attacking this note to find a good oral cavity placement. Notes blips when going over 'the break' to half-hole C , D, or Eb5. High register is very sharp, pinched. Use more air support than embouchure support. Use the shape of the oral cavity more to help tune. Thinning the sides of the tip and clipping the reed should help to stabilize it.
Experiment with the amount of reed in the mouth and the opening in the oral cavity to fine tune the note. F 5 is unstable. This note can be unstable on an otherwise stable reed. The double-reed mechanism [Experiment] Try making a reed out of a straw.
How to Play An instrument that is difficult but worth it! The most attention is paid to the reeds Various oboe tips and tricks Oboe fingering table. How the Instrument is Made Opening tone holes in the pipe The sound is adjusted based on the shape of the tone hole? Adjusting the pipe Assembly and adjustment. Choosing an Instrument Before choosing an instrument What are the key points when selecting an oboe?
Care and Maintenance Basic care and maintenance How to use maintenance paraphernalia Seasonal maintenance Maintenance using swabs.
Trivia Why does the oboe lead the orchestra in tuning? Do the reeds have a front and a back? The keys recoil via springs! This is how the oboe and the cor anglais differ The charumera was the oboe's cousin You can reduce time spent breathing using circular-breathing techniques? If the teacher is also inexperienced with starting beginners, it can be hard to make a mamby pamby easy reed suitable for a young student on purpose, as it is so different than the reeds a professional might make for themselves or veteran students.
A lot of squawking usually means that the cane selection for the reed was bad and the reed is not closing well on the sides. Funny compensations with the embouchure may restrict control of the reed and the tone, causing squawks. A reed might also have a tip that is too thick and a heart and back that have been scraped out. There is really not much that can be done, and it is best to just — once again — get out a new reed. If your students normally sound good, and you notice that they are playing significantly more flat from one moment to the next, there may be a crack parallel to the reed.
I saw a lot of this with my students this year, and the solution seemed to be to switch over to better quality reed cases. The occasional cracked reed is to be expected, but if it happens more than once every couple of months, a new reed case may be needed. The best reed cases are handmade by an oboist or a bassoonist and are fitted to hold the reed securely with plenty of room to dry.
Contact me if you need information on where to secure high quality reed cases by clicking here. I guess at a certain point you just expect the instrument to be difficult and accept any trouble as part of the job. There are few who would argue against the fact that the oboe is hard to master. Teaching the oboe also comes with its share of headaches. Whether you are dealing with squeaks, chirps, gurgles, or the other wild sounds in the beginner oboe repertoire, just know that most of them have a reasonable explanation and solution.
If this guide helped you with your beginner oboe issues, please pass it along to a colleague or share it on social media! Sudden Flatness. Sometimes reeds just aren't built well enough.
0コメント