Breathing and the Oboe: Playing, Teaching, and Learning - Helena Gaunt
Citation: Gaunt, Helena. Breathing and the Oboe: Playing, Teaching, and Learning. British Journal of Music Education, Nov. 2004, Vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 313-328.
Article Title: Breathing and the Oboe: Playing, Teaching, and Learning
Author: Helena Gaunt
Magazine or Journal Title: British Journal of Music Education
Summary:
Article Title: Breathing and the Oboe: Playing, Teaching, and Learning
Author: Helena Gaunt
Magazine or Journal Title: British Journal of Music Education
Summary:
- Breathing is Fundamental
- Adaptable in long and short term
- Posture plays a role
- A Traditional Model
- Resources for breathing are slim
- Method books do not often contain information regarding breathing
- Rhythmic breathing is good practice
- “You must always have a large reserve of air available”
- Low breathing
- No shoulder raising
- Analysis
- Inhale and exhale should balance
- Should feel natural
- Not inflated
- Be comfortable
- Too much air is not always the best
- Diaphragm
- Must be engaged
- Contraction and relaxation are essential
- Abdominal muscles may or may not be engaged
- Pressure
- Must be balanced between diaphragm and reed
- Posture
- Must be balanced for optimal breath support
- Phrasing
- This determines much of the breathing
Taming the Oboe - Nora Lewis
Citation: Lewis, Nora. Taming the Oboe. The Instrumentalist, Mar. 2010, Vol. 64, no. 8.
Article Title: Taming the Oboe
Author: Nora Lewis
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
Article Title: Taming the Oboe
Author: Nora Lewis
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
- Identifying Problems
- Mechanical issues
- Tenon cork
- Compresses easily over time
- Causes an unstable connection between top and bottom joints
- Use a small piece of paper to wrap tenon
- Adjustment Mechanism
- Misaligned keys or screws
- Fuzzy sound
- Minute adjustement of screws is necessary
- Bridge Alignment
- Align right side
- Left side may be misaligned
- This is ok
- Fragile Mechanism
- Sensitivity to pressure
- Handle with care
- Lubricate tenons and reed cork
- Keep keys facing up
- Condensation
- Can cause gurgling sound
- Use ungummed cigarette paper
- Swabbing
- Hold oboe upside down to swab
- Pull slowly
- Swab every time
- Grime
- Check for smoothness and shininess
- If rough, swab
- Never use liquid
- Use Top-Joint Suction Test
- Find a good reed
- Test with crowing
Oboe Articulation - Nora Lewis
Citation: Lewis, Nora. Oboe Articulation. The Instrumentalist, April 2012.
Article Title: Oboe Articulation
Author: Nora Lewis
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
Article Title: Oboe Articulation
Author: Nora Lewis
Magazine or Journal Title: The Instrumentalist
Summary:
- How To
- Tip of tongue contacts tip of reed
- Whisper syllable toh
- Tongue does not return to reed to stop note
- Returns only for rearticulation
- Tongue should move freely in mouth
- Use
- Used for all styles of music
- Often difficult for students who switch from flute
- Not used to vibrations
- Clarinetists and saxophonists use to much reed
- Use a coffee stirrer to try to correct the problem
- Experiment with varied counts and rhythms
- Focus on syllable and tongue placement
Flutter-Tongue - Dr. Jacqueline Leclair
Citation: Leclair, Dr. Jacqueline. Flutter-tongue. The Double Reed, 2010, Vol. 33, no. 1.
Article Title: Flutter-tongue
Author: Dr. Jacqueline Leclair
Magazine or Journal Title: The Double Reed
Summary:
Article Title: Flutter-tongue
Author: Dr. Jacqueline Leclair
Magazine or Journal Title: The Double Reed
Summary:
- Mechanics of Flutter-Tongue
- Three Methods
- Flutter in the back of the mouth with the back of the tongue and possibly the uvula or soft palate
- “Growling” technique
- Flutter in the front of the mouth with tip of the tongue
- interferes with embouchure and articulation control
- Flutter in the front of the mouth with the front/middle of the tongue
- Recommended
- Strong flutter with easy start and stop
- Tip of tongue is motionless
- Learning Flutter-Tongue
- Produce flutter effect with tongue
- Practice the effect
- Use reed
- Direct flutter into reed but do not form embouchure
- Repeat with reed in instrument
- Form embouchure and flutter
- Resources/Tips
Oboe Basics (Part 1) - Elizabeth Raum
Citation: Raum, Elizabeth. Oboe Basics (Part 1). Canadian Winds, Spring 2007, pp. 79-81.
Article Title: Oboe Basics (Part 1)
Author: Elizabeth Raum
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Winds
Summary:
Article Title: Oboe Basics (Part 1)
Author: Elizabeth Raum
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Winds
Summary:
- Selecting Oboists
- Personality?
- Sound Production
- Patience is key
- Dynamics
- Squeaks
- Play with primary colors
- Shading comes later
- Reeds
- Get a reed with a good-sized opening
- Place in water for 5-10 minutes
- Sand wild reeds with 1000 grit sandpaper
- Massage the back
- Slip the blades
- Make sure the cork is snug in the well
- Clean with a pipe cleaner
- They are fragile
- Must be wet to play
- Mechanism
- Have instrument in good adjustment
- Can adjust on your own if you’re mechanically inclined
- Line up top and bottom joints correctly
- Watch the bridge
- Check the screws
- Check sticky octave keys
- Check for water in the key
- Check all pads
Oboe Basics (Part 2) - Elizabeth Raum
Citation: Raum, Elizabeth. Oboe Basics (Part 2). Canadian Winds, Fall 2007, pp. 24-26.
Article Title: Oboe Basics (Part 2)
Author: Elizabeth Raum
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Winds
Summary:
Article Title: Oboe Basics (Part 2)
Author: Elizabeth Raum
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Winds
Summary:
- Embouchure
- A tiring embouchure
- Try starting on sax first
- Say “ee” inside mouth and “ooh”
- Not much reed adjustment occurs for tuning purposes
- Breath Support
- Could get dizzy
- Practice proper breathing
- Exhale normally and inhale quickly so stale air is not uses
- Phrasing
- Figure out where the breaths happen
- Round out sound by dampening reed with lips
- Tonguing
- Play long tones and interrupt air with tongue
- Hum and play at same time
- Fingering
- Many different fingerings
- Half-holing
- Thumb register key through high A flat
- Then switch to side
- E flat to D flay is another change
- Assembly/Disassembly
- Wooden oboe is in danger of cracking
- Warm it up first
- Be careful to not bend keys
- Swab instrument with feather or cloth