Valparaiso, Indiana

# 1

The intermediate oboist has played at least one year.  During the past year, the biggest challenge is keeping the sound of the oboe consistent from day-to-day.  This is very dependent on the quality of the reed and making the necessary adjustments of the reed as it ages from week-to-week.  It is important for the intermediate oboist to have at least two excellent reeds at all times.

# 2

The oboe reed is going to continually change.  Read the six blogs on “oboe reed adjustment.”  The tips on reed adjustment will help the intermediate oboist with the constantly changing oboe reed.  Keeping the reed well-soaked before you begin playing each day is most important.  Checking the opening of the reed daily to be sure it is not too closed or too open is most important for consistent success.  The shape of the reed tip should be crescent-shaped at all times.

# 3

The low register of the oboe is a challenge for the intermediate oboist as the instrument is conical shaped (bigger at the bell and gradually smaller to the top of the instrument) which is unlike the flute, clarinet, and bassoon that are cylindrical (the same size at the bottom of the instrument as at the top of the instrument).  The intermediate oboist needs a reed that is not too resistant so that all the notes respond in the lower register.

# 4

To play your  low “D” on the oboe with ease requires  the oboist to keep their tongue close to the reed and starting the sound with a “Do” tongue. This syllable keeps your tongue straight and close to the reed at all times.  Your tongue is touching the tip of your oboe reed just behind the tip of your tongue.  You can experiment with using the syllables “Ta” or “Ti” or “To” to discover which works best for you.  However, at all times you want to keep your tongue close to the reed for the best articulation, especially when you have to move your tongue quickly.

# 5

Keep your embouchure open by stretching your teeth apart like you are yawning while keeping both lips around the blades of the reed.  If you bite down on the blades of the oboe reed you will struggle to produce a clear oboe sound in the lower register.

# 6

In the upper register there is less of the instrument vibrating; thus, you need to rely more on your air, its speed, and its direction.  If you blow “thick air” through the oboe in the upper register by blowing your air as if you saying “HHHHa” with no vocal sound-just the sound of air.   It sounds like you are blowing cotton through the oboe.  The air sounds thick.  If you blow your air with just the sound of “AAAAAh” there is no thickness and your sound will be thin and “lemon-like.”  Your goal in the upper register is to produce a thick “chocolate-like”  sound.  Your air direction, speed, and thickness keeps your oboe tone  consistent between your high, medium, and low registers.