It's Tool Time
This item helps teach students how to find the corners of their embouchure.
What is a drinking straw?
Failure to do this will mess up the way all notes on the oboe sound.
What is align the bridge keys on the right side of the oboe?
The first thing you should teach an oboist about tone production.
What is crow the reed?
This commonly happens to an oboist's intonation when they play soft.
What is go sharp?
Playing example 1
What is play with less reed in your embouchure
This item helps the student understand the position of the jaw and how the corners of the embouchure should engage when playing.
What is a tootsie pop?
Doing this to an oboe reed consistently will usually make it more difficult to play.
What is over-soaking the reed?
Response, intonation, tone quality.
What are the three things the crow tells you about a reed?
The first thing you should check when all notes are flat on the oboe.
What is make sure the reed is fully inserted into the oboe?
Playing example 2
What is move your corners forward?
An exercise on this tool will help students learn how to work with the resistance of the oboe reed.
What is blowing through a coffee straw or slightly folded drinking straw?
Use the forked F whenever you play these notes before or after it.
What is Eb, Db, D, Low C, Low B, and Low Bb?
The first part of the reed to vibrate.
What is the tip?
Student sounds sharp, but the reed is crowing in tune.
What is biting on the reed or too much reed in the embouchure?
Playing example 3
What is drop your jaw?
Marshmallows in the molars.
What is a tool that helps keep the jaw and mouth open when playing?
Failure to teach this concept to oboists will consistently make them light headed and promote sharpness.
What is teach them how to exhale?
Double octave C.
What is the pitch of the crow?
Slightly roll the reed out of the embouchure while simultaneously muffling the reed to play this expressive figure.
What is diminuendo?
Playing example 4
What is cushion your teeth or pull more of your top lip over your teeth
Too, Tah, Toe, Tee
What are syllables to help teach articulation/independence of the tongue?
A hissing noise on first octave key notes occurs when you do this.
What is the half-hole and first octave key are being used at the same time?
Tip, heart, back, and spine.
What are the parts of an American scrape reed?
Increase air support, check embouchure, then check the reed.
What are three things you can do to solve overall flatness in an oboist?