Teaching Oboe
Citation: Reimer, Bennett. “Teaching Oboe.” Instrumentalist, February 2006, Vol. 60 Issue 7, p44-48
Article Title: Teaching Oboe
Author: Bennet Reimer
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: Instrumentalist
Summary:
I. Difficulties of Oboe playing
1. Don't magnify difficulties, loose students interest
2. Oboists who have had no private lessons have not so good techniques
3. Can't blame the teacher for improper techniques
4. Both teacher and student have misconceptions of oboe playing
II. Fixing the problems
1. Bore: important to find fine bore, usually more successful
2. Consult professional oboists for advice on choosing instruments
3. Reed is most important, usually where most errors are made
a. Avoid commercially made reeds if possible
b. Look for reeds of the long-scrape type
4. Take time to work on reads and use reeds
5. Embouchure
a. Creating proper embouchure
b. No squeezing with corners, top and bottom lips equally pressured
6. Breathing/Air pressure
a. Stale air and amount of pressure needed
7. Tonguing
a. Valve for air to be maintained
b. Tip of reed
8. Fingering
a. Technical challenges same as any other instrument; expect same progress
9. Vibrato
a. Mostly use diaphragmatic vibrato; silent belly laugh
10. Intonation
a. Many factors that affect intonation: embouchure, air speed, tongue placement
b. Importance of letting the reed vibrate freely to produce good intonation
Article Title: Teaching Oboe
Author: Bennet Reimer
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: Instrumentalist
Summary:
I. Difficulties of Oboe playing
1. Don't magnify difficulties, loose students interest
2. Oboists who have had no private lessons have not so good techniques
3. Can't blame the teacher for improper techniques
4. Both teacher and student have misconceptions of oboe playing
II. Fixing the problems
1. Bore: important to find fine bore, usually more successful
2. Consult professional oboists for advice on choosing instruments
3. Reed is most important, usually where most errors are made
a. Avoid commercially made reeds if possible
b. Look for reeds of the long-scrape type
4. Take time to work on reads and use reeds
5. Embouchure
a. Creating proper embouchure
b. No squeezing with corners, top and bottom lips equally pressured
6. Breathing/Air pressure
a. Stale air and amount of pressure needed
7. Tonguing
a. Valve for air to be maintained
b. Tip of reed
8. Fingering
a. Technical challenges same as any other instrument; expect same progress
9. Vibrato
a. Mostly use diaphragmatic vibrato; silent belly laugh
10. Intonation
a. Many factors that affect intonation: embouchure, air speed, tongue placement
b. Importance of letting the reed vibrate freely to produce good intonation
First Lessons on Oboe
Citation: Schiltz, Grover and Kimme Katz. “First Lessons on Oboe.” Instrumentalist, June 2008, Vol. 62 Issue 11, p38-44.
Article Title: First Lessons on Oboe
Author: Grover Schiltz and Kimme Katz
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: Instrumentalist
Summary:
I. First Oboe
1. Sometimes beneficial to learn to read music on another instrument, then switch
2. Some instruments have inherent problems
3. Quality of instrument and reed determine quality of success
4. Cane reeds preferred, warm water good for soaking them
5. Directors might need to make minor reed adjustments
6. Many book for making reeds
II. Embouchure
1. No teeth, lips rolled over teeth
2. O shape, not flat or spread
3. Equal pressure on all sides
4. 1/4 of reed inside mouth
5. Lip size will change amount of reed to take
6. Too much= bagpipe sound
7. Tuning most important thing to develop in young players
III, Posture
1. Younger players have fly-away fingers often, pinkies
2. Develop good hand position from beginning
3. No bending of the wrists or forcing hand out
4. Half-hole technique should be introduced early on
5. Practice with deliberate finger technique
Article Title: First Lessons on Oboe
Author: Grover Schiltz and Kimme Katz
Instrument: Oboe
Magazine or Journal Title: Instrumentalist
Summary:
I. First Oboe
1. Sometimes beneficial to learn to read music on another instrument, then switch
2. Some instruments have inherent problems
3. Quality of instrument and reed determine quality of success
4. Cane reeds preferred, warm water good for soaking them
5. Directors might need to make minor reed adjustments
6. Many book for making reeds
II. Embouchure
1. No teeth, lips rolled over teeth
2. O shape, not flat or spread
3. Equal pressure on all sides
4. 1/4 of reed inside mouth
5. Lip size will change amount of reed to take
6. Too much= bagpipe sound
7. Tuning most important thing to develop in young players
III, Posture
1. Younger players have fly-away fingers often, pinkies
2. Develop good hand position from beginning
3. No bending of the wrists or forcing hand out
4. Half-hole technique should be introduced early on
5. Practice with deliberate finger technique