Oboe Articulation - · PDF fileReeds 1. Number of well-playing oboe reeds you should have at...

25
Oboe Articulation Articulation: The tip of the tongue touches the tip of the lower blade (reed). The top side of the tongue must contact the underside of the lower blade (reed) approximately 1/32" from the tip. Correct articulation uses a small up-and-down motion of the front of the tongue. Incorrect articulations include: tonguing into the reed opening; anchor tonguing; moving the lips, jaw, or throat; tonguing the teeth or roof of mouth; moving tongue front-to-back, sideways, or circularly; tonguing with motion of air rather than tongue; tonguing with extreme tip or underside of tongue. Be sure to correct any incorrect articulation as soon as symptoms are apparent. Correct articulation syllable: tah Slur (fl): The tip of the tongue touches the tip of the lower blade (reed) for only the first note of the slur. [See articulation for exact directions.] The remaining notes do not use any motion of the tongue, as it remains in a stationary aaaaah position. Incorrect articulation involves moving the tongue in any manner while playing notes under a slur. Correct articulation syllable: taaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Staccato (•): Two methods of staccato are possible: tongue-stop and air-stop. Both methods start with the articulation described above. (1) In tongue-stop staccato, the tongue returns to the tip of the lower blade (reed) to end the note. This method is most often used in fast, repetitive passages. Correct articulation syllable: taht. (2) In air-stop staccato, the tongue does not re-connect with the reed to end the note. Instead, the diaphragm halts the flow of air to end the note. The air should not be stopped with a "cutting-off' motion of either the throat or lower jaw. This method is most often used in slow, semi-legato passages where an abrupt note ending would be inappropriate. Correct articulation syllable: tah—| Accent (>): A standard accent is a variation of standard articulation. Follow the directions for articulation but add a stronger tongue-stroke to produce the stress on the beginning of the note. Advanced players may also add a slight air push to the beginning of the note. Correct articulation syllable: Tah Cap accent ( A ): Slur-accent (>): A cap or "carrot" accent produces a cross between an accent and a staccato. The tongue strikes the lower blade (reed) harder to begin the accent on the note and the note is ended by a tongue-stop. Correct articulation syllable: Taht Sometimes it is necessary to produce an accent under a slur. Two methods are possible to produce this type of accent. (1) A slight push from the diaphragm effects a stress on the note. (2) In fast passages when the diaphragm is not able to effect a stress, a slight articulation from the tongue may be used. Correct articulation syllable: huh Legato ( ): Legato is produced in much the same manner as a standard articulation. Although the air should never stop between articulated notes, it is imperative that the air is used in a constant flowing motion when playing legato. In this manner, correct, flowing, attached legato is produced. Correct articulation syllable: tah Detached legato (—): Detached legato is a lengthened staccato. The articulation must produce a feeling of detached connection. While there are several ways to produce this articulation, the best method is to use air-stopped staccato. Simply lengthen the length of the note to produce the desired note length. Correct articulation syllable: tah |

Transcript of Oboe Articulation - · PDF fileReeds 1. Number of well-playing oboe reeds you should have at...

Oboe Articulation

Articulation: The tip of the tongue touches the tip of the lower blade (reed). The top side of the tongue must contact the underside of the lower blade (reed) approximately 1/32" from the tip. Correct articulation uses a small up-and-down motion of the front of the tongue. Incorrect articulations include: tonguing into the reed opening; anchor tonguing; moving the lips, jaw, or throat; tonguing the teeth or roof of mouth; moving tongue front-to-back, sideways, or circularly; tonguing with motion of air rather than tongue; tonguing with extreme tip or underside of tongue. Be sure to correct any incorrect articulation as soon as symptoms are apparent. Correct articulation syllable: tah

Slur ( f l ) : The tip of the tongue touches the tip of the lower blade (reed) for only the first note of the slur. [See articulation for exact directions.] The remaining notes do not use any motion of the tongue, as it remains in a stationary aaaaah position. Incorrect articulation involves moving the tongue in any manner while playing notes under a slur. Correct articulation syllable: taaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Staccato (•): Two methods of staccato are possible: tongue-stop and air-stop. Both methods start with the articulation described above. (1) In tongue-stop staccato, the tongue returns to the tip of the lower blade (reed) to end the note. This method is most often used in fast, repetitive passages. Correct articulation syllable: taht. (2) In air-stop staccato, the tongue does not re-connect with the reed to end the note. Instead, the diaphragm halts the flow of air to end the note. The air should not be stopped with a "cutting-off' motion of either the throat or lower jaw. This method is most often used in slow, semi-legato passages where an abrupt note ending would be inappropriate. Correct articulation syllable: tah—|

Accent (>): A standard accent is a variation of standard articulation. Follow the directions for articulation but add a stronger tongue-stroke to produce the stress on the beginning of the note. Advanced players may also add a slight air push to the beginning of the note. Correct articulation syllable: Tah

Cap accent ( A ) :

Slur-accent (>):

A cap or "carrot" accent produces a cross between an accent and a staccato. The tongue strikes the lower blade (reed) harder to begin the accent on the note and the note is ended by a tongue-stop. Correct articulation syllable: Taht

Sometimes it is necessary to produce an accent under a slur. Two methods are possible to produce this type of accent. (1) A slight push from the diaphragm effects a stress on the note. (2) In fast passages when the diaphragm is not able to effect a stress, a slight articulation from the tongue may be used. Correct articulation syllable: huh

Legato (—): Legato is produced in much the same manner as a standard articulation. Although the air should never stop between articulated notes, it is imperative that the air is used in a constant flowing motion when playing legato. In this manner, correct, flowing, attached legato is produced. Correct articulation syllable: tah

Detached legato (—): Detached legato is a lengthened staccato. The articulation must produce a feeling of detached connection. While there are several ways to produce this articulation, the best method is to use air-stopped staccato. Simply lengthen the length of the note to produce the desired note length. Correct articulation syllable: tah |

Reeds

1. Number o f well-playing oboe reeds you should have at all times: 3-4 2. Number o f well-playing oboe reeds you should have for a recital: 6-8

3. Number of well-playing English horn reeds you should have ( i f you are playing the EH): 2-3

4. Number o f reeds a week you should make: 6-8+

5. Number o f times you should make reeds a week (at the very least): 3-4+

6. Number of reeds you should make each week, two weeks before a recital: 8-10 (spread out over the whole week!)

Cane and Supplies

1. Number of pieces o f oboe cane you have at all times: 25+ (this means you need to order when you get down to 40 pieces!)

2. Number o f pieces of EH cane you should have at all times: 10 (increase when you play it a lot)

3. Number o f oboe tubes you should have at all times: 25+ 4. Number o f EH tubes you should have at all times: 5

Practicing

1. The rule is: practice enough to accomplish what you need to prepare. 2. Guidelines: Music Ed students should practice at least one hour a day.

Performance majors should be practicing two hours.

Juries/Recitals

1. What to take on stage/into the jury: at least 4 working oboe reeds, 2 working EH reeds ( i f you are playing it) , swab, cigarette paper, water. Do not leave your extra reeds in the water as they w i l l get too hard. Put them wet into your reed case.

2. Practice playing through your whole recital/jury starting a month before to build up the necessary endurance.

3. A ttend all your peer's and your teacher's recitals.

Ensembles

1. When you play second oboe, your job is to make the first oboe sound good. Tune to her/him, play more softly than her/him (most o f the time), and do what she/he tell you with good grace (whether you like it or not!).

2. When you play first, you need to lead your section. Do not let the power go to your head, and treat your section players with dignity and respect. You are responsible for keeping them happy, and therefore the section sounding good. Remember that the second oboe's pitch is less flexible, particularly on the lower notes, for example, low c#. You may need to do the adjusting when the second oboe is playing in this register.

3. When sections rotate parts, practice your changing roles. 4. When you wi l l miss a rehearsal, leave your music, or copies with someone who

w i l l be there.

5. Bring your own reed water, tuner, etc!

Oboe reed making and a d j u s t i n g t o o l s Reed a d j u s t i n g t o o l s

Mandrel: must match s t a p l e s - u s u a l l y buy same br a n d * Beveled k n i f e Plaque * C u t t i n g b l o c k ( b i l l e t ) * Sharpening s t o n e : medium Arkansas o r f i n e I n d i a bench stone * *

A d d i t i o n a l r e e d making t o o l s 10.5 mm gouged, shaped, and f o l d e d cane * — don ' t s t a r t w i t h a n y t h i n g e l s e ! 47 mm b r a s s o r s i l v e r s t a p l e s ( t u b e s ) * FF gauge n y l o n s t r i n g * Beeswax * Double h o l l o w ground k n i f e o r r a z o r b l a d e s * Emory b o a r d S t r i n g hook * M e t r i c r u l e r * F i s h s k i n / G o l d b e a t e r ' s s k i n — o p t i o n a l

* These i t e m s a r e o f t e n i n c l u d e d i n a s t a n d a r d "Reed-Maker's K i t . " S o l d by r e p u t a b l e d o u b l e - r e e d s u p p l y companies a t a reduced p r i c e , t h e s e k i t s a r e o f t e n an e x c e p t i o n a l v a l u e f o r s t u d e n t s -- and non-oboe band d i r e c t o r s — who a r e b e g i n n i n g t o make t h e i r own reeds.

** May a l s o be purchased a t hardware s t o r e s .

Help!! I don't know how t o make and adj u s t oboe reeds ...

Videos Capps, F e r a l d B. and D a v i d B. Weber, The Reed Maker's Video,

1990. ISBN: 0-9627910-1-6 Jones, Wendal, Oboe Reedmaking and Adjusting, 1994.

Books Capps, F e r a l d B. and David B. Weber, The Reed Maker's

Manual. '

Live oboists Ask an o b o i s t f o r h e l p ! C a l l r e p u t a b l e companies f o r a s s i s t a n c e when s e l e c t i n g cane

and t o o l s : C h a r l e s Double Reed Company 1-800-REED-TIP

www.charlesmusic.com Weber (Double) Reeds 1-877-932-7332 www.webreeds.com

• Reed is too soft

• Crow is too low

Tip openings

Too open

Good

Too closed

Windows

70 m m

I f the reed is too open, gently squeeze wet reeds together (dry w i l l snap)

I f the reed is too closed, gently squeeze corners together

I f the reed is too soft, can only chop a little o f f the end to f ix it

I f the reed is too hard, scrape 2 times on each window

The reed should crow a 3 r d space C

Good reeds should crow 2 C's (3 is ideal)

Can tune reeds wi th air support and embouchure

Octaves

• Each oboe has 3-4 octave keys

/ 1 1 I V I j /

(I / 1 1 / kl) / I / 1

Common Oboe Problems

• Broken Reeds o Stepped on o Dropped o Bitten o Attempted to ix

o Bumped

o Hit teeth

o Picked at it

o Hit music stand o Cut too much o f f o Caught in the carpet

o Caught in hair o Hit the chair o Stuck on clothing o Someone else played it o Dog ate i t o Marching band o Take Reed out when not playing!;

• Posture o Should be 30-40 degrees away f rom the body o Can use neck strap (hand and arm problems)

• Instrument o Cold weather can cause cracks o Need to swab every time it 's used (can crack easily) o Adjustment screws were attempted to be adjusted - don't touch them! o Pivot screws come loose (let keys pivot and hold them on the instrument)

Care Tips

• Must oi l oboes every 3-6 months

Breathing Areas

1. Loud and or Low

2. Mezzo Forte and or M i d Range 3. Soft and or High

Octaves

~Q 1 v ^ r j -

I o

cpen h a l f LH

Crowing

• Done to test working reeds

• High pitched is not good - use more pressure or take in more/less reed

Tuning

• You can only tune to reed (no other means o f tuning the instrument)

• The reed must be all the way in the instrument

• Do not grease the cork o f the reed (shave with 200 or 400 sandpaper)

• "Heat up with a match to expand it

Playing Sharp

• Reed is too short

• Tip is too closed

• Reed is too hard

• Crow is too high Playing Flat

• Reed is too long

• Tip is too open

Ltt Key

Oboe Zurna

irouette (reed is inside)

- no control over it

Shawm/Cramhom

1 1650 - to modern day oboe

The biggest difference is that the reed is on the outside, so it is easier to control

1. Don't play wi th the screws - they are very sensitive and can throw o f f the alignment

2. Don't put the swab through the top o f the oboe 3. Don't soak the oboe reed string as it w i l l unravel

Modern Oboes

• Beginner

o Cheap $800-1000 o Plastic o Simple/basic conservatory system (less keys)

• Intermediate o More expensive $3000 o Wood o Full conservatory system (more keys)

• Advanced o More expensive $5000-6000 o Wood o Full conservatory system

Reed

O b o e M o d e l s

Student Models — Grade 6+

• Beginning students

• Plastic or resonite body

• Indoor or outdoor use

• Nickel-plated keys

• Bladder pads

• Simplif ied conservatory system: no added keys

• No low Bb; no L H F key

• Least expensive: $850-1900 Examples: Larilee 125 ($945), Selmer (Bundy) 1492 $859, Yamaha YOB241 ($1868)

Intermediate Models — Grade 9+

• Intermediate students - college

• Wood and/or plastic body

• Indoor use only

• Nickel or silver-plated keys

• Bladder and/or cork pads

• Modif ied conservatory system: some added keys

• Low Bb, L H F key, G#-A# tr i l l key, F resonance key, possibly 3 r d octave key

• Moderate cost: $ 1500-2600

Examples: Cabart, Fox Renard 330 ($2595), Larilee 210W ($1499), Selmer 121 ($2300)

Professional Models — University/Graduate Level +

• Professionals

• Wood body

• Possibly rose wood body with gold keys

• Indoor use only

• Silver-plated keys

• Primarily cork pads; lowest pads bladder

• Full conservatory system: many added keys

• Low Bb, L H F key, 3 r d octave key, all additional t r i l l and facilitator keys

• Most expensive: $5500-6500

Examples: Fossati, Loree ($5900), Marigaux 901 ($6195), Rigoutat

Oboe reed making and adjusting tools

Reed adjusting tools Mandrel: must match staples - usually buy same brand * Beveled knife Plaque * Cutting block (billet) * Sharpening stone: medium Arkansas or fine India bench stone **

Additional reed making tools 10.5 mm gouged, shaped, and folded cane * — don't start with anything else! 47 mm brass or silver staples (tubes) * FF gauge nylon string * Beeswax * Double hollow ground knife or razor blades * Emory board String hook * Metric ruler * Fish skin/Goldbeater's skin — optional

* These items are often included in a standard "Reed-Maker's Ki t ." Sold by reputable double-reed supply companies at a reduced price, these kits are often an exceptional value for students — and non-oboe band directors — who are beginning to make their own reeds.

** May also be purchased at hardware stores.

Help!! I don't know how to make and adjust oboe reeds...

Videos Capps, Ferald B. and David B. Weber, The Reed Makers Video, 1990. ISBN: 0-9627910-1-6 Jones, Wendal, Ohoe Reedmaking and Adjusting, 1994.

Books Capps, Ferald B. and David B. Weber, The Reed Makers Manual.

Live oboists Ask an oboist for help! Call reputable companies for assistance when selecting cane and tools:

Charles Double Reed Company 1-800-REED-TIP www.charlesmusic.com Weber (Double) Reeds 1-877-932-7332 www.webreeds.com

Common Oboe Reed Problems and Solutions

T i p is too open Problems: General pitch is sharp

Difficult high range Large dynamic range, but difficulty playing softly

Causes: Diameter of cane is too small Cane is wound too far off staple Winding is too tight or loose, often only on one side

Solution: Insert plaque and squeeze back of scrape; repeat several times

T ip is too closed Problems: General pitch is sharp

Limited response in low register Small dynamic range

Causes: Diameter of cane is too large Cane is wound too far on staple String is wound over end of staple (sorry . . .no solution for this problem)

Solutions: Squeeze sides of back of cane Scrape entire blade

Poor response, especially in low register Cause: Reed is too hard Solution: Scrape back of reed

Pitch is flat Cause: Reed is too long Solutions: Slightly clip tip of reed

Slip blades more

Pitch is sharp Cause: Reed is too hard or short Solution: Scrape back or sides (windows)

Reed only plays loud Cause: Reed is too open or too stiff Solution: Scrape reed all over

No sound is produced Cause: Leak(s) Solution: Wrap fish skin/Goldbeater's skin around juncture of cane and string

"Breaking-in" your new wood clarinet or oboe

E c l ^ r c t h

M u s i c A Tradition of Music

and Education

North Dakota Company Headquarters

1-800-437-1762

701-223-5320

Fax: 701-223-7554

1221 W Divide Ave

Bismarck, ND 58501

1-800-437-1762

701-223-6707

Fax: 701-255-1625

1620 32nd Ave South

Fargo, ND 58104

1-300-525-9232

701476-3408

Fax: 701-476-3409

Minnesota / 901 Broadway

Alexandria, MN 56308

1-800-450-7664

320-763-9326

Fax: 320-763-9351

Wildwood Shopping Center

951 WildwoodRd

White Bear Lake, MN 55115

1-800-543-8255

651-704-9654

Fax: 651-773-1091

Montana 922 Grand Ave

Billings, MT 59102

I-8O0-552-1888

406-252-2604

Fax: 406-252-1641

University Square

Bozeman.MT 59718

1-800-580-8007

406-587-8007

Fm: 406-587-5344

www.eckroth.com eckroth @ eckroth. com

Wood clarinets and oboes are made form African Grenadilla, carefully aged and treated, then crafted into fine musical instruments. Grenadilla is one of the hardest, most dense and stable woods available and is the wood of choice for manufacturing the best clarinets and oboes. Beyond maintenance procedures used for plastic oboes and clarinets, these are some steps.we recommend to properly "break-in" and maintain your careful crafted wood instrument.

1. When first playing a new instrument, replacement joint, or one that has been allowed to dry out for a long time, (weeks/months/years) a gradual playing-in is the best approach. For example, Play the instrument 5-10 minutes the first session, then swab it out— including the tenons and sockets where end grain can absorb water more easily—then after it sits at least 4-6 hours (or the next day), play a few minutes longer, etc... adding 5 or so minutes to each session. After this gradual playing-in period of a week to 10 days, playing for long periods of time will not be a radical change in moisture level to the wood—therefore less likely to cause any problems. I f this schedule is not entirely possible, the main idea is; don't play for 2 hours the first day, with just a quick swab at the end of that time! In dry conditions, a small case humidifier (available at music stores) can be beneficial.

2. Avoid playing the instrument when it is very cold to the touch! It needs to warm up to the air temperature of the room or outdoor environment, gradually i f possible, before warm air is blown through it! Holding the instrument under a jacket, or just opening the case 20-30 minutes before playing can be helpful.

3. When playing for longer periods of time, swab out more frequently—a "handkerchief-type" swab can often do a better job than other types. It is important that the swab is not overly tight when pulled through. Any attempt to force a tight swab through should be avoided before the bottom end of the swab disappears into the joint, so that it can be carefully backed out.

4. Generally, the treated wood of a new wood instrument or joint doesn't need further treating, but if the bore (interior surface) gets a very dull, dry look, careful application of bore oil can help seal the wood to prevent excessive moisture absorption—another potential cause of cracking. An overly dry bore, with many open-grain surfaces can actually play like the bore was a bit oversized, changing tone and intonation characteristics. A conservative approach to oiling is recommended—both in the amount of oil applied, and the frequency. Excessive oil can gum-up pads and affect tone. Apply a few drops of a good quality bore oil on a soft stick-type swab, or a handkerchief swab (just for that purpose) and draw it through the joint, repeating the process until the bore has a uniform sheen and is not overly wet. I f a stick swab is used, open any closed keys and blow a focused airstream into all tones holes to blow out any excess lint. A dry bore can be treated a couple of times in a six month period, and then once or twice a year i f needed. Some instruments have a more highly polished bore that needs little or no oiling. Some players have the bore polished with beeswax or furniture wax—although this can affect tone, as can excessive oiling!

These steps will provide proper maintenance for your wood oboe or clarinet, and help prevent surface cracking. In the unlikely even that a crack develops, it is not as serious a problem as your first might think. Many artist/performers and teachers play on instruments that have properly repaired cracks—some even feel that it "frees-up" the sound, and causes the instrument to play better!! I f cracks occur, a skilled repairperson can do an effective, inconspicuous job repairing the instrument at a reasonable cost.

Fine wood instruments should be treated with respect, but also played and enjoyed for the warm tonal characteristics they yield. It is very important that good care and maintenance is provided. In addition to owner care, this involves regular visits to a reputable woodwind technician—much like what is involved in maintaining a car. This can be several times a year for some students and frequent players, or as little as once every few years. Worn pads should be replaced with quality pads as needed, to ensure good tone hole covering. Key openings and adjustments (key regulation) need to be checked/adjusted periodically. With these things in mind, your wood instrument will both provide years of musical use and enjoyment, and also maintain its' value.

Oboes are made of either grenadilla wood or of high quality plastics, generally known as resonite. Although grenadilla wood has a long tradition and is used by professional oboists worldwide, the quality of non-wood instruments has risen to a highly respected level and is

"used by both students and professionals alike. The plastic resin from which instruments are manufactured is highly stable. These oboes require less maintenance and are not susceptible to cracking like wood instruments.

Many of the most respected oboe manufacturers offer their professional model oboes in plastic or, ahematively, with a plastic top joint in place of the traditional grenadilla wood. This is advantageous because the top joint on the oboe is the portion most likely to experience cracking due to temperature and humidity fluctuations.

Key Options

LOWS' —Many basic student models play only to low B natural. When one looks at the oboe and sees open holes in the bell and no mechanism (pad) to cover them, there is no low B' on that instrument.

Left hand F key —This allows the player another option to fingering an F. This is essential to more advanced players in executing certain passages and in choosing the desired tone color versus the forked-F.

Forked F and fl6 resonance keys —These improve the quality and pitch of their respective notes. The more basic student models as well as the Tabuteau models of the professional line of oboes do not have these resonance keys.

PAb- B 6 trill mechanism —This greatly simplifies the fingering of this trill. Without this mechanism, creating a true trill between these two notes is not possible.

G*- A trill key —Depression of this key simplifies the trill and improves the intonation of the A.

Double Ring D*- E —This mechanism allows an easy fingering for the trill and improves the intonation of the E.

Left hand C- D trill —Provides an alternative to the right hand C-D trifi lever.

Auxiliary LOW C —This key facilitates the low C to C* transition and simplifies the trill.

LowB- O trill mechanism —Allows for a seamless transition in executing this trill.

Buffet 4011 4012 4052 3613

3613G Bulgheroni Student Bulgheroni

Artist d'Amore

Opera Fox 333

330 300 400 450

Barrinoton 8C1 Larilee 125W

210W 400W

Loree Marigaux 901

2001 Patricola Student

Standard Evoluzione

d'Amore Professional

Selmer 123F 122F 120B

121 104

Yamaha 831 841 241 441

"Composite UP= Upper Joint LB= Lower Joint & Bel ©2005 DB, al rights reserved.

Diagram of the Instrument Showing location of the keys

HOW T O R E A D T H E C H A R T

• Indicates holes closed. O Indicates holes open. 4" Indicates f i r s t finger half-hole.

Numbers indicate keys to be depressed.

F o r example

JL 1 0

o 8

supplies the following information:

(1) The top three holes are closed with fingers 1-2-3 of the left hand.

(2) The next three holes are left open. (3) The octave key T I i s depressed. (4) The key 10 i s depressed.

N U M B E R O F O P E R A T E D B Y K E Y

T I thumb, left hand T2 f i r s t finger, left hand S P f i r s t finger, left hand 14 second finger, left hand 13 third finger, left hand 10 little finger, left hand

9 little f inger, left hand 8 little finger, left hand

little finger, left hand 3 L little finger, left hand little finger, left hand

12 f i r s t finger, right hand 11 f i r s t finger, right hand

7 second finger, right hand third finger, right hand 6 second finger, right hand third finger, right hand

5 little finger, right hand 4 little finger, right hand

3R little finger, right hand 5x third finger, right hand

E.L.. 500

^.uvey vjoocs. oreaK in ana iviaintainance procedures tor your New Oboe Page 1 of 4

0 Cavey Oboes

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New Phone Number: 706-745-6263

Break-In Procedures:

Maintenance & Care Issues

We at Covey Oboes are often asked the best way to break in a new oboe or English horn, as well as many other general maintenance questions As a repair shop, we see a large variety of oboe situations, some of which you might not have even thought about' So, we have prepared this page with what we hope is helpful information on breaking-in, care, and maintenance of your oboe. Please e-mail us if you find it particularly useful or if you'd like other questions/issues addressed... Thanks for visiting!

What does the Expression "Break in an Oboe " Mean?

There are two phenomena that the term "break in" is used to describe when speaking of an oboe.

The first is the process by which the actual wood of the instrument is acclimated to fluctuating exposure to water, heat, and vibration. Should too much moisture be allowed to soak into the bore and/or tone holes of the oboe while the outside of the oboe remains dry, or should the inside of the oboe be allowed to be much wanner than the outside, the wood is stressed and may release tension by cracking. Therefore, one would "break in" an oboe carefully at first, allowing moisture to soak into the oboe a little at a time, while protecting the oboe diligently from temperature extremes. The instructions below refer to this meaning of the expression "break in".

The second phenomenon has to do with the way the oboe tone develops as a new oboe is played. When an oboe is very new, it may feel a little tight, and may need a bit more energy applied to it for it to want to "sing" or "vibrate". As it is played, over a period of perhaps 6 months to a year, the sound becomes fuller, more open and more plush. Knowing that this is part of the process an oboe goes through will affect a player's criteria for choosing a new oboe. A player may select based on good tight sound focus and good scale, knowing that the tone and response will develop and become more free over time. This is a hard process to desenbe. but one which many players acknowledge and factor into their choice

Break-in Procedures

http://www.oboes.com/breakingin.html 28/01/2008

Covey Oboes. Break In and Maintainance Procedures for your New Oboe Page 2 of 4

For a non-wooden oboe, the good news is that you do not need to worry about breaking it in to avoid cracks' It is safe from all of that! Play it, enjoy it. lightly oil the key-work a couple of times a year if you like. Be sure to take it to a good oboe technician for an adjustment and check-up at least once a year or any time it feels "not right". If you want to polish it, use a soft cotton or silk cloth (See sections below for more maintenance tips) ..arid practice every day!

For a wooden oboe, a little care in breaking it in is well worth the effort.

The overall objective of the break-in procedure is to introduce moisture, temperature variances, and vibration to the wood of the oboe slowly enough to avoid cracking. Too much moisture inside the bore with too little moisture on the outside of the oboe, or too warm a bore ui too cold an oboe will either one put the instrument at risk. We also believe that intense, unaccustomed vibration may be a contributing factor in cracking.

For new wooden instruments, or for instruments that have not been played regularly in some time, we recommend that you adhere to the following standard break-in procedures to help prevent cracking:

L Warm up the instrument with your hands before playing. Do not blow into the instrument if it is v ery cold, but warm it in your hands or lap a few minutes first, especially the top joint. 2. Blow warm air through each joint to introduce a little moisture from your breath onto the bore before assembling the oboe, but only after you've warmed the oboe. 3. Play the instrument in a warm room. Try never to play the instrument in a cold room or in a cold draft Try not to play in hot. dry drafts either, as this will dry the wood.

Play the instrument for short periods of time at first; fifteen minutes a day, no more than twice a day for the first week or so, increasing to 20 minutes, then 25 minutes, etc. Regular, steady introduction of moisture and vibrations is the goal, so it is important to play it almost even day during this time, though the argument could well be made that skipping one day every 5-6 days to let it "rest" can't hurt! 5. Play connecting exercises, like long tones, slow scales, and melodies, so that the oboe becomes accustomed to continuous vibration. When doing this, pay special attention to connecting between the notes. This is good for your play ing anyhow, obviously, but it is also good for the oboe! ...and use a tuner Train yourself and your oboe to play at pitch' 6̂ . Thoroughly swab out and dry die instrument after every use. Clear any accumulated water out of the tone holes by blowing air hard through them with the key open. Soak up any additional water with cigarette paper, placing it between the cork pads and the tone holes. Pay special attention to getting the water out of the octaves, the 3rd octave tone hole especially, and the tri Her tone holes. Also, i f you've had any notes "burbling" from water, be sure to soak the w ater out of that tone hole w ith y our cigarette paper 2i Consider an instrument "barely broken in" in 2-3 months, and "well broken-in" only after about a year As you can imagine, this time table is very subjective and depends a lot on how much you as an oboist play. 8. Even after an oboe is well broken in, continue being careful of extreme temperature and moisture conditions. Keep a "Damp-It" in the case in very dry weather, avoid air-conditioning drafts like the plague, avoid outdoor playing where the temperature drops below 70° F. avoid situations where strong sunlight can overly warm one side of the instrument causing it to warp... the list is long, and y ou can add to it with your own experiences and imagination1

Taking care of the key work

Handling: Be gentle' Don't let any part of the oboe bang against anything! This bends keys. Also, take care when you put die instrument together not to bend keys accidentally .

Oiling: The keys of the oboe are held in place with steel rods and pivot screws which need oil on them to work well. Our top advice is to hav e your oboe sen iced annually by a good oboe repairperson who will put a good quality oil m the mechanisms. If not, we suggest

http://www.oboes.com/breakingin.html 28/01/2008

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NOTES FOR BEGINNING REED MAKERS by Martin Schuring ©2004

You are not making reeds. You are learning to make reeds. There's a big difference. It's not all your fault.

One day, your teacher says, "We're going to make reeds." An hour later, you are wishing you had four hands, wishing you could complete one or two ties without pieces flying in all directions, hoping that this time the string won't break. Immediately after these are achieved, the bar is raised. The reed is supposed to be straight, of a particular length, without leaks. The string winds should go neatly one next to the other, not snarled on top of each other. Moreover, the reed should have a proper overlap. Too many things to control, all long before the knife goes anywhere near the reed. You are now firmly stuck in the deep end, trying not to drown.

The problem is that there are not enough preparatory exercises to build the skills you need to make reeds. The only way to learn to make reeds is to do it. The analogous situation would be to go to your first oboe lesson and have the teacher say, "Here's the Strauss oboe concerto. We're going to learn this." Possibly, eight years later, you might make a presentable job of the Strauss, but you can imagine the frustration of being so bad at it for so long.

So, you're not making reeds. You're learning to make reeds. There's a big difference. The frustration can be reduced considerably by being much more interested in process than in product. Do each task as well as you possibly can. Know that you will probably make mistakes, or that you will overlook something because you haven't learned it yet. If the reed plays, great. It was probably an accident. Don't get used to it. Getting a reed is less important than getting skillful.

There is a way to speed up the process and minimize the frustration. Since reed making is something you learn by doing, do it a lot. It will likely take about a thousand reeds (!) before you feel like you know what you're doing. If you make two reeds a week, those thousand reeds will take you ten years to finish. Too long, don't you think? Two reeds a day, and you're down to a year and a half. Much better. After those thousand reeds, you will start to feel like you aren't drowning any more. Then, we can proceed to actually swimming.

And, there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel. Reed making is not the oboist's curse; it is the oboist's secret weapon. Eventually, you will be able to adjust a reed to suit your situation exactly. You will be able to make different reeds for different halls, different repertoire, different size ensembles, etc. Other instrumentalists need expensive additional equipment to make these changes; you can make them in a few seconds with your reed knife. Get to work.

M a k i n g O b o e R e e d s

I n t r o d u c t i o n

This website illustrates the process of making oboe reeds. But first, some background information on reeds in general.

There are two kinds of reed instruments:

• Single reed {such as the clarinet and saxophone) • Double reed (such as the oboe and bassoon)

These instruments, together with the flute (which uses no reed at all) make up the woodwind family.

Clarinet and saxophone players (who are considered very lucky by their double reed friends) can buy reeds that are machine-made and more-or-less ready for use right out of the box. These single reeds consist simply of a piece of cane which has been cut and machined to a particular shape. The reed is attached to a mouthpiece, typically made of plastic now.

Oboe and bassoon players, however, must usually make their own reeds. In an oboe's double reed, two pieces of cane are bound together and attached to one end of a metal tube (see diagram above). The other end of this assembly is inserted into the the oboe and forms an extension of its bore.

3 mm \~ The behavior of the oboe reed is the primary factor in the oboe's quality of sound (pitch, tone quality, i*~ etc). The relative ease (or, more often, difficulty) which which it can produce a given note, at a given volume level, etc., is determined primarily by the reed as well.

An oboe reed

Each oboist develops his/her own particular style or reed design. Since each player's embouchure and instrument is different, reeds made by one player are often not very playable by anyone else. The pictures shown here illustrate the style of reeds that I make, developed over the last twenty years or so. The photos were taken long ago and probably don't show enough detail to illustrate much difference between my reeds and those of other oboists. Some day I should take some better pictures...

Oboe Player's Music Study Guide, Level 1 - A Guide to direct Oboists at all levels o f dev. Page 1 o f 3

Study Guides

^ F l u t e

^Clar ine t

^ Q b o e

^Bassoon

•^Saxophone

•^Trumpet

^ H o r n

^Trombone

^ T u b a

^Percussion

Southern Music Company

P u b l i c a t i o n s D i v i s i o n

O b o e M u s i c S t u d y G u i d e

by Renee Higgins and D a v i d Hi te

L e v e l 1

Oboe Levels of Study

Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Oboe Music by Southern Music Company

Study of the oboe can begin as early as age eleven or twelve, as soon as the second teeth are well established. Prior experience with music basics such as notation and rhythm, and basic coordination and concentration will, of course, greatly enhance early progress with the instrument. It is generally recognized that the double reed instruments, including oboe, are the most difficult of the woodwind instruments. For this reason, it is recommended that oboists first study another instrument such as flute. Often a band director will switch one of the better woodwind players to a double reed instrument sometime during the student's first year of band. Prior study of piano is also helpful.

In order to develop good initial playing habits, learning where to put fingers, how to shape and control mouth muscles, and how to care for the expensive reed is very important. Private lessons for individual attention are recommended in addition to class lessons at school for ensemble experience. Many schools provide double reed specialists for oboe and bassoon students. Sectional rehearsals held before, during or after school with an experienced double reed teacher can help the student attain maximum potential. A minimum of thirty minutes a day should be devoted to individual practice. In the beginning two or three fifteen minute sessions are best. (Excessive practice pushing beyond the capacity of the mouth muscles can lead to bad habits.)

It is extremely important to invest in good, preferably handmade, reeds. Most commercially made reeds are not adequate, even for the beginner. Although handmade reeds are more expensive, fewer reeds should be needed as they will be much higher in quality. Poor reeds can defeat every effort to play well.

http://www.smcpublications.corn/studyguides/oboe/oboel.htm 4/9/2008

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SINGLE AND DOUBLE REED MATERIALS

David H i t e , I n c .

Woodwind A c c e s s o r i e s

P.O. Box 09747

Columus, OH 43209

S i n g l e reed mouthpieces

Sounds of Woodwinds, I n c .

Box 91

Hancock, Massachusetts 01237

Si n g l e reed m a t e r i a l s , mouthpieces,

b a r r e l s , l i g a t u r e s , e t c .

T.G. Fackelman

116 N. Vine S t r e e t

E l k h a r t , I n d i a n a 46514

E x c e l l e n t s c r a p i n g k n i v e s ,

s p e c i f y l e f t or r i g h t hand.

Thomas Tempel

3526 Washburn Ave. N.

Minneapolis, MN 55412

Oboe r e e d s , Oboist with S t . Paul

Chamber O r c h e s t r a

Edmund N i e l s o n

Woodwind Instrument S e r v i c e

14 E a s t Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, I L 60604

Cane, t o o l s

Emerald Reeds

P.O. Box 1422

Port Townsend, WA 98368

Cane, t o o l s

WDM Reed Su p p l i e s

P.O. Box 1648

Westford, MA 01886

Cane, t o o l s

Berdon

P.O. Box 5151

S e a t t l e , WA 98107 |Cane, t o o l s

Jack S p r a t t Woodwind Shop

P.O. Box 277

Old Greenwich, Connecticut 06870

RDG In c o r p o r a t e d

943 N. LaCienega Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90069

Double reed instruments, cane and t o o l s

P f e i f e r

844 Park Avenue

R i v e r Edge, NJ 07661

Reed, cane and t o o l s

Claude F. Reynolds & Son, I n c .

9404 Waterview Road

D a l l a s , TX 75218

Oboes, E n g l i s h Horns, canes and t o o l s

Le Roseau Du Var

Avenue J u l e s Grec

06600 Antibes FRANCE

Reed, cane

Symphonic Reeds

1600 E a s t Roosevelt Road

Wheaton, I L 60187

F i n i s h e d Double Reeds

The C l a r i n e t Shop

P.O. Box 55057

Houston, TX 77055

Instruments and reeds

Don P l e s n i c a r

Box 4880

Albuquerque, NM 87196

F i n i s h e d oboe reeds

Jones Double-Reed Products

Box 3888

Spokane, WA 99220-3888

Reed, cane, t o o l s , and f i n i s h e d reeds

C h r i s t l i e b Products

3311 Scadlock Lane

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Double reed, cane and t o o l s

Graham Reeds : A Brief History

G R A H A M R E E D S was established in 198ft after a

friend in the Dallas symphony who liked the reeds

suggested selling them on a larger scale. I lis suggestion

turned out to be a truly good one! Now, more than 1 >

years later, G R A H A M R E E D S are recognized as a

premium alternative to most commercially available

G R A I FAM S T A N D A R D O B O E R E E D S are excellent

for students and plavers desiring a dark, centered

sound, but with good response. These reeds are

purchased by many oboe teachers who then supply

their students, as well as bv the students themselves.

Thev are ideal for met hods classes, ami are also used

by several public schools.

G R . M I X M P R O F E S S I O N A L O B O E R I T . D ^ h.u.-

been used by major svmphonv oboists,by studio musicians

in popular movie soundtracks, and in productions on

Broadway in New York City. These reeds are dark, with

more resistance.

^ ^ ^ ^

G R A I I A M B A S S O O N R E E D S are versatile, and used

by a wide range of players.Thev feature a moderately easy

response without being overly bright.

G R A H A M O B O E S T A P L E S are our own custom

design which we arrived at after years of experimentation.

They are thin wall brass, and have the latest, long lasting

synthetic cork (not granulated cork). Our staples will

help you produce a centered, dark sound when making

your own reeds.

and finally...we hope you enjoy our product!

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