Page 11 - 2018-BMR-September

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Beginning Oboe

Fundamentals for Your Future Oboists

Serena Finnigan

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Band directors everywhere crave an oboist that has a Private Lessons Have your potential teacher play for
mature sound and the skills to be a soloist in the ensemble. you and ask yourself, “Do I like their tone?” Ask them to
This starts with selecting students with the right personality outline a curriculum and a method book that they would
traits or qualities. Look for a student who looks you in implement for each level of student. Watch them teach a
the eye and follows instructions well, enjoys homework, lesson either live or via video. This gives you a insight into
likes being the center of attention, wants to practice an their process and teaching style. If a private lesson teacher
instrument, possible piano background, and the patience is not available for your oboists, it is recommend that the
to handle steeper learning curves. When testing them on band director build time into their sectional schedule to
the instrument ask them: What subjects do you struggle meet with oboe students individually on a weekly basis.
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with the most? Are you a neat and organized person? Are The First Two Weeks Before giving the students
you someone who likes individual or group work? These a reed to play on, do some prep work with straws and
questions can help narrow down the pool of applicants. balloons. Cut a normal sized straw to about the length of
Parental support is also a huge factor in playing a double an oboe reed, then attach a balloon to one end. Start with
reed instrument. Discuss with them the initial and monthly an inhalation on the word “WOAH” and then blow through
costs required for oboe. the straw simulating the feeling of blowing through a reed
Physical factors can also play a part in selecting a and the back pressure associated with playing. Using the
student. Detrimental physical factors can include double straw is also a great way to teach students to keep the
joints, hand size, pronounced underbite, short upper lip, center of their lips soft and the corners firm in regard to
and inability to match sung pitches. Non-detrimental embouchure. It also shows how fast or slow the student is
factors would be braces or facial structure. blowing which will correlate to sound on the oboe reed.
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Equipment All instruments should have full Embouchure Start by saying the syllable “ooo” with
conservatory key system. When purchasing instruments the teeth apart. Place the reed (or straw) on the bottom lip
for your school, the following models are recommended: and the close the top lip around the reed. Students should
FOX Renard 333 - plastic, beginner model be able to see the pink of both the top and bottom lip. If the
FOX 300 - plastic, full conservatory lips are completely lost and only skin is showing students
FOX 450 - option of plastic top joint, bottom joint will more than likely play sharp and be biting the reed. The
dry part of the lip should touch the reed and lips should
grenadilla wood
close with equal pressure all the way around. Common
Loree AK - professional
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Reeds Students should play on homemade reeds. If embouchure pitfalls are bunching chin, squeezing top and
you have a private teacher that makes reeds, start using bottom lip together and not using “corners in”, as well as
teeth being too closed.
the teacher reeds right away. Having at least three working
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Reed Pitch A common misconception about reed
reeds in your case at one time is ideal. Students need to
pitch is that it should be a “C.” It should actually CROW a
have a reed case that holds at least 6-8 reeds. Oboe reed
companies like bocalmajoritystore.com, wildflowerreeds.com “C” which means when your lips are on the thread of the
reed and you blow with an open throat and stable air you
and obonik.com offer a monthly reed package ensuring
should get a double octave C. A stable, functioning reed
that your students will have new reeds every 3-4 weeks.
should play between an Ab/G# and an A natural. Oboists
Rotating and using a different reed daily will increase the
lifespan of each reed. should feel like only the tip of the reed is in their mouth at
all times. If more of the reeds begins to slip into the mouth
the sound will become metallic sounding and sharp.

Bandmasters Review • September 2018 9 Texas Bandmasters Association