Learning a new instrument can be an overwhelming task at first, and the oboe may be particularly overwhelming! A beginner oboist can narrow down what he is learning on his instrument by focusing on oft-neglected basics. But these are skills a beginner oboist will benefit from no matter how advanced he becomes in the future. Without these basics, an oboist will fulfill the stereotype of beginner oboists sounding unbearably bad. It doesn’t have to be so!
Controlled Air
How to use your air is one of the most important skills for playing the oboe and maybe the most overlooked for beginners. Breathing should go all the way down into your belly so that you can play with a strong column of air all the way up through your abdomen, a relaxed throat, and into the reed. Playing with sufficient air that is supported properly by muscles in your belly often corrects tone and intonation problems that may otherwise plague you for years to come. Dynamics, vibrato, and phrasing are all skills that you will more easily learn if you already know how to play with good air.
Embouchure
Beginners can sometimes start to compromise their embouchure for the sake of getting through a new melody. You may find that consistently correcting your embouchure is tedious, but it will really pay off to be meticulous with making good habits now so you are not retraining yourself later. One particular tip is to make sure that you are playing with sufficient support from the corners of your mouth. Too much focus on rolling the lips can cause a pinched embouchure and sound. Be sure to bring the corners in for a rounder feel in your mouth that doesn’t stifle the reed on either the top or bottom lip. This will help you develop a richer tone right from the beginning.
Articulation/Starting Notes
Articulation is another tricky skill that can be rushed without having the basics established. Achieving good legato tonguing should be the goal for a very beginner. This is another area where consistently correcting will be so worth it even in just a few weeks. Don’t neglect the quality of your articulation when playing exercises. Put some time into repeating the same note to practice consistent tonguing. Generally, the area where your tongue touches your teeth when saying “th,” is what should make contact with the reed. While tonguing, don’t forget to use your strong air column we already discussed for better articulation as well. Legato tonguing is not only crucial for playing a string of legato notes, but for starting melodies and phrases. Being able to start notes smoothly will often set you apart from other beginners!
Just these three skills for a beginner oboist can be a lot to juggle at once. The more effort you put into doing these well, the more enjoyable your practicing will be in the weeks to come! Happy practicing!