Double-Reeds Methods Notebook [PDF]

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Double Reeds Methods Notebook MUS 125B

By Rosy Turcios

Table of Contents Section A.​ Technique Report Oboe Reflection………………………………………………………...……………….1 Section B.​ Journal Articles Teaching the Beginning Bassoonist..…………………………………..……………..2 Bassoon Reed Tuning Basics…………………………...…………………………...11 How to buy an Oboe…………………………………………………………………..15 Section C.​ Clinic Handouts Transitioning the Young Double Reed Player…………………………....………....17 Planning a Successful Double-Reed Beginner Class……………………………..23 Demystifying Double-Reeds………………………………………………………….36 Section E.​ Beginning Single Reed Assignment Bassoon Intonation…………….……………………...………………………..……..62 Oboe Rhythmic Scale Exercise……………………….……………………………..63

Turcios, Rosy MUS 125B Professor Mason 11 May 2020 Learning Oboe Oboe was very fun to learn besides the technical difficulties I started off with the instrument, which I had to exchange for another one. Going to office hours and learning how the instrument was broken was a very interesting lesson in itself. The keys didn’t align between the upper and lower sections properly, which was a hardware malfunction. We tried to adjust the lower section just a bit to connect both sections but it ended up disconnecting other keys on the oboe and making it unplayable.

Before getting right into the instrument, I did some assessments and comparisons with the clarinet. I used to play the clarinet in high school so the oboe was a bit familiar in the way I held and assembled it together. The embouchure for the reed was drastically different. At first I put too much pressure on my bottom lip and made a lot of squeaks. But after going to office hours it really did help with loosening my “grip” on the reed and making the corners of my mouth seal the reed in.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed oboe more than bassoon, mostly because I didn’t get to have that hands on experience like I did with oboe. Nevertheless, it was a fun experience, not too challenging at all.

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Teaching the Beginning Bassoonist By Terry B. Ewell Towson University, Maryland

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a n y m u s ic e d u c a t o r s s e e t h e n e e d t o s t a r t s t u d e n t s o n t h e b a s s o o n , ye t hesitate to do so because of their lack of expertise on the instrument. Even willing music educators have difficulty dealing with the complexity of the bassoon, its double reed, and its fingering system. The paucity of books and articles on the pedagogy of the instrument—particularly o n t e a c h in g t h e yo u n g b a s s o o n is t —n o d o u b t compounds their frustrations.1 In response to this need, this article serves as a primer for starting young bassoonists. Below you will find information o n c r it e r ia fo r s e le c t in g wh o s h o u ld p la y t h e bassoon, the care of the instrument, lesson plans, and suggestions for ten model bassoon lessons. This article is written for the educator who does not play the bassoon or who has only encountered the bassoon briefly in a pedagogy course.

FIG. 2. Position of the Left Hand.

c o n s id e r a t io n fo r t h e s t u d e n t o f t h e b a s s o o n . Ba s s o o n r e e d s a r e r a t h e r e xp e n s ive ($6.00 o r m o r e ) a n d t h e in s t r u m e n t it s e lf is c o s t ly t o purchase. Ready access to a playable instrument and bassoon reeds are essential for a student’s p rogress. Th ird , a stud ent with an ind ep end ent nature should be given preference. The bassoon is viewed as an od d ity b y most second ary sch ool students, and if peer pressure is keenly felt by the student then playing the bassoon will more likely b e a s our ce of emb ar r as s ment th an a p os itive experience. Last of all teachers should consider th e stud ent’s motivation, musical ap titud e, and maturity. Th e b as s o o n is an excellen t in s t r u m en t fo r students with braces. When the bassoon reed is played properly, very little pressure is exerted on the teeth. Thus, playing the instrument does not e xa c e r b a t e o r t h o d o n t ic p r o b le m s n o r is it a s uncomfortable to perform as other instruments a ft e r o n e ’s o r t h o d o n t ic h a r d wa r e h a s b e e n tigh tened or ch anged . In ad d ition, b as s oonis ts with braces don’t suffer as many problems with tone production as students of the flute and brass in s t r u m e n t s e n c o u n t e r wh e n t h e y h a ve orthodontic hardware.

I. Selecting a Bassoon Student There are several factors which contribute to a s t u d e n t ’s s u c c e s s o n t h e b a s s o o n . Fir s t , t h e student’s hands should be large enough to play the instrument. Check to see if the student is able to cover the C hole with the left ring finger (third hole) and comfortably reach the whisper key and the speaker keys (A key, C key, and D key) with the left th umb . Figure 1 p rovid es th e names of th e

II. Ten Model Lesson Plans and Comments There are several method books that provide effective instruction for beginning students. The lesson plans below refer to four readily available studies: J. E. Skornicka’s Rubank Elementary Method for Bassoon (Hal Leonard Pub lish ing Corp oration), Henry Paine’s Studies and Melodious Etudes for Bassoon, Le v e l 1 ( Ele m e ntary) (Mia m i: Be lwin Mills, 1969), C. Paul Herfurth and Hugh M. Stuart’s A Tune a Day (Boston: Boston Music Company, 1964), and Julius Weissenborn’s Bassoon Studies Opus 8, Vol. I (Frankfurt and New York: Edition

FIG. 1. Names of the Bassoon Keys

bassoon keys and holes, and Figure 2 illustrates the placement of the left hand thumb and fingers t o p lay C3 (C b elo w o p en F). Sever al b as s o o n manufacturers produce bassoons which feature a c o ve r e d C h o le t h a t r e d u c e s t h e s t r e t c h fo r s m a lle r h a n d s . Se c o n d , fin a n c e s a r e a

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for playing is to soak it in tepid water for a minute or two. Many players also rinse the reed off after each practice session in order to prolong the life of th e reed . Wh en not in us e, th e reed s h ould b e placed in a container which allows air circulation or it will be prone to mold, especially in humid climates. Bassoon reeds do change from day to day and week to week so teachers may wish to c o n s u lt Ro b e r t Ba r r is a n d Mic h a e l Ja m p o le ’s article in The Instrumentalist 52/2 (September 1997) on reed adjustments. St u d e n t s s h o u ld r e a lize t h e n e c e s s it y o f swab b ing th e instrument after each p ractice or p e r fo r m a n c e s e s s io n . Mo s t b a s s o o n s c o m e supplied with wool-haired swabs that can create problems for the bassoonist if used on a regular b as is . Th e s wab s freq uently s h ed fib ers wh ich then become lodged in tone holes and pad seats. If th es e s wab s are us ed , th ey s h ould b e covered with a non-shedding cloth material such as cotton or linen sheets. A better solution, however, is to purchase or make pull-through swabs: one for the boot joint and a smaller one for the tenor joint.2 Some silk swabs are suitable for swabbing both joints. These swabs will need to be attached to a weighted cord which can be dropped through the joints before the swab is pulled through. Most American bassoonists hold their instrument with th e aid of a s eat s trap . Th e s trap is either hooked into a hole on the metal cap of the boot joint or has a metal band or cup into which the metal cap is inserted. The strap is laid on the seat and th e stud ent sits on th e strap with th e b a s s o o n r e s t in g o n t h e r igh t t h igh . As a n alternative, stud ents may emp loy a neck strap , which hooks into a ring at the top of the boot joint. Younger students, and most professional players, however, find that balancing the instrument with just a neck strap is rather awkward. The fingerings introduced in the ten lessons are fo u n d in fin ge r in g c h a r t s a c c o m p a n yin g t h e m e t h o d b o o ks . In s o m e in s t a n c e s , h o we ve r , stand ard American b assoon fingering p ractices differ with those in some of the fingering charts. Please see Figure 4 for eight preferred fingerings. For th is les s on, h owever , th e finger ings for F3 (open F) and the three diatonic notes below it do not differ in the method books from conventional Am e r ic a n fin ge r in gs . Yo u m a y a ls o r e fe r t o standard bassoon fingerings given at the IDRS Web in t h e Ba sso o n -Fa m ily Fin ge rin g Co m p a n io n : http://idrs.colorado.edu/BSNFING/FINGHOME.HT M. Th e s t u d e n t s h o u ld h a ve t h e wh is p e r ke y engaged by the left thumb for the four pitches in this lesson. The whisper key is analogous to an o ct ave key excep t t h at it is d ep r es s ed fo r t h e

Pe t e r s ) . In t h is a r t ic le t h e fo u r m e t h o d s a r e abbreviated as Rubank, Studies, A Tune, and Opus 8. Th e m a t e r ia l in t h e s e s t u d y m e t h o d s va r y widely, and all of them may not be appropriate for yo u r b e gin n in g s t u d e n t o r yo u r m e t h o d o f instruction. Beginners come in all different ages, a p t it u d e s , a n d a b ilit ie s , s o t h e m e t h o d o f in s t r u c t io n m u s t b e t a ilo r e d t o e a c h s t u d e n t . Please see the annotated bibliography at the end of the article to determine the appropriate method book. Lesson 1: A. Care of the bassoon and reed 1. Proper assembling 2. Soaking the bassoon reed 3. Pull-through bassoon swabs B. Holding the Bassoon 1. Seat strap 2. Hand position C. New Fingerings 1. F3-C3 (Open F down to C) 2. Use of the whisper key D. Embouchure basics E. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 1, Studies pp. 4-5, A Tune lessons 1-3, or Opus 8 lesson 1. The bassoon is an expensive instrument; even t h e lo we s t p r ic e d m o d e ls c o s t s t h o u s a n d s o f d o lla r s . Fr o m t h e s t a r t , t h e t e a c h e r n e e d s t o impress upon students the importance of proper c a r e o f t h e in s t r u m e n t . Th e jo in t s o n t h e in s t r u m e n t s h o u ld fit s n u gly, b u t n o t t igh t ly. Overly tight fitting joints can result in damage to t h e key wor k as t h e s t ud ent t r ies t o for ce t h e ins trument togeth er or ap art. Th e p arts of th e b as s oon s h ould b e as s emb led in th e following order: the tenor joint fits into the boot joint, the long joint then fits FIG. 3. Parts of a bassoon. into the boot joint, t h e b e ll fit s o n t o the long joint, and finally the bocal is in s e r t e d in t o t h e t e n o r jo in t ( s e e Figu r e 3) . Sp e c ia l c a r e s h o u ld b e t a ke n wh e n t h e bocal is inserted so t h a t t h e wh is p e r key pad is not torn. Th e b a s s o o n is d is a s s e m b le d in the reverse order. The best way to prepare the reed

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3. Breathe by dropping lower jaw 4. “Diaphragmatic breathing” B. New Fingerings 1. B2 (B below open F), A2, and G2. C. Lesson materials 1. Rubank Lesson 2, Studies p. 6, A Tune lessons 4-7, or Opus 8 lesson 2.

FIG. 4. Standard American bassoon fingerings.

Seek to start off your students with a proper a n d c o m fo r t a b le p o s t u r e . Th e b e s t a n d m o s t r e la xe d wa y t o p la y t h e b a s s o o n in a s e a t e d p os ition is with th e s tud ent’s b ack agains t th e back of a chair, and the instrument positioned in such a manner that the reed enters straight into the mouth—not at an angle. Some bassoon bocals ar e b en t at s u ch an an gle t h at t h is s t r aigh t -in positioning of the reed may not be possible with a seat strap. These bocals are intended to be played with neck-strap support only. A repairman may be able to alter the angle of the bocal, or you may wis h t o s ear ch for anot h er b ocal ins t ead . Th e student’s head and torso should be straight and upright when playing the bassoon, not tilted to one side or the other. The music stand should be placed so that the student is reading to the right side of the bassoon bell from their vantage point. Encourage students to breathe by dropping the jaw. Too often bassoonists breathe by raising the upper lip off the bassoon reed and pivoting the head up and backwards. Breathing above the reed is not as efficient or as quick as breathing below the reed, that is by dropping the jaw. Much has been written in the literature about proper breathing, so we will not labor the point h ere.3 Stud ents s h ould b reath e comfortab ly b y employing the diaphragmatic muscles to breathe in and the abdominal muscles to breathe out. The concept of filling a glass often works with students: the glass is filled with water from the bottom to t h e t o p ; s im ila r ly s t u d e n t s s h o u ld fe e l t h e ir abdomen extending and “filling up with air” before their chest cavity moves. Students with signs of strain and excessive shoulder movement during in h a la t io n m a y p r o fit fr o m r e la xe d b r e a t h in g exercises. One such exercise is to have students lay flat with their backs on the floor. Most of them im m e d ia t e ly b r e a t h e in a r e la xe d a n d p r o p e r manner in this prone position. In t h es e fir s t les s ons , s t ud ent s s h ould p lay everything at a comfortable forte dynamic. Establish a relaxed and rounded embouchure encircling the reed before seeking embouchure adjustments need ed for th e q uieter d ynamics . At th is ear ly stage of development, the vast majority of bassoon students play with an embouchure that is much t o o t igh t . A “c r o c o d ile -b it e ” e m b o u c h u r e is

lo we r r e gis t e r s a n d le ft o p e n fo r t h e u p p e r register. The left hand fingers cover the holes on the tenor joint. Th e e m b o u c h u r e is m u c h lo o s e r a n d m o r e mobile on the bassoon reed than on the clarinet or saxophone mouthpiece. Students can simulate the feel of the bassoon embouchure by whistling a low pitch, and then rolling in the lips slightly with a finger. It is a good idea to have students blow a few notes on the bassoon reed by itself before placing t h e r e e d o n t h e in s t r u m e n t . A we ll a d ju s t e d bassoon reed with a properly loose embouchure and good breath support will produce a rattling sound—not a single pitch—that we often call “a crow.” If the student is not able to produce this sound at th e first lesson d o not lab or over th e issue, it could be a problem with the bassoon reed, r a t h e r t r y t o e n c o u r a ge a lo o s e , n o n -b it in g embouchure. Lesson 2: A. Posture and breathing 1. Sit up straight with back to the chair 2. Reed should enter the mouth straight-on

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TEACHING THE BEGINNING BASSOONIST

Th e a ir s t r e a m s h ould not waiver th r ough th is exer cise. The students’ ch ar t of th is exer c is e s h o u ld lo o k s im ila r t o Figu r e 6—t h e p it c h fa lls a n d t h e n r is e s . Ne xt s t u d e n t s FIG. 6. Embouchure articulation. should experiment with the tongued start and stop. Place the tongue o n t h e r e e d , s t a r t t h e a ir p r e s s u r e b e fo r e t h e t o n gu e r e le a s e s , r e le a s e t h e t o n gu e wit h o u t varying the air or embouchure, then finally place the tongue back on the reed. Figure 7 presents a ch ar t of wh at s h ould b e a s tead y p itch in th is experiment.6 Ou r e xp e r iments have yielded interesting results. On ly o n e a r t ic u la t io n wh e n e m p lo ye d b y it s e lf avoids pitch deviations—the tongued start and stop. This m e t h o d o f a r t ic u - FIG. 7. Tongue articulation. la t io n s h o u ld b e p r efer r ed for r ap id ly r e-ar ticulated notes . Th e instability inherent in starting notes with the air or embouchure also brings us to a decision on how to start notes. Every note should be started with the tongue on the reed. This alone will produce a clean and accurate attack. Stud ents may find it helpful to think of five steps to starting a tone: 1) exhale, 2) inhale, 3) place the tip of the tongue in the opening of the reed and seal the embouchure around the reed, 4) start the breath support, 5) release the tongue. The embouchure and air articulations may be employed to end a note if the two are properly balanced. At this stage your students will begin to discover that dynamic differences on the bassoon are made with the air stream. In order to avoid p it ch d eviat io n s d u r in g d yn am ic ch an ges , t h e embouchure must be adjusted: for crescendos the e m b o u c h u r e o p e n s , fo r d e c r e s c e n d o s t h e e m b o u c h u r e c lo s e s . Th u s , if a t a p e r o r diminuendo is desired at the end of a note— and time permits— the balanced combination of the a ir a n d e m b o u c h u r e e n d t o a p it c h c a n a n d sh ould b e used . However, even with a tongued start and a combined air/embouchure release to n o t e s , s t u d e n t s s h o u ld a vo id e xc e s s ive ja w movement.7

difficult for former single-reed players to abandon. To produce the best sound on the bassoon, there must be considerable space between the upper and lower molars. In other words, the jaw must be dropped. Lesson 3: A. Articulation experiments 1. Air 2. Embouchure 3. Tongue B. Th e p r o p e r m e t h o d t o s t a r t a n o t e o n bassoon 1. Place tongue on the reed 2. Start breath support 3. Release the tongue C. The two proper methods to stop a note on bassoon 1. Tongue stop 2. Balanced air/embouchure stop D. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 3, Studies p. 7, A Tune lessons 8-9, or Opus 8 lesson 3 Th e t h ir d le s s o n o n t h e in s t r u m e n t is a n excellent time to introduce proper articulation.4 The method by which notes on the instrument are started and stopped has great consequences for proper tone production. Students can confirm for themselves the effect of different types of articulation by experimenting with the articulations on a bassoon reed placed solely on the bassoon bocal (ap ar t fr om th e ins tr ument). Th e p itch on th e b o c a l wit h t h e r e e d is r a t h e r u n s t a b le , t h u s p resenting an id eal forum in wh ich to d iscover pitch deviations. The bocal experiments could take the following form: Have your students start a tone with the air, crescendo to about forte, and then decrescendo until the note stops. Through this whole exercise th e emb ouch ure sh ould remain stead y with no m ovem ent . Figur e 5 gives a ch ar t of t h e likely result—the pitch will rise and then fall.5 Next your s t u d e n t s s h o u ld p in c h t h e r e e d wit h t h e ir embouchure, start the air stream with no sound at t h is p o in t , s lo wly d r o p FIG. 5. Air articulation. th e jaw d ownward until th e r eed vib r at es , c o n t in u e t o d r o p t h e ja w fu r t h e r a n d th en r ais e th e ja w u n t il t h e reed stops.

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second finger. In order to p r o p e r ly e xe c u t e t h is t e c h n iq u e t h e E h o le s h o u ld b e c o ve r e d o n ly wit h t h e fin ge r ’s u p p e r FIG. 9. Position of E hole portion (see Figure 9). covered by the left index Slurring from A3 to G3 finger. a b o ve o p e n F p r o vid e s students an excellent opportunity to practice the half-hole technique. Students finger A3 with the E hole fully closed and the whisper key not engaged. When they proceed to G3 the students should roll the left index finger downward, venting the E hole s ligh t ly. Th e wh is p e r ke y s h o u ld a ls o b e depressed when the E hole is vented.

Lesson 4: A. Long tone exercises 1. Sustained long tones 2. Articulated long tones B. New fingerings 1. G3 (G above open F), A3, B3, and C4. For G3 see Figure 4. 2. The half hole C. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 4, Studies p. 8, A Tune lessons 11-138, or Opus 8 lesson 4 In t h e la s t le s s o n c o n c e p t s o f c o r r e c t articulation were introduced. This lesson presents several exercises which focus on articulation. All s t u d en t s s h o u ld p r act ice t h e exer cis es wit h a metronome. Not only does a metronome develop solid metrical timing, but it gives a guide by which to judge the accurate timing of the beginnings and endings of notes. Long t one exer cis es ar e ver y us eful for t h e b e gin n in g s t u d e n t . St u d e n t s s h o u ld p r a c t ic e starting, sustaining, and stopping notes without any wavered pitch. With the metronome set to 60 have your students start a note exactly with the beat, sustain for four counts, and then stop the note exactly with the metronome. Various pitches on the instrument should be practiced, since every note on the bassoon responds differently. The two types of stops should be practiced: tongue and the combination of air and embouchure. Increase the le n gt h o f t h e n o t e a s s t u d e n t s ga in fu r t h e r mastery. Figure 8 illustrates a modification on the long tone exercise. Again set th e metronome for 60. St u d e n t s s t a r t t h e n o t e wit h t h e b e a t then stop the note FIG. 8. Representation of an wit h t h e n e xt b e a t , articulated long tone study. r e p e a t in g s e ve r a l t im e s . Bo t h m e t h o d s o f t e r m in a t in g t h e n o t e should be practiced. With the tongued stop, the air p r es s u r e an d em b o u ch u r e s et t in g r em ain s unchanged whether the reed is vibrating or not. Insist that your students keep up the air pressure even when the tongue is on the reed. There should be no “chewing” motion with the jaw during the tonguing. In the tongued start and stop the tongue functions independent of the jaw. With the air and embouchure stop, exhort your students to avoid any pitch deviations. The half hole is critical to the tone production of the three chromatic notes above open F: F#3, G3, a n d Ab 3. Th e t e c h n iq u e o f “h a lf-h o lin g” requires the left index finger to vent the E hole wit h a d o wn wa r d r o llin g m o t io n t o wa r d s t h e

Lesson 5: A. Review prior concepts B. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 5, Studies p. 9, A Tune lesson 14, or Opus 8 lesson 5 Th e fift h le s s o n , m id wa y t h r o u gh t h e t e n lessons, p rovid es a suitab le p lace at wh ich th e teacher should review the concepts taught in the p r e vio u s fo u r le s s o n s . St u d e n t s s h o u ld n o t progress to new techniques discussed in the later lessons until there is a consistent command of the essentials taught above. If necessary the teacher may introduce new fingerings and even progress fu r t h e r in t h e le s s o n m a t e r ia ls , b u t t h e n e w techniques given below should not be taught until the student is correctly supporting the sound at a forte d ynamic, p rop erly emp loying th e wh isp er key and half-hole technique, and gaining mastery over the two tonguing methods. Lesson 6: A. Flick Keys B. New fingerings 1. F2 (Low F), Bb2 (Bb below open F), and Bb3 (Bb above open F) C. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 6, Studies p. 10, A Tune lesson 15, or Opus 8 lesson 6 The art of “flicking” is one of the most difficult tech niq ues for a young b as s oonis ts to mas ter. Given th e d ifficulty of th e tas k, s tud ents often q uestion th e necessity of mastering th e flicking tech niq ue. Take time in th is lesson to carefully explain the reason for flicking. Once the students understand the benefit, they will be much more likely to put in the necessary time to master the technique. The necessity of employing the flick keys, or

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TEACHING THE BEGINNING BASSOONIST

Lesson 7: A. Introduction to the “drive.” 1. Long tone exercise with dynamics 2. Discussion of musicality B. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 7, Studies p. 11, A Tune lesson 169, or Opus 8 lesson 7

speaker keys, can be demonstrated on the pitch A3 above open F. Have the students rapidly tongue th e A several times at d ifferent d ynamic levels. Listen carefully to the attack of each note. Several, if not all of them, will articulate indistinctly with a cracking sound, or a bit similar to a double attack. Now have your students hold down the left thumb A key while they repeat the rapid tonguing again. Immediately it will be apparent that the attacks are crisp and clean. Although beginners may find it more convenient to leave the flick keys depressed the entire note, the tone is generally improved with the release of the keys after the start of the note. For instance, the sound quality of the A3 (the A above open F) is not as pleasant with the speaker key held down. Releasing the key after the attack will greatly improved the s ound of th e note. For th is reas on b as s oonis ts generally depress the A, C, and D flick keys (marked with an asterisk in Figure 1) for the start of the note only. In other words, the keys are flicked. Besid es A3, four oth er p itch es are generally flicked on the bassoon. Bb3 above open F is flicked wit h e it h e r t h e A o r C s p e a ke r ke y. St u d e n t s should hold down the A speaker key and then the C s p e a ke r ke y wh ile t o n gu in g t h e Bb . Us e wh ic h e ve r p r o d u c e s t h e b e s t t o n e o n t h e instrument. Flick B3 and C4 above open F with the C speaker key. If necessary, flick the D above open F wit h t h e D flic k ke y. Us u a lly t h e r e a r e fe w problems with the attack of the D, so it is not as necessary to flick this note when tonguing it. Many mod els of b as s oons mad e for s tud ents d o not have this D speaker key. There are two situations in which the flick keys m u s t b e em p lo yed . We h ave co ver ed t h e fir s t situation—the articulation of select notes (A3, Bb3, B3, C4, D4). Slurs of a third or more to the selected p itch es req uire th e second instance of flicking. Figure 10 gives an exercise which helps students to mas ter th e flicking tech niq ue d uring octave slurs. In the first beat of each measure hold down

This is the first point in the lesson plans that t h e s t u d e n t h a s b e e n e n c o u r a ge d t o p la y a d ynamic oth er th an for te. By now th e s tud ent should be accustomed to the feel of an open, forte bassoon embouchure. Playing quieter dynamics on the bassoon does require a tightening of the embouchure. Beware though, of the likelihood of an overly tight embouchure returning. Encourage students to memorize the feel of a well-supported forte sound. This becomes a reference point from which to depart and return during the long tone exercises. Figures 11 and 12 present two forms of the long tone exercises with dynamics. Figure 11 gives a lo n g t o n e exer cis e in an in ver t ed fo r m , wh ich s t u d e n t s will find th e eas ies t t o b e gin wit h . Th e m o s t s t a n dard form of the FIG. 11. Inverted long tone exercise. lo n g t o n e e xe r cises starts at a q u ie t d yn a m ic le ve l, c r e s c e n d o s t o a lo u d FIG. 12. Long tone exercise. d yn a m ic le ve l, and th en d ecrescendos to a quiet dynamic level (Figure 12). For the younger student, however, the initial piano or pianissimo attack presents many problems. You may wish to have students work on several variations of Figure 11. Set the metronome for 60. Star t with four counts of d iminuend o and four counts of crescend o. Increase th e length of th e exercise by adding more counts to the diminuendo and crescendo. Students also may profit from the insertion of “dynamic plateaus.” For instance, 3 counts of forte (a dynamic plateau), 3 counts of diminuendo, 3 counts of piano (another dynamic plateau), 3 counts of crescendo, and end with 3 counts of forte. The object of the exercise is to at t ained cont r ol over t h e p it ch at all d ynam ic levels. Insist up on a stead y tone with p lenty of b r e a t h s u p p o r t t h r o u gh t h e e n t ir e e xe r c is e . Naturally long tone exercises should be practiced on a variety of pitches; that is, low notes, middle notes, and high notes. Even young students should be encouraged to

FIG. 10. Slurred flicking exercise.

the whisper key. On the second beat the whisper key is released. During the third beat when the new p itch is s ound ed d ep r es s th e ap p r op r iate speaker key. On the fourth beat the speaker key is released . As th e stud ents gain confid ence th ey t h e n s h o u ld b e e n c o u r a ge d t o h o ld d o wn t h e whisper key as long as possible. The speaker keys, conversely, should be held down just at the start of the new pitch.

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Lesson 9: A. Refinement of pitch control B. New fingerings 1. D4 and Eb4 (above open F). For Eb4 see Figure 4. C. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 9, Studies p. 13, A Tune lesson 17 and supplementary material p. 26, or Opus 8 lesson 9.

grasp the concept of musicality. When you discuss musicality it need not be ethereal and intangible, you can link mus icality to th e p r actice of long tones with dynamic shadings. Marcel Tabuteau, famed oboist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and teacher at the Curtis Institute of Music, coined a term to d ep ict motion in music—th e “d rive.” A d r ive is t h e s c a lin g o f va r io u s c o m p o n e n t s o f music. For our purposes here, the drive will mean gradations of dynamics. A drive with dynamics, for ins tance, could includ e a cres cend o toward s a musical goal followed by a decrescendo. Tabuteau em p loyed num b er s t o d ep ict var ious levels of tension, or in th e instance of d ynamics various tiers of loudness.10 In t h e le s s o n m a t e r ia l c h o o s e a p h r a s e t o p r a c t ic e wit h a m u s ic a l d r ive . De c id e o n t h e musical goal in the phrase. Then employ a crescendo to the goal and a decrescendo away from the goal. For instance: in Rubank lesson 7 number 1 make th e d ownb eat of measure 2 th e goal; in Studies p. 11 Etude No. 15 make the downbeat of measure 3 the goal; in A Tune lesson 16 number 3 make the downbeat of measure 2 the goal; or in Opus 8 lesson 7 first line make the downbeat of t h e t h ir d m e a s u r e t h e go a l. Th e m a s t e r y o f dynamic levels gained during long tone study are th us ap p lied d ir ectly to th e mus ic, imp r es s ing u p o n t h e s t u d e n t t h e im p o r t a n c e o f d ilige n t practice of the exercises.

By this time students will be aware of at least one way to control th e p itch on th e b assoon— embouchure adjustments. If this is the only means by which students can control the pitch, however, their tone and dynamics will greatly suffer. The best sound on the bassoon requires the perfect alignment of air, embouchure, a relaxed (or open) th roat, and th e correct vowel in th e mouth . In lesson 3 we experimented with different types of ar ticulations . At th is p oint it is a good id ea to review the change of intonation with increases and decreases in air flow and embouchures tightening or loosening. Figure 14 provides a table of the air and emb ouch ur e effects on intonation alr ead y d is c u s s e d . It a ls o in c lu d e s in fo r m a t io n o n intonation changes due to the mouthed vowel.

Lesson 8: A. Articulated long tones with varied dynamics B. New Fingerings 1. Eb3 (Eb below open F). See Figure 4. C. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 8, Studies p. 12, A Tune lesson 21, or Opus 8 lesson 8.11

FIG. 14. Methods of pitch control.

To demonstrate the effect of vowel formations on the pitch and timbre of a bassoon sound have students sustain G3 (G above open F) while slowly alternating b etween th e vowel sound s “ee” and “oh” in their mouth. The students do not actually voice the vowels, rather they form these vowels in their oral cavity. You and your student will notice a drop in pitch when the “ee” (long e as in peek) or “ih” (short I as in “pig”) sound is substituted by the “oh” or “ah” sound. In ord er to ach ieve th e maximum resonance and the best intonation on the bassoon there is a general progression of vowel sounds which need t o b e followed t h r ough t h e b as s oon r egis t er s . In d ivid u a l n o t e s m a y d e p a r t fr o m t h e s e generalities, depending upon a chosen fingering or b a s s o o n s wit h p o o r e r in t o n a t io n . Th e fir s t o r fundamental register from Bb1(low Bb) to E3 (E below open F) starts with “oh” or “ah” vowel on Bb1, around Bb2 the vowel changes more to a “eh” sound, and by the time E3 is reached, the mouth cavity tends towards “ee.” See Figure 15. Starting at the break on F3 (open F) the progression starts

Continue to stress the importance of long tone exercises in your lessons with students. To keep up the student’s interest and add a new element to master, one can introduce articulated stops and starts to Figures 11 and 12. Keeping in mind the same dynamic inflections introduced in Figure 11 and 12, have students alternately start and stop t h e t o n e wit h t h e t o n gu e . Se e Figu r e 13 fo r a d e p ic t io n o f t h is b r o ke n lo n g t o n e e xe r c is e . Remind students to stop and start the note with t h e t o n gu e wh ile n o t c h a n gin g t h e p it c h o r dynamics during articulation. FIG. 13. Representation of a broken long tone exercise.

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or bands. The time spent to master the material presented here should pay handsome dividends for student and teacher alike. FIG. 15. The bassoon registers.

III. Studies, Solos, and Collections

over in the second register, although this time the vowel shift is more rapid. F3 (open F) is back to the “oh” sound, by A3 or Bb3 the vowel is close to “eh ,” fr om C4 t o F4 t h e vowel is “ee” wit h t h e p o s s ib le e xc e p t io n s o f C#4 a n d D4. Th e t h ir d r e gis t e r F# 4 t o C5 o n ly lo o s e ly fo llo ws t h e p rogression since fingering ch oices can wid ely vary in pitch thus requiring a different vowel. Th e r e is a h ie r a r c h y t o m e t h o d s o f p it c h control which students must follow if they wish to obtain the best possible sound at any dynamic. Breath support comes first. Always use as much air as p os s ib le at any d ynamic level. Once th e breath support is in place then adjust the vowel in t h e m o u t h , a n d o n ly a t t h e e n d t e m p e r t h e intonation with an embouchure adjustment. The most common mistake for beginners to make is to adjust the pitch by embouchure movement alone. Often this adjustment is to the detriment of proper breath support and a good tone.

A. Recommended method books for the beginning bassoonist Herfurth, C. Paul, and Stuart, Hugh M. A Tune a Day (Bos ton: Bos ton Mus ic Comp any, 1961). Th is is a fin e t u t o r fo r ve r y yo u n g (a ge 9-12) s tud ents . It p r ovid es a p r actice r ecor d , amp le pictures of finger positions, a good introduction to music notation, and duets with every lesson. Th e fin ge r in g c h a r t , u n fo r t u n a t e ly is r a t h e r c u m b e r s o m e , c o n t a in in g n o n -s t a n d a r d fin ger in gs fo r Eb 3 (Eb in t h e s t aff), an d Eb 4 (Eb above the staff). Paine, Henry. Studies and Melodious Etudes for Bassoon (Miami: Belwin Mills, 1969). Best suited for a junior h igh or h igh s ch ool b eginner. Th e b o o k c o n t a in s n o d u e t s , a n d a s s u m e s s o m e r emed ial knowled ge of notation. Th e finger ing ch ar t is concis e and eas y t o r ead . Don’t h ave students use the second Eb3 (Eb in the staff) or the first Eb4 fingering (Eb above the staff).

Lesson 10: A. Review prior concepts B. New fingerings 1. C#3 (below open F), Ab2 and Ab3. For C#3 see Figure 4. Also note that the Fingering for C#4 is in Figure 4 — for future use. C. Lesson materials 1. Rubank lesson 10, Studies p. 14, A Tune lessons 18-20, or Opus 8 lesson 10.

Skornicka, J. E. Rubank Elem entary Method for Bassoon ( Milwa u ke e : Ha l Le o n a r d Pu b lis h in g Co r p o r a t io n , 1935) . Th is is t h e c la s s ic wo r k m a n y Am e r ic a n b a s s o o n is t s s t a r t e d w it h . Les s ons ar e well-s uit ed for elem ent ar y, junior h igh , or even h igh s ch ool s tud ents . In gener al the book progresses at a faster rate than A Tune A Day. Th e work h as no p ictures, b ut contains amp le d uets. Th e fingering ch art is mod erately e a s y t o r e a d , b u t a ga in b e c a r e fu l t o s e le c t a proper Eb3 or Eb4 fingering.

With the tenth lesson, we have completed our brief introduction to bassoon instruction. Obviously these ten lessons have been highly stylized; few, if any stud ents will b e suited to follow th e lesson format exactly as presented here. These ten lessons should not be viewed as rigid mandates. Rather, it is the author’s hope that material and explanations contained in these lessons will be introduced at an appropriate time at the teacher’s discretion. For example, the concept of flicking (Lesson 6) may take a student several months to master. In this instance, it is b est to continue with new lesson material and new fingerings. Although the bassoon is a daunting instrument to teach, the rewards for students who master the instrument are considerable. Students who master th e b as s oon h ave excep tional op p or tunities in summer music festivals, colleges and universities, and even professional positions with orchestras

Weissenborn, Julius. Bassoon Studies Opus 8, Vol. I (Frankfurt and New York: Editions Peters, No.2277a). This is the venerable bassoon tutor. Th e le s s o n s b e c o m e q u it e s o p h is t ic a t e d in a sh ort p eriod of time, so it is recommend ed for t h e a d u lt b e gin n e r o r a s t u d e n t w it h p r io r m u s ic a l b a c kgr o u n d . Th is s t u d y m igh t b e s t s er ve as a fo llo w-u p t o an y o f t h e p r io r t h r ee studies mentioned above. B. Recommended solo literature for the beginning bassoonist 12 Braun, Jean Daniel. Solos ( 1740) (Sch ott). A collection of varied movements.

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J a c o b , Go r d o n . Fo u r Sk e tch e s ( Em e r s o n Edition). Easy and fun.

A fu r t h e r d is c u s s io n o f ja w m o v e m e n t is contained in my article “Articulation on Bassoon: Sh o u ld t h e Jaw Mo ve?” The Double Reed 17/ 3 (Winter 1994): 83-85. 8. A Tune a Day introduces F# in these lessons. 9. A Tune a Day introduces low E in this lesson. 10. For further information on the drive including r e fe r e n c e s t o o t h e r wr it e r s s e e m y a r t ic le “A Bassoonist’s Expansions upon Marcel Tabuteau’s “Drive,” The Journal of the International Double Reed Society 20 (July 1992): 27-30. 11. Opus 8 Bassoon-School introd uces low Ab in this lesson. 12. Th e s e wo r ks we r e r e c o m m e n d e d in Da r yl Du r r a n ’s “Us e r Fr ie n d ly Ba s s o o n Tu n e s ,” The Double Reed 22/1 (March 1999): 63-65. 13, Ibid. 7.

Weis s enb or n, Julius . Arioso and Hum oresk e ( In t e r n a t io n a l) . Th e Ar io s o is b e a u t ifu l, t h e Humoreske is manageable. Vaugh an Williams , Ralp h . A Winter’s Willow (Medici Music Press). A folksong arrangement. C. Recommended collections for the beginning bassoonist 13 Da s Fa go tt, v o l. 5 ( De u t s c h e r Ve r la g fo r Mu s ik) . A s e le c t io n o f e a s y t o m o d e r a t e ly difficult works. Fagottm uz ik a ( Ed it io Mu s ic a Bu d a p e s t ) . A collection of 22 pieces of well-known songs and dance movements.

Ab ou t the a u thor … Terry B. Ew ell is chair of the Departm ent of Music at Towson University. He has perform ed as principal bassoon of the Hong Kong Philharm onic, the Wheeling Sym phony, and the West Virginia Sym phony Orchestra. Dr. Ewell has recorded for Musical He ritage Socie ty, Hong Kong Re cords, Pick w ick Re co rds, a n d Ca m bria Re co rds. His writings appear in nine journals principally The Do uble Re e d, th e In te rn a tio n a l Do uble Re e d Journal, and Scrapes. In addition he is an author or editor of several publications on the International Double Reed Society World Wide Web Site: the Bassoon-Fam ily Fingering Com panion, the IDRS MIDI site , IDRS W h o ’s W h o , a n d th e IDRS Conference Publications. He is first vice president of the Inte rnational Double Re e d Socie ty and will se rv e as host of the Inte rnational Double Re e d Society 2001 conference at West Virginia University. Dr. Ewell brings a unique perspective to the topic of “Teaching the Beginning Bassoonist,” having started the bassoon at age eight. He is currently teaching his eleven-year old son the instrum ent.

Going Solo (Fa b e r Mu s ic ). All s h o r t p ie c e s including some orchestral bassoon solos. New Pieces for Bassoon, 2 vols . (As s ociated Board of th e Royal Sch ools of Music). Original works for b assoon commissioned b y th e Royal Schools of Music, U. K. ❖ Endnotes 1. No t a b le e xc e p t io n s a r e : Ro b e r t Ba r r is a n d Mic h a e l Ja m p o le , “Ba s ic s fo r Be gin n in g Bassoonists,” The Instrum entalist 52-2 (Sept. 1997): 28-31, 104; William Sp encer, The Art of Bassoon Playing (Su m m y-Bir c h a r d ); a n d Ho m e r Pe n c e , Teacher’s Guide to the Bassoon (Selmer). 2. Douglas M. Huff describes how to make bassoon s wa b s in “Th e P u ll-Th r u Ba s s o o n Swa b : It s Components Construction and Use,” The Double Reed 2/4 (April 1980): 21-23. 3. Fo r o n e d is c u s s io n o f b r e a t h in g p le a s e s e e Ma r t in Sc h u r in g’s “Fu n d a m e n t a ls o f Ob o e Playing,” The Double Reed 32/1 (2000): 19-22. 4. For a more detailed discussion of my views on articulation please see my article, “Basic Bassoon Ar ticulations ,” The Instrum entalist 53/8 (Mar ch 1999): 28-32. 5. These pitch changes are also noted in Arthur Weis b er g, The Art of Wind Playing (New Yo r k: Schirmer Books, 1975; Minneapolis; SATCO, 1993), pp. 8 and 20. 6. For a fur th er d is cus s ion of p ed agogy on th e bassoon bocal see my article “Using the Bassoon Bo c a l a s a Dia gn o s t ic a n d Pe d a go gic a l To o l” Journal of the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors 60/3 (Spring 1992): 4-7.

Terry a nd John Ew ell p erforming in the WVU Dou b le Reed Da y.

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Bassoon Reed Tuning Basics • Posted June 8th, 2007 by meubanks in Reed Help • What are the basics of tuning a bassoon reed? • In the simplest terms you manipulate the length, strength and scrape of the reed blade. The reed blade being defined as the distance from the tip of the reed to the front of the first wire. The design of the reed is also a huge factor, the gouge, blade profile and reed shape, but that's another subject for more advanced players to consider. • What is the correct blade length? • What often determines the correct blade length is stability on key notes such as one finger E (3rd space bass clef) with proper pitch on all the other notes. Blades that are too long or reeds that lack sufficient strength often go flat on this E if played loudly. • There is no correct length but blade length can range from 27 to 30 mm to the wire. This depends largely on the style of reed and the amount of force the player uses in blowing. Generally if you use strong breath support with thicker blades you can use longer lengths. My reeds range from 28-28.5 mm and if my reeds don't work for me at that length I set them aside. I know that my embouchure will tire or I will play out of tune if I'm way off from my blade length preference. • Some teachers insist on using a set length. This dogma makes for difficulties. When I first started making reeds my teacher told me to make all my blades exactly 1 inch in length. How wrong he was. He had me measuring from the tip of the blade to the ledge where the scrape ends sloping up to the bark, not to the wire. The space between the 1st wire varied

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from reed to reed (we call that space the collar), so my reeds all played quite differently. I had to reinvent my embouchure with every reed. Bummer. • So if my reeds all go flat on E what do I do? You mentioned both length and strenth. • Yes, the blade needs more strength to support the E. So, you can try reshaping the wires somewhat with pliers to make the inside of the reed's tube more rounded giving the blade more arch and structural strength. Squeeze the second wire from the sides and then follow by squeezing the 1st wire from the sides. Check that the tip opening doesn't get too wide or close up completely when you're done. • If that doesn't do it, then the length of the reed blade from the tip to the wire must now be manipulated. If the 1st wire near the blade has slipped back toward the 2nd it should be repositioned. If it's so loose that it won't stay the wire must be tightened with small pliers. Sometimes that's enough to fix the sagging E. If not, you have a choice of moving the wire closer to the tip if the collar is wide or clip some of the tip of the reed away. A third choice is to narrow the width of the reed shape at the tip by sanding or filing the "rails" where the two blade halves come together. If a reed is extremely wide across the tip you may need to do this along with clipping. • By clipping the reed tip back or narrow the reed tip blade you are giving the blade more strength because it is thicker at the tip. If you keep clipping and clipping but the E keeps sagging, the cane is probably too soft. Also the design of the reed may not be right for you with a throat diameter that is too big around. So you might want to try different reed makers. Many reeds purchased from music

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stores are poorly constructed. I recently purchased three reeds made by three diffeent manufacturers with all labeled medium hard. All three reeds failed to play a stable E and the blades weren't too long! No wonder so many of you are suffering with your reeds making it difficult to enjoy your bassooning.. • Do store reeds come in different lengths as well as strengths? • No. If you buy from a reed maker who sells them directly to you it's possible. The company that I started called Arundo Reeds and Cane will do that. Reeds purchased from music stores can't offer you lengths and apparently don't really control the strength either. However, there is at least one music strore reed that has a strong blade. But this might cause frustration for a beginning player who has to work too hard to blow it. In this case sanding it down until it blows freely is easier than clipping and then having to rescrape for other notes that go out if you clip a lot off. • How should I approach clipping the tip? Is there an easy way to do it? • The easiest way is to buy an expensive reed clipper which are available from double reed supply specialty shops. There are clipping devices and nippers sometimes referred to as precision end cutters. That's what I use, but the really good jewelers end nippers cost about $75.00. The old fashioned way to cut tips was to purchase a billot made of wood and take your reed scraping knife and cut through the reed tip as it laid across the billot. Big problem with these though, is that the top of the billot is curved and it's way, way hard to cut a straight tip. Some will file or sand the billot top until it's flat and wide enought for the tip of the

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reed. That's better, but I don't recommend using a billot and knife. • The poor man's version of the reed tip clip is very effective and cheap. Buy a large thick guitar pick with a smooth surface on both sides and a single edge razor blade. Place the guitar pick on a flat surface, lay the reed tip on the guitar pick, align the razor blade with the tip with the amount of tip you want to cut off and press the razor blade straight down into the guitar pick. It's always best to take very small amounts off the tip and test your results than take too much off in one shot and have a reeed now too strong needing scrapes or sanding of the reed's blade. • How much does the scrape of the reed's blade need to be manipulated? • That depends on your needs. Do the low notes speak, do the middle notes croak, do you tire or play out of tune, are oher notes unstable? • At the very least the reed should be stable and the note next to the one finger E, the forked Eb, should not be sharp if fingered with only the first and third finger of the left hand with the whisper key. No added keys in either hand. • If you are having problems you'll need to know how to fix these things if you want to advance as a bassoonist. I tell my students that it's more important to know how to adjust a reed than to make one. Find a good reed maker whose reed style and reed shape works for you. Check out my reed tuning publications which are available from double reed specialty shops and Arundo Reeds and cane. Good luck with all your reeds. http://www.bassoonbrothers.com/node/134

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HOW TO BUY AN OBOE By Robert Botti I remember being offered the choice of an instrument in elementary school. The violin was interesting, but my mother already played far better than I could have ever hoped to. The trumpet was heroic and quite appropriate for my adolescence, but alas I had braces and was told that I would never be able to practice without inflicting further injury to my already sore mouth. The flute and clarinet were, of course, the ubiquitous options, but even back then it seemed like the world had enough of both of them to go around. Then, someone finally mentioned the oboe. What was it? What did it sound like? After only playing a short while, I became intrigued with and enchanted by the oboe’s unique qualities, from the intractability of its double reed to the poignant piquancy of its sound. Background The most lyrical and vocal of the woodwinds, the oboe can sing and soar soulfully above the thicker textures of the orchestra. The name in French, hautbois, literally means "high wood." Shepherds of the first millennium used what was in fact the earliest ancestor of the oboe to call their herds over highlands and pastures — a scene hauntingly portrayed by Richard Wagner in his opera "Tristan und Isolde." Medieval times show the shawm family of double-reed instruments as prominent in outdoor ceremonial music. Its considerable volume made it far too loud to be played indoors or alongside any other instruments without rendering them completely inaudible. An indoor shawm was deemed desirable, primarily as an enhancement to strings. In the mid-17th century, two French court musicians, Jacques Hotteterre and Michel Philidor, created the instrument that would come to be called the oboe. The new instrument retained the conical bore of its ancestry but little else. Early oboes had seven finger holes, only two keys, and a range of barely two octaves upward from middle C. Its sweet tone, flexibility and pastoral quality were embraced by musicians of the period and before long, it was not uncommon for the courts to carry a full complement of 16 or more. The music written for double reed bands of the Renaissance surely capture the character unique to these ensembles. By the end of the 17th century, composers were eager to exploit the oboe and, after the violin, it became the leading solo instrument of the time. Vivaldi, Handel, Albinoni and Marcello all wrote important concertos for the instrument that remain staples in the repertoire (Handel and Marcello both played the oboe themselves). But no mention of the Baroque period can be complete without citing Johann Sebastian Bach. He remains to date the most prolific composer for the oboe and probably the one who understood it best. The lines and passages throughout his works helped shape the development of the instrument as it began to evolve into the modern oboe. Bach also favored other members of the oboe family, including the oboe d’amore and oboe da caccia. The oboe da caccia is thought to be the ancestor of the English horn or cor anglais. Ironically, the English horn is neither English nor a horn. It is pitched in F and sounds a fifth lower than the oboe. The oboe d’amore is pitched in A and sounds a minor third lower than the oboe. Today there remain numerous styles of oboe playing throughout the world. Most of these are identifiable by their country of origin in much the same way as one is able to identify a French, German or American accent. The famed Marcel Tabuteau, former principal oboe of the Philadelphia Orchestra, is widely considered to be the father of the American school of oboe playing. Most prominent players of the 20th century from North America studied with him or had teachers who did. Getting Started on the Oboe It is not uncommon for many oboe novices to have begun their musical lives on other instruments. This generally does not prove to be a problem early on, especially when considering that the oboe’s fingering system is much the same as that of the flute, saxophone, or recorder. But it is important that the beginner start on an instrument that is in good working condition. An aspiring player can acquire many poor habits while trying to compensate for inconsistencies in the instrument. Of course, the other complicating variable is the reed itself. Unlike the clarinet or saxophone, the oboe has no mouthpiece. The reed is actually a single piece of cane from a bamboo-like plant, Arundo donax, folded in half and tied to a cork staple. It is then shaved to facilitate vibration. For a young player to develop, it is imperative that the reed vibrate easily and is able to be played in tune. A competent teacher should be able to help with the making of a reed that cooperates in this manner. Any player that becomes more serious about the oboe will inevitably be

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introduced to the fine art of reed-making. As one develops as a player, so must one’s ability to make good reeds. It is impossible to play well without them. Having the proper oboe and reed in place will make getting started a lot easier and the production of a good tone a lot more fun. With adequate attention given to wind production and embouchure (placement and shape of the mouth on the reed), progress should be felt and heard relatively soon. It also helps immensely for a young player to hear the oboe played well. A student should take advantage of any opportunity to hear it performed in concert. And, of course, recordings are a resource that a musician can ill afford to be without. Training the ear to recognize what one should be striving for is vital to the developing player. An aural image or reference point can often be the best teacher. What to Look For When looking to buy an oboe, a number of factors should be considered. Student oboes generally are made of plastic. The better ones will be hand-reamed, a process that greatly improves the intonation of the instrument. A prospective buyer should inquire if there are any keys that have not been included with the model. For example, less expensive oboes may not have a left-hand F or E-flat key. These keys are important in developing technical proficiency; oboes without them are not recommended for any player other than early beginners. Another key that may not be included on some models is the low B-C-sharp "banana" key. However, this key is not critical because it is rarely used, even by professionals. Professional oboes are generally made of wood, although there are some very good plastic models that have been hand-bored. Wood offers a flexibility and variability in tone quality and color that plastic will never be able to equal. But wooden oboes expand and contract especially with changes in temperature and humidity, often leading to a crack in the top joint. The severity of the repair depends upon how big the crack is and where it is located. For this reason, plastic oboes have become more popular, even for professionals, when performing outside. A used oboe can be a good choice with many advantages. It may allow you to consider a better instrument for the same price as a new one of lesser quality. Also, a used wooden oboe is not as susceptible to cracking because the wood has had a chance to age and is therefore more stable. That doesn’t mean that it didn’t crack when it was newer though, so be sure to have any used oboe looked at by a reliable person before buying it. If it has cracked and was repaired properly, the oboe may still be in very good playing condition. New and used oboes can be bought directly from dealers throughout the country. It is quite common for dealers to send oboes to prospective buyers. Make sure there is a trial period that will allow the player adequate time to make a sound decision. A warranty and service are generally included for a prescribed period. Be sure to understand how long the warranty lasts and whether it includes repairs or cracks. An advantage of purchasing a new instrument is that some dealers of better instruments will replace the top joint if it cracks within the warranty period. This is a much more common practice than it used to be and quite important considering that, more often than not, oboes crack. It has been said that the oboe is "the ill wind that blows no good." With a little forethought, one need not encounter the instrument this way. Hector Berlioz wrote, "The oboe is a vehicle for melody, pastoral by nature, full of tenderness, naïve gracefulness, untroubled innocence, silent joy, optimally portrayed in the cantabile." May your song sing through the oboe as Pan’s did through his reed pipe! Oboist Robert Botti has been a member of the New York Philharmonic since 1992, prior to which he was Principal Oboe of the New York City Opera Orchestra. He has participated in numerous premiers of solo wind music and is on the faculty of the State University of New York at Purchase College. Editor’s Note: "How to Buy an Oboe" continues our series of instructional guides on the principal band and orchestral instruments. SBO grants permission to photocopy and distribute the article to both students and parents.

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Transitioning the Young Double Reed Player From Beginner to the Next Level Richard Rath www.richardrath.com Introduction: Many factors affect the young instrumental student. Aptitude, desire and background all play a part in the success of the student, but other factors contribute to their success such as physical attributes, hearing and desire. While a teacher cannot insure success, we may be able to eliminate potential problems and effectively provide for the best possible outcome. We should be reminded that we as teachers may have years of teaching, but this is the student’s first experience with a musical instrument. We are all aware that many students do better on one instrument than another, some of these reasons are apparent, but others may be more difficult to ascertain. The teacher should be able to observe during the first year or two of a beginning students musical abilities and aptitude. Some things are less obvious. Both the oboist and bassoonist must have good hearing, an ability to work with their hands (reed making and the focus to spend time in the practice room. The oboist should have a slight overbite and have the ability to put the upper lip comfortably under the top teeth. The bassoonist may have more overbite and larger hands to accommodate the key structure of the bassoon. Assuming that these elements have been considered and the student is progressing acceptably, how do we help them achieve the next level of performance? I think it safe to say that I have never met a successful band director/instructor who did not want the best for his students. Our goal here is to consider areas the non double reed player may not be aware of, or at the very least not considered. I believe in transferring from another instrument to the double reed instruments. First, being able to observe the abilities and talents of young students is invaluable in giving them the opportunity for success. Secondly, it is important to observe their ability to have the physical traits to be successful. There are always the exceptions to the rule, but some things are more obvious. The ability to adequately produce the embouchure, hearing pitches and intonation, and the physical ability to reach all the keys is necessary to reaching their potential. This wind player has a unique view of this topic. A saxophonist entering college, I had never had a private lesson and played only one instrument. Thinking I would be a jazz saxophonist/band director we took up the clarinet my Freshman year and the Flute my Sophomore year. At the beginning of my Junior year the band director asked me to play the oboe in band and orchestra. Luckily the school had a new adjunct oboe teacher, which made things considerably easier. Just before the end of the fall semester the director suggested I take up the bassoon and play my Senior Recital on all five woodwinds. I have often thought of what helped me as I worked on the instruments, realizing I had an

17

unusual opportunity to observe this at a generally later time of my learning than if I had been in Middle School or even High School.

The Instrument I.

The Oboe a. We recommend that all oboes have the low Bb, Left Hand F and the F resonance key. In addition the C#-D#, low B-Bb articulated C# keys are necessary for playing the more advanced works in the band, orchestra and solo literature. Unfortunately many schools will have “beginner” instruments without these keys to start students and because of budgetary situations may not have purchased the more advanced instruments. b. There are good quality Professional instruments available with full Conservatory key system available. Unfortunately the “step-up” instruments are not always consistent in their key work or playing characteristics. The key system described is important to the young player desiring to be his best. A good instrument will not make the student better, but will most certainly allow him to reach his full potential. c. The number of brands from all over the world can be staggering and all usually play adequately and we have seen lesser quality instruments improved greatly. Some instruments may look good but only by playing, can they be evaluated. For this reason we strongly suggest contacting a professional and get their recommendation on which instruments are currently the most acceptable. d. “Improving the Intonation of the Oboe, Reed and the Player” from a previous clinic is available online a www.richardrath.com . This may help in understanding the differences in oboes and intonation. e. Wood or synthetic materials are available. A high quality instrument can be made from either material, some are also made with inserts in wood bodies. Suffice it to say the quality of manufacturing will make far more difference in the tone than the material. For many school situations, they may even be more desirable.

II.

The Bassoon a. The cost of the bassoon is far greater that the other instruments of the woodwind family. This is basically due to the size and amount of key work necessary. There are many more options available that can make it difficult to know where to start. There are instruments made for smaller hands, unfortunately these instruments generally have modified key systems. This should automatically eliminate them from middle or high school students desiring to advance. b. Generally a full German System will have all the keys needed to play even most of the advanced works. These systems should have rollers on the left

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hand for the little finger on the Eb and Db. They should also have rollers for the right hand little fingers for the F and Ab. There are options for more rollers, a couple of higher notes and whisper key locks. These extra keys may be desirable for the professional bassoonist, but not necessary at this level. c. Bassoons use bocals and although all bassoons generally come with two that may be adequate, they are not all ”created equal”. Most advanced students and professionals will search for bocals that work best on their instruments. d. Like the oboe, check with a professional educator/player to find the quality of the current instruments. Keep in mind the recommended makers may vary over a period of time. Also, selection of a bocal often corrects intonation problems. Check with a professional bassoon instructor for advice. III.

Reeds a. There are many reed options available. Different shapes, lengths and strengths are all available. There are three ways to find good reeds. First, try several reeds until you find those that work and play in tune. The second way is to get recommendations from other educators or local teachers. The best way is to have them made (or at least adjusted by a teacher) for the student and the instrument. b. Oboe reeds are more likely to vary noticeably because of their small size. Bassoon reeds usually last longer and work on a larger number of bassoons. Over a period of time and with recommendations it is possible to find reeds that work well for the student and the instrument.

IV.

Methods a. There are many method books available for the beginner. Most students playing double reeds will have spent one or more years on other instruments before switching to their current instrument, so it is important for them to have a method specifically written for their level. The Rubank Beginner or Intermediate Methods are good places to start. We particularly like the Rubank Advanced Method-Volume I. This is because of the Structure of the book, but most importantly because it has excellent sections on embellishments (mordents, turns, appoggiaturas, grace notes) and a fairly extensive trill fingering chart. b. Obviously the Oboist should have the W. Ferling- 48 Famous Studies for All State Auditions. A second book they should have is the Barrett Oboe Method. Most college teachers will expect a student to be familiar with it. There have been several new additions and variations on this method, but the original is best. (Theodor Niemann, Revised by Bruno Labate is another book often use in some states for All State). c. The Bassoonist will want to have the Weissenborn/Ambrosio Method for the All State Auditions. This book is the one recommended by more bassoonists that any other we have found. There is an updated version by

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Doug Spaniol now available, which may not work for your state auditions, but worth checking into. d. Scales, arpeggios and chords are almost universally included in most method books. If not, they need to be added. Don’t limit the student to a few keys, but have them learn all of the scales, including the chromatic. A good practical playing ability of these items will do much for the student to advance his learning and increase his sight reading ability. V.

Solo Literature - The Texas UIL list is used not only in Texas, but all or parts are used in as many as 25 states we have found. Both oboe and bassoon lists are regularly updated so this is the place to find literature. We personally like to use the more classical works for the younger students. These works can do double duty as both solo/ensemble literature for state contests, however they often are acceptable for use in churches and banquets where students might have the opportunity to perform. Ensemble Literature – Again the UIL list is the best place to start. Double reed ensembles and woodwind quintets should be considered, as these give a double reed player the opportunity to better hear themselves than larger ensembles. Additionally, ensemble playing allows players to match pitches, work on dynamics and balance. Because of the smaller volume of sound larger ensembles (especially bands) tend to cover the double reed instruments and only in solo sections can they be heard. Small ensemble playing sets up the student for these solo passages.

VI.

Non Music Considerations a. EXPECTATIONS-Realistic expectations and positive feedback are two of the most important things you can do for the young student. Positive correction and consistent practice are as important as anything. “Success breeds success” more than just a catch phrase for the player at any age. b. UNDERSTANDING THE STUDENT-This is the major reason we suggest starting on one of the standard woodwind instruments. Observation of the capabilities of students can be observed. Don’t forget the higher the grade level of the student, the more they have invested in their primary instrument. Success on another instrument, then switching to a double reed can be a blow to the ego. They were doing well, perhaps respected and recognized by their peers and all of a sudden they are virtual beginners. c. DOUBLE REED TEACHERS - If a private lesson double reed specialist is not readily available, switching a student may take more of your time at the beginning, but they will quickly catch up. Use any resource you have to get good reeds and set a clear direction for the student to follow. Regular practice and a clear understanding of what is expected will do much to insure success. c. A PERSONAL OBSERVATION. Starting oboe in college after achieving some success on the saxophone, then going into a rehearsal with one lesson,

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no embouchure, little knowledge of fingerings and a questionable instrument will create a blow to your sense of worth. Your peers are not often forgiving, especially those you may have beaten for chair placement. I had both an understanding group of directors and a good oboe teacher to mitigate these problems. VII.

INSURE SUCCESS - We have all heard the phrase” if you don’t know where you are going…”. The new student does not often have a clear understanding of tone, pitch and capabilities of their new instrument. Today, with the internet, the ability to provide good resources is unlimited and should be readily used. You Tube is an excellent resource. You can find professional players and teachers discussing all elements of playing and making double reeds. Many teachers and performers have their own websites, which can be valuable. Any direction you can give a student will help them understand your expectations and what can be accomplished. A word of caution, as you know not everything on the web is good or what you might want them to imitate. For this reason we suggest doing some research and send links to site you have previewed. Most directors don’t have extra time, so collaborate with other directors and teachers you may know to gather a variety of links that have been recommended. We are using a new woodwinds method that has the text available online, with videos and performances of all the instruments. This resource will be available after the student leaves school and remains a ready resource. We are sure there will be other methods follow this example. Some options are listed at the end of this outline.

VIII.

Resources of the web. Oboe and Bassoon Reed Making Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpcmyje6arM Why Would Anybody Want to Play the Oboe Hugh Downs and Joe Robinson NY Philharmonic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSAllHtkaa0&list=PL38498E32183D3B 68&index=21 John Mack (Cleveland Orchestra) on Reed Making https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfWvvy86hKI Richard Woodhams-Philadelphis Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL38498E32183D3B68&v=iCtIabwlU oA Liang Wang-New York Philharmonic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK4dTBp4fk0

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Oboists Eugene and Liang Wang meet in New York https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URbbhN7Lm5U&index=2&list=RDBK4 dTBp4fk0 Houston Symphony Principal Bassoon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUxKqLmKEuU Make a Bassoon Reed, Frank Morelli (Julliard Faculty) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVKylUjKeBc Bassoon (Lesson 3), Frank Morelli (Julliard Faculty) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jin8YcVLBWg Carnegie Hall Bassoon Class; Tchaikovsky’s Symphony #4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iczSNXRUaJs Bassoon Reed Making 1: Gouging – Terry Ewell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy8ZpJUJox4

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Planning a Successful Double-Reed Beginner Class Sally Bohls and Jennifer Auerbach The Midwest Clinic December 16, 2016 [email protected] [email protected]

Clinic outline • Book o The double-reed classroom method book and why we wrote it o Band methods generally don’t have the luxury of catering to the double-reeds, therefore order of note introduction is not idea. Some concepts missing or not reinforced as much as needed. o Oboist and bassoonist REALLY start when they are selected for their instrument • Everyone needs long and short term goals – present concepts from short term to long term o First day § Orientation and expectations § Classroom procedures and behavior o First week § Possibly still mouthpiece testing students § Getting everyone in a classroom where they’re supposed to be, sitting in the right place § Housekeeping • instrument check out • getting supplies from the music store • changing class schedules if necessary o First month § Probably working through the preliminaries § Trouble shooting beginner student issues in the first week o First semester - The pacing of the class will differ from teacher to teacher § Probably go through unit 5 in order to play in 2-flats for December concert § How to structure your class period once the semester gets rolling • Greeting/class roll • Class organization • Warm up: reeds and notes • Reinforcing previously taught information • New note introduction • New rhythm introduction • Book and band music drilling • Drilling old and new concepts with both instruments • Playing tests • Class assignments – recorded tests • Putting instruments away • *Adding key signatures and scales when possible

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o Outline for a double-reed class – note and concept introduction § Preliminaries: • Cost/Instrument care and maintenance • Reeds • Tapping the foot • Note types and values • Tongue starts • Basic Music Theory • Fingering Chart § Units: • Unit 1:First Notes • Oboe: G, A, B, C • Bassoon: C, D, E, F • Unit 2: Right Hand Notes • Oboe: F-sharp/G-flat, E, F, D, C • Bassoon: B, A, A-sharp/B-flat, G, F • Unit 3 • Oboe: Left F and B-flat • Bassoon: E-flat • Unit 4 • Oboe: E-flat, Forked F • Bassoon: High G • Unit 5 • Oboe: High E, F, G • Bassoon: High A, B-flat, B, C • Unit 6 • Oboe: A-flats • Bassoon: A-flats • Unit 7 • Oboe: C-sharps and Left E-flats • Bassoon: C-sharps • Dynamics • Unit 8 • Oboe: F-sharp • Bassoon: F-sharp • Cut time • Unit 9 • Oboe: Chromatic scale 1 and style markings • Bassoon: Chromatic scale 1 and style markings • Unit 10

no 2

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• Oboe: Low notes - B-flat, B • Bassoon: Low notes – A-sharp/B-flat, B, C, C#/D-flat, D, D-sharp/E-flat, E • Unit 11 • Oboe: High notes - A, A-sharp/B-flat, B, C • Bassoon: High notes - D, D-sharp/E-flat, E, F • Unit 12 • Oboe: Very high notes – C-sharp/D-flat, D, D-sharp/E-flat, F (add) • Bassoon: Very high notes – F-sharp/G-flat, G, G-sharp/A-flat § Appendix: • Level 1 Warm Ups • Level 2 Warm Ups • Learning Scales • Voicing • One-Octave Scales • Two-Octave Scales • Chromatic Levels 1, 2 and 3 • Arpeggios • Five-Note Warm Ups • Trouble-Shooting Notes • Oboe fingering chart • Bassoon fingering chart o Arranging the double-reed class with notes presented in a logical and opportune order will result in a more effective and efficient class. Students learning, retention and enjoyment will improve greatly. o Sample of Unit 1 of Beginner Class Boot Camp: A Double Reed Classroom Method:



3 no 25

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13 no 35

Demystifying Double Reeds University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Double Reed Faculty Prof. Stacey Berk, Oboe Dr. Patricia Holland, Bassoon

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UWSP Brass Fest and Woodwind Workshops Day Saturday November 12, 2016 Noel Fine Arts Center UW-Stevens Point 9:00 - RegistraGon 9:30 to 4:30 - Clinics, Ensembles, Master Classes Register at www.uwsp.edu/music

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Don’t Myth Out •  Oboes and bassoons add more variety of Gmbres to your ensemble •  The students who play them can become your best “band geeks”

•  Myths •  •  •  • 

Difficult Double Reeds Impossible IntonaGon Deadly Dynamics Raucous Reeds



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The Myths Oboe and Bassoon are hard instruments to play

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The Myths Impossible Intona5on •  Good (even excellent!) intonaGon is possible from double reeds •  Listen •  Adjust •  Vowel sounds •  Imagery •  Don’t ask double-reeders to “pull out” or “push in” as these changes will not impact intonaGon like they do on other wind instruments



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The Myths Deadly Dynamics •  Okay, so dynamics are a liale hard on double reeds! •  The biggest variables for dynamics are the reed opening and air support •  •  •  • 

If too loud, squeeze the reed more shut If sGll too loud, use a li8le less air If too sod, use faster air If sGll too sod, pinch reed open

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The Myths Raucous Reeds •  Decent commercial reeds DO exist! •  Try a variety from different businesses/makers •  Talk to professionals about supplying reeds •  See our websites for some suggesGons

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Concepts for Double Reed Success Embouchure •  Use a mirror •  Have student whistle •  Increase distance from upper to lower teeth (mouth more open) •  Bring corners of mouth in •  Cushion reed, don’t grip

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Concepts for Double Reed Success Embouchure •  Bassoon •  Create distance between upper and lower teeth, especially in the low register •  The top lip can sit farther forward on the reed than the lower lip •  Roundness is essenGal! •  Cushion reed with lips

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Concepts for Double Reed Success Embouchure •  Oboe •  Pull the upper lip down (stretch the nostrils) •  Use the muscles just to the sides of the middle of the top lip to focus inward to the reed

•  Keep the corners directed forward •  If the pitch allows, pull the lower lip down, away from the reed •  Keep the sod palate high

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Concepts for Double Reed Success Breathing and Air •  Use breathing concepts for all winds: •  Take low breaths •  Use abdominal muscles

•  Bassoon and Oboe don't usually require a large volume of air •  They DO require lots of pressure to the air •  Pressurized air is needed for clean arGculaGon •  Good intonaGon and tone are only possible with pressurized air

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Concepts for Double Reed Success Articulation •  •  •  • 

Tongue contacts reed about 1/4” back from tongue Gp The tongue touches the boaom blade of the reed ArGculaGon starts with the release of the tongue from the reed The tongue should be free to arGculate at its Gp and move to different vowel posiGons in the back for tuning and tone adjustment

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Oboe Concepts for Student Success Posture/Body & Head Position •  •  •  • 

Head up! Elbows away from body Relaxed shoulders Oboe about 45%

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Oboe Concepts for Student Success Thumb & Hand Issues •  Wrist issues are a real problem for oboists •  If oboists complain of pain in their right thumb/wrist, take it seriously

•  Products to help support oboe differently (available at Forrests Music) •  •  •  •  • 

Kooiman thumb rest Dutch and other thumb rests Kickstand Harness or neck strap (take a liale pressure off, but not completely) English horn support peg

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Bassoon Concepts for Student Success Tips on Bassoon Posture •  Silng all the way back on chair •  Put seat strap all the way forward on chair (yes, always have students use a strap!) •  Have student bring the instrument to them, rather than leaning forward to reach the instrument •  Tension is the enemy! Have students relax: •  •  •  •  • 

Neck Embouchure Throat Arms Back

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Bassoon Concepts for Student Success Fingerings and Thumb Issues •  Many variaGons on fingerings/fingering charts •  Have students develop criteria (with your guidance) on fingerings that “work” •  •  •  • 

Does the note speak well? Is intonaGon good? Is a good tone possible with this fingering? Is a good legato possible?

•  Hands may move and uncover holes for some fingerings •  Thumbs are very acGve!

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All Thumbs… This is just for the led thumb!

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Bassoon Concepts for Student Success Differences from Other Woodwinds •  While fingerings for oboe, flute, saxophone, and upper register of the clarinet all

correspond to one another, bassoon fingerings correspond to the clarinet’s low register. •  This means bassoons must use advanced techniques (half-hole and overblow notes) very early. •  If possible, have bassoons start outside of class for a few weeks to prevent bad habits

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Reeds

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Reeds Importance of the Crow •  Indicates funcGonality of the reed before placing on the instrument •  Fullness of pitches •  Range – high or low •  RelaGve difficulty or ease of blowing

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Reeds What to Look For in a Reed •  Bassoon •  •  •  •  •  • 

Material Good taper from back of each blade to front (hold to bright light) Symmetry, led to right on each blade and one blade to the other Thin Gp (helps response) No abrupt differences in thickness except collar (connecGon of blades to tube) Tip opening of about 1-1.5 mm

•  Oboe •  Total length 70 mm •  Symmetry •  Tip opening about 1 mm

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Reeds Sources •  Oboe Tristan from Midwest Musical Imports.com Blue Professional reed from Nielsen Woodwinds Chicago Oboe Reeds - $17, made to order American Oboe Reeds - $12 for student (I haven’t tried these, but they are worth a try for that price) •  Bocal Majority – band bundles for reduced prices •  •  •  • 

•  Bassoon •  Forrests Music •  Reed ExperGse •  Woodwind/Brasswind

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Reeds Easy Adjustments and Fixes Bassoon •  Use a pliers or pressure from your fingers to open (make harder) or close (make soder) the reed •  Thin Gp to improve arGculaGon. •  Place some 320 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper on a table top and draw the reed across it with light pressure from your finger Gp on reed Gp and corners

Oboe •  Use pressure from your fingers to open or close the reed •  If the reed is flat in pitch and easy blowing, take a single edge razor blade and clip Gny increments off the reed Gp unGl the pitch comes up and more resistance is created to blow against •  Refer to my reed fixing handout

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Recruiting Strategies •  Establish their value: make it seem fun and special •  Make playing double reeds a reward •  When to start students

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Retaining and Nurturing Double Reed Players •  Ensure instruments in good condiGon •  Help with reed sources •  Recordings

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Not Enough Data? •  We’re happy to help with quesGons anyGme! •  Feel free to contact us at: •  [email protected] and [email protected]

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Bassoon Intonation  etc..                     

Rosy Turcios

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Oboe Rhythmic Scale Exercise Rosy Turcios

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