An Oboist's Guide to Better Intonation

An Oboist's Guide to Bettter Intonation

Written by Professor Kristy Meretta, Oboe

PLAYING IN TUNE on the oboe is not a contradiction in terms, no matter what you or your band director may think! Yet, most oboists freely admit that good intonation is a continual challenge. Let's see if we can demystify the process of playing in tune with a few important principles and some "quick fix" and common sense suggestions.

ALWAYS REMEMBER, REEDS NEED AIR TO VIBRATE. This sounds simple, but even well-schooled oboists, in a moment of nervousness, can fall into the trap of "biting" the reed, cutting off the air supply --and then are frustrated when the oboe is so "hard to blow" or the pitch begins to skyrocket. Hold the reed simply and gently, with lips positioned well in front of the teeth, as if whistling. Then get the air to the reed!

PLAYING "ON PRESSURIZED AIR" IS FUNDAMENTAL to good intonation on the oboe. Only by allowing pressurized air to support vibration can your embouchure go "off-duty", allowing the freedom and flexibility needed for pitch adjustments. These 3-steps can help you set a high pressure airstream:

BREATHE deeply, filling up your air column from lungs to lips. Center the reed on your lower lip and think "O" as you inhale, and assume the whistle-shaped embouchure preferred by most advanced oboists. Your chin should remain down.
"SET" the embouchure, and then the air, by gently compressing the top lip and mouthful of air on the tip of the reed. Press lip corners forward, and allow the tongue to touch the reed.
BLOW against the stopped reed opening . As you contract your abdominal muscles, you will feel the air pressing steadily against the roof of your mouth. Although the lip opening is narrow, your mouth can stretch open behind your teeth, filling your lips, cheeks and throat with "packed air". The lower lip should be supportive, yet relaxed. Remember, the sound should not start until after the high pressure (HP) air is set, then released by the tongue (as you say "tee).

High pressure AIR and a FLEXIBLE EMBOUCHURE make an unbeatable intonation team. Once the air is pressurized and directed to the reed, it takes only subtle adjustments in the softness or shape of the lips, or placement of the lips on the reed, or the degree of overbite, or relaxation of the lower lip and jaw, to make precise corrections in pitch with minimal effort. Read on.

QUICK FIX ADJUSTMENTS FOR BETTER INTONATION ON THE OBOE:

SHARPNESS in pitch is almost always an EMBOUCHURE problem. Sound the actual pitch on a tuner, and hum it. Then explore these options:

Instantly check for "biting". Think "oo" or "wuh" and soften the lips, relaxing or dropping the lower lip "grip". Playing with less reed in the mouth can help lower pitch. So can turning more "red" of the lower lip out toward the reed...or playing with more pronounced "overbite", dropping the chin down and back. Visualize pressing the packed air in your mouth down into this new space, as you anticipate and listen for the desired lower pitch.

Be especially careful to relax the embouchure when returning from higher register notes (which require a smaller lip opening and higher pressure air). Be aware that notes like middle C, C#, thumb octave E, F#, G and higher register notes often tend to be sharp. And, finally, you may wish to deepen the back scrapes of your reed.
FLATNESS in pitch can be either an AIR SUPPORT and/or an EMBOUCHURE problem.

So begin by ruling out an air support problem: Did you take enough air in? Are you pushing the air to the reed with energy and direction? Did you put your tongue on the reed, blowing into silence before sound?

You may need a smaller lip opening. Increase the compression of your lips ever so slightly. Or try lifting the oboe up a little with your RH thumb, to increase resistance at the reed tip. Both these solutions are "tried and true" and may be helpful to you, too. As a rule, the lowest notes on the oboe are most apt to sound flat. If you wish, you may clip a miniscule amount off the tip of the reed.

OTHER COMMON SENSE SUGGESTIONS

PRACTICE LONG TONES over slurred intervals, widening through the octave, down and up. It is the ONE BEST exercise for encouraging embouchure flexibility on a steady airstream. For wider and lower intervals, thinking "E-AH" inside your mouth can be helpful.
LISTEN CAREFULLY to be sure each note is focused fully down into the pitch center.
SING THE PITCHES (or listen to them) before you play them.
USE THE TUNER....but sparingly. Rely more on how it FEELS to play on pressurized air with a relaxed, flexible embouchure. The tuner is great for playing interval "duets" with yourself, or checking a particular pitch tendency.
SO SET YOUR GOALS AND GO AFTER THEM!

YOU, TOO, CAN MAKE A BELIEVER OF YOUR BAND DIRECTOR! Good intonation on the oboe is only a concept or two away. Your efforts will be rewarded, so persist, and insist on high intonation standards. By using the air instead of your embouchure, you can learn to play more effortlessly .....and better in tune.

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