Voicing and Air Direction:
- Voicing and air direction are particularly helpful for speeding up the airstream.
- This is one of the first tools students will use to refine that powerful airstream.
- Raise the back of the tongue.
- The tongue says eee while the lips say ooo.
- Raising the back of the tongue is like putting your thumb on a hose; it speeds up and pressurizes the air stream.
- Notice that's the BACK of the tongue; keep the front of the mouth tall and open for resonant tone and low note response.
- This also helps aim the air high
- Be sure to aim the air across the oboe or even up, NOT down the oboe.
- That will speed it up, too.
- Posture plays a roll in this - you want to be much closer to a clarinet angle than a trumpet one. Be sure not to duck your head towards the oboe.
- When sitting, the bell should be somewhat near the knees.
- Flat mid-range notes (Bb, B, C) and high notes, plus high note response issues, are usually issues of air speed, so can be greatly helped by voicing and direction.