Yourself
A Guide to Great Embouchure...
OBOE
Embouchure Formation
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Use just the reed
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Remember to have good Posture and Air Support.
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Bring the lips together like you are going to whistle.
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Form the vowel “oh” or “oo”. Keep the tongue down.
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Keep the jaw separated
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Bring the tip of the reed so it rests on the center of the lower lip.
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Gently roll the lip so the reed extends into the mouth…but just barely.
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There should only be enough reed in the mouth so the tip of the tongue can just barely touch it.
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There should be no lip muscle on the teeth, just a little skin
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The upper lip should then draw around the reed creating a seal.
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Your lips should still be thinking “whistle” to draw the corners of the lips forward and down.
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The reed should be anchored against the bottom lip.
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The first sound that you will make is called a crow. This sound is caused by the reed vibrating at multiple frequencies.
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You may hear rushing air at first as you find a balance between air speed and lip firmness.
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Click on the SEE YOUR EMBOUCHURE button to check your embouchure.
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Watch the Video for this formation in action.
Embouchure Issues and solutions
When the embouchure is incorrectly formed, you can hear some distinct sounds. Click on the buttons here to see causes and solutions to common embouchure tone problems. You can also compare your sound to the listening examples next to the buttons.
Assembling The Oboe
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Familiarize yourself with the different parts of the oboe.
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Put the bell on to the lower joint by gently twisting it as you push it in.
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Make sure that you are pressing the pad on the bell to raise the bridge key.
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Add the upper joint to the lower joint by gently twisting and pushing the two joints together.
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Be aware that there are two bridge keys that need to be looked at as you assemble these joints.​
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As you assemble, try not to squeeze the rods and keys too hard as this will bend them.
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Finally add the reed to the top of the upper joint.
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The cork will only go into a certain point, so make sure the reed is securely in place.​
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The flat part of the blade should be in line with the tone hole keys on the front of the oboe.
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Holding The Oboe
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Sit towards the front of the chair with your body balanced over your sit bones.
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Do not lean too far forward or back as this will create tension in your back and your abdominal muscles respectively.
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Your back should be straight and tall with legs out in front of you with either your feet flat on the floor or slightly tucked under your body ensuring that your chest and abdomen have enough room to expand without creating tension.
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When holding the oboe, your left hand is closer to your head and your right hand is further away.
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Your hands should be slightly curled around the instrument with your fingers stretched to touch each of the tone holes.
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Think of making the letter “C” with your hands and then pretending that it has been sat on and squashed.
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The oboe should sit in the center of your body and be at about a 45Ëš from your body.
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The oboe should be anchored between your right and left thumb and the embouchure.
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A neck strap should be avoided if possible so that strain and therefore tension is not put on the neck..
Front View
Side View