First oboe lessons

Chip (top) and Stanley (bottom)

I started experimenting with oboe embouchure about two and a half weeks ago since double reeds don't need an instrument to make a sound.  I succumbed to my impatience and bought my first reed from Bethel Music Center... for $17.99.  And then, as soon as I got home, I dropped and chipped it (I wasn't used to opening that kind of case!)  It felt like ripping up a $20 bill.  So I bought another on Amazon for $12 to be safe.  And it's flat and really hard to play.  Oboe lesson #1: reed problems.

An oboe reed's opening should,
unfortunately, be between these two

Oboe embouchure is a lot different than the clarinet's; I'm still getting used to it and increasing my stamina.  I managed to play a Bb at home, but not much else.  After taking a lesson with Allie, I could play a little less than a scale (sort of), but I was still getting used to the reed and forcing air through it.  (It's a smaller reed so you don't need nearly as much air, but the chips weren't making it easy.)  It also needed soaking in water every 5 minutes.  It was a good start.

Two days later, I had a lesson with Mrs. Harvison.  By the end of the period, I could play "Hot Cross Buns fairly successfully, but we decided I needed more reeds since Chip and Stanley (Get it?  'Cause it's flat?)  weren't helping at all.  I ordered another for $11.99.  (So far I've spent $43.87 on oboe reeds.  But let's not think about that.)  I was also pointing the instrument too far down, so fixing that helped me play better.  Overall, needless to say I gave Mrs. Harvison and Mr. Klepacki a good show that day.

Videos and more detailed updates will be coming soon!