Embouchure:
- The embouchure is round – if students can whistle, that makes a great oboe embouchure. Have them try first.
- If students can’t whistle, try imagining sipping a milkshake through a straw.
- It may help to think of the lips like a drawstring around the reed.
- Simply saying ‘ooo’ can also help get the lips in place, as long as students really go for it, and this can be a fast way to help when students are about to play.
- The reed sits more or less on the line where the wet part of the lip meets the dry part.
- The reed can be pushed firmly into the lower lip muscle, as long as the corners are firmly engaged so that it's pushing into muscle and not lip-covered teeth - imagine the difference between a firm mattress and a blanket over rocks.
- Keep the reed firmly on the lower lip muscle while breathing, and for beginners, during rests one measure or shorter.
- Breathe through the top lip, not through the reed itself, with the corners firmly engaged.
- Amount of reed:
- A little reed should be past the lower lip into the mouth even before breathing. Avoid starting with so little reed past the lips that you have to roll the lips in over the teeth to play.
- However, it's important to avoid taking in too much reed. About half the cane should be showing always.
- While there can be some variation in the amount of reed that's best for different reeds and different ranges and tone colors, the lower lip should not go further down the reed than where the heart meets the windows/channels.
- Corners firmly forward (as in towards the reed, not in front of the face) and down. Imagine the four corners of the embouchure coming towards the corners of the reed like the four corners of a diamond, or like a drawstring.
- It may help in engaging the corners to imagine squeezing the reed open with the corners of the mouth.
- The embouchure should NEVER be like a smile. Think of frowning instead to help bring those top lip corners down.
- Keep the corners firmly engaged during breaths.
- Teeth should be away from the reed! Stay open and tall in the front of the mouth.
- Chin should NOT push up or forward.
- If the lower lip corners are well engaged, the chin should naturally stay back and down. The chin should also stay still - no chewing (corners also help with this).
- Remember to bring the reed to your lip; do NOT push the chin towards the reed.