The first time you tried playing, did you make any sound? I`m due to have my first lesson on Friday, but tried playing once and no sound came out...I`m sure this is normal, but I`m a worrywart and so, well, I`m worried about it.

One other thing - should you soak reeds for a minute or two before using them?

Thank you very, very much. :D

Hi

just one month ago I had my first and until know only lesson (because of the summer holidays).
Even in the first moment I matched it to get the first wonderful melodies... ;-)
All joking aside: No, no, it wasn´t like that.


But in the moment I had to try to get a tone, I got one.
Maybe it was profitable that I played same years ago trumpet.

The difficulties for me started after the first lesson.
One day it worked fine, the other day it was horrible.
Sometimes it´s easy like playing a flute, sometimes it´s harder than to play a trumpet.

But cheer up! It is not easy, it´s a challenge, but it gives you pleasure when you get better.

Cheers, Eric

I think I got a sound out in a couple trys, it was a horrible sound but a sound none the less. I agree with EricZ, it is a tempermental instrument. Sometimes it is easy to play but others it was utterly exhausting...
I love oboe though..

About reed soaking. Presumably you have a soft reed as a beginner. Yes, soak the reed for about ten minutes before you start to play. Blow it through before putting it in the oboe.

You should get a sound out of it before putting it in the oboe (called "crowing" if it works properly).

Yours is a common affliction with newcomers to this instrument. I think I went red as a beetroot first time I tried it. Good luck with your first lesson

I should have said the water can be lukewarm and only immerse the part below the string tie. I only immerse the scrape. The length of time and lukewarmness seems to depend on the reed itself (I spose my reedmakers buy bulk cane so they`re consistent - so far!). once the reed has played a while, I just soak it while putting the oboe together to play.

I didn`t get any sound at all at first because I wasn`t making much of am embouchure. I tried harder to seal my lips around the reed and managed to get three notes by the end of my very first practice session: very out of tune low G, A, and B. I was able to play for like 15 minutes that first day before my mouth gave up.

Over the new few weeks I was able to get more notes but it all sounded like a kazoo or duck/goose.

I`ve now been playing for 8 months and compared to what I sounded like that first month I sound wonderful hahahaha. My sound is much more refined and musical but still has a long way to go. The oboe is indeed very temperamental. Some days I sound decent other days I struggle with intonation and response. You just have to keep plugging along. When you do sound ok and are playing with others it`s really a remarkably good feeling.

Well I got a duck sound first time. Doesn`t matter if you can`t get a good sound the first time just don`t get annoyed with yourself!! ;-)

Hi Zoe

what happened in your first lesson?
Did it work at all?

Eric

I have been playing for a couple of years.
1) Oboe is pretty hard,but really fun. Try to learn the staff ,no leger lines, octave first.
2)Soak your reed for 3 to 4 min.
Enjoy and email for more help!