My instructor told me to play the oboe as if I'm singing... and it seems to work for a while. When playing the high notes, I should be thinking of singing a very high note, and the stream of air should come out from the stomach all the way to the very top of your head. He told me not to force the air out of the stomach too much or else the tone would sound blunt... playing should be done at ease.

I think what he is telling me to do is to bear in mind that playing the low notes is different from playing the high notes.

What do you do when you play the high notes? Embochure, breathing and diaphram... I found it really difficult to control all three in playing.

Honestly, I like oboe very much... but it seems too difficult for me. 2 years of playing long note exercises and I still can't get control over my embouchure and my stomach. (sigh...) esp. those high notes really kill me (as well as my neighbours)...

I have only played for two years as well. But keeping in tune on double-reed instruments, especially the oboe, is something that takes a lot of practice to perfect. Use a tuner when you play long tones, but only a glimpse, and then keep in tune by ear, since one should not rely on their eyes for staying in tune--not good for developing perfect pitch. Indeed, one needs to be able to sing, otherwise playing a wind instrument is nothing but blowing and pushin buttons. Think of it this way: "the instrument is an extension of your windpipe." Many band directors and wind instrument teachers like that analogy. When you play a wind instrument, you are singing, and the all the keys, pads and buttons are used to aid you in getting the pitch you want. But you have to be able to sing the note, otherwise, you will be flat ir sharp. Double-reeds are extremely flexible in this area. You will find, as you play solos, that your starting note may come out horribly out of tune. Especially with G above the staff.

The thing about the oboe, and surely other double-reeds, is that there is a bit of movement that needs to go on with the jaw and how far in the reed is. When I play high notes (as in C# and up), I take in a little more reed. But only enough to get the sound out. And when I go down to the really low notes, I drop my jaw a little, but not so much that I get flat. Also, when playing, you want to have a lot of pressure built up in the diaphram area, no matter what the dynamic is, and no matter how high/low the note is. It is like a hose: the water pressure remains the same, but when the amount of water shooting out is limited, and no matter how high or low the spray is on, there is always the same amount of tension. Of course, when playing low notes, one cannot let out too much air, because then the note will come out an octave higher. But the tension need to remain the same throughout to keep the note strong.

Hope I have helped.

James Dowdy Moose

different teachers have different philosiphy's but my teacher has taught me (i've been playing about 7 years btw) that you should not think differently about the high notes, and not change much. basically, you should seem the same round embouchure with lots of air for all notes, with an exception for the extreme highs and lows (meaning above the C)

my teacher has told me that the main key to getting high notes out of an oboe is support. Making sure that you have good support from your diaphram. If you cant get them out very well try slurring upwards from a note that you are comfortable at playing. Try and increase the air flow and support just before you actually produce the note. Having a resistant reed is not help when playing high notes aswell. So make sure that you have a non resistant reed.