Hello, hello, and welcome to Five Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Breath for Playing the Oboe. You might think you don’t need to focus on air support because the oboe requires so little air to play beautifully, or perhaps you worry that your lung capacity isn’t enough for the oboe. Today, I’d like to share some fresh perspectives on breathing and what you can focus on to achieve a beautiful sound on the oboe using your breath.
I’m Erin Brophey, Principal Oboe of the Saskatoon Symphony and a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan. Thank you for joining me today for this blog on improving your breath for oboe playing. It might be a bit of a long title, but I believe it's worth it!
So, why am I sharing these tips? It’s closely related to my journey with the oboe. I come from a remote part of Canada, surrounded by evergreen forests, crystal-clear lakes, and the rugged Canadian Shield—a beautiful, idyllic place to grow up. When I had the chance to learn a band instrument, I chose the oboe. However, despite being surrounded by wonderful musicians, I had no one who knew how to play the oboe, and there wasn’t a professional oboe player within hundreds of kilometers. I struggled significantly due to the lack of functional reeds, a well-working instrument, and good information. There were many times I almost gave up.
Fast forward 25 years, and I’m incredibly grateful to have been teaching and performing for so long. Now, I help other oboe players, reflecting on how my journey didn’t need to be as difficult. With access to good information, learning the oboe can be much smoother. Today, we have amazing resources like the internet, which is why I’m sharing these insights—I don’t want you to struggle as I did.
That’s also why I created The Oboe Path, an online education program designed to improve oboe playing. It includes group online masterclasses, personalized feedback, and a customized plan to help you play with joy and ease. The group masterclasses provide a community of like-minded players, the personalized feedback offers specific practice guidance, and the customized plan ensures that improvement fits into your busy life.
Let’s dive into the five tips to improve the quality of your breath for playing the oboe.
Tip 1: The Amount of Air You Need
Despite the oboe’s small reed opening, you don’t need a vast amount of air to create a beautiful sound. Your lung capacity doesn’t limit your ability to play the oboe beautifully. Even if you have diminished lung capacity due to illness or other factors, you can still play well by working with what you have.
Tip 2: The Placement of Your Breath
When taking in air, focus on maximizing your lung capacity. I think of my breath in two parts: the lower breath from the bottom of my lungs and the top breath. I start breathing from low and move up through my body. For playing the oboe, I fill up from the bottom to the top. If I need a small breath, I’ll take it from the top part of my lungs. Notice that I don’t use my shoulders or arms—breathing is about using your lungs and diaphragm. Breathing through your mouth allows for quicker air intake than through your nose. Being mindful of where you breathe from can significantly enhance the quality of your breath.
Tip 3: Air Support
While you don’t need a lot of air, the air you use needs to move quickly through the oboe. Air support comes from the diaphragm, located around your belly button. Imagine pushing against a belt in that area—that’s where you want to engage to move air quickly. This technique is akin to the breathing used in preparation for birth, focusing on engaging the diaphragm.
Tip 4: In-and-Out Breaths
Oboe players often take in more oxygen than needed, leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide. This can make you feel faint. Planning your breaths—both in and out—can help. Blowing out quickly before taking a new breath can reduce excess carbon dioxide. Use out-breaths during rests or repeated motifs to release carbon dioxide and take in fresh oxygen.
Tip 5: Circular Breathing
Circular breathing allows you to take small sips of oxygen while playing. This technique is easy to apply on the oboe and can help maintain sound during long passages or trills. For those with larger lung capacities, circular breathing can also help release carbon dioxide through your nose while continuing to play.
Thank you so much for joining me today for Five Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Breath for Playing the Oboe. One aspect closely connected to our breath is the resistance of our oboe reeds. I appreciate your time and hope these tips help you become the oboe player you aspire to be—one who plays with joy and ease.
Take care!
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