Oboe - Your Guide to Woodwind Intonation

DISCLAIMER: The quality of equipment (instrument, reed) has a very big impact on intonation. If the equipment is not in working order, the information and techniques on this webpage will not be as effective.

Embouchure Check!

Your embouchure formation can either help or hurt your pitch accuracy. Here is a brief reminder about how you should form your embouchure:

Imitate an English accent and say "No Oboe." This should bring the corners of the mouth forward and firm against the teeth.
The jaw should be separated with your chin down and firm and your tongue down.
When playing, think of the syllables "OH" and "OO." These will help create a resonant and relaxed sound.

Correct Oboe Embouchure

The Crow

Next, let's make sure that your reed is in good working order. The reed is another factor that effects intonation immensely.
A well balanced reed will make a good 'crow' sound. The crow is a multi-pitched sound. For the oboe, a stable octave 'C' crow sound is most desirable. Listen to the example on the right and imitate the sound that you hear.

How To Tune The Oboe

Once you have reviewed and practiced your embouchure formation and crow production, check your oboe intonation using the procedure listed below:

1) Play for a few minutes to warm up your embouchure muscles and the instrument. Be sure that the reed is pushed all the way down into the receptor (always start with it there).

2)Play diatonically from 1st space 'F' to 3rd line 'Bb' several times. The 'Bb' should be slightly sharp.

3) Play diatonically from 3rd line 'Bb' to 5th line 'F' multiple times. If you are using the fork 'F' fingering, the 'F' should be slightly sharp. If you are using the regular 'F' fingering, the note tends to be flat.

4) Check the 2nd space 'A' and 'A' above the staff. The note 'A' is the most centered on the instrument.

Most stable tuning note for oboe alone:

Ways to Adjust Pitch on the Oboe

Even after tuning our instrument, there will still be notes that are naturally out-of-tune for various reasons. This makes it necessary for us to adjust, or manipulate, the pitch while playing. Here are some simple ways to adjust pitch:

Amount of Reed in Mouth

Put more reed into your mouth to raise the pitch.
Put less reed in your mouth to lower the pitch.
More lip contact with the reed will raise the pitch.
Less lip contact with the reed will lower the pitch.

Embouchure Tension
("Lipping" the Notes Up or Down)

To raise the pitch, increase lip tension. Use a smaller lip opening and press the lip corners in.
To lower the pitch, decrease lip tension. Pull the chin down and flat with the lips still puckered.

Air Stream Direction and Vowels

To raise the pitch, focus the air stream higher and say the vowel "EE" inside your mouth.
To lower the pitch, aim the air stream down and say the vowel "OH" inside your mouth.

Alternate/Resonance Fingerings

For many notes that tend to be sharp, you can add resonance fingerings to bring the pitch down. A few examples are listed below in the "alternate fingerings" section.

Other Factors Effecting Pitch

Reeds

Do not play on old reeds. An average reed will last about 2 1/2 weeks.
Always begin with the reed pushed all the way in to the receiver. Only minute adjustments (1/4 inch at most) should be used, if at all.
The reed length should be approximately 70mm.
In general, harder reeds will be higher in pitch and softer reeds will be lower in pitch.

Posture/Breath Support

When playing, sit as if you are standing from the waist up.
Poor breath support will lead to an unsupported, out-of-tune sound.

Pads and Keys

When pads and keys become displaced and move closer to the instrument, the pitch of those notes will flatten.
When pads and keys become displaced and move away from the instrument, the pitch of those notes will sharpen.
Leaky pads and keys will create weak and unstable notes.
Have your oboe adjusted by a professional at least once per year.

Temperature

When the temperature is hot, the pitch of the oboe will rise.
When the temperature is cold, the pitch of the oboe will lower.
For best intonation results, play the oboe at room temperature.

Pitch Tendencies

Every instrument has notes that are naturally out of tune. Here is a list of common naturally out-of-tune notes for the oboe:

MODERATELY SHARP

SLIGHTLY SHARP

SLIGHTLY FLAT

Common Alternate Fingerings to Help With Intonation

For many of the naturally out-of-tune notes, the most effective way to adjust pitch is to change the amount of reed in your mouth and the amount of tension in your embouchure. Review the information higher up on this page for more details regarding this. Here is a list of commonly used alternate fingerings for a few of the notes listed above: