Stirling

New reed and new oboe!

If your reed seems to be harder to play on, try soaking it for a few seconds in water to open it back up
Make sure you swab out your oboe - and check that there aren't any knots in the swab first!
If your hands or fingers or back or anything hurts while you're playing, STOP and see if you can shake it out, then change how you're sitting, or holding the oboe, or, if you've been playing for a while, maybe take a break for a while. Playing the oboe is difficult, but it shouldn't be painful.

Play on the reed first:
- "Crow" the reed with lips on the thread to remove water after soaking
- "Chirp" the reed by playing with your lips on the heart of the reed
- put the reed in your mouth with your lips on the heart and pretend you are blowing through a straw - but keep your face still and porcelain like - this will take some practice! Try not to let your upper lips and cheeks inflate while you play - all that air needs to go through the oboe.
Practice going from C to half hole D
Play as much as you can of the three blind mice
Feel free to look up the fingerings of notes you haven't learned yet

So nice to meet you! I've added some things for you to do below!

Make a list of your favourite bands and songs!
Think of one song you want to try to play first (we can work towards this)
Practice the eeeee-yaaaw high low sound on the reed, then the oboe
form your lips around the reed as though you are blowing bubbles through a straw, but firm so that your cheeks and lips don't bulge out
play with your lips on the heart/tip area of the reed, towards the end of it instead of closer to the thread. this will make it easier to make a bigger sound