ABSTRACT
The oboe has the most limited compass of any woodwind instrument and seems to resist any effort to achieve a good tone. The key mechanism of the oboe can be damaged when putting the instrument together or taking it apart, so care is encouraged. The reed is grasped at the cork by the thumb and first finger and inserted in the upper joint by a slight downward push. The left thumb rests against the instrument at an angle of approximately 60 degrees just below the octave key so that it can activate the octave key by a rolling motion. The framework of the embouchure is formed by the teeth. The teeth determine the size and shape of the embouchure and must be kept open so that the other elements of the embouchure function properly. The oboe requires different embouchures in different registers and for crescendos and decrescendos; these are opposite to those used by clarinet players.
