Part 2: Bassoon Pedagogy – Producing The First Sounds

Be sure to read Part 1: Bassoon Pedagogy – From Day One!

Due to the imposing size of the bassoon, having students begin making sounds on the reed alone not only reinforces the skills they will need for tone production, but it allows them to focus on one dimension of bassoon playing at a time. 

EMBOUCHURE

• Having the student whistle a low pitch, or attempt to whistle a low pitch, is an excellent way of forming the basic embouchure for the bassoon. If a student in your class has a hooded sweatshirt on, have them pull their hood over their head and look at the opening. That’s it!!!  
• Pull the corners of the mouth towards the center of the face, making the opening as round/oval as possible. The jaw will be slightly dropped. 
• The goal of the bassoon embouchure is to gently hold the reed with equal pressure from all sides of the mouth. This allows the entire reed to vibrate.
• Equal pressure from all sides of the mouth allows the reed opening to be at its maximum, which the idea for the majority of bassoon playing

CROWING THE REED

• To prepare a bassoon reed, immerse the reed in water, remove, and place on a surface for 1-2 minutes. This method is more effective than soaking the entire reed in water for several minutes, and actually prepares the reed for performances in a shorter amount of time. 
• Insert the soaked reed so that 2/3 of the blades are in the mouth.
• Place the tip of the tongue on the tip of the reed, then, release the tongue letting air into the reed. 
• If the reed is properly soaked and adjusted, a mix of three frequencies will occur, producing a single pitch from an Eb to an F.
• These frequencies can be isolated by first blowing a slow air stream and then slowly increasing it. The longer that these three frequencies last, the better the reed is. 
• Almost all embouchure issues are due to reeds that are poorly made/adjusted, which means that the facial muscles must compensate for any deficiencies in the reed. In most cases, this happens where the bassoon reeds are too thick and/or the aperture is too open. 
• If a student can only produce a high pitch on the bassoon reed, then either the reed is poorly adjusted, or the embouchure is too linear in design. 
• Once the student can produce a crow with all three partials, have them sustain that crow for several seconds. 
• Once they can sustain the crow, have them move the reed back and forth in the mouth but still sustain the crow. This will show them how relaxed their embouchure needs to be. 

EXERCISES ON THE REED AND BOCAL

• Insert the reed on the bocal and have them use their tongue to begin a sound. It will be some type of “B” or “C” on top of the bass clef. 
• Once they can perform this skill, have them move the reed and bocal back and forth as they did with the reed alone. 
• Once they can do this, it is time for the bassoon!

AIR

• The total length of the bassoon is eight feet from the bocal to the bell, so it is important to use enough air to fill up the instrument. 
• In his book, Sound in Motion, bassoonist David McGill advises wind players to inflate the lungs all the way to the bottom so that our abdominal muscles can properly support the sound. This information is pivotal to creating a characteristic sound on the bassoon. 
• Almost all intonation issues on the bassoon (and many other instruments) are really tonal issues in disguise (Eugene Corporon), so being able to discern the ideal bassoon sound is an important step towards building intonation skills. 
• A great habit to get beginning students into is not stopping their air when connecting one note to another. 

FIRST NOTES

• Begin with second space C in the bass clef, and gradually introduce D, E, and F. If the first C is flat, have them firm up the embouchure a bit. 
• Gradually slurring one note at a time and then expanding these intervals allows the students to learn the spacing between each tone hole as well as getting used to sealing a tone hole with their fingers. 
• Using the “fleshiest” part of their fingers is best to seal the tone holes as opposed to coming at the tone hole from a perpendicular angle or drifting towards the top joint of the fingers (this is mostly seen in students that have big hands).
• Once these pitches are mastered, extend the range downward to low F just below the bass clef: C-Bb-C, C-Bb-A-Bb-C, C-Bb-A-G-A-Bb-C, C-Bb-A-G-F-G-A-Bb-C.

ARTICULATION

• The vast majority of articulation on the bassoon is done on the tip of the reed just behind the tip of the tongue. 
• “One taste bud on the reed!”  Many beginning students use too much tongue tissue to articulate, which will eventually compromise their tonguing speed and variety of articulation styles. 
• Many articulation issues can be due to poorly adjusted or simply bad reeds, so having a functioning reed is critical to a bassoonist’s success. 
• Much of the initial articulation that beginning students use can be done with a “dah” syllable. It uses the tip of the tongue and opens up the oral cavity.

RECOMMENDED METHOD BOOKS
AND PRINT MATERIALS FOR BEGINNERS

For beginning students in middle school, Essential Elements and Standard of Excellence work well. However, for students that are entering high school, the Weissenborn Method for Bassoon, edited by Doug Spaniol, is a must.

• Having a good quality fingering chart is critical for success on the bassoon. In addition to the resources listed above, Fox Products offers a free PDF entitled “Let’s Play Bassoon,” which has a very easy-to-read fingering chart. 
• Once a student has completed the Weissenborn text, most students will move on to the 50 Advanced Exercises, also by Weissenborn.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT FOR BEGINNERS

Finding a quality bassoon that is in working order at an affordable price can sometimes be a difficult prospect at best.  The recommendations that follow are solid choices for beginning students of all ages.

• Fox/Renard 41, 51, 222, 220, 240
• Moosmann M20, M22, M24
• Nobel Bassoons
• Having a quality reed case is also very important. Do not store bassoon reeds in the plastic cases they came in. They do not breathe, and encourage mold.
• An affordable reed case can be constructed by purchasing a box of Altoids mints, cleaning out the tin, poking holes in the top, and lining it with paper towels.
• For bassoon reeds, I recommend Jones medium soft or medium reeds. These are quality reeds that have stood the test of time. Consulting with a local teacher can also provide excellent results.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Remarks: Double reeds are not double trouble!  They add a wonderful voice to the concert band and might provide the impetus for some of your students to start a woodwind quintet!  Reach out to the local bassoonists in your area – we are often lonely and love to meet new students!!!!  A small investment of time can pay huge dividends to your ensemble.

Dr. Jason Worzbyt is Professor of Bassoon and Director of Adult and Community Bands at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He holds a B.S. in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Music in wind conducting from the University of North Texas and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in bassoon performance from the University of North Texas.

Related Reading:
Why Won’t the Bassoon’s Low Notes Come Out?
The Non-Bassoonist’s Guide to Equipment
Getting the Most From Your Double Reeds in the Concert Band

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