How to play the bassoon

How to play the  bassoon

How to form a perfect bassoon embouchure

How to play the bassoon in tune

Develop a good staccato on your bassoon.

How to play the bassoon with a good technique.

See what readers say.

Pages of good clear illustrations help you to get it right immediately.

Bassoon techniqueClick picture

We show you how to play the bassoon properly.

Is your bassoon problem here?

1. I blow into the bassoon reed but there is always a delay before the note starts.
2. I've just started playing the bassoon and sometimes notes just don't come out or they are completely wrong.
3. I cannot get scales even, there often extra notes.
4. My fingers ache after I have been playing for a short while.
5. There is always a delay before my notes sound when I am playing in a group.
6. The F#, G and G# are insecure and "croak".
7. The A to middle C are unstable and seem to be two octaves together. They seem to "crack".
8. My tone is raucous and too loud, particularly when I have been playing for a while. My family says that I sound like a foghorn.
9. My tone is thin and weedy. My family say I sound like a mouse in a matchbox.
10. I get out of breath and out of time when playing staccato passages.
11. My E flat (3rd space bass clef) is horribly out of tune.
 
The author, Dr Sandra Downing, is a research scientist, a semi-professional bassoonist, teacher and an expert bassoon reed maker. Her her latest brilliant little pocket book covers basic playing techniques and the answers to many bassooning problems. See also her book Making Bassoon Reeds is Easy! and The Bassoonist's Reed Doctor, in its 6th and full colour edition

Bassoon Technique Doctor - How to play the bassoon.Buy now and get the best from your bassoon.

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