Oboist here! The first step is to get them started on handmade reeds that are play tested to ensure they are responsive, ready to play, and in-tune. I'm a professional oboist that handmakes oboe reeds for students and professionals on my website camberflickoboe.com Most reeds that you received from your music supplier are factory made, meaning the reeds are scraped/measured to certain parameters and then sent off. But because we are working with organic material, not every piece of cane is going to react that same way, which leaves some reeds super flat or sharp. With handmade reeds you can ensure that these reeds will be in-tune every time.

The next step is to have the students practice long tones, half notes, melodic etudes, and scales with tuning drones. I prefer the Tonal Energy Tuner set on the English horn sound, because it has a warmer timbre for them to listen to and imitate. They may not know what being in-tune sounds like and so they do not know how to adjust their air speed and embouchure to accommodate pitch. This will improve over time.

The next step is setting them up with a private teacher. I am based out of Miami, Florida but have been teaching oboe lessons over Zoom for three years. My middle school and high school students recently placed 1s in their solo and ensemble divisions and have placed into district band. Interested? Send me an email at camberflickoboe@gmail.com