Now that you have learned and solidified the proper embouchure using only the reed and bocal, it is time to put the bassoon together and make some real bassoon sounds! Remember what your director or private instructor taught you about proper assembly of the instrument – we don't want an incorrectly assembled instrument getting in the way of our great tone! And be sure your instrument is in good working order. Old pads, bent keys, and cracks in the body are just some things that can have a negative effect on your sound. If your instrument hasn't been in for repairs in a while, or you think something might be wrong with the instrument itself, see your director, private instructor, or local repair shop for help with this.
The F Major Scale!
The first notes you are going to be playing on the bassoon as you work on good tone are ALL the notes of the low F Major scale! It may seem like a lot, but following the sequence below will make it very accessible. You may have already learned how to play some of these notes and what they look like on the music staff, but in case you haven't you can learn that here as well! When playing each note, remember to keep your embouchure soft and relaxed, take a deep breath in, and blow into the reed using a "doo" articulation to set the blades into vibration. Examples of each note are available for you to listen to in order to get the correct sound in your ear, and you can even play along with the video to help you match the pitch and sound you are hearing. As you work your way down the scale, don't worry if you get to a point where you are unable to get out the lower notes. As your hands get used to the finger placement and stretch that is required, it will become easier and you will be more successful!
Let's try putting all the notes together and play the F Major scale!
As you are practicing and playing the notes of the F Major scale, what do you hear? Are you matching pitch and sound and playing with the best tone possible? Or do you hear a lot of rushing air, sharp or flat sounds, or maybe even no sound at all? If you need to, re-visit the Troubleshooting section of the Embouchure page until you are able to master the correct tone of these notes on the bassoon!
Beginning Band / Method Book Notes
If you already are or plan on being in your school's band program, chances are you have or will receive a beginning method book. These books are designed so that students on ALL instruments can learn and play together on similar notes as they start their adventures in band! The first of these notes are usually, in concert pitch and on the bassoon, B-flat, C, D, E-flat, and F. After mastering the notes of the F Major scale, you are ready to move on to these 5 new ones! But wait... 4 of them are actually from the F Major scale you just learned! For the one new note (E-flat), just like before, the fingering, how it looks on the music staff, and an example of the proper sound are provided.
Again, listen to the sound you are hearing as you play. If you notice any imperfections to your tone, it doesn't hurt to re-visit the basics of the bassoon embouchure and some of the causes and solutions for bad tone in the Troubleshooting section of the Embouchure page.
Flying Along! ...
Now that you have mastered your first notes on the bassoon, it is time to go over some information regarding Intonation!