The oboe and other double reed woodwinds (bassoon, contrabassoon, and English horn) are difficult to play properly. You need to train yourself to inhale and exhale in a certain manner to be able to blow correctly into the mouthpiece. Unlike brass instruments (trumpets, for example) or single reed instruments (clarinets), double reed instruments have a very small mouth piece and there is a lot of resistance when the player blows into the instrument.
It’s this resistance that researchers have found may reduce the risk for obstructive sleep apnea in those players. On the other hand, another theory is that these instruments …read more