In this video we go step-by-step through the process of making an American-Scrape Oboe Reed. After clipping your reed you might need to re-finish the tip and make it thinner. Some reeds will only ever be OK, so use those to practice on. Maybe you'll notice some variation, but try to pin point a normal range. The reed may also become less responsive. Pieces by Stravinsky might call for a more aggressive attack. Moving between a B and an A should feel the same as moving from an A to a G, and from G to F#, and F# to E, and so on. Métal épais ou mince Certains prétendent que le métal plus mince favorise les articulations. My oboe reed making philosophy I think it may be helpful for customers to understand my thoughts on oboe reeds, reed making, and playing the oboe to get an idea of how my reeds may work for the individual purchasing them from me. 3.9 out of 5 stars 3. For me, response means that if I try to play a low C, middle C, and high C, all notes in all registers should play on command. If there is a problem with a reed being too open or closed, it should be addressed directly. I tend to play on light reeds, but I look for 'restraint'  or 'cushion' in the response. You never know what you'll need because you won't necessarily know how a reed breaks in. If your oboe is not adjusted properly, you might try to scrape too much cane out of the reed. 3. An oboe reed is made from shaving down an actual cane reed. Make better reeds. The best reeds do not need to be fussed over! That means that a professional who plays on hard reeds should still be able to play low notes reliably. Bring the reed to your mouth - not your mouthto the reed . The reed turned out fine, but I did create more work for myself. Table of Contents for All Reed Making Posts | How To Make Oboe Reeds, Favorite blog posts, December 2020 | Bret Pimentel, woodwinds. For example, a reed can be hard (or heavy) and still be responsive in the low register. I love this course! Duration. Tiffany DiPiazza on holding the reed and scraping the back. Oboe bell should be down just above knees . It is important to use as many adjectives as we can to describe our reeds (and our playing too) to help zero in on the precise problem. When clipping with either a knife or razor blade, hold the reed in one hand, and the knife in the other. More than one way to make an oboe reed - Duration: 4:59. If you're not sure how long your usually are, you might want to check all your best reeds to see if they are a particular length. 20+ Videos. But, because reeds are unpredictable and can change based on the weather, you will want to have a variety of reeds ready. There are times when I make a batch of reeds that all seem to die within a few days, but then the reeds that were too hard at first are still useful. If you are making your own reeds, then also have some blanks and partially finished reeds that you can try to finish in a pinch. Maybe I'll fuss with those reeds a little bit and try to get them closer to what I play on, but I still like to have a few reeds that are a bit different. See more ideas about Oboe reed making, Oboe, Oboe reed. 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. Maybe a reed with too small of an opening might be perceived as too easy, or a reed with too big of an opening might be too hard to play in the upper register. Some people might see this topic differently than I do, or adjust their reeds differently, so this is just how I handle my reeds. While there are some tricks you can do to make the reed more open or closed (like simply squeezing it open or shut), you might want to keep a few reeds that are too open or closed just in case they change! It happens! Playing oboe is strenuous for sure, and oboe reed making for personal use is not for the faint of heart. This means my embouchure might get tired a little more quickly as I play on it. Place your reed into the top of the oboe, holding the base of the top joint. Yes, I've made good reeds with my Mack+ shaper tip at 70.5 or 68.5 mm, but it's rare. Aug 20, 2018 - Explore Andrea Oosterhouse's board "Oboe" on Pinterest. Learn More about the M Style Reed. Check out the oboe reed measurements page to see how I make my reeds. This course goes step by step teaching you how to make reeds. I wasn't sure at first if it was too long, but comparing it to the reeds the other players in my section use, there is a noticeable difference. It's easy to say quality is more important than quantity, but be careful with that saying because you also need a large quantity of reeds just in case something changes. I continue to thin directly behind the heart and balance to that adjustment by clipping the tip and again thinning the sides of the tip. The tip should be scraped thin enough to easily start the sound. Clipping the tip brings the pitch up, but makes the reed less responsive. I basically use that template for most of my reeds, and then some reeds end up being a little harder or softer, or darker or brighter in sound, or have a bigger or smaller opening. The reed goes into what’s called the bore, which is a very small hole at the tip of the oboe. I make oboe reeds primarily by the crow of the oboe reed. Sometimes, fixing the opening of a reed can make the response closer to your preferences. That will waste time and make your reeds worse the next day. You will have more control over your scrape, The tone quality and response of your reeds will improve. Maybe a reed with too small of an opening might be perceived as too easy, or a reed with too big of an opening might be too hard to play in the upper register. On my reeds, I basically scrape what some people call a 'super tip'. 27. Scrape the tip in an upward motion (toward the folded tip). It's easy to say quality is more important than quantity, but be careful with that saying because you also need a large quantity of reeds just in case something changes. (Note: While this is a reed making blog, keep in mind that your oboe needs to be in impeccable adjustment. The tip of your reed should get gradually thinner towards the top, so clipping off the tip should leave you with a thicker part of the tip. Members can check out these posts on fixing a reed that is too open and too closed. Time will tell. […] How To Make Oboe Reeds (Tim Feil): Reed Response […], The size of the reed opening can also be mistaken for hardness. If you've scraped too much out of one area, you can't add cane back on, but you can try rebalancing the reed and make every other part else thinner by comparison. How to Balance an Oboe Reed. Full HD Download available @ http://www.playwithapro.com Watch François Leleux make an oboe reed from scratch. A great alternative to the S reeds. In this post, I want to go through how I think about response and easiness levels in my reeds. Resistance (too hard or soft) 2. Student model oboes are often made from plastic resin, to avoid instrument cracking to which wood instruments are prone, but also to make the instrument more economical. And of course, if you have any thoughts, feel free to comment or send a message! Don't pull the reed out more than 1/8 of an inch when you tune (this is a sign that the student is pinching the reed sharp with a tight embouchure) English. I basically use that template for most of my reeds, and then some reeds end up being a little harder or softer, or darker or brighter in sound, or have a bigger or smaller opening. to see how I make my reeds. If your oboe is not adjusted properly, you might try to scrape too much cane out of the reed. Sometimes, fixing the opening of a reed can make the response closer to your preferences. I try not to let myself mess up any more than three reeds at a time. For an oboe reed to work at it's best (vibrate at its optimum level) it needs the be correctly balanced; the reed should have the same thickness of cane on both front and back blades and on each half of both blades (see diagram, left).. This means that the reed should have the same thickness of cane on both front and back blades and on each half of both blades (see diagram, left). I will try to keep some reeds that feel too heavy, or have too big of an opening, or are too 'zingy' in their sound because I don't always know what I'll need each day or in every concert venue. The tip (especially at the top and sides) should be scraped thin enough to easily start the sound. If a reed needs to be broken-in, I like to play the opening page of Don Juan by Richard Strauss because the high notes with all the fast articulations can help break it in quicker. (Scales, long tones) Let the reed dry outside of the case for about 15-20min. That might depend on the composer, the hall, or our colleagues with the exact type of action or attack we are looking for on each note. By having some restraint to our sound, it will improve the tone quality. Creating a perfect reed, then, is an almost alchemical process, more aligned with wand-making than blacksmithing. There shouldn't be any sputtering or rolling tones in the lower octave, and the upper octave should respond cleanly. Using the information above, you can adjust the reed to fit you. Ok, yes, you need to have a few very good reeds for a concert or audition. Keep the reed in the case for storage; Soak the reed again and play for longer practice sessions or rehearsals. for the reeds I make for myself I continue to thin the very tip of the reed and the sides of the tip. Language. If a reed does not respond very well in the low register, I would consider that an unresponsive reed, not necessarily a hard reed. It takes longer to finish the reed, but your results are worth it. You can also try crowing the reed to see how little air it needs to start vibrating. If I make three bad reeds in a row, it’s probably time for a break (or most likely it’s time to sharpen my knife). If you try working on an over-soaked reed, you will try to fix problems that aren’t really there. The opening of a reed is mostly determined by the cane's diameter, the gouge, shaper tip, and tying length—basically all the things that happen before you start scraping a reed. OK, even though you can only play on one reed at a time, you never know what will happen to that reed. I had an oboe reed handmade for me and the reed itself is very good and responsive, but the cork of the reed is too long, essentially making everything I play sound flat, even when pushed in all the way. As you add more air, the reed should get louder evenly and not in big jumps or spurts. . It truly is an amazing course that covers everything about reed making. Not every reed will be a winner. This will help to make the reed less wild … 4:59. Also included is my guide to scraping oboe reeds that is available for download. The very top of the tip is scraped as thin as possible, and then I balance the rest of the tip from there so that it gradually gets thicker towards the bottom and the center. In order to make the reed more responsive, thin the tip! You can adjust this in the tip, the blend, the heart, or the windows a little bit, but here's the thing—reeds change every day because of the weather or how broken in they are. 6% coupon applied at checkout Save 6% with voucher (limited sizes/colours) Get it Sunday, Dec 6. The easiest way to scrape is to place the reed on a mandrel for easy handling. The crow allows me to build the function into the reed away from the control of the embouchure. The oboe reeds for beginners that are chosen must play in tune, with proper residence for the specific student.The oboe reed should also be responsive so the student can articulate notes softly or loudly in all registers of the instrument. I want you to have a reed that is responsive, but still gives you something to blow against. Work the reed in this manner until you feel your reed is scraped to your needs. Reeds can be really open when they are brand new. With my reeds, I get this kind of response mostly from how the tip is scraped and how the reed is balanced. Some people like to play with harder reeds than other people, but having a variety of reeds can help you in situations that are atypical. All. 2. Members can check out these posts on fixing a reed that is. 1. Don’t be afraid to pinch down a well soaked reed to make the tip opening more manageable. The oboe has an extremely narrow conical bore. The reed … While you are crowing, you should also try to feel if the reed is vibrating into the heart and windows. With this oboe reed lesson, you can become a more consistent reed maker. oboe reed making does not stop at the reed desk. The sound shouldn't jump out but rather crescendo gradually. Some oboists prefer to play on harder reeds, but that shouldn't affect the response. Maybe I'll fuss with those reeds a little bit and try to get them closer to what I play on, but I still like to have a few reeds that are a bit different. This will put you in a cycle where you feel like your reeds are not responding well enough, so then you will scrape extra cane off…which makes the reed go flat…then you clip the reed to bring the pitch up…which makes the reed less responsive…so then you scrape more cane off…which makes the reed go flat…etc. or at least until February? There are some halls and rehearsal rooms that I have played in that required a heavier reed. Just slowly move one finger at a time and make sure each note slurs and responds just as easily as going between a B and an A.). Only use your air. There are many different ideas out there as far as how an oboist should make reeds. The two reeds are placed face-to-face and are strapped to the metal pipe with strings. Also, the heart and windows should be balanced so that they are not so thick that the reed doesn't vibrate, and of course, not too thin that the reed is flat and too 'loose' in how it responds. There are many benefits to a sharp reed knife including…. But, because reeds are unpredictable and can change based on the weather, you will want to have a variety of reeds ready. This article will help you diagnose, adjust & hopefully fix the following factors with your oboe reeds: 1. This kind of response is mostly from how the tip is scraped and how the reed is balanced. Ok, yes, you need to have a few very good reeds for a concert or audition. I think some of us have slightly different definitions of words like 'response' or 'medium-hard reed'. The oboe is constructed such that there is a piece of cork wrapped around part of it, and the cork is inserted into the upper section of the instrument. And then some reeds will just be bad—I expect to just throw away one or two out of every ten reeds (but keep the staple of course). You can also look at the transitions between the tip, heart, and windows. The reed also needs to be balanced so that the heart isn't too thick compared to the tip or windows. Try just playing your reed (a crow and/or a peep) and try starting the sound with as little air as possible and see what happens when you slowly increase your air. If there is a problem with a reed being too open or closed, it should be addressed directly. Sometimes people refer to reeds as being too easy or too light. In this video Tess and Suzanne show you how to wrap the oboe reed. I hope you may find your way to AaronLakota.com where I have more information about oboe r This is just the visualization I like to use for the terms 'restraint' and 'cushion'. 59 £8.13 £8.13. I have been taught how to make oboe reeds the old fashioned way- and it took years of training, frustration, and persistence, just to get it right for me. I heard from a pianist that he likes to warm up pretending like he is underwater so that when he warms up, his movement is slower and more deliberate with a lot of 'restraint' in his motion, just like how someone would move if they were underwater. There are times when we are playing more modern pieces where the composer asks for a very aggressive attack, but most of the time, we try to find some balance in our playing between playing too aggressively and too restrained. Just try to sound your best with what you got and try to find ways to improve. Black PU Leather Oboe Reeds Case Box for 3pcs Reeds Hold 9x4.5x2cm. Taking more cane off of the heart and windows will make the reed respond more easily in the low register, but if you take too much off the reed will go flat. Soak the reed for 1-2 minutes. Maybe not everyone reading this has driven a car, but you wouldn't want to tap the accelerator and have the car go 90 mph, but instead, you would want to have the control to ease on the accelerator to increase your speed. Play for a short practice session focusing on fundamentals you know well. For me, I make my reeds to be as responsive as possible while still maintaining some restraint to the tone. Tone (does it make a nice sound) 5. For example, creating more separation between the tip and the heart and between the heart and windows will tend to open up the reed which might improve the response in the low register. The function into the reed desk to blow against breaks in will try to a... Be hard ( or heavy ) and still be responsive in the other fussed over with either a or! 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But, it should be scraped thin enough to easily start the sound 'll... Reeds that are a little bit different adjust & hopefully fix the factors... For about 15-20min see more ideas about oboe reed from scratch be ok, yes, I want to. To sound your best with what you got and try to feel if the more... Will also over-soak if you have any thoughts, feel free to or! Be afraid to pinch down a well soaked reed to your preferences to learn pipe strings... ( does it make a nice sound ) 5 between the tip is scraped and the. About response and easiness levels in my reeds was once said that `` it takes longer to the... And response of your reeds endeavor to undertake and has always been extremely difficult and time consuming to learn from...