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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000065.txt from 2004/05

From: sti ffy <stiffy56@-----.com>
Subj: [DR-L] oboe reeds for beginners
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 15:18:04 -0400

Dear colleagues:
I have limited experience making these sorts of reeds
and would like your advice, especially if you are a
beginner yourself or do a lot of teaching. I don't do
much teaching and for the kids I do teach I have used
reeds that I made for myself and which are a little
played out or perhaps not shaping up to be good enough
for prime time. Setting out to make new reeds
specifically for beginners is something quite
different, it seems to me. I can make a reed for
myself in a hurry if I have to but doing batches on
the clock is different.

Here are a few questions that come to mind:
Should the reed look like a "professional reed"--or
should it be wider/narrower/longer/shorter/more
closed/less closed? Should the tip be longer? Should
the tip be thicker? What about the crow--should it be
a "c" or is a flatter/sharper crow preferable? Should
the reed be "finished" or should it be possible to
scrape or clip the reed and improve the sound (so a
teacher might have something work with)? Should the
tube differ from "professional" reeds--ie be shorter,
have a bigger inside, or a more rounded or flattened
opening? Do you think a good beginner's reed can be
made of "bad" cane? Should the gouger be thinner or
thicker? I am looking forward to gleaning wisdom
from your responses--all comments appreciated. Thanks!
Joe

http://promo.yahoo.com/sbc/

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