Author: d-oboe
Date: 2004-12-05 05:34
As far as synth reeds go, I'm really firmly against them. They are very inflexible, because obviously you can't adjust them, and thus the young oboe player has to compensate with their embouchure (that isn't built up yet) which leads to more frustration and probably a loss of interest in music.
I don't think anyone will ever want the arundo-donax reeds to go away....that's an oboist's trademark! It's almost like a rite of passage, learning how to carve and craft this special little thing that allows us to make such magnificent sounds. As a teacher, seeing the look on a student's face when they make their first playable reed and are terribly excited to show me what they've done....I don't think I'd want that taken away by a plastic reed!
Plus, cane has more character! You can make a reed raucous and woody, or you can make it small, refined, and delicate...whatever to suit your needs. Plastic offers much less variability, just because of the physical nature of plastic....it's plastic! come on!
I think the oboe has to be allowed to progress and change. Composers compose with a certain tonality in mind, and it is nice to know that it is always changing. Baroque, Classical, and modern oboes all have their different characteristics, and it will be nice to see what new sounds they will get an oboe to produce
d-
|
|
The Oboe BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
