Author: d-oboe
Date: 2005-09-07 17:12
In an ideal world, making reeds should be part of the package when learning to play oboe. Mostly, because the reed has to suit one's facial structure.
There is one thing that an aspiring oboe player has to face: if they want to improve, they have to make their own reeds. No other way! Some of the older pro players are known to not make their own reeds, but any student studying seriously in North America today does not have that option. Most university teachers will stop making reeds for their students after 1st term, or first year.
The main reason behind needing to make our own reeds is simple - our embouchure controls the entire reed. (As opposed to a clarinet/saxophone where there is a mouthpiece on one side of the reed.) And, as our embouchure develops, the reeds will need to change. The acceptable response, resistance, and vibrancy of a reed all generally change as a player is strong enough to support a good tone. So, by making one's own reeds, the changes in the reeds will happen passively over time...almost unnoticed.
Now to the logistics...sometimes sacrifices need to be made. If the student lives far away from a big city where an oboe teacher lives..are they willing to sacrifice time and money so that they can take those lessons (both playing, and reed lessons)? If not, then maybe they don't really love the oboe enough to pursue it anyways. I personally don't believe that it is unreasonable for a student to travel to a big city once a month (once a month is surely acceptable for a high school student!) to study with a teacher.
Having said that, if the oboe is NOT something that a student wants to pursue, and they have decided upon that, then there is no need to get into reeds. By all means find some good store reeds, maybe even some "pro" reeds as they call them. Some teachers have different "policies" according to the handing out of reeds - my personal policy is called "learn to swim." Once a student makes a playable reed, then they are cut off from my reeds. Most of my students see this as a challenge anyways, and indeed *want* to be cut off from my reeds, so that they truly feel they are making their own.
For students who want to improve, but don't want to study oboe seriously, they have to be aware of the limitations that it brings. A saxophone player, who plays "for fun" might very well sound good, mainly in part to the fact that they don't have to make, and aren't really limited by, reeds. A "for fun" oboe player has to face the facts that playing improvement will be difficult because of limiting reeds. If that is ok for them, then all is well!
D
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