The Oboe BBoard

The Oboe BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Re: soak or suck

Author: RobinDesHautbois
Date: 2011-07-02 12:42

In my old performance days, what I considered the perfect soaking was as follows:
1. when still at home, run lukewarm tap water in through the bottom of the staple and around the blades for about 20 seconds
2. without shaking off the excess, put the reed straight in the reed case
3. keep the reed case in my shirt pocket while riding the bus to the concert hall: the body heat helps
4. when I get to the concert hall's change-room the reed is at its optimal condition to play

=> insufficient soaking usually seemed to wreck reeds and make them play weird, but you are right about long soaking opening up the aperture.
=> the time spent in the shirt pocket seems to fix everything.

After the warm-up, repeat the steps above until I give the tuning note: the reed is ready.

After that, keep dipping/soaking as needed during the performance.

Robin Tropper
M.A.Sc., B.Mus., B.Ed.
http://RobinDesHautbois.blogspot.ca/music

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics