 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: mschmidt
Date: 2023-09-16 23:08
I'm retired now, with more time to devote to the troubling subject of shaper tips.
With my English horn, my current reeds, made with a RDG -1N shaper tip, tend to be a bit sharp, despite doing the usual sorts of things to bring them down in pitch (take more out of the sides of the heart, etc.). Well, years ago I bought a Minsker-Lickman shaper tip and had trouble getting the pitch up to where it belonged, and so that tip has sat unused for many years. I went back to it in the past week, thinking that maybe my reed making and playing had advanced enough that I could figure out how to bring the pitch up to where it needed to be. With one reed done, I am a bit discouraged that the M-L shape is as I remembered it--much of a struggle to get it up to pitch. Of course, more experimentation needs to be done, maybe I can get this much-praised shape to work for me.
But I was wondering if there was something in between these two options available, something that would be easier to adjust my reedmaking to. This chart of shaper tip dimensions is probably the most complete one out there: http://www.grahamsalter.com/Oboe%20Information/Technical%20Information/englishhornshape.html . What this chart shows is the problem of comparing the tip dimensions due to the variety of ways of measuring. I trust Westwind's measurement system, but it is not much help in comparing tips not made by Westwind. (Hi, Robert, are you still here?)
Of the Westwind tips, Coelho seems to be the only one narrower than M-L. But that one is even narrower at the tip than the RDG -1N. I am thinking of getting maybe just an RDG -1, which is wider at the tip, but maybe isn't as wide as M-L in the belly. Anyone want to venture any guidance on this?
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
Post Edited (2023-09-17 00:03)
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2023-09-18 22:53
I know nothing about shaper tips, but have observed that a Cor reed that crows as high as an Eb plays in tune on my Cor. So wondering if you are chasing something that doesn't really need to be chased? Or is it just my Cor (rosewood Laubin) that is happy with sharp reeds?
Definitely not a pro but was pro on violin so the ear is there.
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Author: mschmidt
Date: 2023-09-19 20:40
Hmmm...I pay little attention to the tone of the crow, especially with English horn reeds, which have a shorter staple. My problem is how the reed plays in the instrument. I'm concerned with reeds that are pretty consistently 20 cents sharp when I play in a "relaxed" way. This is little enough that with some embouchure efforts, I can play in tune--but I worry that when I am stressed with fingerings and rhythm, I might relax the embouchure and end up sharp.
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2023-09-20 21:40
Why fight with the reeds? The easy fix would be to buy a longer bocal. If you're currently playing on a No. 1, then try out some No. 2 length bocals. Or, if you're playing on a No. 2, then try some No. 3s. You might find a bocal you like even better for its tone, intonation, projection, and altissimo register. I recommend the commercially available Hiniker and Lorée Etoile bocals, but if you can find a pre-owned Symer, Glover, or Laubin, those can be awesome as well.
This may be more than you want to know about bocals: https://www.carolynhovemusic.com/post/a-few-words-about-bocals
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: mschmidt
Date: 2023-09-21 10:04
I had thought about getting a different bocal, but I already have the heaven-sent no-name bocal that has impressed people who play English horn professionally. I have a Hiniker bocal that I don't play because it sounds worse than my no-name. Finding a bocal I like as much as this one sounds like more work than finding a different shape that I like. Plus, if I can find a wider shape that I can get to play in tune, the reeds I make will probably have more color to the sound.
I don't "fight" reeds, I craft them. I am trying to perfect my craft.
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2023-09-21 19:42
The benefit of a wider shape is that you will also get to play a longer reed, which will also lower the pitch.
Dane
Bay Area, California
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