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Re: Air Quantity and Reed Strength

Author: sylvangale
Date: 2006-08-05 18:19

I believe if you don't stick to a constant strength/resistance level that one will never play with comfort. I'm just warning about the ills of reed adjustment addiction, adjustment in moderation may be okay, but the lesser the better and really only what is needed for a functional reed.

I do adjust reeds, but I don't adjust terribly often by any means. I've been through the slippery slope of adjusting whole batches of reeds to be equally responsive and adjusting further and further down for comfort until it was impossible to find a well made reed new and I was ruining reeds bringing them down to a strength to meet my weakening needs that my other reeds played at.

It wasn't until I finally stuck to playing reeds as they were and storing them after they reach around a 2 week age that I found joy in playing again. I will have a couple reeds broken in, but that's it and I don't switch off to them until my main reed is of age. If I face sudden reed death I have many 2 week old reeds that I can switch to and adjust to play when I need them.

Now my embouchure is strong and if I face a harder than average reed, I can warm up to it easily and play on. The oboe is far less chaotic when reed stability is achieved.

Regards,
Stephen

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Air Quantity and Reed Strength new

ohsuzan

2006-08-03 17:11