 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2007-03-21 21:44
I got it in the mail from WWBW today, rushed it upstairs, stuck it in the oboe, played a quick scale--and my husband, who had the misfortune to be standing six feet away, blurted out, "It sounds like a kazoo!"
"No," I corrected him. "It sounds like a crumhorn. A really, really loud crumhorn." Back in high school I played recorder a lot, and was into Early Music, which is how I know what a crumhorn sounds like.
Although, I have to admit, there is a certain degree of kazoo-ness to it...
He beat a hasty retreat downstairs, and I resumed experimentation.
It's shrill, and piercing--"Essence Of Oboe" and not in a good way--and buzzy, and LOUD, and FLAT. Oh man, is it ever flat. I can't get it to play on pitch above low G without ferocious biting, and anything higher than mid-C is simply impossible to play in tune, even choking up on the reed right down at the thread. It just won't go there. The problem is that it's really soft, so there's no resistance, and no way to bite it up to pitch.
I can't think of a possible use for it other than to give some sort of "Introduction to the Oboe" course for very young children who just can't manage even a Soft cane reed. It's really easy to get a sound out of, which would be a plus for young children, the way that the recorder is easy for kids because no embouchure is required, but it's not for young children who are going to be expected to learn how to match a pitch (or for anybody who has to listen to them) because it's just impossible.
I will see if I can get a Youtube video posted. Brace yourselves. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Post Edited (2007-03-21 21:45)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-03-21 22:24
I briefly used a synthetic reed when I took oboe up again (about 10 years ago), and to get it up to pitch in the top register needed incredible jaw strength!
They're the worst reeds to play on simply for the fact the embouchure needed is totally different than you'd use with cane reeds.
The only good thing about synthetic reeds is they will play instantly, so they're good for testing oboes with. Apart from that, they're of little importance for quality playing.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: JRJINSA
Date: 2007-03-22 00:59
Absolutely hilarious. I have found that even *cane* reeds purchased from music stores have this same kazoo-ness to them. Anybody ever try Chartier standard reeds? They're absolutely attrocious.
Thanks for the post. I shall steer away...guess there are no short cuts to oboe!
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Author: Mike S.
Date: 2007-03-22 01:34
Yeah, those Chartier reeds are bad! Although I haven't played oboe as much as my other woodwinds, I have found that the Evan's brand of reeds are very sufficient. But i also tried plastic reeds, and hated them.
-Mike
Recorders(SSAT), piccolo/flute/alto flute, oboe, clarinets(Eb/Bb/bass), saxophones(SATB)
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Author: oboemoboe
Date: 2007-03-22 09:01
As bad as Rico? The first two words my oboe students learn are: RICO. BAD. Those orange reeds from hell are banned from my studio! Mwahahahah.
I've never heard of Chartier. My students who don't scrape like to buy Marlen Lescher reeds, at least, they have a basic american scrape shape, and we can work from that!
Greetings from a canadian player in Belgium, eh?!
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2007-03-22 19:57
Youtube video. WARNING: Turn your speakers down. Heh.
After working with the reed for a while, I got it to the point of "not quite as bad as it was". Which is like saying, I worked with a New Year's noisemaker for a while and got it to the point of, "not quite as bad as it was." Still random squeaks and squawks, because there's a limit to how much time I wanna spend working with a New Year's noisemaker.
The video doesn't really convey the raucousness, the buzzy feeling, of playing on it. The minute you send air down it, it emits a nasal "QUAAAAAAAAAA". I am still having to bite like mad in order to get it up to pitch, and that last D is a killer.
The reed itself is perfectly flat, with no spine, heart, windows, etc. It actually looks like what you would get if you put a small clarinet reed onto an oboe staple [shudders at the thought]
Post Edited (2007-03-22 20:05)
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-03-22 20:30
That's really pretty funny, Dutchy!
But your flat chin looks great. How about showing us what you can do with a GOOD reed?
Susan
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-03-22 23:40
"The reed itself is perfectly flat, with no spine, heart, windows, etc. It actually looks like what you would get if you put a small clarinet reed onto an oboe staple [shudders at the thought]"
So these reeds are definitely spineless and heartless!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2007-03-23 02:08
Great video, Dutchy, loved it, you spring-fever crazy kazoo :-)
Hey, here's a happy random thought ...
Maybe it's not the reed
It's the acoustics !?
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2007-03-23 14:45
[snerk]
Hey, yeah, it's definitely the hall...
Post Edited (2007-03-23 14:50)
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2007-03-30 03:15
[second Youtube video taken down, so link removed]
Post Edited (2007-04-26 20:57)
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2007-03-30 03:43
Youtube message "the video you have requested is not available" :-(
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2007-03-30 14:38
See if it's there now. Youtube says sometimes it takes a while for videos to show up.
You can also search under "plastic oboe reed". I did just now and it's there.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2007-03-31 03:00
... can get both videos now, but audio's not working this time ...
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2007-03-31 20:16
... behold i tell you a mystery
... the audio plug was unplugged and a good 2 ft away from the tower, tossed behind a lot of other wires, i know not how that happened, maybe a certain junior member of my family borrowed the boom box, aha, slightly dusty surface has indeed been disturbed by fingers, sloppy junior job, didn't finish hooking it back up again, thought low tech momma wouldn't notice, eh?!
... hooray, youtube works now, video OK, audio OK, thank goodness, i was worrying dire consequences such as maybe needing a new audio card ...
great contrast in two reeds, Dutchy, much enjoyed your demo!
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2007-03-31 20:23
Har. It's a good thing you didn't take your 'puter to one of those "computer doctors", and end up paying $$$ to "fix" it.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2007-04-01 01:10
... you got that dead to rights
as it happened, big grown-up kid had borrowed & returned ... the mouse! and didn't even notice he'd accidentally unplugged audio in the process!!
hey, wouldn't i just love to send him off to Survivor
... just imagine gorgeous tropical blue lagoon, twinkling sea, sandy beach, palm trees, curvaceous cuties ...
... ominous chords of Jaws theme
... sffz high register oboe shrieks on a plastic reed
isn't music wonderful for vicariously fulfilling our fantasies [:-}
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