 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Steven King
Date: 2002-07-22 02:51
I need to know how to adjust an oboe reed. I don't know anything about adjusting them. Can anyone tell me how or give a web site to go to or a book to get? I need to know everything i have no clue how. Thanks
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Author: Saxy Boy
Date: 2002-07-23 16:01
Do you mean how to adjust the tuning, or how to adjust the reed itself? First of all, you shouldn't "scrape" or cut the reed to correct the tuning.This is an old practice in some method books, and is discouraged by modern day oboists. The bottom of the reed is made of cork, so you can feel free to slide it to adjust the pitch. If your oboe is still sharp, it's either an embouchure problem,or an air leak in the oboe itself.
If your reed is falling apart, it's not worth the hassle, just buy, or start a new one.
I haven't found a book on adjusting them, because the practice of scraping and cutting the reed is discouraged.
Saxy Boy
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Author: Torus Tubarius
Date: 2002-09-08 00:26
By what modern day oboists? Everyone I've talked to says scraping the reeds correctly is the way to tune it... that and having the appropriate emboucure and breath support. Pulling the reed in and out of the horn should be used only as a last resort, and then the reed should only be pulled out no more than a millimeter or two at most. Any more than that and the gap between the bottom of the tube and the top of the bore begins to disrupt the continuity of the air stream, which has serious effects on the oboe's intonation and response. Most of the time, a correctly scraped reed will play reasonably in tune provided there is nothing wrong with the player or his instrument.
You should have a reed that crows at least a C, and should have a strong bottom octave C, and perhaps another below that accompanying it. There should be no rattle in the sound, and the crow shouldn't be pinched or thin sounding. A good book to start with might be the "Reed Makers Manual" which you can get from an oboist named David Weber out in Arizona. His website is www.webreeds.com, you can also order a video along with it if you like.
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