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Re: tone

Author: Dutchy
Date: 2008-05-23 02:49

I've spent the entire three years of my oboe time working with an extensive sampling of the reeds that are out there, both factory and handmade. And one thing I can say for sure: different reeds work differently for different people. The reed that Person A raves over may be the reed that Person B can't get to play at all. Everybody's mouth is different, and everybody comes up with a slightly different embouchure.

So, it's obvious, to me at least, that you need to get some different reeds and experiment. It's possible that it's just that your teacher's reeds don't work for you.

If her feelings are hurt that you want to use someone else's reed, then that's her issue, and shouldn't impact on you. You should do whatever you need to do to advance your oboe skills, and if trying different reeds is what's called for (and I really do think it is), then you owe it to yourself to go for it.

Short list of good-quality handmade reeds that for me at least have a good dark tone (you can Google these folks to get their info):

Margaret Cassell, Goodtoneguild.
Angela Wells, Reedery
Kerry, Reedmaker
Tabbytoes
Lisa Hudson

And--if your budget will stand it, I'd go for the "pro" reed; this caliber of reedmaker generally offer "student" reeds, but in my experience they're not as refined as their "pro" reeds.

And--if your budget can also stand it, I'd get at least two reeds from whoever you pick, because (for example), I just got four reeds from Angela Wells, and each reed is slightly and subtly different from the others. It's quite fascinating, actually, the differences. One came out very light and sweet, and is wonderful on the Handel I'm practicing, but is kinda lost on the John Philip Sousa. Odds are that in any batch of four reeds, you'll get one that is good, two that are excellent, and one that is truly divine and it makes you cry to think that someday it'll be worn out and you'll have to stop using it.

So shop around; experiment.

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