Author: mschmidt
Date: 2008-05-26 19:16
Follow-up number 2: Reed-making has too many variables. How can you compare staples when there are variations in the hardness of the cane, the opening of individual reeds, and variability of the scrape due to that dratted human inconsistency? Well, today I tried to take a more "population-based" approach in an attempt to average out the differences between individual reeds. I soaked up a bunch of old reeds that were tied onto Dunkel staples, and compared them to my current batch of reeds (a pretty consistent and decent batch, thank heaven) tied to Guercio (Klopfer) staples. The reeds on the Dunkel staples were less stable on the treble clef C, but not necessarily flatter--it's just that small adjustments in embouchre would take the reed from flat to sharp. Reeds with the Guercio/Klopfer staples seemed to be more stable, giving a more gradual slope of pitch with changes in embouchre. Now, that might also be achievable through a more gradual blending of the tip and the heart, but a look at the profile of the reeds suggest that, in fact, the Dunkel reeds have the more gradual blend, so it's probably not the scrape that's causing the difference I notice.
As for timbre, well, there is a difference, but it's pretty darn subtle. I'm tempted to say that the Dunkel reeds have a bit "rounder" sound, but I don't know if my mind isn't just extrapolating the shape of the staple's tip to my auditory cortex. My biggest insecurity regarding my oboe playing is my inability to discriminate subtleties of timbre, or to remember subtleties of timbre. If you asked me what oboist I sounded most like, I couldn't tell you; I can't really remember just what Albrecht Mayer or Alex Klein or John Mack or Stuart Dunkel sound like when I'm playing. I can just remember what I sounded like in the previous five minutes. Arrgh. I should go listen to some recordings more.
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
Post Edited (2008-05-26 19:18)
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