 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Vallemar2
Date: 2009-02-13 21:25
I think I have a relatively common dilemma. I don't know if I should be investing time to make reeds right now.
Realistically speaking I have about an hour a day to devote to the oboe maybe a little more; its a hobby. One that I really love but still a hobby.
And I am picking it up after many years of not playing; now I'm over fifty; I have a demanding job kids husband and the whole catastrophe as they say.
Finally my lip is back into some sort of shape; the breathing is coming back although it took longer than I thought it might
So I do want to learn to make reeds and I know some people say it's a must (making your own). But I also need the practice time; so far I sometimes have been lucky to get an hour a day in straight for practice but more often it's split up into chunks of 20-30 minutes.
Until I retire (probably another 8 years or so) I probably won't get more time than that. I have the reed making stuff to start with gouged and shaped cane. I can tie a good blank most of the time but I haven't had a lesson with a real live instructor. And I am arranging to do that but before I start I want to know if it's realistic to go forward with it.
Is there a short "intensive course I could take; like three day weekend; to get a handle on some of the rudiments of reed making and then maybe get a lesson once every 1 or 2 weeks to keep me going in the right direction? Should I start by learning how to adjust reeds I already have?
I recently have found a reedmaker I really like (I get them mailed to me) and I know I won't be making reeds I like better than his for some time.
Is it even possible to learn how to make decent reeds on such a limited schedule?
Maybe this is all just cold feet.
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2009-02-14 03:55
I too am Fifty-something hobby oboist, with no time (or finances) to spend on learning to make reeds, and I have no compunction whatsoever about cheerfully patronizing the many fine reedmakers out there. I figure we both benefit: I get extra time to practice and am freed from the burden of frustration at being unable to make reeds effectively, plus the financial frustration at having to throw away my many inevitable failures, and they receive an income.
So I hereby give you permission to stop beating yourself up about your lack of reedmaking skilz. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif) 'Taint necessary.
The only people that IMO really *need* to learn to make reeds are the people who are seriously going to go through a lot of reeds, i.e. the pros or semi-pros. When you're practicing 5 hours a day, you really do wear out a lot of reeds, and in that case you can't afford to pay someone $20 a pop. So you need to learn how to do it yourself. But the rest of us who are just puttering around can go pay someone to do it for us. Ladies of Leisure.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2009-02-14 06:36
think you know the right thing for you, but it's good for us that you want to talk it over :-)
can't play oboe well enough to please oneself if don't practice regularly, so that's time priority #1 and an hour a day is certainly essential to maintain basic playing condition
but, there are 7 days in a week and could still stay in shape if only play on 6 days -- so why not choose a regular 'no-play' day each week when you know you'll have a full hour (rather than 3 periods of 20 minutes) and devote that hour to tying more blanks to build up a good supply, or adjusting ready-mades that aren't working quite right for you?
ready-made reeds are easily available nowadays, although the expense is certainly a reason for considering DIY, but since you're working, the expense is probably less of a concern than finding enough time to learn how to cut reeds
you must really want to do this if you say you're arranging for lessons, but the reality of crash courses is the theory will go in one ear and out the other if you don't apply yourself to hand-skills right away for many months and continue to self-learn by doing-doing-doing until you've 'got it' and can finally make playable reeds most of the time -- IMO you definitely would need to commit yourself to a year of reed-making lessons at least twice a month to make the effort worthwhile and be rewarded with success
with your time so full of doing things for everybody else, it does seem you need more leisure & pleasure time for yourself, and rightly so, feel no guilt whatsoever about looking out for your own best interests first
so maybe it's high time you scheduled yourself 90 minutes of personal pleasure for oboe & reed stuff every day? :-)
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2009-02-14 13:08
Quote:
there are 7 days in a week and could still stay in shape if only play on 6 days
Just wanted to say that even after 4 years, I still find that if I skip a day, the next day is clearly "two steps forward and one step back". Sundays are a particularly busy day for me, the day most likely the oboe gets skipped, which means that Mondays are generally a grim practice marathon, as I can tell I skipped a day, it feels like everything has slid backwards a bit.
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2009-02-14 16:14
There are plenty of fine (historical) examples of great, professional oboists who did not spend their time reedmaking. When I was learning in the UK this was the rule rather than the exception. You developed a relationship with your reedmaker who would learn to make reeds that suited you, to order.
I make reeds because it is my cheapest option, and I won't compromise on quality. Sure, my yield is low - but by my reckoning I'm still getting reeds at half-price or less when I factor in shipping, raw materials and all other expenses.
Problem is that you have to fill a wash basket full of bad reeds before you start making reeds reliably and well; It's a completely different skill set from actually playing the oboe; and it takes lots of time.
If all you have is one hour a day and you can afford to buy two reeds a month, that would be my recommendation. Make sure you always have one new reed in reserve, one that is past its prime but still working well, and one that is played in for performance, and you should not have problems.
J.
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Author: Old Oboe
Date: 2009-02-14 18:05
I'm another 50 something hobbyist who buys reeds. I tried making them as a student 40 years ago and never became independent. After all these years my attempts are pretty pathetic. I fully second Dutchy's post. I get better reeds than I could make and my reed maker gets income so it's win/win. For me the determination to get back is psychological. i have to be mentally ready to make that commitment to reed making. Until then, I'm thankful for the many great reed makers out there!
Linda
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Author: ceri
Date: 2009-02-14 18:33
I am a forty-something hobbyist with job, kids and husband. I have started making my own reeds under my teacher's guidance and reed-making doesn't really come out of practice time. I tend to tie on late at night when I wouldn't be practising anyway. The scraping I do over several days, at the end of a practice session when my embouchure has given up.
My teacher still supplies half my reeds so I suppose I make one finished reed every couple of months.
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Author: Vallemar2
Date: 2009-02-14 22:05
Whoever suggested I might have a bit of guilt trip going on is correct; I keep thinking reedmaking is something I should do. REAL oboists do this.
Now and then I get the time to work on them consistently for a few days then something comes up; the last minute science project, cookies for a bake sale, the need to fill in at work; now it's a ski vacation with a house full of kids to watch over. And the reed making falls by the way side. Seems like you need to have the ability to work at this consistently in order to progress; just like oboe practice
On top of all this ambivalence I found a reedmaker online that I really like; I had been getting machine made reeds before that. Jones and Gower and that sort of thing. So it was an epiphany getting these lovely reeds and a lovely sound (sometimes) and at the same time I was brought down to earth.
I don't know that I will ever be able to make reeds better than this, I do have more money than time ( and I am grateful about that during this economy) and oboe is a "hobby" for me (as passionatly as I feel about it) which I do for personal pleasure only.
Maybe I could learn to pace myself like ceri (one functional reed a month sounds about right!) or at least figure out how to adjust reeds. Once I get to retirement maybe I will dust off all those tools I bought in flurry of enthusiasm.
thanks for making me feel better about letting this one go!
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2009-02-18 07:28
I'm even less a 'hobby oboist' than you, and I LIKE making reeds!!
(I actually call myself a 'sub-professional', because 'sub-times' I get paid and I 'sub' for Professionals...)
If you're interested in making reeds, get yourself a good teacher who makes reeds well. I was blessed to have a low-key, superb teacher, and I don't obsess over the 'perfect' reed... I have plenty in my box for all manner of settings (symphony, pit orchestra, quintet) and styles (Mozart, BAch, Baroque). It's NICE to be able to adjust your tone and style, just by getting a few basics down on reed-shaving.
I'll be teaching my (beginner) student reed adjustment skills; it's great to have some autonomy.
I say, if you're interested, GO FOR IT. But with a teacher, not just a book.
GoodWinds
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