Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2010-06-19 17:34
Hautbois Francais, i have not much to contribute to this thread as so many has spoken much about how to solve your problems at hand but do want to comment that the English reeds, over the years, have evolved so much that you may have from 40 years ago says nothing about how most people in the UK now make their reeds. With an added variable of consistency in reed making those days, it may very well just be a bad reed, english or not.
Generally speaking, the French scrape typically is around 8 mm, extremely short and so to retain the qualities of the reed while having more ease, try not to lengthen the scrape unless it is a last resort. If you have a micrometer the tip of the reed at the middle should not be more than .12 (depending on the gouge) and the corners of the tip can be much less. to ease the reed, make sure there is no pronounced step from the tip to heart, in other words, make it as smooth as possible, but with a sort of an angled slope. To generally make it easier, just scrape the lay area (left and right of spine) in an outwards motion on each side until you achieve the ease you want. In general, all short scrape reeds favour not a distinct thin spine like American reeds, but a "big fat" spine that is not visible as a one line but more like an "area" of spine with no clear distinction from the sides. (meaning the spine blends into the sides)
I have once attempted, on an opposite side perspective, to try American reeds. Having had lessons with some of the most accomplished American oboists of our time, i was intrigued by the way they play. I was frankly a bit shocked at how easy the reeds were, in a way, so easy that there was nothing to blow at. Now of course after spending enough time with them and understanding more and more about American oboe playing much about how the reeds work makes a lot of sense in relation to the school of playing. Now imagine yourself sitting in my situation but with European reeds instead - what you are trying to achieve might be an easy reed that looks like a French reed. But in reality, without the suitable way of forming the lips and blowing in a "french" manner, it would be most likely that the reeds will never be easy enough for you, if your intention is to ease the reed while retaining the French built of it. (if you play absolutely in the American "Philadelphian" way, the more you scrape that french reed, the only thing you will achieve at the end of the day is a flat and open reed.)
For true sounding English reeds which in my opinion are consistent most of the time, try Ke Xun reeds, David Cowdy's reeds, or Fortay reeds. For a built that is much towards the tradition of conservative French and German reed making, try Le Rousseau Chantant. I myself make in a quasi German/French manner (and no, non of the people i know whom has tried my reeds comment in any way that they are hard, i do make them as easy as possible) but then again, there is such a variety in the way reeds are built today (and played upon!) that i don't even know what i mean!
Regards,
Howard
Post Edited (2010-06-19 17:39)
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