 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2005-07-06 18:01
... well OK OK OK thanks for reading my first post but PUHLEESE don't jump in the deep end right away ... remember, first learn how to fix the reeds you've got. If they're not working for you anyway, they're absolutely perfect candidates for learning how to fix them!
LATER, when you've got a few salvaged tubes from old broken reeds, blown-out or rookie-kill mistakes, you'll be ready to get a supply of new cane -- gouged, shaped, folded and perhaps profiled ... each of these steps costs more, but at least start with the first three, because getting cane to that stage needs more expensive tools and more advanced reed skills.
The fourth (profiled) only saves you time, so it's a choice between what's available and what you want to pay for 10 little pieces...
Here are some ideas to consider to help PREP yourself for the real thing ...
1. COLLECT IMPORTANT DATA
Examine the reeds you've got very closely, like a scientist. Magnifier will help. Record your findings in notebook. ID each reed, measure each one, hold each one up to a good light and examine thickness/thinness of the scrape and where on the cane (measure the various sections of the scrape too, always from the bottom of the staple upwards) ... sketch what you see on BOTH blades, each reed, as carefully as you can
Note what playing problems you're having with each reed. This is critical data.
Make notes of other things you observe, like: tip fraying on blade 2, side not closed just below tip boundary, rough finish, coarse grain, fibres all over the place, aperture gapes more than 2 mm, etc.
After you've done all this on dry reeds (handle o-so-carefully!), wetten them up to playability, and examine them carefully all over again. Especially note any significant differences you observe.
Get one of those electronic pocket-size tuners, and crow all your reeds in a comfortable embouchure for you. In your notebook, write down what notes they're blowing. Then lip the reed to see what range of crowing notes you can get from each one. Next, play a steady sound and make notes on what your embouchure has to do to get there, hard, easy, tighter, looser, etc. Record data. Lastly, and this is an important thing to note, turn the reed over and see if it crows / blows differently ... make notes which blade up / down does exactly what
All of this data-gathering by direct observation will give you a much better grasp of what you need to know in order to make your own reeds!
2. Online or through music store, get info on oboe reeds, target only info that deals with Reed Problems and How to Fix Them. Compare your problems with possible solutions in this info, and examine all your reeds again to see if you can figure out exactly where to work on them to fix them. Make drawings and make notes in your "science" notebook to show how you think you'd do the job.
3. Borrow a whittling knife, and learn how to sharpen it to a burr, any local knife-sharpening pro can show you that. Then get some ordinary garden bamboo canes, cut them down into reed-length chunks (but NOT with whittling knife), discard knots ... presoak chunks to soft enough ... note, this will take a lot longer than oboe reeds ... and then practice using knife to SCRAPE (never chip or cut) small areas in precision fashion.
Practice getting the garden cane as reed-looking as possible. Yes, it's still a tube, but it's the practice that matters. Yes, garden cane doesn't work up like reed cane, but it's similar for the sake of practice. And yes, always keep your knife well-sharpened.
You'll need a pair of pliers to hold small pieces of cane steady. When you're really-really comfortable and confident with your whittling knife skills on ordinary garden canes, then you're ready to get an oboe tool kit with a reed knife, plaque, mandrel and cutting block (etc.)
This should keep you busy for the summer ... have fun!
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Ashley91489 |
2005-07-05 14:11 |
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d-oboe |
2005-07-05 21:10 |
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Re: Making Oboe Reeds, How hard is it really? new |
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vboboe |
2005-07-06 18:01 |
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Arnoldstang |
2005-07-06 21:25 |
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The Clarinet Pages
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