 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Oboe Craig
Date: 2011-11-22 20:32
Hi Susan,
1st.... Happy Thanksgiving to you and your's...
I read Robin's blog with great interest.
Since I scrape a different style from Robin, I wonder if there are greater inconsistencies in American scrape Vs. shorter scrapes? Stats-wise, less cane scraped could/should = fewer variables in play. And certainly there is less cane left to live a reed life in my world.
But As Goodwinds states, I also don't see much of a predictable life for reeds, and certainly not down to the hour. I do think harder cane tends to last longer and perhaps smaller tube diameters offer a bit more there, too.
On your subject of old reeds becoming useful again, I certainly agree.
Whatever the chemistry (PH and all that jazz...), hydrogen peroxide can clean up a reed enough to refresh it a while.
I maintain three reed cases and the biggest is stocked with old concert-worthy reeds that have begun to age. Not worn out by a long shot, but past their prime.
Those I refer to as old friends and know I can play them if the weather gets in the way or if I descend to sea-level from up here in the clouds in Denver.
My 2nd case reeds are in their prime, include a few ehorn reeds and the rest oboe reeds, all playing past the break in period and still well enough for recording or public use.
The 3rd case is smallest and contains the newest crop of 3 english horn and 7 oboe reeds all right on in pitch and a bit more lively so good for the responsiveness demands of certain music, but they can also change suddenly with the weather. I never fully trust them until right before a performance and determine that with a warmup.
The spurious 'others' reside on the reed desk, get played a little now and then when I do a last chance test, and about half of those go back to the staple box for recycling.
This nuttiness is why I do not do a reed business myself, but doing 3-5 new reeds a week keeps me pretty well stocked and life has become so much easier since I started doing this approach.
To your point, off the last chance desk, some 1st reed box reeds do evolve now and then.
Post Edited (2011-11-23 00:09)
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RobinDesHautbois |
2011-11-19 17:06 |
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GoodWinds |
2011-11-22 06:06 |
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Jeltsin |
2011-11-22 06:49 |
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ohsuzan |
2011-11-22 13:08 |
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Re: Reed's life cycle. new |
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Oboe Craig |
2011-11-22 20:32 |
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GoodWinds |
2011-11-22 23:58 |
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