 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Loliver
Date: 2012-06-15 10:22
Hi everyone...
as the title says, its a reed related problem.
I got some new reeds, and they are horrendously flat-pitched, where a concert A registers as a borderline G# and top C registers as an exactly in-tune B. They are also sooo difficult to play, as they require so much pressure from the embouchure to make a noise, and so much breath that I'm all out after simply going up a scale, let alone coming down.
I measured the reeds, and they are all 72mm, the same as my last batch, but these ones are really flat. I did knock off ~1mm off the top of one and rescraped it, but that did practically nothing. I also tried thinning the reed edges to sharpen it to no avail- basically did everything that is suggested in Evelyn Rothwell's book and the only way I can keep it in tune is to have my lips like a vice around the reed and be able to only play 5 notes before I run out of air.
Any help would be...helpful. Thanks!
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2012-06-15 11:56
I know with long scraped reeds; if the reed is too hard and open (which usually means it's flat too) I squeeze it shut a few times to reduce the curvature of the opening and thus bring up the pitch and make the reed easier to play.
Mark
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2012-06-15 16:33
If squeezing and shortening/adjusting the reed do not work, I would suggest you contact the maker and let them know. Weather can be a BIG factor in pitch, that's why it's good to buy from a source near your climate-pattern.
GoodWinds
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Author: Loree BF51
Date: 2012-06-15 22:39
When squeezing the reed down, it safest to have a mandrel inserted in the reed, so that the tube's opening isn't accidentally crushed. It's remotely possible that if the mandrel doesn't fit right, then maybe the tubes the maker is using aren't good. The squeezing process also has to be done gently, so as to not crack the cane. Regards
R. Still former student
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Author: DrewSorensenMusic
Date: 2012-06-15 23:46
Loliver,
I'm sorry for your reed problems. I think I remember you having an equally frustrating but different problem a month or two ago. Have you switched suppliers of your reeds since then?
Drew S.
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Author: Loliver
Date: 2012-06-16 13:24
Drew:
yes I did...and the reeds I have at the moment were alright last batch, but this lot are really difficult to use...
I'm going to hopefully get my oboe checked out in the next week or so, to rule out that it is the instrument (i.e pad leak), though I believe it is the reeds that is causing the problem.
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Author: DrewSorensenMusic
Date: 2012-06-16 20:59
Your description does not sound like a mechanical issue. I wish I could help you with UK reeds. Here in the USA I used the website reedreviews.net to help me find a reputable dealer. Maybe you could see if they have a UK counterpart, or if they have short scrape makers on the website as well.
Drew S.
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Author: Loliver
Date: 2012-06-16 21:41
I found out about different reeds makers by talking to the other oboists I know in the orchestra I was in. It's just really frustrating as reeds are the only thing holding me back, fingering is fine, tone is fine (when I have a decent reed..) its just the one thing outside of my control...
I have taken the path:
Jones Reeds (first reed I ever bought, and probs last from them)
Britannia Reeds (good, but stuffy higher up in my opinion)
Kge Reeds (very good when I get one that works, but expensive compared to others and I currently have 5 all of which are impossible...)
Billerbeck Reeds (very good aswell, but the last batch I recieved were far too open, and then closed up incredibly quickly, but the ones with the full-metal had better tone than those with standard cork ones)
...and back to Kge again...which is where I am now
I should probably point out that I do also play Cor Anglais, and have had no such problems on it in any way with any of the reeds I have used, it is just on oboe where these problems lie...
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Author: DrewSorensenMusic
Date: 2012-06-17 03:54
Loliver,
Again, I am sorry for your reed problems. In my amateur opinion, I think the search for more consistent reeds is still in order. If you are going to pay for a service, may as well pay for a good one. My advice would then be to try yet another supplier. It is a struggle, and it costs money, but unfortunately it may be the only way. I've taken the liberty of reading reedreviews.net (which has UK companies with short scrape) and picking some candidates that I would choose if I were in your situation:
1. Fortay Reeds: http://www.fortayreeds.co.uk Maybe start with their Purple Reed for 16 pounds. They seem to have lots of positive reviews.
2. David Cowdy: http://www.reedmaker.co.uk/index.html Not as many reviews, but their pics look good, and seem to be consistent with good reed making company websites. Their standard starts at 16 pounds for 1, and goes down to 13.60 pounds for 5.
3. Chase Oboe Reeds: http://www.chaseoboereeds.co.uk/styled/page2.html This is a shot in the dark, but if price is a concern, maybe it's worth a shot. under 11 pounds a reed, depending on what "Grade" you select. It is unclear what the different grades really mean, so you should e-mail and ask a few questions regarding your needs first.
Good luck
Drew S.
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Author: WoodwindOz
Date: 2012-06-17 19:26
Loliver, I was using K.Ge (euro scrape) until I started making my own. My last batch I was less than satisfied with, as were some of my colleagues (one complained that after all these years, she was forced to go down to a MS instead of the M she had always bought). Once I started buying my cane from them, I realised what the problem is.
They have recently developed their own shaper tips and are shaping their own cane. The shape that they are distributing to stores (but don't seem to have let them know of the change) is B. This shape is too wide to suit a lot of instruments. The shape I find easiest to deal with is the D shape. The B shape requires a much shorter scrape and tip than K.Ge uses to work with my oboe (Marigaux 901).
They are not as expensive if you buy direct, but they certainly take their time. It might be worth buying a few reeds with the D shape. They list on their website the oboe brands/models that work best with each of their shapes. Also, MS seems like a good average strength - I have relatively strong chops and could never get consistency with a M.
I have heard wonderful things about Fortay Reeds, but no experience with them. I also know that Nick Winfield gets good reviews as well, but also no experience.
Good luck!
Rachel
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Author: Jeltsin
Date: 2012-06-17 19:53
I buy reeds from Britannia Reeds but I have to fix them before I use them.
I buy the narrow ones and I make the tip tinner and scrape them so that the distance between the tip and the "U" is longer.
After I fixed them they are better than the reeds I do by myself.
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2012-06-18 02:23
THAT is practical. If you have a source and you know exactly what to do, then you've got the best of both worlds -- as long as you can afford it!
GoodWinds
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Author: Loliver
Date: 2012-06-18 15:38
hmmm....I may switch to another reed maker...again...
I'm just a tad annoyed that I currently have 6 or 7 reeds that are 'as new' but are completely useless...including the 3 I only recieved 4 days ago...so roughly £100 of reeds that are a waste of time and money as they are unplayable...
I may email the people I bought the last batch of reeds from and say whats happened, as they are pretty...bad reeds, and if people don't tell them they won't know...
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2012-06-18 17:02
If you are able to have your teacher give a 'second opinion' on these reeds, it would help. Oboists are so notorious for their individuality that the reedmaker may not see your input as entirely credible, so if you can get a good player to also pronounce them 'BAD', then you could submit a more meaningful review.
Of course, you will want them to know that the $$ set-back is not a small one.
I have purchased enough professionally-crafted reeds over the years to know that (a) they're not all perfect (b) they may or may not have something to teach me as a reedmaker (c) that they have different periods of both 'breaking in' and 'wearing out'. One reed (I'm submitting it to Ripley's "Believe It Or Not!") lasted 10 years, and it didn't follow the ideal 'Philadelphia' scrape. One recently-bought reed is already wearing out.
One other thing I would suggest is to keep a detailed written LOG of what works, how long, source, any comments you want to add. It's easier to track both your frustrations and your progress that way, and (hopefully) leads to making the Best Choices in the future.
cheers.
GoodWinds
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Author: Jeltsin
Date: 2012-06-18 17:31
Ten years!!! And I thought that I had the record, one of my best reeds today is a one that I started to use more than a year ago.
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2012-06-18 19:33
I play sporadically so that could explain it. I put this particular reed 'aside' many many times, deeming it 'expired', but when I was in a pinch it could really surprise me -- for short bursts.
It came from Mark Chudnow, had very little in the way of 'spine' but was a very stable, lovely-sounding reed. A good model in my box of many.
GoodWinds
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Author: JRC
Date: 2012-06-19 13:01
I rarely dismantle my old reeds; good, bad, or indifferent. I just keep them in that category. I was surprised by old reeds many times. Some "good"s were wonderful and some "indifferent"s were jut delightful. Even some "bad"s turned out OK. Some rediscovered reeds were over 30 years old.
Yes, I do rinse reeds after use. Yes I do dry reeds by opening the case and turning on a desk lamp on low, shining on it overnight after use. I had mold problem when I soaked reeds in reed case, did not use them, and case closed over night. One easy way to get mold problem in my experience.
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2012-06-19 16:20
If reeds dry out well after each use, the likelihood of getting mould is pretty low. You get the 'duration trophy', though: 30 years is a long time!
GoodWinds
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2012-06-19 23:32
All signs of soft cane, taking the assumption that you really had a good batch from last time. Typical of short scrape reeds... 2nd the suggestion to try David Cowdy's reeds. David is very professional, and economically speaking, there is no reason not to do it for the fact that you live in the UK and could just drop by his workplace if something is not right. Ke Xun (K.Ge.) Reeds are very good... and in my knowledge he supplies a huge amount of reeds to the UK. I do not believe that there is anyone else in the world that knows short scrape reeds like K. Ge does. On the other hand, his factory in Shanghai produces so many reeds nowadays that consistency becomes an issue. There is after all only that much good cane in the world. Demand for good reeds still triumph the supply of good reeds....
Howard
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2012-07-14 05:26
Have you ever thought of finding a good teacher for reedmaking and try to make your own. With my first teacher I learned only to tie on reeds, then he left the country and I changed teachers. I had been playing about 3 years at that point and asked my new teacher for a reed. He said " this is the only reed I am going to give you. Next week you will start to make your own. I had to learn very quickly as was doing stage 2 University performance. It is amazing how quickly you can learn if you have someone prepared to walk you through the various steps. I was able to make 3 out of 10 play quite well, 3, perhaps not quite so good, 1 exceptional, and 3 not good at all, now I guess after more years than I care to admit I get all my reeds to work satisfactorily, but out of 10, get 3-4 really good ones.
I assume you are a decent player so you will be able to make reeds quite quickly AND it is a hell of a lot cheaper - AND you get to make reeds that suit you not trying to make yourself fit someone elses reeds.
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