Author: vboboe
Date: 2006-03-03 01:34
... hello folks, something else to think about when figuring out why reeds aren't working for us ... does this sound like anybody else's experience?
...what a peepy rehearsal i had recently, what's wrong with my three fairly new reeds, ack! can't get any volume out of any of them! they work at home practice, but they don't like playing for band director ... what's goin' on?
here i am, front row with the woodwinds *** music stands all nicely lined up, front row, about the same height and evenly spaced for everybody ***
... flutes happy, they're playing up sideways as usual
... clarinets happy, they're playing down as usual
... oboe, unhappy, the (beep!) music stand's in the way, can't raise instrument to optimum angle
proposed solutions, to be or not to be
... play over stand? Nope, too high as is, have to lower a bit (beep!) sheet music now out of focus
... raise player on thick seat foamie to play over stand? Nope, too tall, those stage lights always seem to find the tallest player, and does an oboe player in action look glamorous?
... play between stands? Nope, plays directly at director, no music stand to muffle any mistakes, wince, wince
... raise stand anyway? Nope, lots of music in one of those nice band portfolios too heavy, stand down-glisses all by itself
... sigh
so, maybe it's not all the reed's fault, that 40-45 degree angle matters, a lot, because if it's too low, the reed is pressed all wrong angle in embouchure, uneven lip pressure, crimped lower blade ... poor little under-bitten thing can barely peep in protest
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