 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2006-10-16 23:29
I need a quality reed that is easy to break in, allows for good response with low notes (having trouble finding a reed that does well with low notes), and allows for responsive and strong high register notes.
Thanks!
BTW, I've seen previous posts but I'm hoping to find something that addresses these particular problems
Post Edited (2006-10-16 23:30)
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2006-10-16 23:50
I'd either go Marilyn Leister at http://www.mklreeds.com/rmn.htm
or I'd go Ocatillo Reeds from weber at http://www.webreeds.com/store/
Ocatillo are probably the most self-supporting reeds I've ever come across.
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Author: Thomas.
Date: 2006-10-17 08:02
In my opinion the best commercially available reeds are at http://www.kge-reeds.com/store/index.shop
This is what pretty much everyone here in New Zealand uses including professional players
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-10-17 11:21
If you do go for K Ge reeds, go for the long W scrape if they still offer it - I didn't like the U scrape ones they make.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: oboemoboe
Date: 2006-10-17 12:42
Apparently, thereedery.com has good reeds. I kind of know the girl who scrapes them and she does a good job. Take a look at her website!
www.le-roseau.ca offers a good selection of nice reeds, but they're short scrape!
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2006-10-17 12:47
I'm afraid that "best" (when referring to oboe reeds) is in the eye of the beholder -- or in the ear of the player. Here are three (more) suggestions:
If you don't mind using phone, fax, or snail mail, you absolutely cannot go wrong with the reeds from Sorton Reed Works: The Sorton Reed Works, 5849 Lafayette Rd., Granville, OH 43023-9480, phone# (740) 587-1603, fax # (740) 587-0752. Call during business hours only, M-F, 9-5. These are the "cream of the crop", IMO, and relatively expensive -- but they work as close to 100% of the time as any reed I have ever played, so the "cost per play" is probably less. Student, intermediate, and pro reeds available.
One reedmaker that I haven't seen mentioned lately is Kathy DiCola http://www.tabbytoesreeds.com/. It has been a while since I got a reed from her, but they were among the easiest to play that I have ever encountered -- maybe I'll get some more. They were perhaps a tad brighter than some, but they were very, very playable. I still have a couple from about two years ago that are still working fine. And not terribly expensive, as these things go.
One oboe professional that I know uses medium soft Lesher Artist reeds from WW&BW. She tweaks them, for sure, but I have had the opportunity to play a couple of her tweaked Leshers, and they were absolutely fine.
Good luck. Finding one's own "right reed" usually takes more than one roll of the dice!
Susan
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2006-10-17 15:42
Ashley, it's also worthwhile to point out that EVERBODY has trouble with low notes; those are just notes that the oboe doesn't particularly wanna play, so they take a little more finesse with the embouchure working with the reed to coax the note to come out. And that's just something that comes with practice.
In other words, there isn't a particular brand or style or maker of reed that's going to automatically fix that. It's an embouchure issue. I find that when I'm tired, the low notes just will NOT play, whereas when I'm not tired, it's no problem. And it's the identical reed from one practice session to the next--the only difference is whether I'm too tired to finesse the reed and coax those low notes out.
So don't make yourself crazy chasing some Holy Grail of a "perfect reed" that will fix your playing problems, because chances are good that, unless you're playing on rock-bottom El Cheapo $5 machine-made reeds, it's not the reed--it's your embouchure. And time, and embouchure development, will fix that.
I went through this myself all last year, until I finally figured out, "Oh. It's not the reed--it's my embouchure. Duh."
So now I think I'll go upstairs and build one of those matchstick skyscrapers with my collection of "reeds that didn't magically fix my problems." :D
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