Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2007-02-16 21:07
This topic has indeed interested me, because, per other topic from those here who enlightened me quite a bit of what "owning an oboe entails", I too wonder why not have the synthetic reeds if they last? The reason that I express this here is way back in 1987 when I got started on clarinet, my teacher was involved with someone else making synthetic reeds for clarinet (and I have to admit I didn't know much about reeds at that time), but I bought one from him and it turned out to be my best reed. It had a sense of strength to it that I cannot describe. I still have it, but it is unusuable now because the tip had bent over; that was because of how much it was used, but it did not crack or split or chip as regular reeds do. This bent top edge was, I believe from just giving out. There was also the sense of evenness to it, that I cannot explain. It looked from all appearances just like a real reed cosmetically. But I must say that perhaps it may have felt so strong is that maybe it was based on a higher number??? I don't know; it is not stamped or marked in anyway. While at the time I did not use a reed that was higher than a 2, this one could have been higher and I might not have known about it; but nonetheless appearance wise it looked identical to the others that I had. It just out lasted them...as I was swapping and experimenting with the various regular ones that I had.
Now on this topic it is apparent that some of these synthetic reeds for the oboe "stink" and don't vibrate as they should, etc.
I wonder what these are like? Plastic? Perhaps some of these are almost like plastic straws, restructered? GRIN GRIN No, I have not even seen them...just joking.
I do now understand that if one wants an oboe, reed making is a logical action to having the desired amount of reeds in inventory and particulars of the reed that is wanted.
What is the general concensus of reed making...absolutely worth the time? Hard to make? Easy? In between? Or better to just buy them? Is there an existing topic on this discussion?
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