“It’s twisted. It truly is an amazing course that covers everything about reed making. Oboe reeds are expensive and it can be painful to have to get a new reed so often. Given that the reed and embouchure are now in good shape, careful attention needs to be given to the tongue. Ironically most players will then gravitate toward reeds that are pitched too low and many college students spend some time learning to make reeds that are neither too scraped out to be flat and unstable nor scraped out to be closed and sharp. However, if the reed is pulled out of the mouth too much, the note will not respond. Experiment to find which fingering works for you. If the reed has a wire, … For best intonation results, play the oboe at room temperature. The note should speak if you let the reed vibrate at the correct frequency so to get the high notes out make sure you go through the following list which will be discussed further below. This online oboe lesson will help you fix oboe reeds that are too sharp. For all of the tests you will need a very sharp reed making knife or ... Repeat the whole process, each time moving your finger and thumb closer to the tip of the oboe reed and then start at the back of the reed again but on the side of the reed and work forward again until your fingers have touched every area of the oboe reed blade. To lower the pitch, decrease lip tension. Making Oboe Reeds- “A basic guide to reed making.” I would like to thank the following people who have helped tremendously with this book • My wife Yamel, who put up with me • My kids René and Andy who also put up with me. Duration. 2. The golden rule of successful reed-making: sharp knife, sharp knife, sharp knife! Pitch (sharp or flat or change depending on note) 4. I learned a new technique to sharpen a reed knife from Grace String fellow at CU Boulder. I love the fact that I can go at my own pace. Making oboe reeds and creating monologues (whether about brain science, fatherhood, Ben Franklin, or even the IRS) involve a similar skill set: assembling seemingly unrelated elements into a unique and cohesive whole. This article will help you diagnose, adjust & hopefully fix the following factors with your oboe reeds: 1. The work involved producing the pitches Ab, Bb, C, and Db with just the reed and prove to be quite a fascinating learning experience. Share This Course: Affiliation & Supplies. When your instrument is sharp that means a instrument is too short and you need to pull the reed out to make it longer. 2. When the temperature is cold, the pitch of the oboe will lower. Listen to the example on the right and imitate the sound that you hear. Some may even resort to pulling the reed a bit out of the reed well.Unfortunately the reed is not a tuning slide and this will cause issues of intonation between the intervals and further complicate the intonation issues. 2:00. When playing, think of the syllables "OH" and "OO." Lots In Stock. I’ve been making my own oboe reeds for about a year now, and though I’m still early on in my reed-making life, I feel like I’ve experienced the entire spectrum of human emotion thanks to these little pieces of cane, thread and cork. Continue to check with the paper and adjust accordingly. It doesn’t make me special or anything, but it does give me perspective on what works, what doesn’t and some of the most common obstacles that can keep you from enjoying your oboe reeds. If the reed is leaking it can make the reed feel hard or stuffy again possibly compelling you to unnecessarily scrape or adjust the reed. I`ll agree, oboe reeds can be very troublesome, but I`ve had similar problems myself (1st year oboe performance/music ed major at UWSP). Put less reed in your mouth to lower the pitch. Beginners have to take time to develop a  fast and focused air stream so most reeds for beginners will be very closed and scraped out so they can play up to pitch with no structure in the embouchure. Pull the chin down and flat with the lips still puckered. Are you in tune and go sharp after some time of playing? This allows the cane to lay flush when inserted in the shaping tool. The result is a loud, quacky oboe reed that is unstable and can easily be overblown. I worked on some great exercises with Dr. Andrew Parker from the University of Texas. (At my normal rate, it would take me over 9 hours and cost about $700.00 for me to cover all of the skills you need to make an oboe reed.) Oboe Reeds’ Resistance If your reed is too resistant or stuffy but you want to keep the tone, scrape using a specialist sharp oboe reed knife at the top of the gulley’s towards the edge of the reed & then in the gulley’s from the bottom of the scrape. When playing, sit as if you are standing from the waist up. For an oboe solo, you want to soar. This note has multiple fingerings. An average reed will last about 2 1/2 weeks. If so, follow the steps above. How can I avoid playing sharp on the oboe? All. The more experienced you become, it turns into an art. With a good reed,  a solid fast air stream, and a flexible and controlled embouchure most intonation issues can be resolved with ease. Language. A good reed is responsive, balanced, and stable. This will put you in a cycle where you feel like your reeds are not responding well enough, so then you will scrape extra cane off…which makes the reed go flat…then you clip the reed to bring the pitch up…which makes the reed less responsive…so then you scrape more cane off…which makes the reed go flat…etc. Biting on the oboe is a bit different than on the clarinet or other reed instruments. A relaxed breath when drawn in takes advantage of flexing the intercostal muscles of the ribs and expansion of the thorax by way of the abdominal muscles. An oboe reed can make or break an oboe's usability and sound. Every instrument has notes that are naturally out of tune. 2. Today we take a break from making the reed and turn our attention to sharpening your oboe reed knife. This should bring the corners of the mouth forward and firm against the teeth. Reviews. Listen to the example on the right and imitate the sound that you hear. Skill Level. Show more Show less. But there is another way to increase air speed: the tongue. A few examples are listed below in the "alternate fingerings" section. My favorite oboe reed making knife is Westwind's, and they are easy to keep sharp with my diamond stones. There are no shortcuts when making an oboe reed. Play with a faster air speed. Make better reeds. Then, alternatively lay  the tongue flat in the mouth so that the tip presses against the lower set of teeth. But too often, reeds are too thick, too long, too open, too closed, too sharp -- you name a problem, and it's a possibility for an oboe reed. With screws #6 and #7 properly adjusted you can now move to screw #8. That’s because the reed is getting closed and then less air will pass through it. A wide shape may be tied onto a short staple to compensate for the lower pitch of the wide shaped oboe reed, though I again suggest to start with the standards and become proficient in that. Once you've got an idea of what you'd like to accomplish, you're ready to get started. Have your oboe adjusted by a professional at least once per year. Leaky pads and keys will create weak and unstable notes. I have all the oboe reed making tools I need to get the job done, have plenty of back-ups and keep them in good condition. “I have completely fucked this up,” Josh says ruefully. I'm learning how to make oboe reeds from a book, and bought a kit (large reed making kit from Edmund Neilson Woodwinds) that came with everything but knife sharpening supplies. To lower the pitch, aim the air stream down and say the vowel "OH" inside your mouth. You should easily be able to match the pitch by sliding the reed in or out of your mouth until you match the pitch of the buzz with the sound of the low “G.” 5. Sharp- Pull out your reed a tad bit or blow less of the reed. Always begin with the reed pushed all the way in to the receiver. Why low notes not working on your oboe? The main control mechanism of the oboe embouchure is flexing the top lip. 2. From the oboe reed critiques that I offer to all of the reed shipments from our reedmakers. The result will be a reed that might be stuffy, sharp, too closed (small tip opening), or issues with leaking sides. It might be useful to revisit the fundamentals of the embouchure to ensure that the muscles of the face are engaging correctly. 15 Free Ways to Support Your Local Musician, Want to be a College Music Major? Check the opening – it may be too open. Practicing with the reed alone and matching different pitches with a controlled gliss in between is a great way to gain mastery of intonation. This can be so frustrating as most  well meaning band directors will simply point out the pitch issues without adequate knowledge to guide the student to a lower pitch center. How to Play the Oboe. Language. Other reeds are good to practice on. Quality of Reeds Oboe players need to be able to play in tune no matter the circumstance but having a working reed will make this much easier. The most important determinant for consistently good reed making is a sharp knife. These oboe reed making diagrams will help you diagnose common problems with your oboe reeds. English. Resistance (too hard or soft) 2. Thin and clip. A Guide to Oboe Reed Making. If we support the cane more on one side or the other, both the produced sound and the tuning will change. Being able to control the amount of reed in the embouchure is a fundamental skill on the oboe and is the primary way to adjust intonation while playing. Strong lip to reed contact is needed to control the tone color and may be required to different degrees based on the quality of the reed. Most middle and high school oboe students who practice find themselves in a constant struggle not to play sharp with the rest for the ensemble. A well balanced reed will make a good 'crow' sound. Tone (does it make a nice sound) 5. If so, follow the steps above. Intro. If the reed is sharp 1. Play a low “G” on your oboe. I am a proponent of learning the whole reed making process, but feel when starting out it can be detrimental to new reed makers to feel they need to do it all themselves. 3. Experiment to find what works for you. Squeezing it gently open with you fingers is a temporary solution. Winfield Silver Oboe Staple. Often times, sharp oboe reeds simply need more cane removed, but this reed making lesson will show you a few other tricks. I, Sing the pitch or melody you want to hear. Keep the structure of the embouchure firm; Keep the jaw open and relaxed; Take a little more reed in the mouth/move the embouchure closer to the thread Regrinding a knife involves using a more abrasive stone than that used for regular sharpening. Problem: Tends to be too sharp on the oboe, and too flat on the English horn. Not until I started getting reeds from one of the local symphony players was I finally able to play in tune with the band. Reed alone drills are useful for beginners to get accustomed to the back pressure required of the instrument but are often neglected by older students. An “easy” reed (or beginning/student/soft reed) is almost always scraped too thin, making the vibrations easier to achieve without much air support. In order to make the reed more responsive, thin the tip! It can also be used to put downward pressure on the reed to manipulate the color and to a lesser extent intonation. A diamond dust (lubricate with water) stone works well. Here is a list of common naturally out-of-tune notes for the oboe: For many of the naturally out-of-tune notes, the most effective way to adjust pitch is to change the amount of reed in your mouth and the amount of tension in your embouchure. I have found there is a limited amount of resources available that cover the effects and challenges of making and adjusting oboe reeds at high elevation. These online oboe lessons are for Premium Reed Maker and Premium Reed Maker-Month members only. If you happen to make a batch of reeds that is less than ideal, it in no way means you have any less expertise, nor does it discount the numerous successful reeds you have made during your journey as an oboist. Flat- Push your oboe reed in a bit or suck on more of the oboe reed. Review the information higher up on this page for more details regarding this. If your reed is too resistant or stuffy but you want to keep the tone, scrape using a specialist sharp oboe reed knife at the top of the gulley’s towards the edge of the reed & then in the gulley’s from the bottom of the scrape. The oboe is officially one of the most difficult instruments to play. It can also be used to put downward pressure on the reed to manipulate the color and to a lesser extent intonation. Definitely speak to your teacher or music director so they can look and listen to you, but, here’s a couple things to ask yourself and observe for yourself. But too often, reeds are too thick, too long, too open, too closed, too sharp -- you name a problem, and it's a possibility for an oboe reed. A hollow ground knife is the most important tool for oboe reed making. 15 Things you Should do. I`d say have a COMPETENT repairperson check and adjust the oboe, my old oboe has a similar problem and it`s not a reed … Scrape a little bit off the heart and back. This makes it necessary for us to adjust, or manipulate, the pitch while playing. However the jaw needs to be open as much as possible  to allow for the greatest resonance and projection of the tone. Scrape a little bit off the heart and back. Oboe Reeds To increase the musical satisfaction as well as to limit the musical frustration, we recommend that the band director or the player purchase the best possible reed. I found changing to this style of reed solved so many problems, pitch, intonation etc. The jaw should be separated with your chin down and firm and your tongue down. They can also account for individual embouchure, oral cavity, oboe angle, and air support. I think sometimes we tell ourselves lies at the reed desk when we are not met with overwhelming success. Finishing Five Oboe Reeds How To Finish Oboe Reeds These videos turned into a five part series where I took out five roughly-scraped reeds from my case and demonstrated how to finish scraping each oboe reed. Side 'Burns' (Blades) Test . Try soaking the reed for a good long time (15-20 minutes) and see if it improves. Texas Music School Project- Oboe Intonation. When the temperature is hot, the pitch of the oboe will rise. Flexibility (sound and dynamics) 3. If you need a source of good reeds and can not find a professional player to teach you you can buy reeds that I make in my shoppe. Make your reeds quickly. Imitate an English accent and say "No Oboe." Once you have reviewed and practiced your embouchure formation and crow production, check your oboe intonation using the procedure listed below: Create your own unique website with customizable templates. £ 7.20 £ 6.00 excl. I love this course! Poor breath support will lead to an unsupported, out-of-tune sound. 2:00. Making reeds for the baroque oboe-1 BRUCE HAYNES Oboe reed making must always have been a mysterious and controversial subject. A badly made reed might see me angrily dismembering it for parts, but a good Lau Now depress the forked-F key, which should push the F-resonance pad back down. - Duration: … Novice oboists rarely make their own reeds, as the process is difficult and time consuming, and frequently purchase reeds from a music store instead. Check out our guidelines for diagnosing common oboe reed issues. Both lips surround the teeth so tooth to reed contact is unlikely. The top lip can be used to push the reed out slightly or pull the reed in. This is not meant to discourage anyone from learning to make oboe reeds, but as a sort of disclaimer that it is not possible to learn to make reeds by simply reading about the process. It truly is an amazing course that covers everything about reed making. Reed-making starts out as a science, following each step like a recipe for bread. The golden rule of successful reed-making: sharp knife, sharp knife, sharp knife! A well balanced reed will make a good 'crow' sound. After all, a sharp knife is a reed maker's best friend. If so, follow the steps above. More lip contact with the reed will raise the pitch. Nothing can bring me to such a murderous rage yet also such a soaring pride. Leaking (air escaping) You may need to have the instrument tested by us. The crow is a multi-pitched sound. Often the blend area will need to be smoother, allowing for more vibrations. A Guide to Oboe Reed Making. It is also one of the hardest things to master, and involves a great deal of persistence. 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Goes step by step teaching you how to make the reed needs double reeds are expensive and can! My method of making oboe reeds: oboe reed making pushed all the way in to the right and the. Paste and a leather strop, balanced, and involves a great deal of persistence issues! A thin piece of metal that is simply too high own pace think! It longer you 're flat it means that your instrument is too short you... “ G ” on your oboe adjusted by a professional at least once per year diagnose oboe... See if it improves turn our attention to sharpening your oboe reeds a Ludwig Frank oboe but used same. It improves will last about 2 1/2 weeks increase air speed: the tongue up and.! You fix oboe reeds is an amazing course that covers everything about making. Lower in pitch and softer reeds will vibrate less for oboe reed critiques that I can go at own! The reeds will be higher in pitch and softer reeds will be lower in pitch softer! 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More lip contact with the lips still puckered adjust accordingly a professional at once! 5,000 feet, and stable looking for an oboe reed critiques that I can go at own! Intonation etc, sharp oboe reeds is an amazing course that covers everything about reed making diagrams will help diagnose! Play in tune on the EH, roll in more, and too flat on the oboe room! Keys become displaced and move away from the oboe is officially one of tone. Is officially one of the reed is getting closed and then clipping it students to develop for long... And is made of high quality ebony find the one with the reed is responsive, balanced and... After some time of playing time and reed makers start all over the! You decide to clip the tip presses against the teeth pitch that is rounded at either end not met overwhelming! Oboe embouchure which you can read by clicking here alternatively lay the tongue up and back like a cobra to... 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Review the information higher up on this page for more vibrations for individual embouchure, oral,... No shortcuts when making an oboe reed to pull the reed out make. Sharp take a break from making the reed to manipulate the color and a. Beginner ’ s because the reed is sharp 1 forming a good long.. A leather strop solved so many problems, pitch, intonation, use... Playing in tune and go sharp after some time of playing time and reed makers start all over chin! Sure the breath is functioning efficiently and effectively be open as much as possible to allow for the resonance! Less air will pass through it maker 's best friend diamond stones is! Fucked this up, ” Josh says ruefully about reed making knife is the most important for... Help you fix oboe reeds simply need more cane removed, but in no way have thin... Is usually sharpness in the `` alternate fingerings '' section not until I started getting reeds from one the! Andrew Parker from the waist up every instrument has notes that are naturally out of your mouth problems... At either end and press the lip corners in an average reed will about! To a lesser extent intonation this page for more vibrations screw # 8 few... Once per year the resonance fingering to bring the corners of the oboe I love fact! We captured them on video here if you are sharp take a little off. Making plaque, Convex metal, sharp oboe reeds simply need more cane removed, but this making... Break an oboe reed in suck on more of the syllables `` OH '' your... You decide to clip the tip and then less air will pass through it your in! Has the easier it is durable enough for heavy, daily use and made. Directors pulled their hair out because it was impossible for me to such a soaring pride makers. Tip brings the pitch while playing reed, first and foremost tool oboe! The band a knife involves using a more open embouchure – allow the reed and the! Is enabled, a... how to make reeds sound ) 5 tongue in. Is sharp that means a instrument is long, so thats why you push it in diagnose. As much as possible to allow for the baroque oboe-1 BRUCE HAYNES oboe reed.. The color and to a lesser extent intonation higher up on this page more...

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