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Sorting Tube Cane

Sorting Tube Cane

Sorting Tube Cane How many pieces of cane do double reed players sort through? I recently processed about an 1/8 pound of oboe tube cane and took it upon myself to keep a rough estimate of how many pieces were gouged, and of those pieces, how many acceptable reeds were produced. This 1/8 pound of tube cane, split and measured (see photo below), gave me about 10-12 high quality reeds. How did I get there… lets take a look! Measuring and Sorting Tube Cane When sorting through a batch of tube cane, I normally look for pieces with promising...

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Common Oboe Reed Adjustments

Common Oboe Reed Adjustments

Common Oboe Reed Adjustments by Khara Wolf A analytical guide to oboe reed adjustments and assessing the crow and reed playability. Asses your crow and how the reed is playing: Thread Crow: Mouth on the thread (not the cane)- blow with a lot of air and there should be three octaves of a “C” Play the reed in the oboe to check for stability and tone Things you are looking for: Does it sound buzzy? Stuffy? Bright? Ok? Does it crow flat? Sharp? Does it play flat? Sharp? High notes flat? Are some notes flat and some in tune? Do you have to fight...

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Oboe and Bassoon Reed Accessories and Tools: Beginner’s Guide

Oboe and Bassoon Reed Accessories and Tools: Beginner’s Guide

If you have been playing oboe and bassoon for a few years and are ready to start adjusting your reeds, make sure you have this list of essential oboe and bassoon reed accessories and adjusting tools. If you are just getting started and aren't quite ready to adjust your own reeds, check out this guide on the essential items you need in your first year of playing. Some links in this post may be affiliate links. This means if you click through and take action, I will be compensated a small amount at no cost to you. Essential Oboe and Bassoon...

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Oboe and Bassoon Resources

Oboe and Bassoon Resources

A list of reed making accessories, supplies, instruments, repair technicians, and other helpful oboe and bassoon resources. General Supplies (reed tools, sheet music, etc) Forrests Music Double Reed Specialists (USA) https://www.forrestsmusic.com RDG Woodwinds (USA) https://rdgwoodwinds.com Midwest Musical Imports (USA) http://www.mmimports.com Hodge Products (USA) https://hodgeproductsinc.com Oboe Shop (UK) https://www.oboe-shop.de Woodwind & Brasswind wwbw.com Amazon Amazon.com Sheet Music Plus sheetmusicplus.com Specialized Repairs...

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Adjusting Your Own Oboe

Adjusting Your Own Oboe

Oboes naturally fall out of adjustment from regular use. It is important to send your oboe to a qualified double reed specialist once a year for a tune up to keep pads sealing, mechanisms working, and check for issues. Assuming your oboe has been tuned up recently and all the pads are sealing, these basic adjustments should fix any issues you are having. I personally use several of these adjustments regularly in lessons with my students to keep their oboes playing well. Although John uses a testing strip, I was taught to do adjustments...

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Beginning Oboe Accessories and Tips

Beginning Oboe Accessories and Tips

Everything you need to know about getting started on the oboe: Beginning Oboe Accessories Resource List If you are just getting started on the oboe, make sure you have all of the essential beginning oboe accessories. After reviewing this tutorial page be sure to visit my resource list for specialized double reed vendors that sell supplies, new and used instruments, offer rentals, and provide specialized repair services. Instruments It is very important to have an instrument in a healthy, functioning condition. Please contact me for...

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Oboe Reeds: FAQ

Oboe Reeds: FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions and Important Information About Oboe Reeds How long does an oboe reed last? How many do I need? Every reed is different, but with adjustments, most oboe reeds will last about 10-15 hours of playing time for students. In general, my beginning oboe students use about 1 per month in their first year. English horn reeds are thicker and therefore can last up to several weeks. Bassoon reeds, being even thicker, can last up to 2-3 months for students. It is recommended to always have a couple of reeds on hand so you have a...

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Understanding The Oboe: A must see!

Understanding The Oboe: A must see!

This is a must see video for all music educators, band directors, beginner oboists, and parents. Packed with more essential information then I could fit into the very first lesson, this video talks in-depth about purchasing instruments, taking care of them, and of course, reeds and reed making! At 18:00 there is a full demo of the reed making process. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNaS_jy3_eI

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Why Choose The Oboe?

Why Choose The Oboe?

This is one of my favorite clips that has been circulating YouTube since 2011. It was originally broadcast in 1997 and speaks beautifully of the challenges and joys of playing the oboe. Why choose the oboe? Simply stated, for someone that has fallen in love with the sound of the oboe, nothing else will do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSAllHtkaa0

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10 Important Life Lessons I Learned From Making Oboe Reeds

10 Important Life Lessons I Learned From Making Oboe Reeds

Forget the box of chocolate, life is like making oboe reeds. This is a heartwarming comparison I write right after graduating college. I hope it brings you some joy and comfort. 1. Life’s Cycles There are no shortcuts when making an oboe reed. It seems to be human nature to spend our lives looking for an easier road. Making a reed requires a detailed process of cane sorting, splitting, measuring, pre-gouging, gouging, tying, and then finally scraping each chosen piece over several days. A few hours of playing time and reed makers start all...

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