I have had several people ask me about openings on their oboe reeds, specifically how to make them a bit bigger and more stable. Here is part of an email which I received from Eli: "It has to do with the cane I buy, the gouge of that cane, the way I tie it on, and the...
Oboe Reedmaking Advice
What Does Response Really
We always hear that you should have a responsive oboe reed. So what does that mean? Well, basically it means that all of the notes come out when you want them to come out. Can you have a good responding reed with a lot of resistance? Yes. The thing is, resistance is a...
Need Low Note Response
Here is the first question answered from the "most burning reed question" series that I decided to start 2 weeks ago. "My reeds are flat. Gouge is Innoledy or RDG. Shape is RDG-1 or Caleb-1. I start tip at 66-67 mm. Remove bark from heart. Remove some from back up to...
Find Your Oboe Sound
We all want to have that "great" oboe sound, but sometimes it is something that seems to elude us. One of the biggest problems is define exactly what that great sound is. Many words are used to describe the sound of the oboe. •Light •Dark •Bright •3 dimensional •Heavy...
How to Help With Flat Oboe Reeds
Flat Oboe Reeds Are Instant Death! Probably the worst thing that you can do when playing the oboe is play on flat oboe reeds. This is one of the most common reed problems and it can be a bit tricky to fix. Here are some things that you might want to try out and see if...