Hi everyone. Straight off, I don't know what I'm doing. I've never played a reed instrument before, much less a double reed instrument. But I have a question, hopefully a simple one that can be answered in simple terms?

I recently bought a Shehnai (http://www.superbrass.com/users/goodvibes/shehnaigood.jpg), which in my research is a predecessor of the Oboe. It's a double reed instrument, and I can't for the life of me figure out how to make it make sound.

It has two reeds attached by a string and what looks like a brass key. When I look for reeds online, it looks similar to an oboe reed, and it looks like it is inserted into the instrument in a similar way. But I can't even find a beginners guide to how to put it in to the instrument.

The reed is tapered out, it looks like a brush. It is attached to a brass tube a few inches long, and the whole thing is wrapped in string. Is the tapered end supposed to be split? Is that how one would blow through it to get sound? (it looks sort of like this: http://www.kylemusic.com/images/items/SHNR.jpg)

The tube fits snugly into the opening at the top of the instrument and can be inserted about an inch and a half in and then seems to stop.

I guess that's enough background. My question is, how do you put a reed into an oboe, and what do you do to get sound? And should the end of the reed be split?

Thanks everyone. I hope this instrument I got isn't too different that this is confusing!

Yes the reed is sopossed to stop at a cirtain point. curl your lips around your teeth and put the reed in your mouth about 1/4 of an inch. the description of your reed was all good, but make sure it is not a James reed because they are very hard to play. Also, make sure you have a soft or med. soft reed. (it says on the cork) I have been playing oboe for five years and bassoon for three years (both double reed)and I still cant play med. hard or hard reeds.

I hope this helped

Yes the reed is sopossed to stop at a cirtain point. curl your lips around your teeth and put the reed in your mouth about 1/4 of an inch. the description of your reed was all good, but make sure it is not a James reed because they are very hard to play. Also, make sure you have a soft or med. soft reed. (it says on the cork) I have been playing oboe for five years and bassoon for three years (both double reed)and I still cant play med. hard or hard reeds.

I hope this helped

<Added>

also there should be no cracks or openings in the reed (except at the very top where the reeds join together). it seems to me that you have a very beat up reed but i'm not sure.