Hi. My name is Molly and I just started playing the oboe in June. I`ve had about 5 lessons with my band director. Oboe is my second instrument. Alto sax is my first. Is the saxophone an unusual instrument to switch over to the oboe from?? Just curious ...

Well, like I said, I`m taking lessons from my band director, but there`s a slight drawback to that. He hasn`t really played the oboe for ... quite a few years. I`m not sure if he has the slightest clue about making his own reeds or if he even has his own scraping knife for adjusting. He has store bought reeds and those are what I purchase from him. He started me out on a medium Jones reed. I don`t know if that was wise for my first reed ever, but as soon as I took the oboe home, I could produce notes.

Well, certain notes definitely do not like to play on the school`s Linton(what do you guys think of this brand) that I`m using. For instance, the low Eb, low D,(I haven`t tried to go lower) and the high notes. I think that the only reason I have trouble with the high notes is because of my lack of experience. The middle range D and Eb sound very...airy. Could it be because of my reed??

Now, reeds. Yes, my absolute favorite part of playing the oboe so far. My best friend also plays the oboe. Actually, she`s the only other oboe at our school. She learned how to make reeds at band camp last summer, but she doesn`t have the tools. So, no one at my school knows how to do it properly.

What should I do about this??

I mean, I live in a fairly small town, and we have an excellent band and two wonderful band directors, but no professional oboe players.

Two Things
One: What should I do about reeds? Should I continue with the store bought ones, which seems my only real choice, or do something else about reeds?
Two: Does anyone have any tips that my instructor may not be able to help me with? I know about posture, breath support, and other things like that. Plus, I`ve done research about it on the internet, but maybe someone could help with my note problems I have in the lower register.

Thank you so much for reading this post which will probably end up being longer than I expected it to be!!

*PEACE*OUT*
Molly

Molly,

Welcome.

I`m a beginner too, so I can`t offer expert advice.

The problem with playing the notes may be the reed, embouchure, or the oboe itself. Could you get your friend to try your oboe, and you try her oboe? This could eliminate some of the variables.

Good Luck!!

1. I would have started you out on a soft or medium-soft reed rather than a medium reed, since you`re a beginner. Next time you need to buy a reed, go with medium-soft, since you already play the sax. Um... if you can find someone who makes reeds, that would be great. Having a proper reed early on can help prevent bad habits that can start with badly made reeds.
2. Pitch is a big problem for beginning oboists... I`m thinking you`re likely to be sharp right now? Anyway, sit with a tuner and warm up on long tones, while trying to keep in tune. You can change your pitch by adjusting your embouchure. Also, make sure you don`t have too much of the reed in your mouth. This makes you sound very snake-charmerish and can cause you to play sharp. Only the very tip should be in. As for the airyness, make sure your lips are turned in a bit, but not TOO much. Also make sure no air is escaping around the reed.

Bill_D : Thanks for the suggestion. I think I will try that. Of course, we both have the same brand oboe (Linton), but I think it`s a good idea.

Merlena : Some good suggestions there. I`ve been thinking about possibly ordering handmade reeds off of the internet!! There really isn`t anyone nearby that could help me with that.

Molly,

I purchased several different handmade reeds to try, after searching the message boards for info about the best ones. Some didn`t play at all, and others had problems. Fox reeds work the best for me, but I`ve had problems with a few of these too. I read that Jone`s reeds are the most problematic.

My teacher made me a reed. It took several lessons for him to adjust it so it would play consistently. It would play, after he adjusted it during my lesson, and then it would change in a day of so. It`s been great for a couple of weeks now.

He`s teaching me to make reeds. I also find the Weber & Capps Reed Maker`s Manual & video very, very helpful.

I`d like to make my own reeds, but in the interim I want to learn to adjust the handmade reeds.

Bill

I play alto sax and oboe, I make my own reeds and I can help you, but the problem is that I`m not very good in speaking english, anyway I`d like you to write me, it`ll be interesting learning new "oboe terms" and making friends who love this instrument like me

ember1983@libero.it

Ember,

What style, e.g., European or American, do you play?

Your written English is excellent.

Bill

Yeah, so excellent that I didn`t understand your question :D lol, what are you talking about? Reeds?

Reeds

I don`t know if the method they teach us in conservatories is european or other... what`s the difference exactly? Maybe it`s a stupid question but I really don`t know!

(Or you mean the type of cane?)

I meant the reed, and not the cane.

The following article describes the American scrape.

http://idrs.colorado.edu/Publications/DR/DR7.3/DR7.3.Dust.html

Also, there`s some relevant info on another message board.

http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/read.html?f=10&i=779&t=496

Thank you! I`ll read everything as soon as I can (it will take me a ittle time... hehe) and then I`ll be able to answer

Anyway I think we do it the european way... because one day my teacher told a girl: "try to play the american reed" (that was a reed he has among his ones)... but I didn`t observe it well

Yeah, we use european method I think we use it in all european conservatories...

I`ve got awesome news!! Yesterday I made a very large purchase, and that purchase was a NEW Fox 330 oboe!! I am sooo excited!! I wasn`t even sure if I was going to get it, but once I played it, I realized how awesome it was compared to the dreadful Linton I was playing before. Now, the low notes come out (all the way down to Bb!!) and the high notes come out without effort. I don`t feel like I`m fighting a losing battle when I play anymore!! Ahhh...I just feel really good right now.

*PEACE*OUT*
Molly