We musicians discuss technique a lot in private lessons. Whether it is keeping your fingers close to the keys, or fine-tuning your embouchure, classical musicians constantly think about their technique. But what about when we are making reeds? The one reed-making technique mistake that I often see is too much tension in a reed maker’s (more…)
If you can make oboe reeds then making oboe d’amore reeds should come naturally. They each require a different staple and a different shaper tip (though my gouge measurements for oboe and oboe d’amore are very similar). An oboe d’amore staple will be 25 mm (or close to that) and you will tie the reed…...
In this video I make a reed in 5 minutes. Now, should you make all your reeds in 5 minutes too? No, but learning to make a quick reed can be a helpful skill. This video is merely just a demonstration of scraping an oboe reed. If you are looking for more reed making instructions, (more…)
Below you will see my measurements for an English horn reed. These measurements are approximate and might be longer or shorter by about a millimeter or so, but I think these measurements are a good starting point. Usually, I tie my reeds at about 59mm in total length, then scrape enough cane off to make (more…)
