Jillian Camwell of Prairie Oboe Companion gave me a relatively good review as well recently. I’m glad they are working decently for her. Most of them at least. This completes the four reviews from the four people I gave out complimentary reeds to for them to try out. (Although Jillian says she might right more.)
So Patty finally got around to writing a reed review of my reeds. I’m actually surprised that she viewed my reeds as respectable since I think she might be a bit picky about her reeds. I sent her 2 Weber 1-b shaped reeds with a thinner gouge, 2 Weber 1-C shaped reeds with the thicker gouge, and 2-RDG 2 shaped reeds with a thicker gouge.
Cooper Wright: Sent reeds for free too see if I liked them (Thanks Cooper!)
Arrived July 12, 2007
Reed shipped in “reed coffins”, and then all the containers were taped together. All reeds survived shipping from Korea
#1, labeled I-B: 70mm, fake cork, crow multi-C, A-440, slightly tweety/buzzy, I clipped the tip just a smidge, plays fine now
#2, labeled I-B: 70mm, fake cork, crow multi-C, full sound, A-440, slightly tweety/buzzy
#3, labeled I-C: >70mm, fake cork, one C crow, have to take in a bit more reed for stability, but quite usable
#4, labeled I-C: <60mm, fake cork, crow multi-C, A-440, lighter feel, a bit tweety
#5, labeled +2: >70mm, fake cork, crow multi-C, A-440, full sound, plays very well, more resistance then the above reeds
#6, labeled +2: >70mm, fake cork, crow mulit-C, A-440, full sound, plays well, more resistance than 1-4FINAL THOUGHTS: I thought I’d wind up using reeds 5 & 6. Turned out I actually used one of the +2 reeds and one of the I-C reeds for the opera I was playing. All the reeds work well enough to use … this is the first batch of reeds I’ve received where I believe all reeds are usable, although I think #1 and #2 will probably just work for practice.
… and thanks Cooper! :-)
Note: I do believe reed 4 is 70 or 69mm, not 60mm. The synthetic cork staples are all Weber tubes, my favorites.
In her recent post, Patty proclaims that she is “Not her oboe”. I too can resonate such a claim, although an ongoing disagreement with my parents suggests that people still think otherwise. (My cousin’s wedding is planned for the same day as the Northwest Oboe Conference, and I’m trying to figure out a way I can juggle both. This feels like a bad episode of Seinfeld.)
From 6th grade through college, I was known as “the oboe guy”. In fact, many people are shocked when they find out I was on the chess team in high school (a team that won third in the U.S. high school nationals), played little league and basketball, and somehow learned to extreme rollerblade in the middle. I also studied theology, accounting (although my grades prove me to be terrible at it), and a passionate researcher. I believe one of the major reasons why I decided not to continue my oboe studies immediately after graduation was to prove to myself as well as others that I was capable of doing other things.
That said, when people ask me, “What would you do if you didn’t play oboe?” I quickly respond with, “A lot!” In fact, when people tell me they want to start oboe, I strongly discourage them from doing so, because I believe it is not an instrument that you can merely pick up as a hobby and keep up well. I usually tell people, “If you refuse to play anything else but oboe, and are wholly committed to learning the instrument out of sheer determination, then be my guest. Otherwise, pick up the flute.”
Though this may be the single dorkiest nerdy oboe blog on the internet, I do enjoy other things, and I do have a life. Just check my other blog if you don’t believe me.
One of the single most important books I’ve read this past year was Note Groupings, by James Morgan Thurmond. It discusses concepts of phrasing in a very technically descriptive way that can be visualized in charts and diagrams, not just “feeling” it. Professor Martin Schuring begins to describe the concept on his website under “Note Groupings” but the book goes much more into detail than his short summary.
While there are a few things I disagree with (one rule states that all pickups need to be played with a “pickup” feel, usually short), the book truly makes you reconsider how you approach music, phrasing and how you group notes together.
It’s about time I invest in a good one. I’ve limited my choices down to the Edirol R9 for $370 on Amazon (more on Forrest’s), or the Zoom H4 for $250. I’ve heard good things about the Zoom H4 on the clarinet Bboard, and a guy I know from church likes the Edirol. Anyone own one of these? Heard oboe recordings on one of these? Suggestions?
