Learning Zone - Oboe
I’m a beginner - which reeds should I use?
For an economical beginner reed, the Oxford reed (medium-soft strength) is suitable.
For a reed with better tone try the Paris reed (medium soft strength).
How many reeds should I buy?
You should always have a spare reed in case the one you’re using gets damaged or too old and unresponsive. I normally recommend buying at least 3 reeds so that when the first one is no longer usable, you still have a spare, and you can then order some more.
Of course, we regularly have special offers which gain you extra discounts or free reeds if you buy more than this, so look out for these offers which may be on this website, or sent to you through the post or email.
The tips of my reeds seem to break or split after quite a short time. Why?
If you are a new player this may be because of accidental damage. The tip of the reed is only paper-thin, and very delicate. Just lightly touching the reed can cause damage.
I recommend all players form two habits to help avoid this:
1. Always keep the reed in your visual field (within eye-sight). Many beginner players often look down at the instrument to see where their fingers are supposed to go. When doing this most people will tilt the oboe towards them and the reed may touch their shoulder (they won’t necessarily feel it happening). So instead, get used to TURNING the oboe TO THE SIDE if you want to look at your fingers - and you should be able to see the reed (at least in the corner of your eye) at all times.
2. Stick your tongue out. It’s not rude, it’s just what players do. When you’re putting the reed in your mouth, avoid accidentally hitting your teeth and breaking the reed. Stick you tongue out, lay the reed on your tongue, and then let your tongue bring the reed into your mouth. This way you will never hit your teeth.
How long do reeds last?
They are made from natural cane so it varies quite a lot. As a rough idea, I would say about 10 hours of playing ON AVERAGE. Some may last for only four hours, some may go on well beyond twenty hours.
Why do most oboe reeds have a wire wrapped around them?
The wire adds stability to the reed and it also reduces vibrations within the reed. Depending on the circumstances with the reed (and the player’s preferences) this means the wire may be there to do any of the following:
1. Hold the reed aperture more closed than it naturally sits
2. Hold the reed aperture more open than it naturally sits
3. Reduce vibrations to darken the tone
4. Reduce freedom in the reed to prevent “dipping”
5. Close down the throat of the reed to raise pitch or increase stability
6. Support the aperture on a reed which is collapsing near the end of it useful life
How do I maintain my oboe?
Servicing:
Firstly I’d recommend having it serviced regularly. This means a full general service which involves much preventative maintenance as well as putting faults right.
How often you should do this depends on how much you play. If less than 1 hour a day, service it every 2 years. If 1-2 hours a day, service it every year and a half. If you play more than 2 hours a day, have it serviced every year.
How can I best take care of my reeds?
Firstly, keep them in a proper reedcase. Reedcases can seem expensive at first but a reedcase for three reeds only usually costs about the same as a couple of reeds and it can save damaging many reeds. You should never keep them in the plastic tubes that some reeds are supplied in - this doesn’t allow them to dry out and can cause mould to grow on the reed.
If you can, always soak the reed in clean water before playing it. If you always use your saliva alone to soak it whilst warming up, the many chemicals in your saliva will be absorbed into the cane, and the reed will thicken up more quickly.
Again if you can, always rinse the reed in clean water after you’ve finished playing. This can be done by running tap water through it whilst holding it upside down under a tap, or by carefully swishing the cane part in a small pot of water. This helps prevent the build-up of dried saliva which otherwise will occur on the surfaces of the cane.
If you have to store the reeds for a long time, try to ensure they are not in a humid or wet environment. Normal indoor room air is perfectly suitable within the .
