How Long Does An Oboe Reed Last? The 68 Latest Answer

Fastening and maintenance of oboe reeds

Common problems with machine-made oboe reeds

There are three types of oboe reeds: handmade, hand machined and fully machine made. Handcrafted ones are usually the best, but often the most expensive. The best quality bang for the buck is to buy handmade reeds, generally at oboe shops (see Oboe Reeds, Repair and Accessories). Sometimes machine-made blades can be good, but generally have one of three problems:

1) Most commonly, the reeds rated “soft” to “medium” are very responsive and play every low note easily, but they are very often not focused or tuned and are too dynamic to let the high register come out easily. Consequently, students try to control them by biting and end up with a pinched, sharp, soft sound.

2) If the reed is too hard (generally reeds classified as “medium” to “hard”), students will often bite to close the reed enough to make a sound (like blowing air out of a balloon escapes, the opening must be pinched to vibrate). Exercising this type of control is tiring, however, and most students cannot sustain it consistently and tend to play out of tune with inconsistent attacks. Even when they start playing reeds that don’t need that kind of control, they can’t stop biting and have very small, sharp sounds.

3) Some leaves sound great, but since the machine is unable to scrape precisely and cannot hold the “rails” of bark that come up the sides of the leaf and hold it open, the leaf closes almost immediately too strong .

MOUNTING SHIELDS (without and with tools)

If your blade is too closed or too sharp:

1) Open the tip of a soaked reed with your fingers. Be careful not to pinch too hard or you may crack it! This is very temporary but can sometimes get you through a rehearsal or concert.

2) Clean the reed with a pipe cleaner. Wet the pipe cleaner and put it through the pipe first. Do not push in the opposite direction, stick first. This is particularly effective on older reeds that have accumulated “foreign matter” inside.

3) Using 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper, lightly sand the entire blade. This should scrape off any residue and loosen the reed a bit. It can also lower the pitch of a sharp hand. It’s always better to lose too little than too much.

If your hand is too open or flat:

1) Crush the back of a soaked reed. You’ll know if you’ve done too much, and if so, see #1 above. If the back doesn’t feel like it can crush without breaking the reeds, there is probably too much cane on it and it needs to be scraped off with a knife.

If your reed is leaking:

1) If the sheet leaks near the thread, you can apply fish skin by wetting it and wrapping it only once, if possible. Plumber’s Teflon tape works even better and doesn’t need to be dampened. If the pipe leaks further up and your mouth doesn’t cover it – throw it away!

2) Try soaking the reeds in hot water longer. It’s a long road, but it can work.

More advanced attachment with Reedmaking Tools

If you are familiar with using a reed knife, below are the tools you will need. Remember to always use a sharp reed knife as it will scrape more accurately without crushing the cane. Information on how to sharpen a knife can be found here. As you scrape, support the reeds with a finger and the plaque, and make forward strokes with the knife—the knife shouldn’t be pressed into the stick, but scrape along the surface instead.

Basic tools needed:

• Hollow-ground knives (Vitry or Landwell knives are good, and many other brands work well)

• Flat plates (convex plates push the sides of the blade apart, which can lead to blade instability)

• Block or billot (with a flat surface and non-slip material on the bottom)

• Sharpening stone (Your knife needs to be sharp at all times! A combination of a fine Indian oil stone (requires mineral or honing oil) or a hard Arkansas stone works well for me. I also use a diamond stone to regain the edge of the knife when it’s too round for sharpening)

Relatively simple things you can do to fix your reed with tools:

1) If the sheet is too lively, flat and light, trim about 1/4mm. trim off the tip with the knife (or a razor blade) and the block. The blade should become harder and sharper. If this is not the case, something else may be required: see #3 below.

2) If the blade is not vivid enough and too sharp, lightly scrape the “canals” in the heart, i.e. avoid the spine in the middle and the splints on the sides. Be sure to scrape over the “edge” of the heart where it meets the tip, but avoid scratching the tip. Also look at the end of the tip in a light. Sometimes the pipe is too thick there and thinning out the end will increase the vibration.

3) If the blade is fuzzy, unstable and too vibrating, you may need to address one of the areas machines can’t get thin enough – the sides of the tip. Carefully thin out the sides of the tip with the plaque inside. The blade should be fully supported by a finger when scraping. The reed should become lighter and more focused. It can be helpful to thin or mark right in the heart on the sides of the tip to create a dividing line there for even more focus (see #4 below). You may need to trim the tip after scraping as it can become too flat and light. The blade should become sharper and more stable after each clip.

4) Another focusing technique is to separate the tip from the heart at the sides. Using very short strokes, gently scrape or carve with the knife where the point meets the heart on the sides. The tip may also have to be shortened afterwards to make the blade stable again.

5) When the spine feels indestructible and holds the sheet too open, gently scrape the spine up while holding the rails on the sides and the spine in the middle. If your reed doesn’t have splints or spines, scrape next to where you want them and you’ll create small ones that way. This should close the reed, thickening the sound and sharpening the pitch, especially in the high registers.

More detailed and further information on reed production can be found here.

REED CARE

The following suggestions will help extend the life of your leaves:

1) Soak your leaves in lukewarm to hot tap water. Hot water soaks the reeds faster and makes them stronger. Older leaves generally need to be soaked longer. So soak your reeds as much as you need to get the desired strength. Also, saliva has a destructive effect on reed and will degrade your reed faster if you just soak it in your mouth. If warm water is not available, soak the reeds in cold tap water and then warm them in your mouth as needed.

2) Always wipe the saliva off the leaf and suck it out of the leaf before putting it away. Actually, there shouldn’t be much saliva on the sheet in the first place, as you should be playing on the dry part of the lip.

3) Store the reed in a sturdy, well-ventilated case. If you must use a “pipe,” poke a hole in the end to allow air movement. A “French” or “ribbon” style reed, or one that uses “thorns” works best.

2. Folding the reed – This step takes much less time with oboe reeds than with bassoon, clarinet or saxophone reeds, as the reed maker had to play the reed to test it during the building process. It may take a few hours for the reed to settle into your playing after purchase, but don’t expect a reed to get much easier to play over time. A bad reed is a bad reed, and knowing when to move on from a less than palatable reed will save you a great deal of time and heartache.

3. Golden Age of Playing – This is the heyday of the reed’s short life when response, intonation and tone are at their best. This usually lasts between a few days and a few weeks. Make sure you keep the reed safe in your case to air dry when not playing and never touch the reed reeds!

Some students often lose sight of their reed or walk around with the reed inside the instrument, accidentally bumping into things or people. The reed blades are delicate and should only ever touch your case or mouth. You can further extend this period by following the tips on how to extend the life of a leaf, detailed below.

4. Wear – As the blade ages, the blades slip because the pressure of the thread overcomes the force of the overlapping blades. The blades begin to slide past each other and the opening narrows, causing the pitch of the reed to rise. In addition, when the reed has been played happily, bacteria grow on the inside, forming biofilms that impede the vibrations of the reed and further alter the space of the chamber inside. It will soon be time to replace this sheet. Be sure to pull the staple/cork out safely without damaging it so you or your teacher can use it to make another sheet.

Reed Case: It’s important

Oboe reeds are not expensive ($15 to $30), but you still want to keep your oboe reed in good condition so you don’t have to buy a new one. They will last longer if kept in a proper case made for a reed. An oboe reed case that holds the reeds snugly via French strap holders and a foam rubber grip holder is perfect. In these cases, if there is absolutely no excess cushion, the sheet will simply break at some point. I recommend that beginners have. (FYI: There are reed instances that will hold cases from 3 to 50 reeds) At least one case that will hold some reeds as it is important to keep your reeds in good condition. There is also a wide range of substances used to create cases. It’s a really personal preference. (Just google “Oboe Reed Case” and look at the pictures. You can see exactly what I mean!) How many oboe reeds do I need?

I can’t tell you with any certainty that a reed will survive. They are sensitive and the cane is scraped quite thinly to make it vibrate. Because of this, they are extremely sensitive and vulnerable to climate variations (humidity/dryness), altitude and temperature. If you live somewhere with a very hot or cold climate, try to keep your reeds in a case for as long as possible, as these climates will degrade the reeds. The frequency with which a reed is wet and how long it is allowed to sit in the water can also affect a reed’s longevity. A pipe should not be in the water for at least 2-3 minutes. Constant overwetting is terrible for the reed! It “tires” the fibers and they seem to wear out (lose vibration) faster. The fragility of an oboe reed also makes it easy to damage (splinter, crack, etc.). The best way to extend the life of almost any leaf is to ensure that it is stored in a leaf container that will keep the leaf safe. So, all things considered, my recommendation for young oboists is: start with 3-4 reeds. You then have to rotate through the reeds, changing every week (or every few days). If things go well, there’s a good chance the 3 hands will last a long time depending on how often they’re played (and if properly cared for). However, when the oboist is put under heavy use (practice 5-6 days a week for 30-60 minutes) he can often go through the reeds faster. Remember, the more you play reeds, the worse the sound of the reeds will become, as they soften as you play. So if you keep playing the same reed, your reed will soften and start sounding good. So make sure you rotate your sheets.

How do you find the ideal hand? Finding a reed is essential for a student to learn how to play the oboe. It is very important that the reeds are not that difficult, so reeds that are medium or soft are advisable in most cases when you start playing the oboe. Choosing an appropriate reed is something teachers can best assist as they can evaluate the origin of the reed and decide which reed is best for each student. Where can I buy oboe reeds? There are many music stores that sell oboe reeds, but the place where most reeds are sold and where you can find the widest selection is online.

The oboe is considered one of the more difficult woodwind instruments to play. It takes some time before the player can produce any sound at all, and even then a beginner has little opportunity to control it. There are many difficulties: among other potential problems, the player may not be able to play a note high enough; he or she may not be able to produce a pp note (pianissimo); or the note may not come out when the player intends, messing up the timing. This difficulty makes the joy of the player making good music all the more exquisite. It seems like a challenging tool.

If you’re using a quality reed, the reed should crow a C when fully soaked and it should respond. These are the most important properties of a reed. As you play the hand, it should break easily and become more comfortable to play. It can be difficult to be patient when hammering in a pipe.

If the reed breaks, the crow’s pitch may rise slightly and the port may collapse a little. Hopefully this will make it easier to play for longer periods of time.

Breaking your hand in gradually will give you the best results, but later in this post we’ll discuss some tricks you can use to break your hand in quickly. I recommend having a few extra leaves from different stages of leaf life so you’re not backed into a corner trying to break in a leaf.

Steps to break in a reed

Soak the reeds for 1-2 minutes.

Play for a short practice session focusing on the basics you know well. (scale, long tones)

Let the sheet dry outside of the case for about 15-20 minutes.

Keep the reed in the case for storage

Soak the reed again and play for longer practice sessions or rehearsals.

You will be amazed at the difference!

Singin’ Dog oboe reed company specializes in handcrafted reeds that outperform their machine-made competitors while still offering an attractive price point. The soft and medium-soft strengths vibrate very slightly and are best suited for beginners and those who have recently switched to the oboe. The medium and intermediate strengths are best suited for intermediate students and most adults. The hard blade is recommended for those who prefer a blade with more resistance or want to scratch a little themselves. If you’ve played a factory reed from your local music store, you’ll be amazed at the difference with Singin’ Dog oboe reeds.

Because the oboe is an instrument that not many people play, there can be a lot of uncertainty. These uncertainties extend to the type of reed used for the oboe, a double-reed, and how to properly care for it. Here is some basic information about the oboe reed, a crash course if you will.

It is highly recommended that aspiring oboists begin with private tutors, but these may not be available to you or your student. If you’re not taking private lessons, figuring these things out can be a little more difficult.

It can be difficult to know which hand to get, why you are having trouble with your current hand, etc.

Rest assured, there is a lot of information online that you already have access to.

Let’s get to the basic information about oboe reeds!

Single vs. double reeds

Oboe is a double-reed instrument, but what does that actually mean?

All types of clarinets and saxophones belong to the single reed family. Bassoon and cor anglais join the oboe family.

A single reed is a single reed that vibrates against the mouthpiece it is placed on. A double-reed has two reeds vibrating against each other, hence the term double-reed.

A big difference between single and double reeds is how you soak the reeds. You may notice that your friends in the clarinet department can only put a reed in their mouth and then play. This is not the case with double-reed instruments!

Because double reeds have two separate reeds, they need to be soaked in a small container of water.

This is the only way to effectively soak the entire reed – simply popping a reed in your mouth won’t spill water inside each piece of reed.

The water is an important part of getting the reed vibrating properly, so this is not a step to skip!

reed strength

Another difference between single and double reeds is how they are marketed/purchased. For clarinets and saxophones, you can buy a case of ten reeds, while you can buy oboe reeds individually.

Individual reeds also have a durometer that is indicated on the packaging, for example a durometer of 2.5. This is not the same as double reeds.

You may see some sheets marketed as soft, medium, or hard. This refers to the general thickness of the reeds, but this isn’t something to “level up” with and can mean something different for each player. There is no specific age at which you should play a certain thickness, which is a common misconception.

The thickness of the blade should be comfortable for the player to play – if you have a private tutor please ask him for advice.

For a beginner, a medium soft blade is a great fit. Once the player begins to increase their embouchure and force more air through the horn, a medium-soft reed will begin to fizzle out as it cannot accommodate the amount of air that is going through the reed. This is a good indicator that it’s time to try a heavier blade gauge.

Reed longevity and care

Because an oboe reed is so much thinner than a clarinet or saxophone reed, it doesn’t last as long. The life of a reed is determined by how many vibrations the reed can withstand before it wears out.

If a player plays thirty minutes five days a week, he will go through the reeds faster than a person who only plays twenty minutes straight three days a week. Keep doing this if you or your students are highly motivated – they will need to replace their hands more often because they play more.

The way you treat your pipe also contributes to its lifespan. Things like overwatering reeds will shorten the lifespan of reeds – no more than 2-3 minutes at any given point.

The temperature of the water used to soak the reed is also important. For best results, reeds should be soaked in room temperature water. Exposure to cold water negatively affects the reed’s ability to vibrate and its overall lifespan.

Oboe reeds are extremely fragile – so much so that humidity, altitude and temperature change the way each reed plays.

They are very easy to crack and chip so I would recommend purchasing an inexpensive reed case that will hold 3-4 reeds. Keeping reeds in a reed increases their lifespan as they are less likely to crack and chip.

Different types of oboe reeds

As you may already know, there are a few different types of oboe reeds. You should understand the differences so you can determine the best fit for you or your student.

The first type of reed is a machine-made reed. These reeds are usually available at your local music store or sold by general music stores. These sheets are made on a profiler without any special attention being paid to the individual sheet. This means the quality can vary from reed to reed – they are not tested for response, intonation, tone quality or anything like that.

Handcrafted blades are preferred over machine-made blades for this very reason. Each handmade reed is checked for response, intonation and tone quality. They are more reliable because the reed manufacturer can determine what each reed needs to work well. Check out my guide to assembling a beginner oboe reed kit.

One nice thing about a machine made reed is the price. Oboe reeds can get expensive quickly, especially when you compare it to single reed prices where you get a box of ten for the price of one oboe reed. Hand made reeds are slightly more expensive because you are paying for someone to take the time to ensure the quality of the reed is good.

Another newer type of reed is the synthetic reed. These blades are not made of cane but of a more durable alternative material. These leaves can last for months with proper care. Currently, Légére, the company that makes these synthetic reeds, only sells European shaved reeds.

This is not something American oboists are used to. The European scraping changes the way the reed vibrates and requires an altogether different approach. I also find that the dynamic offerings and ability to emphasize different tonal qualities are lacking in this type of reed. At this point I would not recommend a synthetic reed to a student.

For beginning oboists, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with buying the most affordable option on the market. These sheets are machine made but give students exactly what they need as a beginner. A great option for beginners is the Jones oboe reed:

Quality Jones Oboe Reed Jones oboe reed is sorted, selected and finished by skilled craftsmen, then the reeds are made using the most advanced reed machines in the world. Each blade is individually checked and adjusted by hand. Almost every reed is scraped by hand before final inspection and packaging. Buy brass instruments on woodwinds

I would recommend starting with a medium soft reed to build embouchure strength and become familiar with the instrument. A reed thicker than medium soft is too hard for a beginner to produce a tone on.

The preferred type of reed is a handmade reed – you get the best quality for your money. This is an example of a handmade reed

Popular Magic Reed Professional Oboe Reed Magic Reed Professional Oboe Reeds are always handmade and trusted by professionals and their aspiring students for their most important events. They are medium-strength reeds and have more beef than is usual in the industry. Players will enjoy a dark, warm, and nuanced tone with great response and balance. We recommend this product for players with well-developed embouchures, including conservatory students and other accomplished musicians of all ages. Buy brass instruments on woodwinds

This is available in the market at a non-specialty store. I would strongly recommend a hand like this to a more advanced player.

For serious players, I would recommend buying reeds from specialty stores like Midwest Musical Imports. Serious players should eventually learn how to make reeds themselves. An important step for oboists, which also saves money in the long run.

closing remarks

All of this information could be overwhelming or seem trivial. However, to get the most out of your money and time, the above thoughts should be kept in mind.

In general, oboe reeds can be the most frustrating part of playing the instrument. If one style of reed doesn’t work for you or your student, it’s worth trying a different style to see if it’s a better fit.

Hopefully this article has taken some of the uncertainty out of oboe reeds. While this is not a definitive answer to all things oboe reeds, there is some valuable information to consider as a beginning or developing oboist.

Légère produces bassoon and oboe reeds in various thicknesses. This is suitable for most skill levels and playstyles.

oboe

We are proud to offer medium soft, medium hard and medium hard European scrape oboe reeds. The medium-soft (MS) blade is the perfect choice for beginners, younger students, or players with a relaxed approach. This cut is also great for players used to American scrape. While the American Scrape sheet is currently being worked on, we recommend trying the Soft European Scrape medium in the meantime.

Most intermediate to advanced players should be comfortable with the intermediate hand. The medium-hard (MH), the original oboe reed, should be reserved for advanced players who are used to a harder approach or who prefer a firmer reed.

bassoon

Bassoon reeds are available in medium and medium strength. Most intermediate to advanced players should be comfortable with the intermediate hand. The medium-hard strength should be reserved for advanced players who are used to a harder approach or who prefer a firmer hand.

Please note that the choice of strength is subjective and varies greatly from player to player. These are just suggestions that we hope will help you decide. Double Reeds are not eligible for our Exchange of Strength program and exchanges or refunds will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

REED DEATH! How to tell if your oboe reed is broken or needs replacing

We learn to appreciate pipes early and play them until they don’t anymore…

When I start beginners, I often provide them with a reed to learn their first notes on. To be honest, it’s rare to find a beginner who can or wants to play the oboe for more than a few hours a week in the beginning, so the first reed or two will do for a while. They might even last a few weeks or a few months.

This oboe reed needs to be replaced! does yours It’s very telling who doesn’t practice at home depending on how much longer their hand is able to keep moving. In reality, an oboe reed should only last a few weeks with normal use in practice and in brass music lessons. For tips on how to keep the reeds longer and get the most out of your reeds read this article I wrote by clicking here.

A broken blade has three key indicators that show if it needs to be replaced. 1. The opening of the reed will collapse over time. This leads to sharpness and makes it difficult to blow through the sheet. 2. The tip of the reed can fray from tongue injuries and nicks on the reed body or hands. 3. Any cracks in the reed will make it flat and unusable. 4. Mold…enough said…

Oboe reeds are expensive and getting a new reed so often can be a pain. Individual readers can change their hands every few days. Oboists can keep a reed for a while, so it pays to monitor the wear of your reed so you know when it’s time to say goodbye. These simple but crucial tests will help you decide if your reed is broken or needs replacing, especially if you are just starting out on the oboe.

The opening

The opening of a reed is key to determining the pitch and resistance of the reed. If a reed is too open it is difficult to control and can tire the mouth too much to be playable, but if the opening is too small the reed becomes sharp and inflexible. A hand’s opening will break down over time, so there is a finite window (playing 10-15 hours or not playing for 40 hours) in which the hand has an optimal opening. Luckily, this also means that if the reed is a bit too open, just wait a week or two and it can collapse to a manageable size.

As the reed ages, the blades gradually slide past each other. This is sometimes referred to as “reed collapse” when the reed is new and is a natural part of the reed’s life cycle. The micro trauma when controlling the blade with the approach (mouth) speeds up the process. Additionally, bacterial growth inside the reed can effectively narrow the opening as the biofilms coat the internal cavity of the reed.

The opening of the blade is stabilized by two main opposing forces. First, the thread that is tied around the stick to attach it to the staples is pulled counterclockwise. This is opposed by the rails of the blade, which pull clockwise to a neutral and stable result. As the stick is played and ages, the stick loses some strength but the thread does not wear out. The result is that the blades are pulled counter-clockwise over time, slowly collapsing the blade’s opening.

The tip

The tip of the reed is the thinnest part of the reed. Or at least it should be. Some commercial reeds do not respect this and sometimes leave the tip thick. A thin and bevelled tip gives the reed a warm sound with an easy response.

When the tongue engages the reed and/or suffers other micro-traumas from handling or accidental bumps or bumps, the tip of the reed can take on a jagged or jagged appearance. At first only the low notes stop working and eventually nothing will sound right. This will eventually make the reed too difficult to play as response and tone will be compromised and a new one should be used instead.

Your teacher can fix your broken tip, but it’s a risky business.

Chips that occur at the edges of the tip are not as critical as chips at or near the left-to-right center. Often a professional can trim the blade and re-tip. The reed may never sound as good, but it can be playable for a while longer, while a replacement can be ordered. However, inexperienced reed makers should not attempt this.

As always, a few reeds keep caved in and rotating. A few sheets can help you feel ready for anything. If you need to order leaves, click here to go to the shop where I sell handmade leaves.

cracks

A crack is surely the death of a reed. The reed vibrates hundreds of times per second and a week grains in the tube can be persuaded to come apart by these undulating waves through the material. It’s usually not the player’s fault if a reed breaks; They just happen when they happen and are impossible to predict.

broken reed

A tear is usually obvious. If the pitch drops significantly and the stick feels muddy and stiff, you probably have a crack. There is no cure. Some advocate superglue, but I don’t feel comfortable putting such chemicals in my mouth.

mold or other colonies

The reeds are organic fuel for many microorganisms that live harmlessly in your mouth or in the air, which are kept in check by your immune system and competition from other microbes. However, the environment of the reed can cause some germs to multiply past the checkpoint.

Mold often shows up as fruiting bodies or black colonies, while bacteria often form films along the inside of the reed. Using rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide can keep them at bay temporarily, but this is not a long-term solution. The age of the reeds required to breed such creatures is slightly longer than recommended simply because of the slipping and collapsing described above. White or black growths in the reed mean it’s time to order replacements.

You can prevent these growths by soaking your reed in a reed or cup instead of your mouth. It also helps if you store your reeds in a reed container rather than the plastic tube or coffin that it came with. In an article I wrote, which you can read by clicking here, I have other strategies for getting the most life out of your reeds.

Reeds are not meant to last forever, and changing reeds in your reeds will help you look your best. If you have any other questions or stories about reeds gone bad, please let me know in the comments. I would like to hear from you.

iklatka,

The reason you got limited answers to your question is that the variables are too numerous to attempt an accurate assessment. Get a qualified teacher as soon as possible!

That being said, when I experience the problem you describe, the “blur” is usually due to a thick spot in the tip. Make sure you take your knife off the very end of the tip, leaving no “lumps”. These thick spots can be difficult to see, even with good backlighting. Also ensure that both blades are reasonably matched in thickness at all points along the scraped surface.

Sometimes, of course, when everything “looks good” in your scraping and packing work, it may be the pipe quality and/or the grooving and/or the shape and/or the weather and/or whatever! (See what I mean by variables?)

I think it’s great news that you have hands that are working in the game after only six months. Well done! Now get yourself to a teacher and good luck!

Ensure that your reed lives a vibrant life with the right oboe reed care.

Oboe reeds are expensive, delicate and spirited. I would like to offer my own take on oboe reed care based on what works for me and what I’ve learned from other oboists over the years. I hope this takes some of the guesswork out of getting the most out of oboe reeds and enlightens readers on do’s and don’ts for beginners and pros alike. It is not my goal to convince anyone that my ideas are ruler of the land, but I do share oboe reed care suggestions with my own students and interested clients. These are also the things that I think every student should consider and understand when starting to play the oboe. The oboe is challenging enough without groping in the dark about the care and maintenance of oboe reeds.

There is also a small personal intention in writing this article that I would like to share. As a craftsman I take great pride in my craft and it hurts me a little when I see my reeds being mistreated in any way. I think anyone who makes their own oboe reeds will naturally take better care of their reeds than people who don’t know what goes into making oboe reeds. I believe that a reed maker will have more respect for oboe reeds than someone who doesn’t know what goes into the process and follows a more serious oboe reed care regiment (just in case you’re curious, here’s the step-by-step process Step How to Make Oboe Reeds Step”). I’ve spent thousands of hours crouching over a reed desk trying to understand how to make oboe reeds. It takes THOUSANDS of hours to understand how to make relatively consistent and good quality oboe reeds manufactures, I sincerely mean that.

I have spent tens of thousands of dollars studying with great oboists and reed makers and I have a great desire to share my knowledge and skills with people who love the oboe as much as I do. I have spent years of my life at university learning the skills which I now share with my clients and oboists through reading my articles and purchasing my reeds. I’m not saying this to feed my ego, but to give you a glimpse of how I view my craft and my art form. I am so happy to provide reeds to so many oboists. I feel that my services enable people to play the oboe, which brings me great joy, I hope they feel a similar joy.

Oboe reeds are fragile. Handle oboe reeds with care.

Oboe reeds are made from a plant called Arundo Donax. The plant grows wild all over the world and is bred specifically for instrument reeds. The plant in its harvested form is commonly referred to as “cane”. The plant grows to about 12 feet tall and resembles bamboo.

Different parts of the plant are used for different types of reeds. Large flat reeds like the baritone saxophone come from sections closer to the bottom. The leaves get smaller as the pipe diameter gets smaller. Oboe reeds are made from cane with a diameter of about 10-11mm.

The cane is inherently a fragile organic material, but when fashioned into an instrument blade, it is shaved wafer-thin. The tip of an oboe reed can be thinner than a hair! The main function of the reed is to vibrate, and the thinner the tip, the easier it is for the vibrations to travel through the reed. The blade vibrates when air is moved through the opening, causing the two blades to vibrate due to changes in air pressure. The vibrating leaves of the reed produce the sound. The vibrations propagate through the air and are interpreted by the ear as sound. The sound is then amplified by the body of the instrument when inserted into the oboe.

Because the reed is so thin, it can easily chip or tear, even with minor trauma. Rubbing the oboe reed on clothing, getting it tangled in your hair, hitting it on a tooth, or storing it improperly in a case can cause damage. The oboist must be aware of the position of the oboe reed at all times and protect the reed from the dangers around it.

You need to soak your oboe reeds

Oboe reed care begins with soaking the reed. Leaves must be soaked before playing or they will break. A dry sheet does not have the same flexibility as a soaked sheet, so any pressure applied to a dry sheet will split it. The cells of the cane need to be hydrated for the reed to vibrate properly. I previously wrote an in-depth post on oboe reed soaking which can be found here. “A Guide to Soaking Oboe Reeds”

How do I soak an oboe reed?

The sheet should be dipped in water up to the thread to drench it. Depending on the age of the reed and the humidity of the environment, it should remain in the water for anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes. Newer leaves can usually be soaked for less time, older leaves may need to be soaked longer. I wrote a longer How To Soak Oboe Reeds guide here. I would suggest soaking the reeds in warm water for 2-3 minutes if you are unsure what soaking method the reed manufacturer suggests. Yes, different reed manufacturers may have different soaking preferences based on their reed manufacturing process.

Sometimes a student does not have access to water or a cup for soaking reeds. Saliva can be used in this situation, but it’s not ideal. The oboist must put the oboe reed in his mouth up to the thread. You then have to salivate around and in the reeds for a few minutes. Saliva breaks down the oboe reed faster than water, so I advise you to soak oboe reeds in water instead. Oboe reeds soaked in water last longer than reeds soaked in saliva.

Be sure to siphon off excess water or saliva before attempting to play the reed, otherwise moisture will be forced into the oboe or a gurgling sound will result.

Removing the oboe reed from the oboe.

I am always amazed at how many of my own students struggle to remove the oboe reed from the oboe. I watch the students grab the reeds in a way I don’t know is possible. I get a little nervous when I see the reed being grabbed by the thread and wiggling back and forth as if pulling out a loose tooth.

The leaf should never be removed by grasping the thread. The thread loosens over time and dissolves as the oboist constantly pulls and twists the thread. If the thread comes loose, it is not a manufacturing defect but an operator error. The oboist should only grab the reed by the cork. A leaf will never unravel if the thread is always avoided. I find that many of my students cannot figure out how to hold the cork firmly. here is my method;

Make a fist with your thumb on the outside of your hand (as in thumb wrestling). With my strong hand I grab the reed and with my weak hand I hold the oboe (right hand on the reed, left hand on the upper joint of the oboe). Place the cork between your thumb and fist and squeeze firmly. The fingers should rest directly against the oboe and press against it evenly. Hold the reed still and spin the oboe. There is more leverage to turn the oboe than the reed. Pull the reed out of the oboe while it is being rotated. The reed comes out when it spins.

The cork can be made smaller if it is very tight in the oboe. I suggest using disposable nail files to remove a little cork from the reeds. Cork grease can also be used to lubricate the cork, which can make removal easier. Note, however, that it can also reduce the ability to firmly grip the cork.

AN OBOE SHIELD THAT WILL NOT GO IN EASILY WILL NOT COME OUT EASILY. File the cork a little before inserting it.

I suggest that students keep a small piece of foam contact paper/shelf liner in their suitcase for very stubborn reeds.

What to do if the oboe reed begins to unravel?

It is part of being human to be imperfect, and with imperfect people come imperfect processes.

Student: “Aaron, I know you told me not to, but I grabbed the tube by the thread to remove it and now it’s starting to unravel.”

Me: “Okay, no big deal, we caught it early, we can fix it.”

If an oboe reed shows signs of loosening the thread, there are a few things that can be done.

Put a small amount of superglue on the thread where the leaf comes off. I suppose a glue gun or other high strength glue will work just fine too.

Wrap the oboe reed with Teflon plumbing tape or parafilm wax. Many oboists use one or both of these products to patch up leaking reeds that may already be in the oboe case. Another reason why your student should have one of these products in their oboe case.

Oboe reed storage

Excess moisture should be shaken or blown out of the oboe reed prior to storage.

Shake = shake wrist while holding oboe reed. Care should be taken that the reed does not hit anything

Blow = Place your lips on the cork end of the reed and blow the excess moisture out of the reed. Be careful not to put more spit in the reeds

Oboe reeds should be stored in a reed case and not in the vials or small containers that the reeds are packaged in. The small bottles are airtight and will cause the tube to mold. A moldy reed looks dark or mottled. I would suggest a case containing 3-12 sheets to start. Most three-reed cases fit directly into an oboe case and will not get lost. The student may benefit from having two reed cases. A smaller 3-reed case and a larger 12-reed case, leaving the larger case at home while the small case stays with the oboe.

I suggest that students have AT LEAST 3 OBOE REEDS in their suitcase at a time, so a suitcase with 3 reeds should be the minimum. The larger falls allow a student to hold onto reeds and see if they can regain some life later. Yes, dead, worn-out reeds can gain a second life. I attribute this to the changing of the seasons. Changes in the pressure and humidity of an environment can cause oboe reeds to vibrate differently.

Most oboe reed cases fall into one of these categories;

Mandrel style holds the leaf by inserting a small tube into the bottom of the leaf.

The ribbon style holds the leaf in place by the thread. It essentially hugs the reeds in place

There are now some reed pods with ribbon and thorns. These are great.

I am selling a few Ribbon Style oboe reed cases on my website, you can see them by clicking on the links below. Even if you are not interested in the reed cases I sell, they will give you an idea of ​​how the ribbon style reed cases work.

Wooden case for 3 oboe reeds

Traditional reed case for 3 oboes

Rotation of oboe reeds.

Many oboists, including this one, rotate oboe reeds to keep them from tiring. “Rotate oboe reeds” means that a reed is not played until it is dead, but multiple reeds are played in some sort of rotation. Most professional oboists turn their reeds not only to make them last longer, but also because they know that different reeds can behave differently from day to day. One day’s favorite hand may not work the same the next. A less than perfect oboe reed today can feel great tomorrow.

I know that some parents buy a few sheets and only give their students access to one sheet at a time. The idea is that the student only destroys one pipe and not three. I understand this way of thinking, it makes logical sense to me, although in the long run the student may go through more hands since the hands are overdubbed in a short amount of time. I advise the student to have access to at least three reeds at a time. The student must learn to be very responsible for the care of his oboe reeds.

Oboe reeds can be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or mouthwash. I usually use hydrogen peroxide. I don’t sanitize reeds too often (except when I’m selling them for the first time), but if it’s necessary for any reason, feel free to use any of the products listed. It’s a good idea to sterilize oboe reeds after the player has been ill. This ensures that the oboist does not recover from their illness, only to become ill again after playing contaminated reeds. I’m not sure how long germs stay alive in cases like this, but I think it’s better to be safe than take the risk.

There are some products that claim to extend the life of oboe reeds. I have tried the Reed Life product and particularly like it for reviving old cor anglais reeds. I think Forrests Music sells this product. No product can replace proper oboe reed care, no matter how well it works.

How often should I buy new oboe reeds?

The answer to that will ultimately depend on the oboist, but perhaps my professional experience and opinions are of some value.

I usually tell people to expect around 10 hours of playing time from a reed. Maybe your jaw just dropped if you’re new to this field. 10 hours is actual playing time, not sitting and listening to the band director’s conversation, not time spent looking out the window while it was supposed to be playing, but actual playing time. A band may be an hour long, but the oboist may play half an hour of that time. You can then play at home for another half hour. In such a situation one can assume that a reed will last 2-3 weeks with proper oboe reed care.

An oboist who practices 2 hours a day, plays in several college ensembles and takes lessons can use an oboe reed for less than a week.

With that information here is what you should expect. As with most things I write, these are not rules, but perspectives I have gained through my own students, professional dialogue and client feedback. This assumes that my care recommendations for oboe reeds are followed.

Beginner-3 years = every 2-3 weeks a student oboe reed

3-6 years = a professional oboe reed every 2-3 weeks

serious high school student = a professional oboe reed every 10-14 days

College Oboe Major = a professional oboe reed every 5-10 days

I would advise you to talk to your oboist student about reed care if he is going through more than 3-4 oboe reeds per month. A high level student or college student may use 3-5 oboe reeds per month, which is fine if it is due to use with proper oboe reed care and not neglect. A private tutor can give your young oboist more information on oboe reed care and other oboe topics than is provided here.

I strongly recommend all students to have a private oboe teacher to help them study. I understand if this is not possible due to financial reasons or restricted access to a private tutor. There are many oboe teachers offering online lessons. The student gains valuable insight by studying with a qualified oboe teacher. I offer live online video courses on oboe playing, reed making and performance strategies (these lessons are about mindfulness for performers, where we look at the connection between mind, body and emotions during a performance and how to develop a friendly relationship with our thoughts and emotions). Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like a few lessons in oboe reed care or any other oboe related topic.

I hope this takes a little of the guesswork out of oboe reed care for folks just getting into the oboe. The oboe is a very rewarding and beautiful instrument to play. I hope that the instrument will bring you, or the oboist in your life, much joy. Good luck with the oboe reed care and have fun playing the oboe

Are you interested in buying oboe reeds? Find handmade oboe reeds at A.Lakota Reeds

Find quality student oboe and bassoon reeds at MallarReeds

First of all, plastic sheets are not made of plastic. They are made from non-organic materials, making them last longer than regular reeds. Most new players consider them “plastic hands”, so we’ll use that term to describe them here.

Plastic (synthetic) reeds are no better than wooden reeds. Although some people prefer a synthetic reed because it’s consistent and durable, most players prefer natural reeds for the warmer sound and feel.

It’s about what each player prefers. By using reeds, players have a good sense of control over the sound. The sound is also warmer on reeds. Unfortunately, since reed is a natural material, no two reeds are exactly alike. The quality of the leaves varies. This means that there will most likely be a single reed out of the box that doesn’t suit you and your instrument, so you end up throwing it away and using a different one.

On the other hand, synthetic reeds are consistent. The sound varies between brands, but they’re usually consistent within their own brand. Synthetic reeds don’t warp and don’t need to be soaked before playing. They are not affected by temperature and humidity. Some players like to use them because they last longer compared to reeds due to their durability.

cracks

The wood used for modern oboes is among the densest of all woods. Most oboes are made from grenadilla, cocobolo, or rosewood. These hard, tropical woods are very strong and allow the oboe to support the intricate keywork without falling apart or breaking, better than boxwood or maple which were used for baroque and classical oboes.

While wood is more resistant to change, it will still expand and contract as it encounters varying temperatures and humidity levels. Sometimes the stress is just too great and the oboe cracks. However, since the main problem with oboes is leakage of air through tone holes, cracks are not usually fatal unless the wood breaks through to the instrument’s bore.

Fortunately, reputable oboe makers age their wood for years before making an oboe, and regular care and maintenance can reduce the likelihood of cracking in the wood. The oboe is most likely to crack in the first two years of play, but if practiced carefully cracking can be largely avoided.

Some famous oboists in large orchestras deliberately drive their oboes to crack in order to get rid of the trauma sooner. Robert Atherholt of the Houston Symphony famously played a concerto on a new oboe, which invariably cracked soon after. He would often grab the second oboe player’s instrument to play solos and send his instrument to be repaired.

Stiff or stiff keys

Over time, and especially during the first year, the oboe will contract and expand a few microns each day, changing the distance between the anchor posts and allowing the keys to compress, causing additional friction in its movement. This binding can easily be repaired by an experienced technician and often needs annual adjustments during the early years of the oboe player’s career. Click here for an extensive list of oboe repair technicians.

The more the oboe is played, the more humidity and temperature can be regulated and regulated, and key bindings become less of a problem, especially after the first year.

Alternatively, as the oboe ages, the springs lose their strength and after about 7-10 years the action of the keys is noticeably weak. After 15 years of daily use, the keys and springs may need to be replaced or overhauled, but in some ways the oboe can continue to last.

wear on the bore

In order to produce the singing, focused tone that the oboe is famous for, the diameter of the hole at the top of the soundboard piece needs to be a specific elliptical shape and very narrow. This peculiarity is sensitive to some deformation over time, and when shape or tightness is lost it can be difficult to regain the oboe’s “magic”. This is commonly referred to as “blowing out”.

Every piece of wood is different, and while some oboes seem to lose their projection after a few years, some retain it for life. A professional oboist I know in Dallas plays an old 1970 Lorée oboe as the main instrument and although the action has been replaced the tone is very good.