I’ve spruced up the chair I use when I’m making reeds, and this is the first time I’ve ever done any découpage so I feel like showing off a bit. Here’s my step-by-step guide to How I Did It. Step 1: Remove all traces of reed-making activity. Step 2: Sort out some CDs to listen to…
Tag: oboe reeds
Légère Synthetic Reeds: A Review of the Prototype
Howarth of London was packed yesterday afternoon as oboists piled in to try out the prototype of the Légère synthetic reed, and I couldn’t resist going along myself. Here I am, courtesy of Olivia Wild who was there taking photographs, and I’ve snaffled this from Howarth’s Facebook feed: (I’m happy to remove the pic if…
I never thought it would work: The Reed That Just Won't Die
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a miraculous reed. Let me tell you why. It’s not one I made originally – it’s actually one of those nice Dragon Graduate reeds that Howarth sell – and it has been an absolutely lovely reed. Just recently though, it’s been showing its age. It hasn’t been as responsive as it used…
Mussorgsky’s 'Pictures at an Exhibition', or Coming In Quietly After A Long Period Of Not Playing
Okay, so sometimes the 2nd Oboe has to sit for quite a long time doing nothing… …which is all well and good until you have to come in quietly after a long break, as here in Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition: E to C# in the lower register after a lengthy tacet? Thanks very…