Here in Vermont, we're still waiting for signs of Spring. That includes the deadly dry air that makes the trickier aspects of playing double reed instruments almost as bad as we tell the rest of the orchestra! Those beautiful reeds that were my favorites suffer a personality change. I'm sure my single-reed playing friends struggle with the same problems, but from what I can see we oboists and bassoonists get a raw deal.
I recently said in an Instagram post that making reeds is fun, except when they don't work. Like my daughter, I loved arts and crafts as a kid. Drawing, painting, knitting, macrame, all competed with music as my favorite subjects. The oboe gave me a place to put that aspect of creativity to work, while still studying to be a musician. The string colors, the beautiful shiny brass of new staples, and the smooth bark of the cane can be a pleasure to work with - until they don't behave as I expect, and it all goes wrong!
The Jekyll and Hyde nature of oboe reeds is a year-round challenge, which only worsens in the winter months. Travel doesn't help either, with changes in humidity, altitude, and temperature all taking their toll. Is the answer plastic reeds? We've all dreamed of owning reeds that don't wear out and have a consistent tone and response. Reeds that don't wake up in the morning, feel the chill (or dry, or humid) air and decide to roll over and go back to sleep. Reeds that don't argue about which notes they will play, how close to A440 they'll be, or if they chose to play low (or high) notes on a given day.
But...call me foolish, but I would miss the challenge! I create my own sound concept with each reed I make. I still love the feel of a well-sharpened knife scraping the bark off a new reed blank. I even like the smell of new cane! (all good things, since the oboe is my chosen instrument, and I'm not ready to learn a new one at this point in my life) So, my solution to finicky reeds is....keep making more! One reed that hates mornings may love the hot concert hall lights in the evenings. Another reed prefers tropical climates...which might come in handy some day? (a girl can hope...) The more reeds I have in my reed case, the better the chances are that at least one of them actually likes the humidity/temperature/atmospheric pressure/color of the day.
So, I'm storing up blanks for the Spring equinox. I'm keeping my options open, stacking the reed-deck in my favor. When the snow starts to retreat, and the ski resorts close down, I'll be ready!!
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