Knowing what to look for can help you select higher quality reeds that will play better and won’t break as easily. Charac- teristics to look for in good quality reeds:
• Does the reed have three distinct and balanced sec- tions? Can you see that the tip is the thinnest section, the heart is thicker, and that the back is slightly thinner than the heart?
• Check that there are no leaks on the sides. Are the sides open or uneven (the blades of the reed are slipped)?
• Can you see any cracks or splits? I have had many students that have bought reeds with a crack right down the middle because they didn’t take the reed out of the case and check it. You can also use a light to see if there’s a crack or weak spot that might cause a crack aſter a few uses.
• Check that the sides and different sections are not un- even. Having one side thicker or thinner than the other can cause instability, affect response, and intonation.
Tere are relatively easy fixes for common reed issues if you are willing to put in some time to learn how to use a reed knife and invest in a few tools. A basic student model reed knife is all that you need and only costs about $40. Add in a plaque to place between the reed blades for around $2 and that will get you started. Extremely flat reeds can be clipped at the tip, but be very careful! You can’t put it back, so only clip a tiny, little sliver at a time. I prefer to use scissors instead of a cutting block to clip reeds, because I think it is easier to have control over the scissors. I got a pair of scrapbooking scissors at a craſt store many years ago that have been a great investment, and they have a cover for the scissor blades. Sharp reeds are much harder to fix. You can try thinning the tip more, or lengthening the tip or back. Doing that will compromise the sound quality and give it a more nasal, thinner sound. Reeds with a small opening or not responsive can be clipped slightly or have the back thinned. Leaks can be fixed with fish skin, wax, or plumb- er’s silicone tape. I personally use plumber’s tape because it’s very cheap, easy to find at any hardware store, and is very easy to use.
Another issue that many beginning students struggle with are the F-natural fingerings, and knowing which fingering is appropriate for the playing situation. Forked F is the fingering that method books teach first, but it is taught too soon and used too oſten. Forked F should only be used as an alternate fingering for D-natural, D-flat, E-flat, and low C-natural passages. Forked F also should not use the E-flat right pinky key, even though that is what is taught in many method books, because it makes the note very sharp. Te regular F-natural fingering should always be the default F fingering. It is more stable and in tune than Forked F and has a clearer sound.
An alternate fingering for Forked F is the Leſt Hand F key, which is located above the leſt pinky keys. Unfortunately, the Leſt Hand F is not always included on most student level instruments. For D-flat to E-flat or low C-natural passages, students should use the leſt hand E-flat key, not slide their right pinky. For low C-natural to E-flat, you can also use the alternate low C “banana key” fingering, next to the right hand ring finger key. Tis key is also unfortunately not always included on basic student level instruments.
With these tips and tricks, you can help your students be more successful oboists. Te best resource to turn to if you have additional questions would be your local oboe teacher. Te reality is that if you teach in a rural area you might not have any oboe teachers in your area. Try to reach out to any colleges or universities near you, or get an oboe specialist to come to your school or district for a masterclass or clinic. Teaching our students good habits from the beginning will set the foundation for them to be strong oboe players for years to come!
Heather Winters is a professional oboe, English Horn, and flute player, and per- forms all over the Chicago area in bands, orchestras, churches, and musicals in addition to adjudicating for solos, large, and small ensembles. Mrs. Winters has taught private oboe and bassoon lessons and masterclasses for over 21 years and taught K-8 general music in the Chicago suburbs for over 15 years. Mrs. Winters
received her Master’s degree in Oboe Performance from Illinois State University and her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Tennessee Technological University.
MMEA wishes to thank JWPepper & Son, Inc., for their
generous sponsorship of numerous MMEA events, including:
• General Music Fall Workshop • Collegiate Conference
• Young Singers Choral Workshops • Elementary Honors Choir • Board Meeting Lunches
Please visit their website:
www.jwpepper.com
24
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
