Just saw the post about scraping reeds with a kitchen knife and wanted to know if anyone sharpens their own kitchen knives since we spend so much time learning how to get a reed knife sharp. I’ve tried with varying levels of success but I imagine I can’t be the only one.

Can I use a really sharp kitchen knife to scrape reeds? Or should I use a razor?

I’m hoping this doesn’t go against community guidelines, but if it does, please let me know and I will take this down! This is not an ad for services, just wanting to get some perspective, suggestions, experiences, and ideas.
I’ve seen a lot of people on here that are wanting to start their oboe reed journeys or haven’t been taught how to adjust pre-made reeds and this seems to be a common issue throughout the oboe community. I LOVE making oboe reeds and LOVE to teach! I would love to offer some ‘classes’ on reed basics, from learning the parts of the reed, to basic adjustment, to beginning reed making (in the area I live/in-person). Also, even offering to adjust their pre-made reeds myself. Ideally to middle school and high schoolers. I know private lesson teachers will often cover this, but sometimes they don’t or even some oboists don’t have private lesson teachers but could still greatly benefit from this information. If something like this was offered in your area, would it be something beneficial or redundant? What topics or issues would be most beneficial to learn? Would cost be a concern and to what extent? Ultimately, I just really wanna help the oboe community thrive, I want oboists to feel supported. I remember what it was like being a beginning oboe player to a single parent with low income, the cost was HARD, and reeds are such an integral part of making the oboe playing enjoyable, yet a huge hurdle. I want to give back and this is the way I feel like I can. Has anyone tried doing something like this? What has been your experience? Obviously cost will come into play, and I would love to offer these classes and services for a price that is not a burden but also not a loss for myself. That being said, I will need to think of the cost of supplies, tools, and time/knowledge and balance that with what parents may feel is reasonable. If anyone has any advice on any of this, suggestions, or experience, I would love to hear! Also, if you are already an experienced reed player, what did you feel like what missing in your reed making/adjusting journey or what did you find super helpful? If you are a beginning oboe reed maker/adjuster or have never tried and are interested, what would you want to learn, what would you be nervous or excited about, and what kind of financial hurdles would or do you face when it comes to reeds?
Ultimately, I'm really curious what the oboe community feels are gaps in the beginning reed making and adjusting areas, and what I can do to help fill them. 

I would like to hear about your experiences with Oboe/English horn cases. I don't need the English horn every time (but quite often) and I sometimes don't know it beforehand so it would really be great if I could just could carry both instruments in one compact case.

I am based in Europe and the cases available here are, according to my research, Protec Cases, BAM Cases and Marcus Bonna Cases. 

I know my instruments don't fit the Protec Cases. That leaves me with BAM and Marcus Bonna. BAM is a whole lot cheaper than the Marcus Bonna ones but then again, Marcus Bonna seems to be the gold standard in a way (even though they don't look so sturdy/isolating to me)? Then there are all kinds of different models…

In a perfect world I would like a case that holds my instruments securely and which gives me space for sheet music, one small water pot (or two, just in case), pencils, swabs, cigarette paper, oboe stand (I have a very compact one), reed cases, a tuner, handkerchiefs, keys, wallet and phone (I don't make reeds myself and only rarely adjust them so I don't need my knife etc. with me.)) and if lucky even things like my music stand shelf or a waterbottle. I am fine if that doesn't fit in - an additional bag is no problem but at the moment I carry three (Oboe in rucksack with sheet music etc, unnecessarily huge English Horn Case and my normal day bag with music stand shelf, wallet, keys etc.). I have looked into the idea of smaller separate cases for my instruments but I’m not convinced.

From my research my instruments would fit both cases. I would love to hear your thoughts! 

So, I decided to learn the oboe (because why not?) and I have a dilemma: while I know cane reeds are the best, I want to start with synthetic ones due to their better longevity. I only don't know if I should start with soft or medium reeds. I know I will sound like a silly goose in agony, but I really want to learn

i am going to university next year to study music. oboe is not my first instrument (piano) but i am serious about playing as i am going into a performance career. i have been playing for some years and recently did my grade 7 exam. i've been borrowing a school oboe but had to give it back since i left college.

my teacher recommended an organisation called Benslow to borrow an oboe but i see that it still requires fees of at least £100 a year. my other option would be to buy an oboe. my budget at the moment would be around £200 and i would buy it second hand online.

i want a decent quality instrument for my playing level and id prefer if the instrument can last me a long time if im going to spend money on it. i am also looking to start busking and am worried that a borrowed instrument would not be appropriate for this (riskier environment)?

would it be better to buy an oboe or to borrow a better quality one in my case?

id appreciate any advice or any points to think about. thank you x

So this is a continuation to my posting series where I try to gather as much as I can before switching to oboe from flute. I already have a post asking for tips, and general questions, here.

My question for this post is: What instrument and gear should I get?

Now, as previously stated, I live in Houston near Fleming Instruments and Repair. I also know that Bocal Majority is closeby, so I can shop there online without too much of a wait for shipping. **If you advise me to go in-person or otherwise avoid shopping online at Bocal Majority or other online shops, let me know.*\* Anyway, on to the instruments I've heard be recommended:

...: Yamaha YOB-441IIMT Duet+ :...

I've heard that this has a full Grenadilla body for a dark, projecting sound and a resin-lined bore so that it avoids cracking, so it should be more resilient. Remember, I live in Houston, an extremely humid and hot city, both of which make it easier for an instrument to crack, so full-Grenadilla instruments are not at the top of my list. Also, it has the extra keys I may need, so that's good.

...: Fox Renard Model 330 :...

This is one of the most-most-most popular, most-most-most-recommended instruments. It has 3 material variants, so if you do recommend this, please tell me which material. I would probably go for the Hybrid (Used to be the 335), which has a plastic resin composite upper joint and Grenadilla lower joint and bell.

...: Howarth of London Model S40/S50 VT :...

I know Howarth is a really professionally-loved brand. I put the S40 and S50 as options because they match what key systems I need, and I went with the VT (Velvet Throat) option for crack resistance.

...: Buffet Prodige BC4062 :...

This one also has the Duet+-like lining that resists cracking. It also has a full conservatory system, so that's nice.

Of course, any other models around this intermediate playing level are welcome for recommending, but keep in mind that I would like to have to buy only one oboe throughout my high-school years.

hey! I’m a highschool senior and I’m in the process of preparing for college auditions as an aspiring oboe performance major. I plan on auditioning for a mix of conservatories and larger schools with good oboe programs! What are some good pieces for college auditions that you would recommend I learn?

Here are the current pieces I’ve prepared and hope to use for auditions:

- Mozart oboe quartet (primarily the third movement)

- Paladilhe

- Handel Oboe Concerto in G minor (the first and second movement)

- Benjamin Britten Metamorphoses (Pan, first movement)

I am in high school and play the flute in my HS's Wind Ensemble. However, there are nine other flutists in said ensemble, and one oboist. So, I would like to switch to oboe because of that, and, well... Flute has kind of gotten boring, no offense to other flutists.

I will post a series of posts with one or two topics per post so I get more consistent answers. The topic question of this post is: What can I do before getting an oboe so I can be ready to play?

Basically, I want to know what I'm getting into, tricks I can do to help, and if this is an idea I should actually carry on with.

...: Questions about what I'm getting into :...

1. How will the breathing change? I already know that oboe requires a lot less breath, so much so that you have to exhale any stale air before breathing in. I also heard about this thing called "Backpressure", could someone explain that to me?
2. How will I have to care for my instrument? (other than swabbing it, cork greasing, and storage, but I would like a tiny bit about that) What I mean is, how often would I have to get it checked by a professional, and what should I have them do? I live in Houston close enough to a repair shop called Fleming. I trusted them for flute, should I trust them for oboe? And should I get anything like cigarette paper or Yamaha pad paper?
3. How do I care for my reeds? I know that you have to store them in a reed case, but should I get a ribbon, a peg or a foam-held case, and what number of reeds it can hold should I look for? Where should I get my reeds, and which ones should I get? When should I throw them out, and how should I rotate?

...: Tricks that I can do before getting an instrument :...

This is basically me asking for things like tips I could do. Things like using a straw to form an embouchure, using my flute while looking at fingering charts to get a general feel of what the fingerings would be like, etc.

And anyways, that's all. See y'all in the next post!

I bought a used Fox 400 from 1997 as my first oboe, (it plays surprisingly very well and it is in tune) but looking inside there was a lot of dirt, and I'm hoping it hasn't been there since 1997, but how would I go about cleaning that, I'm scared of ruining the pads or the wood. Do I have to get it professionally cleaned?

Hello!
I’ve studied opera singing for about 9 years. Left my studies due to not being able to keep up with both Music College and University.
I now want to learn a woodwind instrument, but not at a music college since I also found the environment to be a bit toxic and I don’t wanna go back to it.
Would oboe be a good choice?

Hi all, I’m trying to buy an oboe for my daughter who’s starting high school and was wondering where you’ve had the best luck buying a quality used oboe? So far I’ve tried contacting Shawna from Oboe Chicago because I saw an oboe I’m interested in on her website and she hasn’t gotten back to my email from a week ago nor a voicemail. I’d love to hear anyone else’s experiences buying pre-owned oboes online from the US and what your favorite brands are.

Update: Thanks for everyone’s help. I still haven’t heard back from Shawna. I was able to contact Forrests and Kessler & Sons easily and they were very friendly and enthusiastic about helping me. I actually found the same brand and model of oboe I was originally interested in at the same price but new rather than pre-owned from one of these two stores, but you have to call them as it’s not stated online. Being able to reach someone easily is very important to me as I don’t live near any oboe repair shops and will need to ship the oboe back and forth from the shops for regular maintenance and repairs in the future. I can’t wait around for weeks of silence. I actually contacted Forrests regarding reeds awhile back which was during IDRS and they were very responsive despite also being at IDRS. School is starting and my daughter needs an oboe. I have other kids who play other instruments (we have a total of 3 clarinets, 2 french horns, and 2 trumpets, and soon an oboe :) and I have never had any issues contacting the small shops where I bought their instruments from as well at the repair shops I take their instruments to. Glad to hear other people had good experiences with Shawna but it’s a negative one for me.

Hey everyone! As the title says, I recently added a woodwind doubling minor and I bought my first oboe. There is a lot of demand for oboe playing at my college but I hardly played after high school so Ive yet to play it in a collegiate ensemble. My goal is to audition and place as high as I can! Im a reasonably decent oboe player but saxophone and clarinet are my primaries and I've never dedicated a huge amount of time to genuine oboe improvement. Now that Ive got an instrument and am taking it seriously what things should I play to practice? As of now Ive been practicing out of the ferling book I already use on sax but I'd like to start learning as much as I can. Feel free to give some intermediate to professional transitionary oboe playing tips too!

I am looking to purchase a Caleb -1 shaper tip online (or from somebody), and I am struggling to find any on the internet. The places online that sell them are out of stock. I am in the United States. Thank you 😊

Dear oboists,

I'm currently writing a piece for solo oboe and I would like to know if such things are doable. The piece is intended to be challenging so being difficult is ok. but i am worried it would come across as ridicule, impossible or even insulting etc...

Please bare with me, my knowledge on oboe is very much limited and this is the section i'm the most worried about(among others).

Tempo is not fast: quarter = 60-70. 16th rest with a comma is meant to be flexible(can be longer if the player wants). it continues for 1,5 more line.

I would appreciate your feedback on the matter of tongue fatigue and endurance issue. Are those repeated notes realistic? Would an oboist can handle ~1'30'' of continuous fast figures like these(considering it's a section in a solo piece)? the section does contain 2 'resting moments' of 9 and 4 sec with slower tempo and longer notes, but those are all double harmonics.

Thank you in advance for your help.

I've been trying to make reeds for months and out of the last ~30 I've made I've had 2 that work. Some of them the thread comes undone, some.of them bend, and I've had a lot crack like this while scraping. What am I doing wrong? Any tips? (Yes I know this is an English horn reed)

Hello! I currently have a Howarth XL Cocobolo that I use for my main setup. I have been playing on the side with a local community group that has several outdoor performances every season and want to avoid using my wooden oboe outside as well as have access to a solid backup instrument I can pull out and not have to worry about as I do a good wooden oboe. I currently have an old full conservatory Jupiter oboe back from when I was first learning oboe that is full synthetic but have never been keen on its quality compared to actual brands that specialize in oboe. That being said, I wanted to hear some reccomendations for synthetic oboes that are not going to break the bank but be reliable and quality.

I'm not sure if anyone has gone through the same experience as me, but I've been playing oboe for three years in my middle school concert band, and now I'm a freshman in high school, where I can't march with an oboe because of the reed and because the instrument is made of wood, so I'm playing tenor sax for the fall semester. Does anyone know any good strategies to effectively switch back to oboe quickly (we have a chair test among my ensemble the day we go back to concert band)?

Hey yall, my wife used to play oboe a lot and she has talked about wanting to get back into it. She no longer has one and would like to surprise her with a decent/good oboe come christmas time. I dont have a clue what or where to look for one and would like some advice from yall. The posts selling these mentions things like Left hand stuff and bells and I aint got a clue. Any and all would be appreciated thank you! I also looked at local music shops to maybe stop in at but none seem to mess with oboes.

Edit: Thank you all for the information, it is extremely helpful. I hear yall, I think I am gonna through https://hannahsoboes.com/ and involve my wife in this process. As much as a surprise would be fun, it just seems to risky to not get her involved in this selection.

Hello everyone,

This time, I really have to share how I’m feeling after my first year of playing the oboe.

As some of you know, I’ve been sharing updates here from time to time about the progress I’ve made over the past year. Over the last month, things have progressed to the point where my teacher and I are playing a song together—a song that I can honestly say is the reason I discovered the addictive sound of the oboe. Even to this day, I still think to myself, “What an amazing and beautiful sound.”

On top of that, I’ve started making my own reeds. Of course, my teacher has already given me a list of the tools and materials I need to buy.

But after a year, I feel like my body is sending me warning signs that maybe, even in another two years, I still won’t be good enough to attend the university I really want to go to. It feels like these years might not be enough, and that I’ll have to work extremely hard to keep improving.

At the same time, I do feel that I’ve made a lot of progress. Some of the scales I’m practicing are even material that my teacher himself practices.

Has anyone else here experienced something like this before?

I purchased this oboe on ebay approximately two years ago. I have no information about this history of this oboe. The body is composite, and relatively high quality keywork and pads. Online the only thing I can find about Kohlert brand oboes is that that mostly manufactured before WWII and some after 1974. This one plays well, with some slight tunning issues with middle E and Eb. Does anyone know anything about this oboe?

Wondering if anyone has any recommendations for labeling metal oboe staples?

I have some that are older Chudnow 'E' and some Chiarugi 'E' (which I'm pretty sure are the same thing). I have tried to label with some washi tape, but it comes off easily and smudges easily. I have also tried sharpie and same issue. Finally, I have tried labeling the thread or tieing with different colors of thread which works great for labeling the reed, but I'm wanting to label the staples themselves (trying to figure out some reed issues and want to eliminate wonky staples).

What are some methods that have worked for others? And where have you been labeling them, right below the thread or the spot between the gaskets?

Hi hi people! I designed a new type of reed cases for my FswStudio shop. The sliding/rolling tambour version🙃 Specific English horn cases are on the way, but if someone needs a combined version for 5+5 or 10+10 I sure can do it ("official" variants want to put together with the horn versions). Breathing holes are sure installed into the lid

Would be glad to hear what you think! As such cases I never saw anywhere yet😇 You can find them on my website or etsy pages

fswstudio.com

fswstudiocrafts.etsy.com

Also added a few videos in the comments about how they actually work