Phantom Overture Las Vegas

I am playing Phantom this week... can't wait! Here is a little clip that simulates the opening, I love seeing the chandelier fly right over our conductor's head every time :)

Adjusting Reeds... the beginning.

I don't like to push reedmaking on my students. I don't know if this is right or wrong (probably due to my own resistance to reed making ;)) but I don't want them to have to get there until they have a couple of things:

1. A burning desire... we are talking a fierce WANT to do this

2. The necessary tools and equipment

Last night I was running a sectional at one of the high schools in Henderson that I have been to quite a few times, with some of high school oboe girls (Hi R and T!) and we talked a little about the beginnings of reedmaking which got me thinking about this blog.

Before you jump into reed MAKING, I think it is a pretty good idea to get some tips and basic techniques of reed ADJUSTING under your belt. Reedmaking includes many aspects of how a reed is assembled and how to create something that works, so if I can teach students to first understand what we want out of a reed and how to get there... it helps.

You need way fewer tools to do reed adjustments, and several of them you probably already have!

1. A knife- probably the most expensive and "out there" piece of equipment you will have to seek out

2. A plaque- it is a little sliver of metal to act as a stabilizer and allows us to see through the reed to work on each individual side, like reeds you can never have too many! Try to pick up a few of these little things!

3. A tuner- we want the reed to eventually crow a "C" (fingers crossed!) and the tuner will help keep us in check

4. A mandrel- it isn't totally necessary now, but once you begin to tie your own reeds it is a must. The reed fits on the end and it gives us a sort of handle to hold onto to stabilize ourselves while working.

5. Razor blades- can be found in the paint section of your local hardware store too! For clipping the tip of the reed

6. Super fine grit sand paper for lightly sanding the sides of the reed as well as the tip. This comes in handy for sticky pads too!

7. A cutting block- the better to NOT ruin your Mom's furniture with!

Caitlin's Simple Oboe Reed Adjustments

If your reed is unresponsive...

Scrape a tiny bit off of the tip, this is where the response comes from- thinning the tip slightly will immediately boost the reed's response.

Be careful, every time we take cane off of the reed this lowers the pitch. Have your trusty cutting block and razor blade ready to clip a tiny TINY bit off of the tip. We are talking like a hair at a time!

If your reed is resistant and a little stuffy...

The heart of your reed might be a little bit too thick. Scrape a couple of long, smooth scrapes over each section of the heart. Be careful to avoid the spine in the middle! You should treat them as quadrants, 4 all together and two on each side of the reed.

If your reed is flat...

Try clipping the tip. Beware, this will also decrease the reed's response.

If your reed is sharp...

Try scraping a tiny bit off of the windows. Also the tip if the reed is a little unresponsive as well. If your reed is very sharp, it could also be due to a tiny opening.

Check out this diagram for help along the way!

My first Oboe Student ;)

My sister, Kelsey was my first oboe student EVER. She played through middle school and then quit in order to devote all of her time to dance in high school.

I wanted to put her link up here, and welcome her to the world wide web as she has just created her first professional website.

Hehe

Looking for something to lighten up your studio or oboe corner? My house has an oboe corner- it is actually my front room closet in which I store my sheet music collection and my reed desk. It is great, I can close the door on my messy desk whenever I like, and just open the door and pull up a chair whenever I actually DO feel like making reeds (haha).

Sometimes you need a little something to add a little fun. My personal favorites are the Venus, Mona Lisa, and Marilyn Monroe :)

DSO Negotiations

One issue that literally hits "close to home" for me are the current negotiations between the Detroit Symphony Musicians, and the organization itself.

Being from Michigan, I know firsthand that Detroit NEEDS this organization. The successful turn around of the current state of affairs of this orchestra could really mean some cultural changes for the city- and it needs them really badly.

Click HERE to read the most recent updates.

Woodwind DAY!

UNLV WOODWIND DAY

Saturday, January 21, 2011

1:00-5:00pm

Doc Rando Recital Hall

UNLV Campus

There will be performances by UNLV woodwind faculty, masterclasses for students, and vendors including RDG Woodwinds!

I plan to head over right after judging the woodwind auditions at Las Vegas academy tomorrow!

Oboe Cases

If you have read this blog in the past, you have probably figured out that I love oboe gear. There are so many great products out there to help me on a daily basis, and many of them are so great that I can't help but gush about them a little bit.

Surprisingly, the right oboe case DOES make a difference. Open up your oboe case and gently see if you can wiggle your instruments at all while they are in the case slots. If they move even a tiny bit, you could have a problem, my friend. Our instruments are so delicate that they can go in and out of adjustment in the same day (as many of us have experienced!).

Often times, the case that the oboe comes with when purchased isn't the best case for it. As a doubler on Oboe and English horn and as a sub on a major "broadway" Las Vegas show, it is my job to be prepared- with reeds, music, both instruments and even some changes of concert black in my trunk. As a commuter, this also means taking both horns everywhere with me.

My beloved first Ob\EH case was a High School graduation gift, and remains one of the best cases that I have seen; Wiseman makes grate cases and I happen to own and love the Wiseman Ob\EH combination case. This case is amazing, it holds your instruments securely and is really beautifully made. The design always got me a ton of compliments, and questions! The only reason I don't carry it regulary (only travel now) is because it is a little bit on the heavier side.

I also own the zippy little Single Oboe Case they make- Love it! Very light, and great for hands free, hassle free trekking (it was great for getting around the city in San Francisco).

My current oboe case is the BAM X-Light Ob\EH case. It is wonderful, I can't say enough good things about this case- it makes my life a lot easier and I have not needed adjustment service on my instruments in over a year which is pretty amazing.

The most important factors for me are:

1. Does it hold my instruments securely?

2. Is it durable? (I tend to run my things into the ground a little bit)

3. Is it comfortable and convenient to carry (backpack straps, sized to put into another back, etc.)

Happy Shopping, as always!