Last Updated on September 16, 2022
If you are playing oboe and need to sharpen your reed, here are a few tips. If you have mostly high C’s, you may want to work on the blend area. A scraped blend area can lead to dropped pitch. You can bring it back to C by working on the sides and corners of the tip. If the heart of the reed collapses, too much is coming out of it.
Cane reeds
One of the most common mistakes in reedmaking is scraping or shaping the reed too much. This can cause leaks, and can lead to crushing cane on the side of the reed. By learning how to make cane reeds sharper for oboe, you can achieve better performance. Listed below are some tips to make your reeds more sharp and clear.
Always be consistent when making cane reeds. Do not change one variable at a time, but diagnose problems as they occur. Try using a different type of cane to diagnose the problem, but leave everything else the same. Changing gouges and staples won’t help diagnose the issue, but changing the type of cane will. Once you’ve figured out the best way to sharpen cane reeds, you’ll be able to make them sharper by yourself.
While making cane reeds, you should also be aware of the types of materials used. Consistency in cane is crucial for achieving consistent results. Make sure the cane has consistent shape and gouge, and it’s tight on the sides. The blades are also important. Slipping them to the right and left is one way to achieve this consistency.
The length of the staples is important when making cane reeds for oboe. The length of the staples determines the overall pitch. A shorter staple, for instance, plays at A=440 Hz, while the shorter one, for A=442 Hz, is used by Europeans. Adding extra cane will increase the range of the oboe, but reduces its stability.
Cane reed hardness
If you’ve been thinking about making your cane reed sharper but aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. There are several factors that go into making a reed sharp, and each one should be addressed to make it better than before. First of all, don’t rush the process. Focus on the process and consider all the variables. Once you’ve completed all of these steps, the reed should be sharper than ever.
The first step is to score the cane. Take a scoring tool and measure from the second wire to the back. Then, using the wire that’s on the second wire, measure from that bottom wire to the third one. Be sure to score at the same place on both sides. You should be able to see the small sliver of light. The third step involves tightening the three wires.
The next step in sharpening your reed involves removing the excess cane. Start with the strong side of the reed and use an equaling file to make it even across the entire reed. If it’s too thick across the reed, you’ll need to scrape it off with a sharp knife. Then use the equaling file to even out the sides and make them more even.
If the cane is consistently too soft or too hard, you can gouge the edges or scrape the inside of the tube to shape it sharper. The only exception to this is when the cane is too thin. When you’re cutting a piece of cane, make sure it’s uniform in color. The bark should be a creamy yellowish color, without any gray spots or other imperfections.
Cane reed thickness
If you are having trouble making your reed more responsive, you might try making the cane thinner across the reed. To do so, first make sure that the reed is of a proper diameter and is made of a good piece of cane. Then, break it in slowly by gently squeezing the tip. As the reed gets thinner, you should gradually enlarge the opening.
To start, cut the first wire slightly ahead of the narrowest part of the cane. Doing so will make the opening of the reed from the first wire. Be sure to avoid making the wire too round and oval. After cutting the first wire, insert the second wire at a distance of 26mm from the butt end. Repeat the same procedure with the remaining wires until the reed is sharpened.
The second way to make your cane sharper is to shape it in a specific way. A cane that is too hard or too soft is not a good candidate for shaping. It will result in a small tube opening. To fix this, you can gouge the cane thinner by scraping it in channels. Then, you can sand the remaining areas to make them smooth and uniform.
Next, make the tip of the reed a little thinner. This may sound difficult, but it’s actually the most important part of the reed’s performance. You should cut the tip to crowing C, then lightly scrape it until it reaches the desired responsiveness. Always remember that everything you do with a reed is a compromise. You don’t want to sacrifice performance for aesthetics.
Cane reed grain size
If you’re wondering how to make cane reed sharp, the first step is to measure the blade. The blade should fold easily in the center and the collars should line up. Otherwise, you will find it difficult to work with the reed. If you find the blade too thick, trim it away until the tip is even. If the blade is too thick, you can use a straight-bladed knife to separate the thin sections.
You can also try to reshape the reed by reshaping the wires. Take a piece of thin wire and shape it by squeezing it on one end. Then, use pliers to gently squeeze the other end of the wire, forming a corner. Repeat the process until the blades are all the same length. Once you’ve achieved the desired shape, you can start reshaping your reed.
There are four main systems for reed shaping: the foldover method, the flat shaper, and the profiled method. Using a flat shaper eliminates the darkening effect of the foldover method. It also allows for the reed to “remember” its new shape. After you learn about the four systems, you’ll have an easier time sharpening your reed.
If you want your reed to be more vibrant, you can use scraping and the second wire crushing. Make sure you close the first wire from top to bottom before you squeeze the second wire. You can also squeezing the second wire until it’s usable. The third method is the most effective. After you’ve adjusted the reed, it will be sharper and sturdier.
Cane reed tip balance
One of the most difficult tasks in oboe reed maintenance is making sure that the tip of the cane is balanced properly. You can do this by first removing the cane from the reed. Once you remove the cane, it is impossible to put it back in. Afterwards, you need to crimp the tip of the cane to achieve the right balance.
Then, slide the cane blades towards the right side of the reed. You want to leave about 3.5 mm of space on either side of the reed’s butt. Next, take a flat file and gently sand down any minor cracks in the reed. Make sure that the distance between the top wire and the bottom wire is 47 mm. If you go beyond that, it might cause you problems later.
After scraping down the reed with the cane scraper, you need to carefully remove the reed’s cane tip. When you’re done, it’s time to start working on the reed’s back. Work from the tip to the back again, gradually introducing vibrations into all parts of the reed. Once the tip of the reed has been scraped away, the reed’s pitch will drop. If you’re not careful, you might damage the spine of the reed. If this happens, you may need to scrape the reed more than once before it’s balanced.
To create a more stable tip balance, you need to create a ‘heart’ at the top of the reed’s spine. This sweet spot lies between the angles of the corner blades. When the heart is balanced, the reed’s pitch and overall response will be stable. The rails, on the other hand, are the edges of the cane running up the length of the blade. They provide strength in the lowest register and should be thinner from the collar to the tip. If you remove the rails from the collar, you’ll end up compromising the entire reed.
About The Author
Wendy Lee is a pop culture ninja who knows all the latest trends and gossip. She's also an animal lover, and will be friends with any creature that crosses her path. Wendy is an expert writer and can tackle any subject with ease. But most of all, she loves to travel - and she's not afraid to evangelize about it to anyone who'll listen! Wendy enjoys all kinds of Asian food and cultures, and she considers herself a bit of a ninja when it comes to eating spicy foods.