One of the reasons that we oboe reed makers have a pretty good business is that oboe reeds just do not last very long. You have to remember that you are “playing on a plant” as someone told me one time. I had a customers call me and tell me they are very pleased that their oboe reeds were lasting 7 months. I was absolutely horrified but did not let on that I was. First, that’s not very sanitary as you can imagine, secondly the quality of the oboe reed goes down after even a few hours of playing. I have been very fortunate in my oboe career to be able to make oboe reeds pretty well. Because of this, I do not play my oboe reeds very long. When I was in the United States Army Field Band, I made reeds almost every day and sometimes, I made them on the bus enroute to the job we were going to play that day. The reason for this was that the altitude was going to be different from where we came from the day before and I had to play a concerto with the Army Field Band. There was no compromise as they had to be perfect all the time.
So it sometimes is difficult to tell customers that call me about oboe reeds that they just don’t last very long. The Oboe itself is very expensive, and when you couple that with the continual cost of oboe reeds, then playing the oboe is quite an investment. But to play properly and to play beautifully we must have very fresh oboe reeds all of the time. I sound like I am just trying to get people to purchase oboe reeds and yes that is probably true, but actually to be an oboist means that we have to sound great all of the time. Playing with oboe reeds that are way past their time is one of the worst things you can do as an oboist. We never want to play in public sounding bad. You know that, your conductor knows it, and worst of all your audience will know it! How many times have you heard a sour oboe being played at a concert. That should never happen, and that is what I am here for. I will assist you with all of your oboe Reed needs and will help you maintain the quality of your playing 100% of the time if you will work with me.
Have a great day and play pretty!
Kerry