Oboe Reeds and Weather

Rainy today?  Maybe a cold front swept through and the temperature dropped by 40 degrees.  Did it get unnaturally hot for only one day?  You take out your oboe and reed to play and discover everything feels different than yesterday.  Your favorite reed is no longer perfect.  Do not worry.  Try these tips for dealing with oboe reed changes due to surprise weather conditions.

  1. Try a couple notes on every reed you have on the unusual weather day. Some reeds that you never liked may become your favorite for that type of day and weather condition. Mark the reed so you won’t trash it when the weather returns to normal.
  2. Never change or trash your favorite reed from yesterday. The weather will return to normal in a couple days and that favorite reed will become your favorite again.
  3. Look below for temporary modifications that may make playing on a sub-par reed a more rewarding and comfortable experience. Experiment with these tips to find the right balance. The changes to your playing are very slight.  Tiny movements will have a big impact on pitch and sound.

 

Rain or High Humidity

Increased moisture in the air means increased moisture in your oboe reed.  Often, the reed opening gets larger and the cane fibers swell.  The reed will feel harder and will play with a flatter pitch center.  Correcting these problems with tighter lips will fatigue your embouchure quickly.

What to Try: 

  • Soak your reed for less time.
  • Decrease the space betweenyour teeth while playing. 
  • Using gravity, your left arm lowers your oboe slightly so the reed presses more into your lower lip while playing.

 

Sudden Cold

An unexpected drop in temperature can make an oboe reed feel wimpy or lacking in vibrations.  The opening can flatten out and the sides of the tip can separate.  Frequently the reed will play with a sharper pitch center. 

What To Try:

  • Soak your reed for more time in warmish water. 
  • Soften your lips to allow the reed to vibrate as much as possible. 
  • Use a more rounded embouchure. 
  • Increase the wideness and frequency of your vibrato. 
  • Relax as much as possible while playing and sense an open, loose feeling in your throat

 

Sudden Heat Wave

Hot air removes moisture from both your oboe reed, your instrument, and your lips.  Oboe reeds can sound shrill or very loud. 

What To Try:

  • Make sure you are hydrated.  Drink an extra glass of water. 
  • Pull the oboe reed further out of your mouth.  The reed’s tip should be surrounded by lip. 
  • Activate your upper lip to help control the reed’s vibrations. 
  • Change where you feel the back pressure inside your mouth.  Experiment with higher, lower, forwards, or back in relation to your teeth.