Here are some tips for the next time you find yourself preparing for an oboe audition. Want to appear on Everything Oboe? Just contact us and let us know… All skill and experience levels welcome!!
Are you making these mistakes on the oboe? Find out! Want to appear on Everything Oboe? Just contact us and let us know… All skill and experience levels welcome!!
What’s the most important part of an oboe reed? Watch this and find out. Have something valuable to share with the oboe community? Want to appear on Everything Oboe? Just contact us and let us know… All skill and experience levels welcome!!
What’s the most important part of an oboe reed? Watch this and find out. Have something valuable to share with the oboe community? Want to appear on Everything Oboe? Just contact us and let us know… All skill and experience levels welcome!!
============================================================
*****The Reed Report: Issue 83*****
============================================================
Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.
In this issue:
-A Note from Maryn
-Oboe Reeds are Coming Back!
-Featured Oboe Video
-Oboe Thought of the Week
-The Reed Tip
-Oboe Reed Trivia
Please add “info@mklreeds.com” to your whitelist or address
book in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble
receiving future issues!
==========================================
A Note from Maryn
==========================================
Thursday, 12:35 P.M.
Cornville AZ
I’m pretty excited about today’s issue of the Reed Report.
Mainly because I have a LOT of new things to tell you about.
But first, I’d like to introduce you to a new member of the
family.
(No, not another baby… a dog.)
This is Macy.
I rescued her back in June from a Dog Fair up in Flagstaff,
AZ.
She’s only about a year old. But she’s already had quite a
life. Born in Memphis, TN, she was hit by a car AND had a
litter of 7 puppies all in the first 10 months of her
life… before we adopted her.
So NOW we have a full house. That’s 4 kids, 3 dogs, 7
chickens, 1 rooster and two goats on the way…
Life is good.
OK, let’s get going…
==============================================
Oboe Reeds are Coming Back!
==============================================
We’re just a few days away from offering oboe reeds again.
But things this time around will be quite a bit different…
Of course our reeds will still be guaranteed (unless you
wait 3 months to send them back 
…
But instead of waiting weeks to get them, you’ll have to
wait just a few days…
We’re REALLY excited to get back into the reed business,
simply because great reeds is a need that every oboist
shares… everywhere.
So be on the lookout for an announcement in the VERY near
future.
==========================================
Featured Oboe Video
==========================================
This week’s featured oboe video is something brand new.
It’s called: Everything Oboe.
Each episode will be filled with a variety of neat things,
but in general, the focus is on the oboe, on being a
musician… and having some fun!
So take a look at the first episode.
And be sure to leave a comment below the video.
If you have something YOU’D like to share with the oboe
community and want to appear (in video or audio) on an
upcoming episode, just let me know.
We’ll be doing interviews with oboists of all types!
==========================================
Oboe Thought of the Week
==========================================
“…be yourself- not your idea of what you think somebody
else’s idea of yourself should be.”
-Henry David Thoreau
I can’t think of anywhere this is more important than in
music and in life.
==========================================
The Reed/Oboe Tip
==========================================
This issue’s tip comes from Nicholas Cohen in Rochester NY:
“Greetings from Rochester, NY. I’ve been reading and
enjoying your newsletter for quite a while now. I don’t use
a pipe cleaner on my “old” reeds. Instead I hold the reed
in water in a glass (about half way down the cane), and move
a delicate-tipped feather from the end of the staple in and
out until no more “gunk” comes out into the water. This
method was taught to me way back in the 1950s by my oboe
teacher in NYC, Lois Wann. (She taught me lots of other
more important things, of course.)
That’s a great tip Nicholas! Thank you!
==========================================
Oboe Reed Trivia
==========================================
Each week we feature a bit of oboe trivia to help keep your
oboe brains sharp. Sometimes the questions are easy,
sometimes they are not so easy.
All of the correct answers we receive from all of you are
put into a hat and one lucky winner is chosen to receive a
special prize.
This week’s question is a bit different. There’s no right
answer… just your answer. And we’d love to hear it!
Here’s this week’s question:
What’s your BEST memory of the oboe? A performance, a
teacher, a favorite piece? Tell us your story.
Post your answer as a comment below by Friday at
5:00PM CST to be included in the drawing.
Good luck!
Thanks for reading. Until next time…
Happy playing,
Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
maryn@mklreeds.com
http://www.mklreeds.com
Have something valuable to share with the oboe community? Want to appear on Everything Oboe? Just contact us and let us know… All skill and experience levels welcome!!
=================================================================
*****The Reed Report: Issue 72*****
=================================================================
Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.
In this issue:
-A Note from Maryn
-The BIG Book: It Keeps Growing…
-Mother’s Day Coupon for 20% OFF!
-The Reed Tip
-Oboe Reed Trivia
Please add “info@mklreeds.com” to your whitelist or address book
in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving
future issues!
==========================================
A Note from Maryn
==========================================
Saturday 6:20 A.M.
Flagstaff, AZ
Early morning…
But we have a picnic to go to today and getting the gang (which
is now 3 kids and 2 dogs) all moving in the same direction can
take a while.
I remember back right after college what a challenge it was to
fit the 4 or so hours of practicing (plus reedmaking) that I did
every day.
It seemed like there was never enough time…
Little did I know how that would change with three little kids
running around.
Moral of the story?
Appreciate what you’ve got right now. It’s special
==========================================
The BIG Book is Here!
==========================================
It’s been a long time coming…
But the BIG Book of Oboe Questions and Answers is finally here.
Actually, it’s not “quite” a book. It’s a whole lot better.
And it’s GROWING…
You can get all of the details here:
http://www.mklreeds.com/bigbook1.htm
And be sure to watch the video at the bottom of the page.
NOTE: If you’re already a subscriber, be sure to login and start
asking your oboe and oboe reed questions. We’ll add the first
update this week with all of the answers!
==========================================
Happy Mother’s Day!
==========================================
Here’s a coupon for 20% OFF anything in our store. It’s good
through Monday night at midnight.
The coupon code you’ll need at the checkout is:
mother1
(Don’t forget to click the APPLY button to make sure you get your
discount!)
Here’s the link to the store:
http://mklreeds.com/products.htm
Happy Mother’s Day!
==========================================
The Reed/Oboe Tip
==========================================
Most every oboe reed problem you will ever encounter can be
traced back to the same few principles – having a sharp, flat,
unstable or (insert reed problem here) reed is really just a
symptom of the REAL problem.
Some of these key principles are:
- You need a centered gouge with a sharp blade.
- You need a compatible shape.
- You need a balanced reed that has response and stability built
in. (This is SO important!)
- Always use a sharp knife and a scraping technique that works
with the cane, not against it (which will squash and squish the
cane as you scrape).
- Use enough air to play the reed.
- You need a well-adjusted oboe.
==========================================
Oboe Reed Trivia
==========================================
Each week we feature a bit of oboe trivia to help keep your oboe
brains sharp. Sometimes the questions are easy, sometimes they
are not so easy.
All of the correct answers we receive from all of you are put
into a hat and one lucky winner is chosen to receive a special
prize.
Congratulations to this issue’s winner: Lauren Pettitt
We asked when the birth of the oboe was… and there are several
answers dating all the way back to the shawm in the 1200s…
Well, Lauren gave us ALL the answers
Lauren, just email us your address and we’ll send out your prize.
Here’s this week’s question:
Who was the principal oboe player of the Cleveland Orchestra
right before John Mack?
Submit your answers via email to trivia@mklreeds.com by
Friday at 5:00PM CST to be included in the drawing.
Good luck!
Thanks for reading. Until next time…
Happy playing,
Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
maryn@mklreeds.com
http://www.mklreeds.com
=================================================================
*****The Reed Report: Issue 71*****
=================================================================
Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.
In this issue:
-A Note from Maryn
-The BIG Book is Here!
-A Page From the Oboe Notebook
-The Reed Tip
-Oboe Reed Trivia
Please add “info@mklreeds.com” to your whitelist or address book
in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving
future issues!
==========================================
A Note from Maryn
==========================================
Friday 7:30 P.M.
Flagstaff, AZ
About a week ago, someone very important to me and my family lost
his 17 year old son.
It was sudden, unexpected and completely shocking.
For him, his life will never be the same. For us, his experience
is a reminder of just how sacred life is.
Of course, music plays a huge part in that sacredness.
But it’s your responsibility to stop, notice and appreciate it.
To pause, take a breath and really experience just how wonderful
life is.
Remember to enjoy the journey… it’s not a dress rehearsal.
==========================================
The BIG Book is Here!
==========================================
It’s been a long time coming…
But the BIG Book of Oboe Questions and Answers is finally here.
Actually, it’s not “quite” a book. It’s a whole lot better.
And it’s GROWING…
You can get all of the details here:
http://www.mklreeds.com/bigbook1.htm
==========================================
A Page From the Oboe Notebook
==========================================
Today, I’m publishing a page of notes I took during the John Mack
Oboe Camp back in 1994…
What’s the big takeaway?
A little one liner I wrote on the page:
“Trust yourself…”
You can see the notes here:
http://mklreeds.com/images/oj5208.jpg
==========================================
The Reed/Oboe Tip
==========================================
If you’re having trouble keeping your reed knives sharp, here’s a
failsafe tip to keep you from hours of “trying to get the darn
things sharp” frustration:
Just buy a new knife.
Sounds simple… but it’s effective.
The fact is, no two oboists scrape EXACTLY the same. So all of
the knife sharpening tips that you find in books may or may NOT
work for you. There’s no such thing as “one size fits all” knife
sharpening techniques.
Sometimes, the best thing is to simply buy a new knife.
==========================================
Oboe Reed Trivia
==========================================
Each week we feature a bit of oboe trivia to help keep your oboe
brains sharp. Sometimes the questions are easy, sometimes they
are not so easy.
All of the correct answers we receive from all of you are put
into a hat and one lucky winner is chosen to receive a special
prize.
Congratulations to this issue’s winner: Chris Foss
He correctly identified the painter of this picture:
http://tinyurl.com/3y8jn5
It’s Thomas Gainsborough.
Chris, just reply to this email and let us know where
to send your prize!
Here’s this week’s question:
When was the approximate “birth” of the oboe?
Submit your answers via email to trivia@mklreeds.com by
Friday at 5:00PM CST to be included in the drawing.
Good luck!
Thanks for reading. Until next time…
Happy playing,
Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
maryn@mklreeds.com
http://www.mklreeds.com
P.S. If you’re a recent trivia winner but haven’t yet received
your prize, it’s coming… A bunch of them just went out this
week!
=================================================================
*****The Reed Report: Issue 70*****
=================================================================
Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.
In this issue:
-A Note from Maryn
-Still Time for Your 40% OFF Pre-Publication Discount
-A Page From the Oboe Notebook
-The Reed Tip
-Oboe Reed Trivia
Please add “info@mklreeds.com” to your whitelist or address book
in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving
future issues!
==========================================
A Note from Maryn
==========================================
Sunday 2:50 P.M.
Flagstaff, AZ
Sometimes, it’s nice to stop for a moment and give yourself a big
pat on the back for choosing to play the oboe.
It’s not the easiest thing in the world, you know.
I’ve been going through all of my old oboe notebooks and just
chuckle at some of the stuff I wrote 5, 10, and even 15 years
ago.
I’ve come a LONG way.
But I often forget that when I get caught up in the day to day
grind.
Chances are, you’ve come a whole lot farther on your oboe journey
than you even realize.
Take a moment to appreciate that. It’s a good feeling isn’t it?
==========================================
40% OFF Pre-Publication Offer
==========================================
You’ve still got a little time to pre-order your copy of the BIG
Book of Oboe Questions and Answers.
You can see a picture of it here:
http://www.mklreeds.com/bigbook1.htm
Remember, we’re offering a 40% OFF Pre-Publication Discount.
You can find out all of the details here:
http://www.mklreeds.com/bigbook1.htm
(Pssst… we’ve also lowered a bunch of prices on our website.
So if you haven’t taken a look in a little while, you might be
pleasantly surprised
==========================================
A Page From the Oboe Notebook
==========================================
Today, I’m publishing a page of notes I took during a reed lesson
way back on November 6, 1993.
During the reed lesson, I created a simple profile of my “perfect
reed.” And I’d like to share it with you.
I put the notes up on Flarp, our blog.
You can see them here:
http://tinyurl.com/2pohf8
==========================================
The Reed/Oboe Tip
==========================================
Ever have a problem with your reeds cracking down the middle?
I used to.
When I was just starting school at Eastman, I went through a
tough period where most of my reeds cracked… right down the
middle.
Now sometimes reeds just crack. That happens. But when it
happens again and again, that’s a real problem.
For some reason, my cane was always weak in the same spot.
If that ever happens to you, there are two probable culprits:
your gouge or your guillotine.
For me, it was the guillotine. It was weakening the cane… in
the same spot… each and every time.
And it caused me a whole lot of frustration before I figured it
out.
==========================================
Oboe Reed Trivia
==========================================
Each week we feature a bit of oboe trivia to help keep your oboe
brains sharp. Sometimes the questions are easy, sometimes they
are not so easy.
All of the correct answers we receive from all of you are put
into a hat and one lucky winner is chosen to receive a special
prize.
Congratulations to this issue’s winners: Bryan Harris AND Anthony
Marra!
When we wrote the trivia question, we were thinking of Samuel
Barber. He died without completing his Canzonetta. But we
learned something extra with all of the responses that came in.
Turns out… there’s more than ONE answer.
Another answer to our trivia question is Marco Aurelio Yano.
He’s a Brazilian composer who died in 1991 at the age of 27. His
unfinished oboe concerto was later completed by Alex Klein.
Bryan and Anthony, just reply to this email and let us know where
to send your prize!
You’ll find this week’s question on our blog, Flarp.
Here’s the page:
http://tinyurl.com/3y8jn5
Submit your answers via email to trivia@mklreeds.com by
Friday at 5:00PM CST to be included in the drawing.
Good luck!
Thanks for reading. Until next time…
Happy playing,
Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
maryn@mklreeds.com
http://www.mklreeds.com
=================================================================
*****The Reed Report: Issue 69*****
=================================================================
Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.
In this issue:
-A Note from Maryn
-40% OFF Pre-Publication Discount
-A Page From the Oboe Notebook
-The Reed Tip
-Oboe Reed Trivia
Please add “info@mklreeds.com” to your whitelist or address book
in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving
future issues!
==========================================
A Note from Maryn
==========================================
Sunday 9:50 A.M.
Flagstaff, AZ
First, let me thank all of you for your kind comments from last
week’s newsletter.
I wasn’t sure how things would go considering the Reed Report
hadn’t been published in so long.
But I appreciate all of your kind words.
And if you sent in a reed question, I got it. You’ll start
seeing some of the answers in future issues.
We’ve been busy this week doing some house cleaning on the
website. Putting up some new things, taking down some old ones.
Flarp (our blog) is back and running… (and we deleted all of
the S*P*A*M comments that got posted the past few months–over 10
thousand of them.)
So if you haven’t been to the website in a while, check it out.
==========================================
40% OFF Pre-Publication Offer
==========================================
We’re just about done creating something brand new.
You can see a picture of it here:
http://www.mklreeds.com/bigbook1.htm
It’s called the BIG Book of Oboe Questions and Answers.
And we’re offering a 40% OFF Pre-Publication Discount.
You can find out all of the details here:
http://www.mklreeds.com/bigbook1.htm
(And don’t miss the video on that page. It ties in with the Reed
Tip for today.)
==========================================
A Page From the Oboe Notebook
==========================================
Today, I’m publishing a page of notes I took way back on April
13, 1995 from a masterclass with oboist Richard Woodhams.
I put the notes up on Flarp, our blog.
You can see them here:
http://mklreeds.com/flarp
==========================================
The Reed/Oboe Tip
==========================================
If your reeds are too open, it might be a symptom of a gouge
issue or a scraping issue. Funny enough, both usually involve
the exact same problem: a dull blade!
Although an open reed can result from a gouge issue, it is more
commonly related to trying to scrape with a dull knife. The cane
seems to build up at the end of the tip, causing the reed to
“gape” open.
If your knife is dull, you will really have a hard time
effectively doing the “channels” in the back of the reed. If
this is the case, the resulting reed will probably be propped
open closer to the tube as well.
==========================================
Oboe Reed Trivia
==========================================
Each week we feature a bit of oboe trivia to help keep your oboe
brains sharp. Sometimes the questions are easy, sometimes they
are not so easy.
All of the correct answers we receive from all of you are put
into a hat and one lucky winner is chosen to receive a special
prize.
Congratulations to this issue’s winner: Teil Buck!
The correct answer was C: Cracking in the head joint.
Teil, just reply to this email and let us know where to send your
prize!
Here’s this week’s question:
Which 20th century composer died before finishing his/her oboe
concerto?
Submit your answers via email to trivia@mklreeds.com by
Friday at 5:00PM CST to be included in the drawing.
Good luck!
Thanks for reading. Until next time…
Happy playing,
Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
maryn@mklreeds.com
http://www.mklreeds.com
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