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*****The Reed Report: Issue 30*****
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Congratulations! As a newsletter subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information. Read on for the latest
and greatest from MKL Reeds.

In this issue:

*The BUZZ – Want a little reed fun for Valentine’s Day?

*Reed “Tip” of the Month – Want a darker sound?

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The BUZZ
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Valentine’s Day isn’t far away.

To celebrate the season, get your reeds wrapped in pink, red and
white threads in our Valentine’s Day Gift Package.

Each package includes:

-2 oboe reeds (regular or professional)
-1 heart-shaped gift reed box
-1 Valentine’s liquid sticker

What’s the best part?

You pay for the reeds and you get the rest of the stuff
FREE!

Don’t delay… We only have a limited supply and they ALWAYS
sell out quickly.

Click on the link to order now:

http://www.nexternal.com/mklreeds/Product30

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The Reed Tip
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This issue’s reed tip comes from the Reed Guru at our sister site
Oboe:Space (www.oboespace.com). If you have a reed question, you
can have it answered for free by visiting our site at
www.oboespace.com

Q: How do you darken the sound of the reed? I have a problem with
the reed having a light almost tin like sound.

A: There are a variety of ways to darken a reed. Complex
solutions include things like changing your gouge while some of
the simpler ways include things like clipping the reed.

If you make your own reeds and they are suddenly (but
consistently) light then perhaps it is the gouge. Try gouging
slightly thicker, and the reed should bulk up enough to make it
more substantial when you start scraping it.

As far as scraping goes, there are 2 things you could try.

First, make sure the tip isn’t too long and too thin compared to
the rest of the reed. You are always striving for balance, and
the tip of a typical American-scraped reed is probably only 2-3
mm.

Of course that varies slightly from person to person, but a
really long thin tip usually makes for a pretty closed reed that
lacks depth.

Secondly, try scraping out of the back next to the spine. This
can really add depth and darkness to a reed that is already
well-balanced. Take care to scrape right next to the spine but
not on it. Scrape up towards the heart, about 3-4 mm.

A reed that is balanced but too light and easy can be made more
resistant by clipping the bottom blade shorter than the top
blade. Hold the reed up on the chopping block as you clip a tiny
bit.

Finally, make sure you understand what you are going for when you
are are trying to transform an easy or light reed. I like to use
the words “depth” or “resistant” as opposed to “dark.” “Dark”
doesn’t really tell me anything, and I have heard “dark” reeds
that had so little life that they sound dead.

Whatever you choose, remember that reeds do need life in them to
sound alive and to project.

Thanks for reading. Until next time…