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*****The Reed Report: Issue 38*****
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Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.

In this issue:

* A Lesson Learned: Put on Your Blinders

* The Latest SPECIAL News… April Showers

* Reed Tip – When You Overblow…

* Quote Corner – Copland

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A Lesson Learned
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Nobody else matters.

I don’t mean that in a negative way. But when it comes to the
oboe, put your blinders on, because the only thing that should
matter to you is what you are doing on the oboe and whether or
not you are enjoying it.

There’s a lesson I wish I had learned earlier – before auditions,
before music school, before I even started playing the oboe.

I remember that feeling I would get in the pit of my stomach when
I heard that someone was going to take “this audition” or had
gotten a job with “that” orchestra.

For the longest time, stuff like that bothered me. I felt
competitive all of a sudden. Not sure why, but I am sure you’ve
had the same feelings.

Now, as I look back on my oboe life, I wonder why I worried about
that kind of stuff at all.

The people who I thought would end up waiting tables for a living
now have orchestra jobs.

The folks who were “over-achievers” when we were younger – well,
a whole lot of them don’t even play the oboe anymore.

And almost all of them seem to be pretty happy.

The point is, don’t worry about what anyone else is doing when it
comes to the oboe and music. Enjoy what YOU are doing. That’s
really all that matters.

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The Latest SPECIAL News…
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April showers bring May flowers…

Let us buy your reeds a good soaking this April.

Order two or more reeds before 11:59 PM April 21, and we’ll
include an MKL Reed Soaker at no charge!

There’s a limited supply, so don’t delay…

HOW TO GET YOUR REED SOAKER
—————————–

1. Surf to: http://www.mklreeds.com
2. Click on any of the links to the order reeds page.
3. Fill up your shopping cart with reeds.
4. On the left hand side of the shopping cart, click “Enter
Coupon”
5. Enter the following coupon code: soakit
6. Go to the checkout and complete your order.

That’s it!

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The Reed/Oboe Tip
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If you find that you are consistently overblowing your reeds, YOU
may not be the problem that needs to be solved.

Most likely, the opening of the reed cannot handle the amount of
air you are putting through it, and so it squeaks, kind of like a
recorder does when you blow too hard. Instead of using less air,
find a reed with more resistance that lets you use the same
amount of air.

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Quote Corner
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“The whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking, ‘Is
there a meaning to music?’ My answer would be, ‘Yes.’ And ‘Can
you state in so many words what the meaning is?’ My answer to
that would be, ‘No.'”

-Aaron Copland

Thanks for reading. Until next time…

Happy playing,

Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
[email protected]
http://www.mklreeds.com