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*****The Reed Report: Issue 63*****
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Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.

In this issue:

-A Note from Maryn
-Highly Recommended
-The Reed Tip
-Oboe Reed Trivia

Please add “[email protected]” to your whitelist or address book
in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving
future issues!

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A Note from Maryn
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Friday 7:55 p.m. EST
Batesville, IN

“Inspiration comes very slowly and quietly.”

-Brenda Ueland

There have been many oboe pieces that I have practiced on end for
days and months but just haven’t been able to “get.” Musically,
it just doesn’t click for some reason.

It is really hard to force inspiration or creativity, and I think
I have learned that backing away does make it easier.

If you are feeling devoid of inspiration, give it some time and
work on the problem in a different way. Leave your music on the
stand, your oboe in the case, and go out and enjoy life.

Try to look at everyday things and objects differently. When you
return to your practice, perhaps something will be there that
wasn’t there before!

Sometimes, when you change the way you look at things, the things
you look at change.

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Highly Recommended
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You’ve got a little over 24 hours left to take advantage of the
reedmaking guide holiday clearance sale…

If you missed the last email, here are the details:

We’ve been working hard to update our reedmaking guide, “The
Beginner’s Guide to Making Your First Playing Oboe Reed… In 9
Days or Less.”

Basically, we’re taking all of the feedback we’ve gotten from our
clients and are rolling it up into a bigger, better reedmaking
guide we’ll release sometime in 2007.

In order to “clear the shelves” before the new version comes out,
I’ve decided to offer you a coupon for 50% off the guide as it is
now, before the updates.

Plus, I’ll pay for the shipping.

But there is a catch…

This offer expires THIS Sunday night (tomorrow, December 17) at
midnight, Indiana time.

So you’ve got just a little over 24 hours to grab this chance to
improve your reeds, by improving your reedmaking and scraping
skills.

And remember, this guide is valuable even if you have no
intention of ever making your own reeds.

In fact, here are 4 ways you can benefit from the guide even if
you plan on buying oboe reeds for the rest of your days:

1. Ever been stuck with a reed that was great BEFORE the weather
changed? Learn how to breathe new life into your reeds by
learning just the basics of scraping…
2. Learn how to adjust your reed for any type of music, whether
it’s Mahler or Mozart.
3. Ever had a reed you just didn’t have time to break-in? With
basic scraping skills, you’ll be able to play your reed right
away.
4. Stop waiting around for the perfect reed to be sent to you.
With basic reedmaking skills, you’ll be able to transform even
mediocre reeds into ones that work for you.

Here’s how you can get the special:

HOW TO GET THE SPECIAL
———————–
1. Surf to: http://www.mklreeds.com/9days.htm
2. Click on any of the Order Now buttons on the page.
3. On the left hand side of the shopping cart, click “Enter
Coupon”
4. Enter the following coupon code: guidesale
5. Go to the checkout and complete your order.

You’ll get your 50% discount AND won’t be charged for shipping
(unless you order other stuff).

You can find out all of the details about the guide by visiting
the page below.

But remember, this offer is only for my current clients and
subscribers, so you won’t see any reference to it on the
website…

Here’s the address:

http://www.mklreeds.com/9days.htm

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The Reed/Oboe Tip
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To get the best sound out of any reed, most players
should put less reed in their mouth, get their chin up and
bell down, and blow more air.

Try it and see!

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Oboe Reed Trivia
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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.

Each Friday night, 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 last week’s trivia winner, Kathryn Wendt!

Kathryn answered that a cracked top joint is one of the most
common problems for a brand new oboe.

Kathryn, just let us know via email where you would like your
prize sent.

This week’s question is a bit different. In fact, there are two
questions. We’re always in search of new ways to help the oboe
world with reeds and playing the oboe. Sometimes we come up with
good ideas… And sometimes they are so off the wall we just
stuff ’em in a drawer. But this time, we need your feedback.

So we’re taking a poll. And instead of choosing one winner from
the responses, we’re choosing 5. That’s right, we’ll be sending
out 5 trivia prizes. It’s the holiday season after all!

So here are the questions to answer:

1. Would you subscribe to a monthly service that allowed you to
view an in depth oboe reed critique (either video and/or audio)
and then receive a summary of hints and tips to apply to your own
situation? Everything would be structured to help reedmakers AND
non-reedmakers. (If not, what WOULD help you?)
2. What would a service like that be worth to you and your
reedmaking or reed adjusting?

Submit your answers via email to [email protected] 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
[email protected]
http://www.mklreeds.com