best oboe reeds of 2024
It is very true that a reed could impact the ease of play, sound and the comfort of a any instrument. This is particularly true with the oboe, and much more so. Beginners who use a reed that is poorly-made tend to create habits which could be hard to fix over time.
You will notice that there are 2 main types of reeds, machine-made and handmade.Machine made reeds are always good quality, despite there low price. Hand made reeds are little more expensive, but are much higher quality.
Oboe reeds are all very similar, so through this article will go over 5 of the best reeds available on the market. Sit back, and go through 5 of the best oboe reeds and our reviews of these reeds!
Quick Answer: Best Oboe Reed Reviews
1. Best Oboe Reeds for beginners: The CJ Oboe Reeds
The CJ oboe reed is made for beginner oboe players. These reeds are in a span between 70-71mm. These reeds have good durability, due to the material they are made out of. We recommend these reeds, as they are good for playing and are very durable.
If you're looking for a reed that will provide you with a good experience, and that will be durable and last a long-time, this is a good reed for you, at a good price.
2. Best Oboe Reed: Jennet Oboe Reed
This reed is extremely popular, and one of the most popular reeds in the world.
The final length of those reeds is normally 70-71 millimeters in length, a center that's approximately 6 millimeters in length, significantly longer than normal reeds. This reed is thicker, which makes it more durable and immune to dents etc.
To play with this reed, you'll need more experience because it is much smaller than the normal reed. This is why we recommend this reed for advanced and professional Oboe players. So if you're looking for a professional oboe reed, this is the best oboe reed for you.
3. Best Handmade Oboe Reeds: richards RDR-1002 Oboe Dual Reed
Each of Richards reeds are handmade and professionally shaped with the best cane, which increases their price, but the cost is excellent value for a handmade reed. They create an amazing sounding oboe, plus they utilize North American Long Scrape to supply a dark and slick look to the reed.
The reed's shape is designed to maintain the top structure without biting, also is widely favored by beginners. The reed's cable is flexible, so that you may close or open the trick into consideration for the timber's seasonal variation due to humidity and temperature.
This is by far the best handmade oboe reed on the market, and is the highest quality reed on the list.
4. Best Medium Soft Oboe Reed: stradella OBOEMS Oboe Reed
Larry Allen has been making oboe reeds for people for over 40 years, which means it's possible to trust his workmanship. The Stradella OBOEMS Reed is designed to provide play that is consistent which makes it more easy for beginners to understand the basics without needing to be concerned . Intermediate and advanced players might want a smaller reed, because this is very large.
If you're a beginner oboe player, this is a great reed for you and comes from someone who has been making oboe reeds for over 40 years.
5. Yibuy Multi-color German Style Bamboo Oboe Reeds
The Yibuy oboe reed is made of bamboo, and is the last choice on the listing. It is factory-made, but not the best quality that is . It is a excellent alternative for kids and musicians.
The reed has good material, and is very durable. Overall it is one of the good oboe reeds but can break easily, so we recommend the other reeds on the list rather than this one.
Reed Case: It's Important
Oboe reeds are not costly ($15-$30), but you still want to keep your oboe reed in good condition so you don't have to buy another. They'll last longer if kept in a proper case that is made for a reed. An oboe reed case that retains the reeds closely via french ribbon holders plus a foam rubber grip holder is perfect. When there's absolutely no excess cushion in these cases, the reed will just eventually break.
I recommend that beginners have. (FYI: There are reed instances that cases can hold 3 to 50 reeds) at least one case that can fit some reeds, because it is important to keep your reeds in good condition.
There is also a huge array of substances used to make cases. It's a really personal preference. (Just google"oboe reed case" and examine the images. You may see exactly what I mean!)
How many Oboe Reeds Will I need?
There's no way I can tell you with certainty a reed will survive. They're delicate and the cane is scraped quite thin for it to vibrate. Because of this, they're extremely delicate and prone to climate fluctuations (humidity/dryness), elevation, and temperature. If you live in a place with a very hot or cold climate, try to keep your reed in a case for as much as possible, because these climates break down the reed.
The amount of times per reed is wet and just how much time it's permitted to sit in the water may also affect a reed's longevity. A reed shouldn't sit in water for at least 2-3 minutes. Persistent over-soaking is terrible for the reed! It "tires outside" the fibers and they appear to wear down (lose vibration) faster.
An oboe reed's fragility also makes it effortless to harm (chipping, cracking, etc.). The best way to prolong the life span of almost any reed is to make certain that it's kept in a reed case where the reed is kept safe.
Therefore, considering everything, my recommendation to get young oboists is that: start with 3-4 reeds. You must then rotate through the reeds, shifting per week (or every couple of days). If things go well, it's totally possible that the 3 reeds could last a long time, depending on how much they're played (and if they're cared for correctly ). But in the event the oboist is severely participated (practicing 5-6 days per week for 30-60 minutes)they might often go through reeds faster.
Remember, the more you play reeds the worst the sound of the reeds actually gets due to the fact that it gets softer as you play. So if you constantly play with the same reed your reed will get soft and start to sound good. So make sure you are rotating your reeds.
How do find the ideal reed?
Finding a reed is essential to allowing a student to learn how to play the oboe.
It's very essential that the reeds aren't that difficult so reeds which are Medium-Soft or Soft is advisable in most cases when beginning to play the oboe.
Picking a reed that is suitable is something which teachers are best positioned to aid with as they could evaluate which origin of reeds and could decide what reed would be best suited to every student.
Where do I purchase oboe reeds?
There are many music stores that sell oboe reeds, but the place where most of reeds are sold and the place you can find the largest variety is online.
How Much should a oboe reed be?
With regards to exactly what a reed should price at, it's likely to acquire reeds under $10 each unit -- high end reeds can cost a little more than that, but you shouldn't be paying a lot for a reed as you will need lot's of reeds.
Conclusion
We do try to maintain a choice of reeds available and there are a number of things.
We advise trying two or three fashions that are unique the time you purchase not so that you discover the best reed for you personally, but to get a understanding of our choice. Although it's wonderful to discover a high quality you do not wish to find yourself should if we are out of inventory you want to order. It's a good idea to have a backup in case it's a quantity and we're currently running low.
There are factors which are out of the control such as cane, principles, and ribbon colors. We leave it to the discretion that is reed-makers to choose their materials. Do not rely as this will shift from batch to batch, to spot the fashion. Each reed you get will be tagged, so try to create note of their titles and those you want.
Reeds aren't returnable once they've been opened and performed . In certain cases if there's a flaw in the reed (for example, cracks, sealing, etc) we are going to have the ability to do a market for the specific same fashion you've (pending inventory & accessibility ) but we can not do returns depending on the simple fact that particular reed doesn't work for you or your student's installment. This is a danger related to buying reeds and in the event the descriptions above do not help, you could give Steven or even Jeff a telephone from the shop. After a reed played and was opened , we cannot accept a return because of health and health reasons.
It's inevitable that this choice can and will alter while we've got a variety of reed-makers. Occasionally reed-makers go and come and then we start the process of locating reed-makers that are new to substitute them. Here is the inevitable'circle of life' within our oboe choice. Steven and jeff are constantly that will assist you should you want it and offer guidance.