I've recently started oboe again - and i love it! But my current reeds are real old (haven't touched my oboe for moooonths until about a week ago! They're Winfield reeds and i think they cost around £10 maybe a bit less.
Could you suggest some good reeds that i could get? It doesnt matter if they're expensive, as oboe reeds last me AAAAGES

I used to play on winfeild reeds. They were fine.

I see that you have Grade 8 oboe so you must know what you like to play on reed wise...if you like winfield then contact him by his website http://www.winfieldreeds.co.uk/

Alternatively try here at Fortay reeds http://www.fortayreeds.co.uk/

Good luck

Andrew

I do like the Windfield reeds but have only ever tried one different kind, so was wondering what else people reccommend. I haven't played properly in atleast a year, and only played for about 3 years when i did (i started in year 9 and got to grade 8 when i was in about year 11 or 12 then quit because of it ruining my flute embouchure) so i didn't have much of a time period of playing to have tried lots of reeds in.
My friend had these lush reeds once but i can't remember the name of the make... i think they were Chinese or something :S and were very expensive but very nice

Thanks for the links i'll check them out now

Ke-Xun Ge perhaps? Available from Howarths.

I'm currently playing the last of some reeds which were "hand-carried" from China by my teacher. After that there are a few blanks of similar "parentage" but then the supply dries up. I started as a beginner with Winfield and thought they were fine, but I have a harder Winfield now for comparison and it doesn't seem as nice as my Chinese ones. Might just need a scrape though.

It might be those ones, as she did say she gets them from Howarths too.
Maybe i'll try one

Andrew recommended Fortay reeds to me in the summer when I posted about having intonation problems. I have to say that they are excellent and I would strongly recommend them. I was using Winfield reeds but my tone has improved so much since using Fortay reeds. They are a little more expensive than Winfield reeds but they were well worth the extra

Thanks Andrew!

Daughter tried several reeds from howarths and settled on Fortay. Her teacher prefersher to play on the ones he's made but she's happy to go with the Fortay whever she can.

You are very welcome...I am glad that you like them..

Is this a common problem?? I play the flute and have been thinking about starting the oboe but this would worry me as i want to teach flute!

Personally speaking and this is purely my opinion which from past experience will not likely be shared..

I would have to say that the two embouchures do not mix...this of course very much depends on how much you want to do with the Oboe and how set your Flute embouchure is...and of course how much you wish to achieve with the flute i.e full concert performer/soloist/ good orchestral player...or if you are just planning to teach as a peri teacher of general woodwind.

The embouchure for the oboe is so very different to that of the flute that I would be concerned that one would work against the other and you may find yourself in no mans land...lips wise...The positive is that your flute embouchure may keep your Oboe embouchure relaxed and that your Oboe embouchure may give you greater strength in your flute embouchure but there is such a difference between the two that I would worry about them not being a happy combination...I am sure however that there are many who play both quite happily but I know my teacher would have Kittens if I announced that I was going to play the flute or a single reed like clarinet...

Basically if you are not planning to specialise then it should be ok...but if you have your heart set on a career as a Fluatist/soloist/orchestral perfomer I would urge to you to consider...

Good luck...

Andrew

I bow to Andrews experience but Flute and Oboe embouchures haven't been a problem for emsoboe. The only switching embouchure problem she had was between alto and Bari sax early on.

The things that have caused difficulties are breathing, not taking enough breath in for Flute and support. She wasn't using enough support for Flute at one point. I think both of these were caused by playing Oboe more than Flute.

You can only give it a try and see what happens perhaps the switching hasn't had as much impact, in her case, because she started them both at more or less the same time and whilst she's slightly ahead grade wise now on Oboe there's not too much between them.

Hmmm Food for thought! Thank you!

I do only plan to teach rather than perform but I am yet to take my grade 8 so I REALLY don't want to do anything which might have an adverse effect on my flute embouchure at this stage!

I admit I liked the idea of the Oboe as it is in C but I was also attracted to it as it's not quite so common and I thought I might therefore stand more chance of gaining a place in a local amateur orchestra as I've had no luck at all with the flute as waiting lists are pages long!! Maybe I should just plump for the clarinet after all! ... Or just wait until after my grade 8 and then see what happens.......

I know nothing about the flute embouchure but as well as having oboe lessons, I play the clarinet in a wind band.

The two techniques are so different that I don't have a problem whatsoever. If anything, my clarinet embouchure has improved due to the workout my lips get!

I certainly wouldn't say that I'd like to switch from one to the other instantly. It's like driving a car in France and the UK, or changing languages. You need a few minutes to get used to it.



I thought that the waiting list for clarinet would be the same as flute, if not longer. Are there really more flautists than clarinetists?

Steve

I played flute for about 7 years before taking up oboe, and then did both for a while. It was never a particular problem at the time, although when I'd got to grade 8 level on both, my teachers advised me to give up one or the other for embouchure reasons, because I was going to carry on to a music degree and they thought I should specialise. (I went for oboe.)

However, in recent years I've begun to question this - pit musicians have to double all kinds of woodwind so it's probably not that big a deal.

I agree with Stephen - there are probably just as many clarinettists out there as flautists! If you want rarity value, go for the oboe or bassoon!

Well following a trip to the Howarth day in Liverpool yesterday I am now thoroughly indoctrinated into the Fortay fold too. I came away with some of their "Academy" reeds and I'm tootling away very happily this morning. Easy blowing, lovely tone, great intonation.

On top of that, Emma from Howarth gave my oboe a tweak and I think that plus the reeds have made quite a difference. Ta all.

I've been wondering about the Howarth Academy reeds, are they ok?? I've tried Winfield and was disappointed. Now I tend to play on Ke-Xun-Ge Standard MH and they suit me quite well. I'm also playing one of Peter Davies' reeds from Huddersfield...that's ok as well, but on balance I prefer the Chinese ones.
I've yet to try Fortay!

Ah, these are Fortay Academy reeds. I don't think these are the same as those sold by Howarth as Academy. For a start the Fortay ones are in Medium only.

I think you'll find that the Howarth Academy reeds are actually made for Howarths by Ke-Xun-Ge!

I've just shelled out £80(!!) for 5 Fortays - 2 oboe, 2 CA and a D'amore. Hope they're worth it!

Good luck wiht them, emsoboe has just progressed to blue thread.