Julie



Double Reeds

You can play a double reed instrument too! This site will give you tips and resources for getting started on a double reed instrument!

media type="custom" key="6536539" This is a video that will help you get started on how to put together and hold your oboe.

**[|www.charlesmusic.com]** - This website links to Charles Double Reed Shop in northern NH. It's a great resource for getting anything you may need or want in relation to your double reed instrument.
 * DOUBLE REED LINKS**
 * www.idrs.org** - This is the International Double Reed Society
 * [|www.coloradoreedcompany.com]** - This is a great place to get professional level double reeds. These are the best reeds I've come across.

**A Few Great Tips on beginning the oboe.** This is blog post I found that was written by Patti Smith. You can find it here as well: []
 * Find a teacher that actually plays the instrument. If your instructor isn’t ever playing for you and with you, you might be dealing with someone who doesn’t really play well. The teacher doesn’t necessarily have to be a professional musician; sometimes the top players aren’t even the best teachers (especially for beginners). But the teacher does need to be able to play the oboe. It’s rather important.
 * Get a good oboe. It doesn’t have to be a professional model. In fact, for the younger student, I recommend a resin (plastic) oboe at first. But it really should have the left F and low B flat keys. (I actually prefer that it also have the articulated C#, but I know I’m picky.) A Fox Renard 330 (better than a 333 even though the number is lower) is a good place to start. There are other good instruments as well, and I’m happy to help you with that.
 * Know that you will go through reeds quickly. Expect to spend money on reeds. //Good reeds aren’t cheap, but cheap reeds aren’t good.//
 * Oboe can be frustrating at times. There is a lot of back pressure and that takes some getting used to. We all have our bad days. Oboe requires patience and diligence.
 * If you are a beginner and you can practice for an hour, odds are you are doing something wrong; it takes time to build up those mouth muscles.
 * Practice regularly. (I do allow one day off each week, but I require my students to practice six days a week. They usually choose the lesson day as their day off, so they are actually playing every day.)

NH Area Oboe Teachers As mentioned above, it's very important that once a young double reed player really decides to continue with the instrument that he/she finds a strong double reed player and instructor to teach them all of the fine nuances of the instruments. Here are a few teachers I know of in the area:

Kenda Corcoran - Central NH

Margaret Herlihey - Southern NH

Julie Formidoni - Southern NH


 * A Phenomenal Bassoon Quartet's Lady Gaga Medley!

media type="custom" key="6536665" If this video doesn't want to make middle and high school students start playing the bassoon, I'm not sure what will.

<span style="color: #5418b4; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">Notes and Tips on Purchasing a Double Reed Instrument **<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">**Taken from the U.S. Military Academy Band Website**: []

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">1. You may want to avoid instruments labeled as “student” models. Many beginners are ready to improve their sound and technique with an intermediate model after a very short time. Try to purchase a higher-quality instrument from the onset (even if as a beginner you chose not to continue playing), because it will be easier to recuperate your investment from a better quality instrument if you decide to sell it. Look for a full conservatory system oboe. This will make learning much easier! Student models often differ from intermediate models in the number of keys. Beginning students can learn fingerings that will have to change for higher model oboes. Therefore, avoid this trouble by starting with the middle-level, full conservatory instrument. Make sure that any instrument you purchase is properly adjusted. The oboe has many adjustment screws, which may even move during shipment! If an oboe is out of adjustment, it is impossible to properly evaluate its performance potential. Finally, if you have access to an advanced collegiate oboist or professional, make an appointment to have him play and rate the instrument you are considering purchasing. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: center;">