How to Choose a Bassoon: A Practical Guide for Serious Players
Choosing the right instrument can feel overwhelming. This guide on how to choose a bassoon will help you understand what truly matters, so you can make a confident and informed decision. After decades of working with bassoons as a repair specialist, dealer, and musician, I’ve found that the right choice becomes much clearer when you […]
How to Choose an Oboe: A Practical Guide for Serious Players
Choosing an instrument can feel overwhelming. This guide on how to choose an oboe will help you understand what truly matters, so you can make a confident and informed decision. After more than 40 years working with oboes as a player, repair specialist, and dealer, I’ve found that the process becomes much clearer when you […]
Why Annual Cleaning, Oiling, and Adjustment Matters for Your Oboe or Bassoon
Routine Maintenance Can Keep Your Instrument Reliable, Responsive, and Performing at Its Best Routine oboe and bassoon maintenance is essential to keep your instrument reliable, responsive, and performing at its best. These complex instruments require regular care to maintain their tone, response, and long-term stability. If your instrument needs attention, you can explore our professional […]
What to Expect as a Double Reed Player Minoring in Music in College
Choosing a double reed music minor in college allows students to continue playing oboe or bassoon while pursuing another academic path. For Students and Parents Alike When a student heads off to college as a double reed player—whether oboe or bassoon—it’s often the result of years of dedication. For some, music remains a calling even […]
Understanding The Audience Experience
The audience experience in music plays a vital role in how performances are perceived and remembered, shaping both emotional impact and connection. Understanding the Audience Experience in Music Music has the unique ability to stir emotions. This is true whether it’s performed with precision or contains noticeable imperfections. As listeners, we can be captivated by […]
Using Your Oboe or Bassoon Skills to Get Into College: A Guide for Aspiring Musicians
Colleges and Universities Need Oboists and Bassoonists For students who excel at playing the oboe or bassoon, these unique talents can open doors to college admissions, scholarships, and academic opportunities. Whether you’re considering a full music degree, a minor, or just want to keep music in your life while pursuing another field, your double reed […]
Choosing the Right Double Reed Instrument: A Guide for Players and Parents
When you or your child are in the market for an oboe or bassoon – here’s some insight into what to look for and how to test an instrument before making a decision. This guide is here to help you navigate the process with confidence. Key Considerations Before You Begin – Budget: Set a budget […]
To perform and collaborate is a gift
Music collaboration and performance rely on both ears and hearts to make sense of what we do as musicians. We rely on ears and hearts to make sense of what we do as musicians. It seems as though we’re on the brink of connecting with ears and hearts once again, doesn’t it? Vaccinations are ramping […]
Music Is My Life
Did you fall in love with the oboe or bassoon as I did? My double reed musician story began in junior high school. From that moment on, music became a part of who I am—not just something I do, but something I live. I am a performing musician, and playing has always felt natural to […]
Three Things To Try Out Now
Create a GoalSet a Due DateComplete One Goal at a Time For every day you don’t practice, it can take two days to return to where you left off. Months of practising alone, without gigs or rehearsals, can feel frustrating. However, this is exactly when strong music practice goals matter most. Gigs will return, and […]
Clean your bassoon: 5 pro methods you can do at home (with photos).
Cleaning your own bassoon yields great benefits: saves you money, prolongs the life of your bassoon, keeps your bassoon functioning at its best, plus it’s easier than you think. Here are a few methods we recommend that you can do yourself.
When humidity is low, wood instruments shrink.
Oboes and bassoons are sensitive to the weather – especially changing humidity levels. We keep the average humidity at about 45% here in the shop year around. Two big humidifiers run 24/7 to achieve this. In New England in the winter, building interiors get dry. Even more so if you run a fireplace or use […]
Should I Get A Different Bocal?
A student asked: “why do my oboe reeds play flat?”
If the reeds are not super long, generally, this means more breath support is needed. An indelicate test for this is to play into a tuner, and squeeze the reed harder with your lips while you’re playing. If the pitch is uncertain or swoops upward, the reed is too easy for you, and your concentration of breath is not sufficient to make it work consistently.
A Question About Ponte Oboes
“Mitch the Multi Instrumentalist” from Oregon posed a great question: “Who really made those Ponte oboes?” Well Mitch, I spent more than a few years at Charlie Ponte’s midtown Manhattan shop as the reedmaker (and floor sweeper, truth be told). During that time, I saw dozens of new Ponte oboes come in and go out. […]
How often should I bring my instrument in for adjustment?
Most players find that having their instrument examined every 2 years works well. Of course, bring it in sooner if something doesn’t feel right, or there’s a problem. What a repair tech does every two years might include a play test and a check to make sure all the pads are sealing well. Here at […]
Does Music Help You Study?
As a student, I liked to have music playing when I got down to serious studying. Headphones, speakers whatever – as long as it was music I knew and enjoyed. Have you been told how bad this is supposed to be for you? “How can you concentrate with that racket?” was my parents’ complaint. I […]
The World Is Never Quiet.
As a kid, I was unduly concerned with how radio stations get their sound to your radio. It seemed vaguely creepy – all that chatter and music flinging through the air – bouncing off and zipping right through me. Be still for a moment, and contemplate this: right now there are dozens or even hundreds […]