Oboe Reed Tips & Tricks - Curbelo Reeds
Many oboists buy their reeds fully made or can already make reeds on their own, but still struggle with the final adjustments that turn a reed from playable into comfortable, stable, and expressive. Many times, the real challenge isn’t making a reed, it’s knowing how to adjust the reed you already have so it finally plays the way you need.
Instead of focusing on reed-making from scratch, we go straight into the practical situations players face every day. You’ll learn how to deal with reeds that feel too hard or too open, how to correct high or low intonation, how to improve articulation, and how to prepare a reed so it’s truly concert-ready.
This workshop gives you exactly that: the clarity and confidence to diagnose any reed problem and fix it on the spot. After this session you will feel more independent and less frustrated when a reed doesn’t behave the way to expect.
There is plenty of space for questions and the chance to bring your own reeds for personalized feedback.
What you will gain:
- A clear, step-by-step method to understanding your reeds
- Confidence in making the right adjustments without fear
- Practical advice to prepare reeds for lessons, rehearsals, and concerts
- The ability to understand why a reed isn’t working and exactly how to fix it.
Topics Covered
- Reed too hard (or too resistant). How to safely remove resistance without losing stability or pitch.
- High and low intonation. Understanding how the tip, heart, aperture, and back interact and what to adjust first to adjust intonation.
- Easy and clean articulation. What makes a reed speak better, how to improve response in soft attacks and staccato.
- Preparing your reeds for concerts. A practical guide to making your reed “performance ready” and knowing what to adjust on the day.
- When to use (or not use) a wire. Making the wire your ally: stability, aperture control, and when adding a wire actually makes things worse.
Who This Workshop Is For
- Oboists who buy reeds and want to adjust them on their own.
- Those who make reeds but struggle with final refinements.
- Anyone who wants to understand reeds better and stop depending on luck or external help.
