You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get your students (or yourself) equipped to adjust reeds. This is not a post on how to adjust reeds, rather it’s a list of the specific things to collect so the adjustments can happen. The following is a list of the materials I recommend and […]
Continue readingMore TagTag: Reeds
Bel Canto Reed Review
*UPDATED May 10, 2016: My updates are in BOLD These reeds come from the husband and wife team Frank and Kim Wangler. They are both accomplished bassoonists, and they both test the reeds before they are sent out. They offer two reed styles—the standard and the premium. Their website says the difference is that the […]
Continue readingMore TagAndreas Eastman Bassoon Reed Review
Have you ever heard of Andreas Eastman bassoon reeds? I hadn’t until about a year ago when a student of mine showed up with three of them. She told me she had purchased them on Amazon. I did a little research on these Eastman reeds. They are not made by a person named Andreas Eastman. […]
Continue readingMore TagRFReeds Bassoon Reed Review
Rae Feldcamp of RFReeds makes beautiful, customizable reeds. My reed came in a small box with batting to keep it safe. The reed itself has a few features that are unique. As you can see in the picture, the third wire is exposed. The portion of the reed that is wrapped is also shorter than […]
Continue readingMore TagCharles Student Bassoon Reed Review
Charles Double Reeds offers many different bassoon reed options. This is a review of their student reed in medium strength. The reeds came in jewel cases/boxes. On the underside of the case is a label that reads “Soak in warm water not more than two minutes. Adjust opening by squeezing tip when wet.” The intended […]
Continue readingMore TagForrests Contrabassoon Reed Review
My goal with these reeds reviews is to describe the reeds I feature as thoroughly as possible so that you, a bassoonist with a different instrument, elevation, embouchure, etc., can decide if these reeds are right for you. I tested this Forrests Gold Label contrabassoon reed on January 25, 2016 in Rexburg, Idaho (elevation 4,865 ft). The […]
Continue readingMore TagGoBassoon Contrabassoon Reed Review
My goal with these reeds reviews is to describe the reeds I feature as thoroughly as possible so that you, a bassoonist with a different instrument, elevation, embouchure, etc., can decide if these reeds are right for you. I tested this reed on January 25, 2016 in Rexburg, Idaho (elevation 4,865 ft). The temperature inside was […]
Continue readingMore TagGoBassoon Reed Review
When I received my package from GoBassoon in the mail, I was very impressed by the presentation of my new GoBassoon reeds. The graphic design and branding of these reeds is second to none. They came in this handy tin (that can also double as a terrific reed case once a few holes are drilled […]
Continue readingMore TagSelling Reeds to Students
Would you benefit from selling your own hand-made reeds to your students? How much should you charge? Is it worth it? There have been times in my teaching career where it has been a wonderfully convenient thing–and then other times when it has caused me way more stress than I bargained for. Learn from my […]
Continue readingMore TagPlastic Reeds
My first bassoon teacher used plastic reeds. They were thin and produced a weak sound, but I didn’t know any better. They were cheaper and easier to play on than cane reeds, so I played on them for a couple of years. Then I switched teachers. Whoa. I quickly learned that plastic reeds were the worst […]
Continue readingMore Tag