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Gouging woes.

Monday September 17 2007

After 2 solid days of work, I’ve almost got my #1 gouging machine working to where it needs to be. It’s still gouging thin on the sides, which is making my upper register sag, but it’s a careful balance between keeping the sides thin and maintaining extra vibration, “ring” and flexibility, and getting the sides just thick enough so that the upper register sits up. Meanwhile, I have gotten my Opus 1 gouging machine to where I want it to be, nice and thick on the sides to hold open those big RDG… 2 reeds.

It’s a careful balance between tip length, tip thickness, and thickness of sides. In order to get the maximum vibrations and overtones, you want the sides as thin as possible. But you have to have sides that are thick enough to support the upper register. During the summer with the heat and humidity, you can get away with having these sides thinner, but recently it has become fall and gotten cooler and less humid here in Oregon, so I’m being forced to thicken up the sides. Because my sides still aren’t quite thick enough, I’m being forced to shorten up the length of my tips. Generally, the shorter the tip, the more stable a reed will be in the high register. However right now my tips are too short, and therefore I need to thicken the sides so that they will support a longer tip. I’m almost there, but I need to get my tips a little bit longer.

Woe is me. Sigh—

Cooper left these words on Monday Sep 17, 2007 at 09:27 AM
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Korea (South) Kent
Sep 19, 2007

Dear Coops,

I have been reading some of your blog.  Very interesting! what little I can actually understand.

I have decided that, while I have made many mistakes in my life, becoming an oboist is one mistake I didn’t make!  No, don’t get me wrong…I love oboists.  But all the reed woes you have to deal with would just be too much for me.

I leave oboes and double reed to the brave.  But I think you guys have a frustration fetish!

Kent
——-

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United States racheloboes
Sep 20, 2007

Hi, sorry for taking a long time to get back to you about this.

I’d still like to buy some tube cane from you, if it’s available. I looked at your store website, but I didn’t see it up there- how can I purchase it from you?

Rachel

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United States rsfeytan
May 2, 2009

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