Visualizing the Oboe Reed with Stop Motion Animation
Visual representation of the oboe reed in progress is an essential component of good reed making pedagogy. Previously published materials such as books, master classes, diagrams, pictures, videos, charts, and measurements, to name a few, typically supplement a teacher’s own materials, experience, and interpretation. In this lecture, I propose another way of visualizing the oboe reed, scrape-by-scrape, through the use of stop motion animation. The end product is an annotated video suitable for both teacher and student. Inexperienced reed makers can benefit from an unobstructed and detailed, first-person view of the reed in progress. For teachers wishing to replicate this video production method with their own reeds, I will describe how to do so with a modest budget, minimal photography equipment, and patience.
Keith W. Sorrels teaches oboe, music theory, and music appreciation at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY and freelances in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. He earned Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees and the Performer Diploma from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music degree from Indiana State University. His principal teachers include Linda Strommen, Roger Roe, Titus Underwood, Washington McClain, Daniel Stolper, William Denton, and Amy Barwan. In addition, Keith enjoys making and fixing things in his home machine shop. He lives in Cedar Hill, Tennessee with his violinist wife, Robin, and their son, Lewis. Contact Keith at kwsorrels@gmail.com or on Instagram @keithoboe.
