Kim Haan, oboist

I've been making reeds for over 35 years. I use a profiler to form a basic U shape but each reed is finished by hand to ensure the reed will produce a warm, resonant and flexible sound. This means that I often will bring the base of the scrape lower to form either a W shape or a continental shape.

Recently, I've perfected my reed style and have been taking more cane off the sides of the back and building in a "heart" with a secondary and primary tip. The result is a freely vibrating and colourful sounding reed.

I make medium soft and medium reeds. My pupils begin learning the oboe with medium soft reeds so that they are inspired from the start hearing themselves produce a good sound.

I no longer make reeds for sale other than for my own pupils.