I’m told my reeds are quite narrow, but they seem to fit in pretty well with Lou Skinner’s reed design. If you haven’t already checked out The Bassoon Reed Manual: Lou Skinner’s Theories and Techniques by James McKay, do so. It’s been invaluable, especially for contra. It turns out I’ve been using his Five Tests for years now and never knew it because they’d been shown to me by another bassoonist. My instrument before this was a Schreiber and I remember thinking that my Moosmann 200 felt very similar in key structure and sound. I think Fox Bassoons tend to respond better to a wider reed design, which may be part of why I didn’t appreciate the sound of those I tried. Anyway, here’s his diagram straight from the book:

He flat out asked me if I was taking the audition and I couldn’t lie. We spent the whole time working on the Mozart and Bolero. I am nervous now where before I was not, but I hope it will be a good thing. I had become used to hearing my Fs and my Es flat. I’m not in tune with myself. *scream* I’ve been practicing in a vacuum and it seems that all it does is gear me up to be out of tune and still nervous for the audition. An hour or two a day is not enough practice. I have to do more. It’s going well, but for the Mozart to still be shaky after having it around for so many years is not good. For me to be freaking out right now is not good either. I am a great musician. I just need to let it out and remember to have fun with it.

New fingering for Bolero should help, but it will take a good chunk of time to get used to it. I feel a little guilty that I am considering leaving the kids at Kidco again today so that I can practice, but that is why we signed them up for it. They’re bored but safe, and I should accept it and do what I need to do. Really don’t have any desire to go to playgroup today. Want to stay home and practice and practice and practice until it’s all rock solid and indestructible.

Don’t get distracted by the contra. It is secondary. They will write you off before you even get to it if you screw up on the Mozart.

Found on iTunes in the last week:

• Trio for Flute, Bassoon, and Piano by Chick Corea
• The Bass Nightingale by Susan Nigro
• Mozart Concerto for Bassoon with Klaus Thuneman
• Duet Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon by Richard Strauss
• “Sleeping Bassoon”, episode of Disney show, Little Einsteins

Bought all of them but The Bass Nightingale, which is an album entirely of contrabassoon music. Still pondering that one, but I’ll probably cave within the week.