Turkey Feathers

I'm thankful for modern blankets; I wouldn't want to have to chase a turkey around to collect the feathers. 

Archaeology News Report: The economic and cultural aspects of raising turkeys to supply feathers in the ancient Southwest.

But when I was younger and playing my oboe every day, I used the feathers for drying the bore after use; for some reason they worked better than chamois or synthetic swabs. And turkey feathers are even offered commercially for oboe swabbing, as are pheasant feathers, which I never used.

Premium Turkey Tail Feather – Natural – Charles Double Reed Company (charlesmusic.com)

Oboe Swabs, Oboe Feathers, Bassoon Swabs (forrestsmusic.com)

Man, talk about a niche market...

And since I know you're all so interested, I had a high-quality left-handed knife and used to buy split and gouged bamboo cane from France to make my own reeds.

Landwell Double Hollow Ground Reed Knife (hodgeproductsinc.com)

RDG France Oboe Cane – RDG Woodwinds

Do I miss those days? I don't miss the tedium of practicing 2 hours or more each day, often the same passage over and over and over without ever getting it exactly right. But I definitely miss the satisfaction making a good reed and of teaching, the camaraderie of the musicians, and the joy of being a part, for just a moment, of making a transcendant orchestral sound.

Wow, John! I had no idea these were used for cleaning oboes and that you played. Do you still?

Wow, John! I had no idea these were used for cleaning oboes and that you played. Do you still?

No, I don't. I continued to play in community orchestras and taught lessons until around 10 years ago, but I wasn't practicing enough to keep up my lip strength, so I finally quit and sold the instrument. But I still automatically visualize the oboe fingering for a melody when I hear one, regardless of what kind of music it is. I guess I'll never lose that response.

I knew a girl at university who was a talented oboist. The process of making her own reeds was impressive. I seem to recall feathers as well. 

Music is an interesting process in addition to it’s obvious benefits. My son studied piano and percussion for a numbing years and his real talent was on the marimba. I remember his instructor telling him to get a specific model of mallets from a specific artisan mallet maker. Mallets and reeds all part of the music

I can't play a note and I've never been a singer and since then my voice has changed to make me not even like my personal singing. But I sing in my mind and there I'm always in tune and on note. I admire those folks who can make music. I love music, I just can't make it. I suspect many people are like me.

Some music is so beautiful that it brings me to tears and I can't imagine what it must be like to take part in the making of it.