The oboe is a soprano-ranged double reed member of the instrument family that makes versatile bright sounds by blowing into the reed and vibrating a column of air. Intermediate and advanced students learn how to manufacture their own double reeds.

Most professional oboists make their own reeds to fit his or her individual needs. Thereby oboists can control factors such as tone, color, and tuning. Most often used in European traditional and classical music it has also been used in jazz, rock, pop, and film music.