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Our Story
Founded in 2009 following the invention of the « Reed guide », Toutpourlehautbois is now one of the leading references in the field of oboe reeds and cane.
Our slogan, “Musicians serving musicians,” defines who we are.
All members of our team are professional musicians, graduates of leading conservatories or currently holding orchestral positions — such as our Director, Fabrice Rousson, oboist at the Opéra de Rouen. We strive to be as close as possible to your needs regarding reeds, cane, and guidance in choosing your instrument. For this reason, we welcome you by appointment only in our Paris workshop.
Originally from the South of France, Fabrice Rousson developed a close relationship with Madame Ghys’s company. He later took over the business and benefited from the expertise of Atilio Iacomelli in this field.
After many years of collaboration with HK Anches (Izumi Kume), they decided to become partners in 2018.
The Team
FABRICE ROUSSON
Director
Director of TOUTPOURLEHAUTBOIS, oboist and English horn player at the Opéra de Rouen, Fabrice Rousson began his musical studies at the Conservatoire National de Région in Nice, where he was awarded First Prize in Oboe and an Advanced Studies Prize.
In 1995, he entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon. Passionate about chamber music, he joined the Kerios Quintet and earned a Specialized Studies Certificate. He quickly performed with this ensemble at numerous festivals in France, Austria, and Germany.
He served as Principal Oboe of the Musique de l’Air in Paris and, in 1999, obtained the Diplôme National Supérieur d’Études Musicales from the CNSM Lyon. Since 2002, he has held the position of Second Oboe (English Horn) with the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Rouen Normandie.
He is regularly invited to perform with prestigious orchestras such as the Opéra Bastille, Orchestre National d’Île-de-France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre National de France, and others.
Passionate about research and innovation, he created the Reed Guide in 1998, which led to the founding of TOUTPOURLEHAUTBOIS. In 2015, he began working with REEDMACHINES to develop the “CUBE” reed shaping machine, now a worldwide success. In recent years, he has also been working on a composite reed project.
IZUMI KUME
Reed Specialist
Born in Japan, Izumi Kume trained as an oboist.
She continued her studies in France with Jean-Louis Capezzali and Daniel Arrignon, then at the CNSMD Lyon with Jean-Louis Capezzali and Jérôme Guichard, where she was awarded her Oboe Prize with highest distinction in 2006.
During her years in Lyon, she developed an even stronger passion for reed scraping, a field in which her technique and skill were quickly recognized.
After five years of experience at Roseau Chantant (Dimiter Jordanov), Izumi founded H.K Anches and works in the Var region.
ALICE CLAVEL
Oboe Repair and Maintenance
Alice Clavel began studying the oboe at the Angoulême Conservatory.
She later continued her studies in Paris, studying with Daniel Arrignon before entering the Pôle Supérieur de Paris-Boulogne-Billancourt, first in the class of Olivier Doise, then Michel Bénet. She obtained a triple degree in performance, musicology, and teaching certification.
She met Fabrice Rousson during this period and has worked with him for several years. Initially responsible for oboe material preparation, she later trained in oboe repair at the Fossati workshops.
This marked the beginning of a rich and varied professional experience, approaching the oboe from multiple perspectives.
Repair
Maintenance and repair services are provided by Alice.
Adjustments, overhauls, recorking, cleaning, removal of stuck swabs, etc.
Appointments are required for all requests: +33 6 78 18 06 20.
A quote will be provided for work requiring more than 30 minutes.
Rate: €73 per hour.
Services
Custom Reeds
Our team of professional musicians will assist you in choosing reeds for oboe, oboe d’amore, English horn, baroque oboe, bassoon, etc.
We help you select reeds according to your playing style and instrument and make adjustments on the spot if necessary.
By appointment only.
Provided by Izumi (+33 6 09 09 06 69) and by Fabrice (+33 6 61 13 64 31).
Machine Rental
TOUTPOURLEHAUTBOIS has been offering a reed scraping machine rental service for several years.
The machine available is a REEDMACHINES “CUBE.”
This service operates by appointment with Fabrice at +33 6 61 13 64 31.
Amateurs, students, or professionals, we assist you throughout the entire session so that you can fully understand how this tool works and leave with personalized reeds.
Rate: €15 per hour.
Personalized support in choosing your instrument
Choosing an oboe is an important step in a musician’s life. Each instrument has its own personality, and it is essential to find the one that truly matches your playing style, your expectations, and your musical development.
To support you in this process, Toutpourlehautbois offers a personalized instrument purchasing assistance service.
Fabrice Rousson, director of Toutpourlehautbois and professional oboist, accompanies you to the maker of your choice. During this appointment, he guides you through testing several instruments and advises you on their characteristics, response, intonation, projection, and playing comfort.
His external perspective, orchestral experience, and knowledge of the market help to objectify your impressions and enable you to compare instruments accurately and confidently.
The goal: to help you find the instrument that truly suits you and will support you for many years to come.
This service is available by appointment only. Please feel free to contact us for more information.
R&D
What is it ?
The Reed Guide
The Reed Guide is a device designed to keep the two blades perfectly aligned until the end of the tying process, allowing for highly precise assembly and preventing any risk of “crossed blades.”
Its use is very simple and enables you to tie your reeds much more quickly while ensuring perfectly aligned results.
The Reed Guide is available for oboe and English horn.
It was thanks to this invention that the company TOUTPOURLEHAUTBOIS was founded.
The Reed Guide is a world-renowned invention and is available from many retailers.
They have tried it:
“Such a small object, but a great invention! Following the explanations on the website allows for quick and efficient handling. Thanks to the Reed Guide, I no longer have any tying problems. Don’t hesitate to get one. Bravo and thank you, Fabrice.”
Stéphan BRUNO (Musique des équipages de la flotte de Toulon)
“And yes, although small in size, the Reed Guide becomes an indispensable tool for successful reed tying… A great idea!”
Sebastien Giot (Orchestre de Strasbourg)
“I dreamed of it, Rousson made it happen.”
Matthieu Bloch (Orchestre de Monaco)
“Someone had to think of it… and make it happen. You need to tie a few reeds to get used to it, but afterward it is remarkably efficient. In addition, the relationship with the designer is very pleasant. Don’t hesitate for a second — this small additional tool in your reed-tying kit will make your life easier… and improve the vibration.”
William Sanchez
“I received it this morning, tied four reeds this evening — 100 times easier and with a perfect result! One word: Bravo!”
Baptiste Jacques
“Extremely practical and truly saves valuable time during tying. It is also very convenient if you need to remount a reed on a different staple. In just a few seconds, it’s done! Bravo to the Reed Guide, undoubtedly destined for success. But how is it possible that no one thought of it before?”
Alain Lovenberg (Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège)
“The Reed Guide is an effective solution to all reed-tying problems, both blade overlap and precision itself… it arrived at just the right moment. I highly recommend it!”
Nicky Hautefeuille (Opéra de Tours)
“Simply brilliant…”
Aurélien POUZET ROBERT (Orchestre de Nancy)
Instructions :
1. Thoroughly soak the cane.
2. Mark the position of the top of the staple on the cane. This will give you a reference point when inserting the cane into the guide (for example: for a 74 mm total length on a 47 mm staple, make a mark 27 mm from the fold of the cane).
3. Before inserting the cane into the guide, it is important to carefully align the two blades.
4. ...
5. Insert the cane into the guide from the side marked with a black dot.
6. While holding the cane with your thumb and middle finger, push it in using your index finger until the mark on the cane (image 2) extends no more than 1 mm beyond the Reed Guide. Depending on the quality and thickness of the cane, you will need to apply more or less pressure.
7. The cane will pre-form. This is the moment to check that the two blades are properly aligned (image 8).
8. If this is not the case, start again from step 5.
9. Insert the staple up to the mark on the cane. You may also check the total reed length with a ruler or calipers.
10. Then check that the cane is properly centered on the staple.
11. ...
12. Bring the thread up to the mark or begin tying directly at the mark according to your tying method. There is no need to readjust the cane while tightening the thread, as this may cause the blades to cross.
13. If you are using narrow cane, it is not recommended to tie the reed with the opening of the Reed Guide facing upward (image 13). Instead, use the guide position shown in image 12.
14. To remove the Reed Guide, simply slide it downward off the reed and twist it slightly.
Your reed is incorrectly tied:
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Your cane may have been poorly shaped.
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The two blades were not properly aligned before inserting them into the guide.
Usage Tips :
- Thoroughly soak your cane. I recommend soaking in water.
- Before inserting the cane into the guide, align the two blades with maximum precision. This step allows you to check whether your cane has been properly shaped. A poorly shaped cane cannot guarantee a good result.
- Before pushing the cane into the guide to pre-form it, check that both ends of the cane are correctly positioned as they exit the guide.
- The mark on the cane should not extend too far beyond the guide (no more than 1.5 mm).
- The closer the mark is to the guide, the more precise the tying will be (however, some staples do not tolerate adjustment too close to the guide).
- When inserting the staple between the two blades, do not go too quickly, as you risk splitting the cane.
- Some users may find that the Reed Guide makes it harder to check whether the reed is straight; therefore, I recommend verifying alignment by observing the position of both blade tips on the staple.
- During tying, do not attempt to correct the alignment of the two blades, as this may cause them to cross.
- Depending on the thread used for tying, removal of the Reed Guide may be more or less difficult. Do not hesitate to apply slight pressure (I recommend using fine thread).
- The Reed Guide is removed by pushing it downward toward the base of the staple.
- The Reed Guide is a precision tool; to avoid damage, do not store it loosely in a toolbox.
Cube
The idea of developing a new reed machine came from a collaboration with REEDMACHINES (Arnold and Ruud Telkamp) and the desire to evolve this essential tool for oboists.
We worked for more than a year on the design and parameters before the first model was released.
Our objective was to recreate the hand-scraping work of oboists and translate it into a machine.
Its scraping slope adjustment system makes it truly different from other machines on the market, allowing a fine tip regardless of scraping angle while controlling the thickness left in the back.
The Cube for oboe and bassoon is now internationally recognized.
Prestigious orchestras such as La Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, the Lyon Opera and Orchestra, and numerous international artists use it.
Contact & Access
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday by appointment only
Contact :
Reeds, cane, machines, and quotes:
Fabrice ROUSSON au +33 6 61 13 64 31
info@toutpourlehautbois.com
Reeds and cane:
Izumi KUME au +33 6 09 09 06 69
izumi@toutpourlehautbois.com
Oboe repair and maintenance:
Alice CLAVEL au +33 6 78 18 06 20
alice@toutpourlehautbois.com