Oboists can spend more time making reeds for their instrument than playing their music. One such musician, the comic monologist Josh Kornbluth, has a lot to say about reed making's painfully exacting process.

"The Agony and the Ecstasy of an Oboe Reed Maker" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — free of charge and free of ads.

Written by JEFF GREENWALD

Introduction by KATHERINE MONAHAN

Narrated by JEFF GREENWALD

Produced by KATHERINE MONAHAN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN / BLUE DOT SESSIONS