Favorite blog posts, May 2016

  • Saxophonist Michael Shults advocates a thoughtful approach to musical versatility (doubling, playing jazz and classical music, etc.).
  • Wistam Boustany discusses power vs. economy in flute playing.
  • Oboist Jennet Ingle compares methods of ensuring playable performance reeds.
  • Saxophonist Sven Seebeck suggests tips for trying out mouthpieces.
  • Rachel Taylor Geier explains the flute’s C-sharp trill key.

Please stop telling your clarinet students to tighten their embouchures

Good clarinet playing requires a high voicing. That’s why your clarinet section is flat and tubby-sounding.

Things you need to cover in woodwind methods class

If you are teaching a woodwind methods course, you might be interested in my book.A few years back I posted a rant about non-mission-critical information in woodwind methods textbooks. This is a course primarily for instrumental music majors, who will go on to become school band or orchestra directors, and who need a crash course … Read more

The role of tone exercises

Tone exercises are useful, sort of. Read last month’s post about tone for a reminder why tone exercises are only part of the process. Here is what tone exercises do: Excellent tone exercises demand solid fundamental tone-production technique, providing a chance to habituate useful muscular actions. Trevor Wye’s “Flexibility I” flute exercise is a perfect example. (I suggest you buy the whole Trevor … Read more

Favorite blog posts, April 2016

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, April 2016 edition.

Practicing and breathing

Sometimes we forget to practice breathing. Don’t let your performances be derailed by panicky breathing—practice the breaths just like you practice the notes.

Follow @woodwindtips on Twitter

I have started up an additional Twitter account, @woodwindtips, which I encourage you to check out for several-times-per-day tips on woodwind playing. Enjoy!

Favorite blog posts, March 2016

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, March 2016 edition.

Woodwind doubling for flutists

Here is a cleaned-up version of my lecture notes from a presentation on woodwind doubling I gave last week at the Mid-South Flute Festival: Woodwind doubling for flutists What is doubling? Primary-to-secondary doubling: Playing multiple instruments within a family, such as flute (primary), piccolo (secondary), and alto flute (secondary) Primary-to-primary doubling: Playing instruments from different families, … Read more