2017 | Bret Pimentel, woodwinds

2017 in review

January 1, 2018December 31, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Here are some highlights from the blog in 2017.

The top new posts in terms of traffic and social sharing were:
Some evergreen posts that remained popular:
- Jazz chord symbols: a primer for the classically-trained
- A few thoughts on the new Roland Aerophone AE-10 (which, to be fair, I still haven’t played)
- MS Word music hack: Automatic sharps, flats, and naturals
- Do it yourself: replace a tenon cork
- The myth of beginning band instrument “tests”
I put out a couple of new releases of my web tools: Random Note Picker, version 0.3 and Reedcast™ version 2.0. I hinted last year at a new release of the Fingering Diagram Builder, which didn’t happen. Still working on it.
The big list of woodwind doubling in musicals continues to grow in size and hopefully accuracy. Thanks once again for y’all’s contributions.
I shared some videos from my all-jazz multiple woodwinds recital.
I did another 12 months’ worth of my favorite posts from other blogs. Let me know what other blogs I should be reading, including yours.
And, of course, I was pleased to release my book, Woodwind Basics: Core concepts for playing and teaching flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone, which really is a distillation of lots of ideas I’ve explored and refined right here on the blog. I have been thrilled with the response, including teachers of university woodwind methods courses adopting it as their textbook. Get your copy in PDF format or in paperback from Amazon.
Make sure to stay connected in 2018 via RSS, Twitter, and/or Facebook for more woodwind stuff.

Thanks for reading, commenting, sharing, and otherwise connecting in 2017. See you next year!

Favorite blog posts, December 2017

January 1, 2018December 31, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, December 2017 edition.

What I listen for in scholarship auditions

February 1, 2021December 13, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

It’s scholarship audition season again, which means I get to meet and listen to some very nervous high school seniors (and community college sophomores).

My university is a small regional one, so our audition process probably isn’t as intense as some of the big name-brand music schools. If you’re preparing for an audition, you should definitely check in with that school to see what they expect, but here’s what I usually hear auditionees play, and what I’m thinking while I listen.

Interview: flutist Tammy Evans Yonce

July 19, 2022December 4, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Flutist Tammy Evans Yonce is an active recitalist, writer, clinician, speaker, contributor to various conferences and professional organizations, and professor at South Dakota State University (plus: she is my former classmate). Her thoughtful blog is a favorite of mine and my regular readers will recall that I have featured her posts on a number of occasions. … Read more

Favorite blog posts, November 2017

July 19, 2022November 30, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, November 2017 edition.

Hercules stand clip modification

January 2, 2018November 21, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

I made a small modification to my Hercules instrument stands so I could clip them onto my instrument cases for easier carrying. The stands all have this same yellow sort of teddy-bear-head piece on the bottom: Remove the nut from the center of the bear’s forehead: I bought a handful of these. They are almost … Read more

Be suspicious of instrument bling

November 9, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

If you are considering buying the newest, hottest instrument, accessory, gadget, etc., it’s worth asking yourself a few questions: Is this item made out of materials that are usually used for fine jewelry or the dashboards of luxury cars? How likely is it that the most visually-attractive materials also happen to have the ideal acoustical … Read more

When you’re too sick for a lesson

November 4, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Sometimes I have students cancel their lessons due to seemingly very minor, manageable health concerns (physical or mental). Other times students drag themselves to lessons when they are clearly miserable and contagious.

The better approach is clearly somewhere in the middle, but my newest college students are usually living away from their parents and the formal rules of high school for the first time and sometimes aren’t used to making those judgment calls on their own.

Favorite blog posts, October 2017

July 19, 2022October 31, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, October 2017 edition.

Sample woodwind methods syllabus

January 20, 2018October 28, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

If you are teaching a woodwind methods course, you might be interested in my book.Shortly before the beginning of fall and spring semesters, I usually get a few emails from new university professors and adjuncts looking for advice and resources on teaching woodwind methods courses. I’m happy to hear from folks, but thought it might … Read more