- The Babel Flute (Rachael Simon): Can I Fix My Own Flute?
- Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever. (Pernille Bévort): 4 Powerful Exercises for Saxophone Sound and Flexibility
- Kristopher King (bassoon): Shipping Contrabassoons
Go ahead and use a fakebook
I felt a lot of stress and pressure during my years in college and graduate school, about jazz and Learning Tunes. Nobody who is anybody uses a fakebook! You have to Learn the Tunes! Do you know All the Tunes? Why don’t you know More Tunes? My teachers told me I would never make it … Read more
Favorite blog posts, February 2024
Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, February 2024 edition.
What would go wrong if you played louder?
My university students are often, at least at first, quite timid about playing loudly. (This is probably a side effect of learning the instrument in a school band program. They learn to play quietly because their section is too loud. Or, they get the hand from a band director who doesn’t have the time or … Read more
Favorite blog posts, January 2024
Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, January 2024 edition.
How to do long tones (and why)
Long tones are at the core of most woodwind warmup routines. The most simple and obvious version is this: Simple sustained notes are good for developing consistent breath support, which is required to keep the long tone steady in pitch, volume, and tone color. (Some teachers also suggest them for developing “embouchure strength,” one of … Read more
Favorite blog posts, December 2023
Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, December 2023 edition.
Favorite blog posts, November 2023
Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, November 2023 edition.
Favorite blog posts, October 2023
Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, October 2023 edition.
Pedagogy appropriate to students’ level
I remember as a young college student attending a masterclass by a world-class musician. He was scornful of students spending a lot of time in practice rooms playing scales. He urged us instead to get outside and watch a sunset, and then “play the sunset.” Advice like that has its place. But I was doing … Read more