Category: Product reviews
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Review: ClariMate digital clarinet mute by Buffet-Crampon
Bottom line: the ClariMate is an interesting gadget with potential for various uses, but it’s a little rough around the edges. Consider buying one now as a tech toy if you’re an early-adopter type, or wait for a new-and-improved iteration if you need something that just works. I recently got my hands on the “ClariMate,” …
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Review: Griff Musical Products EWI Stand
A few years back I posted my attempt at building a stand for my Akai EWI4000s. That stand has served me reasonably well since then, but I’m pleased recently to have found a much superior solution. The EWI Stand from Griff Musical Products’s Etsy store is a 3D-printed product (of durable PETG plastic) at a …
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Review: Multiple-woodwinds works by Darren Lord
I heard recently from Paul Saunders, whose compositions and publications for multiple woodwinds I have previously reviewed. He called my attention to an astonishing number of recent multiple-woodwinds compositions by Darren Lord, a musical director, keyboardist, and more who has worked on London’s West End theater scene. At the time of this writing, Lord’s music …
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Review: Characteristic Etudes for the Woodwind Doubler by Gene Kaplan
I’ve previously reviewed a couple of Gene Kaplan‘s publications, sets of duets for woodwind doublers. Recently Gene was kind enough to send me a copy of his latest, Characteristic Etudes for the Woodwind Doubler. Unlike his previous doubling-duet books, this is intended for a lone woodwind doubler to use in developing his or her doubling …
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Review: NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music: Alto Saxophone, Vol. 1
It’s hard to escape the inertia of the “standard repertoire.” NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music: Alto Saxophone, Vol. 1 is an elegant solution.
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Review: Duets for the ‘Double-Reed Doubler’ by Gene Kaplan
A few years ago I reviewed Gene Kaplan’s Duos for Doublers, a set of duets for woodwind doublers playing flute, clarinet, and saxophone. I was pleased to hear from Gene again recently about his new Duets for the ‘Double-Reed Doubler.’ It contains seven duets in a variety of styles, with one doubler playing oboe, clarinet, …
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Review: D’Addario Evolution clarinet mouthpieces
D’Addario was kind enough to send me a couple of their new(ish) Reserve Evolution clarinet mouthpieces to try out. The Evolution currently comes in a single opening/facing, but the two Evolution mouthpieces I received are different in appearance: one is the standard black, and the other is what’s called “marble” on D’Addario’s website, or “sandstone …
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Review: D’Addario Reserve alto saxophone mouthpieces
If you have read my reviews of the D’Addario clarinet and jazz alto and tenor saxophone mouthpieces, you won’t be surprised to learn that I’m a big fan of their new classical alto saxophone mouthpiece, too. (As with the last several reviews, D’Addario sent me some mouthpieces at no cost, with the possibility but not …
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Review: “Double Troubles” by Paul Saunders
A few months ago I wrote a review of So You Want to Play in Shows…?, a book of woodwind doubling etudes by Paul Saunders. Recently Paul sent me Double Troubles, a new collection of etudes. Like So You Want, the new volume includes a piano part plus access to downloadable backing tracks. As I said in the previous review: This is …
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Review: D’Addario Select Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpieces
I’ve already done thorough reviews of the D’Addario clarinet mouthpieces (twice) and alto saxophone jazz mouthpieces, both of which immediately replaced the competing Vandoren products I was previously using. So, naturally I’ve been very anxious for the release of the hard rubber tenor saxophone jazz mouthpiece, and I got my hands on some samples earlier …