Woodwind playing and pedagogy

Should I buy something new?

by
shopping business money pay

Changing your instrument, mouthpiece, headjoint, reeds, etc. on a frequent basis isn’t productive, but sticking with the same equipment forever isn’t a virtue either. Here are some questions to ask yourself (or a trusted teacher or colleague) when you start feeling the itch to spend money on shiny new things:

  • Does this new equipment make it easier or more comfortable to do what I do? Or am I hoping it will magically endow me with abilities I didn’t have before?
  • Does this materially improve some concrete aspect of my playing, like intonation, response, dynamic range or finger movement? Is it an improvement that is more subjective, fleeting, or malleable, like tone quality? (Tone quality isn’t nothing when purchasing woodwind gear, but it’s not everything, either.)
  • Does this really change how I sound? Does it change how it feels to play, physically? Does it change how it feels to play, emotionally? (All of these can be valid reasons to change, but it’s worth sorting out what’s really changing.)
  • Is this new equipment appealing in some way that is more about appearance or cachet than playability? Is that worth the investment to me? Would I be sacrificing some playability for bling factor?
  • How did I come to desire this particular item? Was I influenced by advertising, celebrity endorsements, a commissioned salesperson, an internet stranger, or someone/something else that might have motivations separate from my success? Was I happy with my current setup before I learned of this product’s existence?

If you’re currently a student, be sure to check in with your teacher before any new gear purchase!

Factors in woodwind instrument response

by
person holding brown glass bottle

Response is how readily the equipment/player combination produces sound. “Good” response generally means that the player-plus-instrument are able to produce a sound that starts precisely when intended, with clarity and with no unwanted additional noise. Many factors affect the quality and reliability of the response: Instrument condition. An instrument with leaks, cracks, problematic dents, etc. … Read more

Using “borrowed” fingerings in EWI mode

by

The Akai EWI series’ “EWI” fingering mode is powerful and flexible. It bears a resemblance to basic saxophone fingerings (while wisely eschewing saxophoney compromises like rollers and palm keys). But with a little imagination EWI players can “borrow” a number of useful fingerings from other woodwinds, too.

Do woodwind instruments have similar fingerings?

by

I get lots of emails and search traffic from people trying to find the answer to questions about woodwinds and “similar” fingerings: Do they use the same or similar fingerings? Which instruments are the most similar? Can I use fingerings from _____ instrument on _____ instrument? I’ve addressed before why these questions might be coming … Read more

Teaching with your ears

by

We have this conversation often in my woodwind methods classes: Me: What do you hear in so-and-so’s playing?Student: Their embouchure is too tight?Me: Can you hear their embouchure muscles?Student: …?Me: Not directly, right? But what are you hearing that makes you think their embouchure is tight?Student: Well, it looks like it could be kind of … Read more

Giving feedback in masterclasses and competitions

by

As a graduate student and younger professional I started to get opportunities to teach in masterclass/workshop settings and to adjudicate competitions. I had taught private lessons for many years. But sometimes I found it challenging to give effective feedback in these newer situations, where I was hearing someone play for the first time and needed … Read more

Stop teaching clarinet and saxophone embouchures like this

by

As a ten-year-old beginning saxophonist, I was taught to form an embouchure like this: Put your top teeth on the mouthpiece Let your lower lip sort of roll or squish over your lower teeth Close your mouth That’s how I played for years. As I advanced and started to practice more, I would sometimes hurt … Read more

“More air”

by

When I use the term “breath support,” students and colleagues often echo back something like “oh, right, more air.” But is breath support the same thing as “more air?” Measuring quantities of air isn’t completely straightforward—when we say “more air,” we might rightfully wonder whether that means a greater volume filled with air, or a … Read more

Keeping your fingers “close”

by

There’s a common idea with woodwind players and teachers that it’s important to keep your fingers close to the keys. Keeping the fingers within a certain reasonable distance does have benefits: It’s easier to keep track of where the keys are and not “miss,” especially for beginners Allowing the fingers to rise too far can … Read more

Clarinet vibrato

by

The question of whether the clarinet should use vibrato has been argued to death, and I won’t pursue the question further here. Suffice it to say that it’s a matter of taste and a matter of tradition. American and European classical clarinetists usually don’t use it. Why that particular quirk of taste and/or tradition has … Read more