Creating “lightness”

ByBret Pimentel April 26, 2022April 30, 2022

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Composers (or a performer’s interpretation) often call for “lightness” in music. How do you play a wind instrument “lightly?”

When I discuss this with my students, they often suggest that the way to play lightly is to be lighter with their tongue. When I turn that around on them—”is there a situation where you should use a heavier tongue?—they are quick to say no, the tongue should never be heavy. Sometimes instead they suggest using “lighter” air, but upon further interrogation they aren’t able to explain that without stumbling into no-nos like “less air” or “less powerful support.”

Creating musical lightness is easy, if not completely intuitive. The key is to forget about trying to make the tone light, and focusing instead on making the texture light. That means creating some contrast.

For example, consider the second movement of the Bernstein clarinet sonata. After an Andantino introduction, the musicians are instructed by the composer to play “Vivace e leggiero” (lively and lightly). Here are clarinetist Wonkak Kim and pianist Eunhye Grace Choi:

Notice the subtle but important contrasts Dr. Kim creates in the clarinet line. Many of the notes have a small accent at their beginnings, then quickly taper to a softer volume. Some notes get more emphasis from higher volume or from sustaining the note with less taper. The lightness comes from stringing softer notes between the more emphasized ones, or even from individual notes having louder and softer moments within them.

The volume in the Bernstein clip is soft, but this approach is very effective at louder dynamics, too. I stress this when rehearsing my university’s jazz big band, since things can easily get heavy- or angry-sounding at fortissimo. To bring some lightness back into a loud, thickly-orchestrated passage, I ask the band to look for the marked or implied accents and let those set the fortissimo ceiling. The in-between notes can be brought back down perhaps to a comfortable mezzo-forte, giving the musical line some texture and headroom without losing the excitement of the louder dynamic.

Creating lightness in music means giving some notes some gravity, so the others can float weightlessly.

Woodwind playing and pedagogy

Woodwind Doubler Census 2021 results, part 4: gigs

ByBret Pimentel June 15, 2021June 15, 2021

Thanks to all who participated in my 2021 woodwind doubling survey, and to those who helped spread the word. I’m releasing the results in installments, so be sure to use my social media links, RSS feeds, etc. to keep up.

I got 284 responses, an improvement over 2011’s 187. The numbers for each of these questions don’t necessarily add up to exactly that number, since not everybody responded to every question.

What is your main source of income? (under normal circumstances)

“Retired” was an option I neglected to include, but enough of you wrote it in that I’ve added it to the chart here. Some of you also wrote in other things, most of which I felt fit into the existing categories, so I’ve used my best judgment to include them here.

2021 DATA
playing gigs	51	18%
teaching music	97	35%
working in another aspect of music	20	7%
working in a non-music field	63	22%
student, supported by family/financial aid/etc.	40	14%
retired	10	4%

2011 DATA
playing gigs	40	21%
teaching music	42	23%
working in another aspect of music	4	2%
working in a non-music field	44	24%
student	42	22%
other	15	8%

Which types of paid woodwind doubling gigs have you done in the past?

Some of you wrote in additional categories such as church gigs, concert bands in the community or the military, and theme parks.

2021 Data
school/community theater	229	81%
large-scale tour of a musical (as traveling orchestra member)	42	15%
large-scale tour of a musical (as local hire)	74	26%
Broadway show or other major-city musical production (as permanent orchestra member)	43	15%
Broadway show or other major-city musical production (as sub)	74	26%
orchestral, opera, or similar	156	55%
chamber music	158	56%
studio recording (as leader or permanent group member)	46	16%
studio recording (as hired gun)	118	42%
television/radio/broadcast (live)	36	13%
television/radio/broadcast (pre-recorded)	38	13%
jazz big band	158	56%
jazz small group or solo	109	39%
rock/pop group	75	27%
cruise ship	17	6%
none	22	8%

2011 Data
school/community theater	153
large-scale tour of a musical (as traveling orchestra member)	17
large-scale tour of a musical (as local hire)	47
Broadway show or other major-city musical production (as permanent orchestra member)	29
Broadway show or other major-city musical production (as sub)	29
orchestral, opera, or similar	86
studio recording (as leader or permanent group member)	28
studio recording (as hired gun)	72
television/radio/broadcast (live)	26
television/radio/broadcast (pre-recorded)	29
jazz big band	112
jazz small group or solo	87
rock/pop group	65
cruise ship	18
other	25

Which of these do you play?

Some of you wrote in additional genres. A handful mentioned musical theater as being its own genre or mish-mash of genres.

2021 Data
classical music	270	95%
jazz music	229	81%
pop/rock music	156	55%
folk/world music	78	27%

2011 Data
classical	178
jazz	160
pop/rock	124
folk/ethnic	60
other	19

How often do you improvise (such as jazz improvisation) on gigs?

2021 Data
never	43	16%
rarely	77	28%
sometimes	100	36%
always or nearly always	57	21%

2011 Data
never	31	17%
rarely	53	29%
sometimes	58	31%
always or nearly always	43	23%

On average, how frequently do you have woodwind doubling gigs? (under normal circumstances)

2021 Data
Every week or more	45	16%
Every month or more	76	38%
Every three months or more	64	23%
Every six months or more	53	19%
Never or almost never	36	13%

2011 Data
Every week or more	44	24%
Every month or more	52	28%
Every three months or more	32	17%
Every six months or more	23	12%
Less than once every six months	36	19%

What kind of competition is there for woodwind doubling gigs in your area?

2021 Data
slim or nonexistent	45	16%
moderate	139	50%
fierce	56	20%
don’t know or not applicable	38	14%

2011 Data
slim or nonexistent	40	23%
moderate	98	55%
fierce	40	22%

Which of the following teaching situations are part of your income?

2021 Data
private lessons	153	54%
ensemble directing or chamber music coaching	57	20%
teaching from home or a private studio	97	34%
teaching at a school (elementary through high school)	70	25%
teaching at a university or conservatory	62	22%
teaching more than one woodwind instrument	104	37%
teaching classroom-type (including online) courses about music (such as music theory, history, etc.)	42	15%

2011 Data
private lessons	93
ensemble directing or chamber music coaching	39
teaching from home or a private studio	58
teaching at a school (elementary through high school)	38
teaching at a university or conservatory	31
teaching more than one woodwind instrument	66

How has woodwind doubling affected your employability?

2021 Data
no discernible effect	23	9%
slight improvement to employability	27	11%
moderate improvement to employability	58	23%
significant improvement to employability	143	57%
decreased employability	0	0%
does not apply	28	10%

2011 Data
no effect	23	13%
slight improvement to employability	25	14%
moderate improvement to employability	32	18%
significant improvement to employability	93	54%
decreased employability	1	1%

Which of these have resulted from your woodwind doubling?

2021 Data
more non-doubling gigs on my primary instrument(s)	107	38%
more non-doubling gigs on my secondary instrument(s)	136	48%
fewer non-doubling gigs on my primary instrument(s)	22	8%
fewer non-doubling gigs on my secondary instrument(s)	4	1%
none of these	92	33%

2011 Data
more non-doubling gigs on my primary instrument(s)	69
more non-doubling gigs on my secondary instrument(s)	86
fewer non-doubling gigs on my primary instrument(s)	19
fewer non-doubling gigs on my secondary instrument(s)	6

What woodwind-doubling-related goals or ambitions do you have, that you have not (fully) achieved yet?

Responses given here in random order and lightly edited.

to be a professional historical woodwind doubler

LA studio musician (not likely as I don’t live in LA and health of industry)

Double tonguing on flute with success. Playing jazz clarinet successfully at my saxophone skill level.

* Excellent question! I found it clarifying to put down some of my doubling goals in writing.

– starting a woodwind quintet consisting of doublers
– performing solo recitals on flute/clarinet
– make a living primarily through professional level musical theater work

Proficiency on double reeds

I really want to pick up some double reeds! Oboe has been calling to me for years but I don’t have the money yet to get my hands on one.
And some day I’d love to play in a West End show.

playing double reed instruments

N/A

Ability to make double reeds.

Synth work.

Proficiency on double reeds

I would love to own one of each type woodwind from each instrument family.

Playing more pops orchestra shows

Playing more professional shows like a regional musical theater gig

Playing a musical and having a book that has oboe, flute, sax, and clarinet.

Broadway show in New York

Parity across all families of instruments

Become more fluid with double reds and flute

Better at jazz improv; skill on my doubles at level of primary instrument.

Broadway subbing, traveling tour sub

Getting a more consistent flute tone, and soloing better on both flute and clarinet

Be a consistent member of a union theater

Playing all instruments at the same skill level

I would LOVE to play in a real Broadway (or even touring) pit. With all that life demands, at this stage, that’s not a likely thing. But it would be rad. That’s about the only thing that could ever make me consider leaving teaching :)

Developing my own line of single reeds

Greater level of improvisational ability in various jazz styles, familiarity with a larger variety of ‘world’ instruments (esp. flutes)
Own remaining missing ‘standard’ instruments across all families (have still studied most that I don’t own but will lose access upon graduation)

I have a few dream shows, I’d like to commission a piece for 5 woodwind doublers

Great fluency in the jazz idiom. I was going to reserve that as a sabbatical project, but I got a head start with it as a pandemic project and it’s benefiting my classical playing on all instruments as well.

More theatre work

I want to create an online course or program to help woodwind doublers improve their flute/piccolo/alto flute skills, but I need to make sure there’s a market for that!

Learn bassoon, better flute ability

I would like to become a regular hire for a downtown theatre company in Boston. I would also like to learn bassoon.

Playing union rate shows more frequently

I would love to feel more confident while playing gigs. Even though I get called back, I never feel like I sound as good as some other doublers and I feel that I sound better at home than I do at the gig. Also I’d love to play at higher profile venues, Broadway tours, etc.

More frequent and regular doubling gigs

Find consistent playing opportunities.

To complete my doctorate and befome a professor of woodwinds at a university.

Owning an English Horn. Maybe Bassoon as well?

Improving my skills on instruments I have the least experience at. Purchasing more secondary instruments that I don’t have.

Play orchestral clarinet gigs

I would like to hone my skills on bassoon and clarinet (the two instruments I think I am best at besides my primary) and would love to gain more experience on the doubles I struggle with (flute and oboe). I would also enjoy becoming a “low reeds doubler” of sorts who specialized in A/T/B saxophone, bassoon, and bass clarinet.

Play with a professional show

Improving skills on my secondary instruments

Practice more

Try oboe again, but need an instrument.

learning oboe

Owning all the instruments most often seen in a reed 1 boom

Learn the double reeds. Play in a big tour/original production or West end. Study a multi woodwind degree, Play in an ensemble on just flute.

Do a paid gig

To sub on additional Broadway shows.

Just to get better?

To create my own music

Fluency in bassoon/flute, making multitrack videos which allow me to get chops up for wider array of woodwinds

A true Broadway gig, but that will have to wait!

the abilities of playing on each instruments at the same level as my primary instrument.

I achieved a tenure-track position this year. That was my goal. I need a new goal!

To play in national level musical theatre

Bassoon

Still working on tenor sax. I plan to branch out from the greater flute family at some point but reeds are incredibly different and require much more work on my end before I’ll feel comfortable with them.

To achieve the same level of proficiency as my main instrument.

Get better on flute

Study of double reeds

playing all my instruments at approximately a college undergraduate level, learning the oboe (no money for one yet), acquiring more of the secondary instruments (alto flute, bass clarinet, more saxophones – no money for those either)

Playing in some shows that, musically, are extremely complex and would be very challenging.

Full time woodwind playing work

Get pit work regularly

Mastery of oboe and bassoon.

Being proficient on all of the major woodwind family of instruments.

More Broadway shows as a local hire

I still want to get my flute and clarinet playing strong enough to do work in an orchestral setting

To be better at Oboe and Flute.

I would like to have regular, paid doubling gigs.

Improvise at the level I want to on oboe and english horn. Also to buy my own bass clarinet and set of low flutes.

I still need to improve my flute chops

Perform at the Dallas Summer Musicals

Publish a book on woodwind pedagogy, record a multiple woodwinds album and form a woodwind doubling chamber ensemble.

Would like to own every saxophone and eventually learn the double reed instruments

I want to reach the level of a Broadway doubler. Eddie Daniels is one of my heros.

Record more standard solo works on various woodwind doubles

Piccolo has always been a struggle for me and i would like to get some proficiency on that

Improve my clarinet playing.

Bringing my secondary instrument (Oboe) to the level of my primary instrument (Saxophone)

Take oboe lessons and become a stronger oboist

Would like to be called for more musicals

Learn Bassoon, Get clarinet to a very high level. Play on Broadway

Play musical theatre show on flute which is my weakest instrument

I would like to get better at bassoon and low reeds.

learn bass clarinet, and get hired for gigs on only secondary instrument[s]

buying a pro flute and reaching the same level on flute as my clarinet and sax. I might be interested in learning oboe later.

To improve my sax playing so that it is the same standard as my other instruments

Would like to get into folk woodwinds more.

I want to spend more time on improving my flute, sax, and bassoon to match my level on clarinet (the instrument I studied longest/most). My doubles are fine for playing shows and I have not run into any issues performing on them, but I know that there are areas of my playing on those instruments that I want to improve with continued study.

Bassoon.

Adding a 3rd instrument

I would love to woodwind double professionally. My dream is to be able to have a seat in a Broadway orchestra or on a cruise ship. I am also trying to get accepted to a woodwind doubling program in college (I’m a high school junior right now).

I play sax primarily, can play clarinet and oboe, want to be proficient on flute

Double reeds in musicals

Would like to play on a Broadway tour

Consistent musical theater doubler.

Playing on Broadway eventually

– to play every single woodwind instrument as best as possible. The listener should not hear differences between your primarly and secondary instruments.
– someday to play in NYC in a broadway show as a sub :-)

Playing in regional tours of Broadway shows, or playing in pits for more local/professional productions

Hoping to do my first doubling gig this fall!

I would like to add piccolo and alto flute capacity. I’d like to purchase a new high quality bass clarinet.

Play a Broadway show tour.

Making use of electronic wind instruments more mainstream in theatre pits as an alternative to shifting multiple parts to keyboards.

Saxophone altissimo work

College professor of one or more woodwind instrument

Sub on Broadway. Work to diversity Musical Theatre Pit Orchestras nation-wide through social justice initiatives.

I would like to achieve semi-professional level in at least one of my instrument families, and get paid to perform in a doubling context.

Permanent musical theatre pit orchestra member.

I’m looking to study clarinet in college, not necessarily in a woodwind-doubling context, but I would like to work both as a doubler and as a classical musician after college.

Playing certain musical theatre shows like Phantom of the Opera.

To get more comfortable with my flute playing. I’d like to get more comfortable with my technique in all registers so less overall practice is required when I take a flute gig. I’d also like to improve my tone quality so I feel less like an imposter when performing on flute.

Get better at my doubles

Wish I could play flute. Wish I owned a bari sax and a bass clarinet.

Adding bassoon— the final frontier!

Masters in multiple woodwinds

I want to play as a permanent member of a national/ international tour and possibly play on Broadway some day.

I would like to play in musicials, and i would like to become fluent on all 5 of the woodwind family members.

Learn to play oboe

I would very much like to improve my skills on flute.

I would like to play a doubling book for an original musical & record its cast album. Also, as a young student, my goal was to work towards a permanent doubling seat on Broadway. But now as an adult, I realize that theater can be made anywhere & there are other major cities producing fine theater.

Playing in professional level theatre orchestra

None to be honest. I’m completely satisfied with the opportunities I’ve had and there’s nothing really left on my doubling bucket list.

Feel confident taking a musical theatre gig with heavier flute requirements.

To better my double reed proficiency. I’ve taken oboe lessons for six months during Covid and improved significantly, but I need to purchase a different bassoon with short-reach keys before I can do much with it.

Play for a professional tour

Play in musicals at Broadway.

Getting my flutes chops on the same level as my sax/clarinet abilities. Improvising, particularly on flute.

Play more recitals.

Play for a professional level theater production

Being versatile enough on all the secondary instruments to not be nervous for a theatre or session call.

Playing for touring theatre shows

Technique-wise, get to a solid skill level on flute, bass clarinet, and soprano/baritone sax, and improve my tenor chops. In the future (after college), I’d like to be able to make a living at least partially from doubling in musical pits/cruise ships/etc.

Broadway!

To play in a pit on Broadway. Be a part of a studio recording

There are a few shows I’d like to do still.

I aim to play with characteristic expression & tone color on all my instruments, and to feel as comfortable improvising on all my instruments as I do on my primary.

I have yet to enter the world of paid doubling gigs, as many of my instruments are newly acquired. I’d love to double in a pit band/orchestra for theatre or similar.

Maintaining skills is a challenge. Steady practice time.

Acquiring a larger number of students on my secondary instruments

Release a jazz album displaying all my doubles on improvised solos.

To be known as a doubler on all 5 major woodwinds

Experience most of the major wind instruments

Learning bassoon

Improvising as comfortably on doubles, as on saxophone (primary instrument)

Play with a touring Broadway musical

Met my career goals, in general.

Making music with some of the best musicians in the world

doctoral level degree and college teaching

To be widely known as the best in my market.

Learn bassoon

Get the double reeds going, starting with Bassoon

A few more recordings I wish to do.

Get better on saxes

The goal is to be as proficient on clarient as saxophone.

I would like to get a gig in a significant production outside of community theater.

I would like to become proficient on all saxophones

Growth as an improviser, not only in “traditional” jazz, but also in folk/world and contemporary/avant-garde stlyes;
increased mastery of contemporary playing techniques (multiphonics, microtonality, etc.) on all instruments;
recording projects (multi-track and single instrument);
Possibly authoring pedagogical materials for aspiring doublers, especially aspiring double Reed musicians

Getting the last two familes of woodwinds up to the level of my “primary” three. Also, buy a contrabassoon.

learning bassoon

Be more regularly employed locally, without touring

Playing all instruments at a more accomplished level. If not then understanding better to be a better teacher of each instrument.

Solo recording with own arrangements

Extended technique knowledge/facility on “secondary” instruments

Master flute

Would love to do a few pro show seasons or even just sub.

Bring up the double reeds to a higher standard!

I’d love to become equally proficient in every woodwind instruments.

Getting in a Broadway musical pit

Be able to play flute equally well as clarinet and saxophone, buy an oboe/be able to use it as a double for theater and/or jazz big band, become a regularly contracted musician in my local professional theater scene

What are your proudest or most significant achievements as a woodwind doubler?

Responses given here in random order and lightly edited.

Playing my first book without a primary instrument.

Giving degree recitals on all of them.

Playing at major university graduation ceremonies

Being able to play flute proficiently as a sub on a show in Florida. I no longer have to transpose flute parts on the clarinet!

Getting into a DMA program in Multiple Woodwinds

Performed West Side Story multiple times.

Being able to teach beginners in middle school band settings and help them see it’s possible to do more than one. One student has gone on to become proficient in multiple woodwinds and is considering it for employment after college because of this setup.

Cover an Oboe/Eng Horn pit orchestra part after 6 weeks of playing (after not playing oboe for 30 years).

I’ve been a hired member of a national tour.

That sometimes at a gig people will think I’m a clarinetist until they hear me play the saxophone. The other proudest achievement was getting that look people give you when something really stood out in a good way, and it was after one of the piccolo solos in the Addam’s Family Reed 1 book

Helping with a workshop production of a new musical

Generally speaking, the times that I have been able to take what was once a double and represent myself as a specialist on that instrument are the memories that stand out (ex. playing principal chair or a major solo in an orchestra on my former “double,” performing on a former “double” at major a conference). Nothing too major to report here. :)

Feeling confident enough in my abilities to accept any and all doubling gigs… and getting called back to do more

Professional oboe/English horn playing

25 years in the Orpheum theater orchestra in Memphis.

Performing with a major musical production touring through the city. Also performing with one of the finest opera companies on earth (though not as a doubler)

Touring with a show and getting to know the other band members

Playing the oboe/English horn parts on WEST SIDE STORY and TUCK EVERLASTING.

Learning to play the flute to a professional standard

Getting non-doubling gigs on my secondary instruments as it makes me feel like I am legit on them rather than the stereotype of just a doubler who is dabbling.

Playing my first pit gig on oboe and tenor saxophone, and mostly teaching myself tenor sax and clarinet

Performing in over a hundred different groups / situations.

Being asked to play an off Broadway tour

Feeling adequate enough to finally step up and attempt flute for a live gig (Drowsy Chaperone)

I achieved a tenure-track position as assistant professor of flute and clarinet.

Traveling with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, being a first call sub at a union opera house.

my first season as a gig muscian

My proudest accomplishment was subbing on a few shows on Broadway, and having it all go well! I worked very hard preparing the books and following all of the advice I was given by peers and past teachers. The recurring positive comments I have heard from other reed players, music directors, and contractors has confirmed that I am on the right path. Working as a regular sub on Broadway has been one of my greatest performance (and life) accomplishments.

Depping in the west end

Being able to do orchestral excerpts better than majors – eg rhapsody in blue opening excerpt better than a clarinet major
Also getting recognised for my efforts.

Getting a contra alto clarinet solo in a wind ensemble.

Making a living on Broadway in NYC

One of my proudest achievements as a woodwind doubler was learning the book for my first show as a doubler. Another achievement was playing the Oboe/English Horn book in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I wasn’t proficient with double reeds at the time, so I transposed the whole book to saxophone! It was a lot of work, but it was totally worth it. Getting to play in a show gives me such a sense of joy!

Getting props from Edgar Meyer while playing contrabass clarinet on his own bass concerto

composing and performing a concerto for woodwind doubler and orchestra

One of only very few people within a 100km radius that plays all five woodwind families at a pro level, and owns the instruments.

Playing major difficult community theater pits like West Side Story and Chicago.

Being the teacher of record on two different instruments at a major university.

playing as a local hire of broadway tours in multiple cities in the region

Don’t know if this counts: In High School, after my sophomore year, our only oboe player graduated. My band director asked if I wanted to learn oboe over the summer, so I did. Played it the next two years in concert band (while playing alto sax in jazz band)

Graduating with my Masters in Multiple Woodwind Performance from NJCU! (And seeing my students succeed due to my skills as a doubler/educator.)

Being the first call for many of the Music Directors in my area.

Making oboe reeds that work!

When I first made a decent sound on a flute and then again on piccolo.

Being able to sight read the music on tenor sax an clarinet. Being able to cover my own part w/out another player sitting next to me to cover the clarinet part.

I played the whole run of community theater Once Upon a Mattress splitting both the horn book and the oboe book. (1/2 the run on horn, 1/2 the run on oboe)

Doubling in a jazz band

Getting paid as a doubler in a community theater setting, which is what I love doing.

West Side Story

Making first woodwind chair in a regonal production of “The Wizard Of Oz”

Appearing on several albums and soundtracks

Subbing on shows with lots of fast horn changes, difficult technical passages, and exposed solos, and doing it well. Finding time to practice, heh.

A collegiate musical premiere

At a read-through, playing more accurately than my colleagues

1. Recital with a world-class pianist, playing major literature on flute, clarinet, and alto sax. 2. Subbing flute/picc/clarinet/sax book on the 1st National tour of Les Miz with no rehearsal

My reputation as a doubler has grown and people identify my musicianship with this skill.

Subbing for Beautiful a Carole King Musical National Tour!

Being able to play what I’m needed to play on the instrument wanted.

Playing almost all of the woodwind books of West Side Story during various production runs.

Broadway shows

Broadway

Being able to play nearly any woodwind asked for

Oboe

West Side Story WW books…having played 3 different books over different shows.

I can now fluently cross the break on clarinet.

Playing on Broadway and LA Studio work. I also currently play on all the Disney on Ice recordings.

Being able to play at a level on each instrument where people assume each instrument is my only instrument

Playing more professional gigs that more heavily involved doubles, even gigs only on doubles (no saxophone)

Playing some sax heavy show books, laughing about my soprano sax debut.

Being able to come into a sub situation and knock it out of the park. I’ve gotten most of my regular gigs from subbing in musicals and jazz bands.

Getting the opportunity to play the pre-Broadway run of Frozen

Being on two national Broadway tours

Playing for Penn State School of Theatre productions.

Performing as a guest artist at the Aspen Music Festival on flute, clarinet, saxophone, and oboe

Learning oboe/English horn on request from beginner to anchoring the chair for a production of Les Mis in 6 months, and playing well enough that everyone who didn’t know me thought I was an oboist and asked to hire me for orchestra gigs only on oboe. 😂

I was part of a professional recording session in high school. In graduate school, I got to play in a side-by-side performance with the local professional orchestra.

Sight-reading on Broadway

Developing my abilities on my secondary instruments to gain enough confidence to seek out gigs including those instruments, knowing that I can manage them reasonably.

Arranging wind books and playing all three for an album

Playing a show where i had to cover sax and clarinet parts out of 5 reed books because the only other WW player was flute/piccolo. I basically made my own book.

got a call when the band need some doubles

Reed 2 – Music Man

An American in Paris – Westchester Broadway Theatre 2019

Moving to a new area and almost immediately getting gigs – also companies enjoying my playing and keeping me in the loop

professional work

Playing 7 instruments in one show; flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, soprano/alto/tenor saxophone.

Getting the opportunity to play for a filled production of beauty and the beast for Disney’s “Encores!”

Phone rings again

Playing clarinet/bass clarinet in my university’s top orchestra, subbing on clarinet in a semi-professional orchestra, playing clarinet/bass clarinet/alto flute on a Gil Evans repertory concert and getting complimented by a flute professor who didn’t know me

I was very hesitant to write this, as the gig has not happened yet. — But I recently booked a Broadway tour as a permanent member. I will be going later this year. I feel that this is a major milestone for me & it’s something ive been working towards since my youth.

Hearing my students progress.

I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to play so many different musical theater productions.

Having others in the ensemble not be able to tell which instruments are my primary/secondary

Getting a (part-time) University job before even completing my Masters.

Making a respectable living performing full-time as a doubler.

Being able to hold my own in an orchestra section on my secondary (bassoon in this case)

Playing a regional broadway show.

Top call woodwind doubler in Houston and playing An American in Paris movie score with the Houston Symphony (tenor sax/Bb clarinet)

Being able to read and pick up most parts on the spot, and being able to translate jazz improvisation to doubles

Live performance concerts with stars traveling to town to perform.

Being able to go from tenor sax to clarinet w/out a glitch. Really being able to nail the parts.

Subbing on Broadway, hearing myself in a film score for the first time.

extending my flute register was so rewarding, something i struggled with for a while.

Being asked by the music director of a show I was subbing in , which instrument was my primary. She could not tell.

Recording an album last year

called again by the contractor of a big city musical show a second time :-)

Performing as Reed 1 at the American Repertory Theater.

Making music with some of the best musicians in the world

6 Instruments on one musical.

I have enjoyed being able to play across multiple books with facility. I enjoy the challenge of performing multiple woodwinds at a single performance (typically a musical).

Subbing on a well known and long-standing Broadway musical.

Having a fine violinist in NYC tap me on the shoulder with her now and ask which of my six instruments in the gig was my first instrument. Of course I never told her

International competition wins on multiple instruments

I agreed to play a production is Oklahoma, knowing it would REALLY stretch my clarinet chops. I knew I’d be playing 2nd, to a far superior clarinetist/friend so I thought it would be great. All the bass was in the 2nd book, so she took that and said “You’re on 1st. Have fun!” It was terrifying, at first, but ended up being one of my best experiences and that one run raised my clarinet chops from passable (at best) to a place I felt confident, moving forward, taking predominantly clarinet books.

Receiving a return call to play from a contractor.

Live tv, session work, pro theatre

Being able to switch onto clarinet and still feel somewhat comfortable. Being given a very heavy doubling book all to myself show coming up!)

Playing West Side Story professionally.

Finally feeling comfortable on all my doubles but always more to learn

Regular, paid theater work at a local professionally managed theater

The Cor Anglais solo in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Forty years on Broadway, Concerts, recordings, tours

Working in musical theatre

Learning to play the Eb Clarinet for a specific gig.

Playing for a major cancer fundraiser cabaret event, personal connection and great musicians.

Playing the original US production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Dixieland and ragtime solos in musicals on secondary instrument, playing with a group of reeds where everyone is formally trained on their primary and very very good on the others

I have fairly quickly become one of the top woodwind players in the area and I (under normal circumstances) often have more offers to perform than will fit in my schedule. What more could I ask for?

Playing in the orchestra for the premiere of “Ain’t Too Proud”

Playing for touring musicals in Denver

Played in 117 different shows on Broadway

Become a competent oboist

Creating Doublers Collective

Touring Broadway show local hire.

I recorded an an album that featured a set of original music and features myself as a soloist on 10 different woodwinds.

Played on a few Broadway shows that passed through town

Broadway and first national tours.

Playing an entire reed book for a musical is very satisfying, particularly as a non-major/non-career musician

Performing on multiple secondary instruments that I taught myself and haven’t played very much and being successful. Playing 6 instruments for one Broadway musical.

Playing in multiple ensembles for fun

learning and playing in two community theatre performances at the same time

Community theatre is enough for me!😁 at least thus far

Playing the flute in a show, and people commenting that they thought it was an actual flutist. Playing clarinet in a Dixieland group.

High level of ability across most major woodwind families, high level of flexibility, and ability to learn quickly (either styles or instruments)

Hired to play flute books on shows

Playing several touring shows as local hire. Being by company to play in another city because they liked my work.

That I can play multiple instruments

Playing (tenor/clarinet) with Lady Gaga in her Jazz & Piano show in Vegas. Outside of that, all of the subbing I’ve done on production shows and musicals.

National Tour

Becoming the alto sax player at six flags fiesta texas

easily switching between different families of winds

Being reviewed by you!

When someone thinks a double is my primary

Building a solid reputation as being a great musician and nice person.

Woodwind-doubling has checked items of my bucket list I never knew I had! Because of doubling, I have gotten to tour the world and have landed in a lovely corner of the world.

Touring Japan with a show. Also performing with celebrity artists like Johnny Mathis

Reading an entire musical book that used 98% flute

I have a contracted position in a pit orchestra where I play over 100 performances per year.

My flute sound.

Masters recital at UNT where I performed on all five woodwind instruments

1. Writing and recording my own works. 2. Film scores

Being able to play both flute and dizi for multiple concerts in a wide variety of musical group types (ethnic orchestra, concert band, guitar ensemble, etc.)

Being told that they couldn’t tell what my primary instrument was.

Traveling with a production to perform at the International Thespian Society Conference in Nebraska

Playing flute for the first time in a show this weekend!:)) Being flexibile!:) Being able to play so many shows!:)

Flute: learning Nielsen’s flute concerto
Clarinet: learning the Brahms sonatas
Saxophone: final recording project (small group jazz) for my undergraduate degree

Being hired to do full performances on secondary instruments

Being the first to incorporate electronic wind instruments into professional theatre pits in my area.

Talking about ocarinas long enough that people around me became interested in the instrument, eventually resulting in the credits song of this piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92HX8Zstijs

I landed myself on a national tour of a musical

Getting a gig where I had to play 14 instruments in one night, while simultaneously compèring for the event!

Becoming just as sufficient on flute as the other flute majors at my university.

playing bassoon and contrabass clarinet for my university’s production of a musical after having “played” clarinet for all of six weeks

Winning a Premier Military Big Band seat

I had to pick up clarinet for a university jazz gig after having not played in about two years and it went really well.

Hired for a show at a professional summer stock theater

Some shows made me get good at instruments. For example bass clarinet and clarinet.

I’m proud of when I played reed 3 on Annie as it was the first time I did a show that didn’t include my primary instrument.

Playing a show with a Bari on a harness and making the switch to the bass clarinet in 4 beats

I am most proud of getting into a Master’s degree and switching from a flute primary to oboe primary.

Being the only doubler in high school band concerts

I received two awards for “best instrumentalist” in high school for two different instruments. It allowed me to get a significant music scholarship.

Being a big band MD commissioning new works and being able to offer composers the choice of lots of woodwinds

Getting my first paid gig in a pit band

Playing in various orchestras with directors on different Instruments at different times, and then not suspecting that I wasn’t on my primary instrument.

Thanks again for your participation and stay tuned for more survey results.

Woodwind playing and pedagogy

Larry Krantz on not doubling
ByBret Pimentel July 15, 2008March 16, 2017
If you’re not familiar with the Larry Krantz Flute Pages, you need to surf right on over and spend a few hours. Mr. Krantz has been building a major hub for web-connected flutists since back before many of us knew about the Internet. His site is a positively huge repository of flute-related wisdom, including contributed content by the likes of Trevor Wye, John Wion, and Robert Dick.

Mr. Krantz was a doubler in years past, apparently quite accomplished on flute, clarinet, and saxophone, and at least a dabbler in oboe. Nearly twenty years ago, however, he decided to give up doubling to focus on his flute playing.

Mr. Krantz discusses his decision at some length here, in excerpts from discussions on the FLUTE mailing list. While he speaks fondly of his years as a doubler, and points out many of the benefits of doubling, his ultimate conclusion was that doubling was not for him. The primary reason he gives for this decision is that, in his admittedly well-qualified opinion, it simply isn’t possible to maintain a truly fine embouchure on multiple instruments. Read More “Larry Krantz on not doubling”
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Woodwind organizations
ByBret Pimentel September 30, 2009January 3, 2018
I recently renewed a few memberships in some of the woodwind-related professional organizations. I like to stay current with as many of these as I can, because I enjoy receiving their publications and attending their conferences whenever possible. Most offer some other benefits like score and book lending libraries, eligibility for a group instrument insurance plan, member directories, and exclusive website content.

Membership is especially useful for woodwind folks in academia—students and professors alike—who are hoping to build their vitae. There are opportunities to publish articles, interviews, reviews, and such in the organizations’ publications, and to perform, present lectures and demonstrations, and participate in competitions and masterclasses at the conferences. Students can usually join the organizations and attend the conferences at significant discounts.

The groups I’m listing below are the major ones that North American woodwind players ought to seriously consider joining. There are others, mainly regional groups, of which I list as many as I’m aware elsewhere on this site (see flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone organizations). Read More “Woodwind organizations”
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Making sense of third-octave flute fingerings
ByBret Pimentel February 17, 2015January 2, 2018
I recall as a beginning flutist (coming from background in saxophone) finding the third-octave fingerings to be a confusing, illogical jumble, but they do actually make some sense. There is an incorrect explanation for these fingerings that I hear every so often, and have seen published on a couple of flute-related blogs recently. It goes something like this: the flute’s third-octave fingerings are some kind of combination of two different first/second-octave fingerings. For example:

+ = ?

Or…

+ = ?

If I squint my eyes just right I can sort of see how this almost makes sense fingerings-wise and overtones-wise, but ultimately this system is unnecessarily confusing and also doesn’t reflect acoustical realities.

Here’s a better way to look at third-octave flute fingerings: they are the same as the first/second octave fingerings, with a vent opened. This is very similar to how upper registers are achieved on the reed instruments: by adding an octave or register key or releasing a whisper key to open a vent. Since the flute doesn’t have dedicated vent holes, toneholes are used.

For some of the third octave notes, additional keys must be added or subtracted to improve pitch, tone, or response; again this is analogous to the systems used for the reed instruments. But here are the simplest examples of opening single vents for the third octave:

→ open vent →

→ open vent →

→ open vent →

→ open vent →

It is probably worth pointing out that having any “system” for remembering fingerings is just a crutch; for a performing musician, the only practical “system” is to thoroughly habituate them to the point that no conscious thought is required. Practice carefully and be on the alert for dubious pedagogy.

Make your own handsome woodwind fingering diagrams with the Fingering Diagram Builder
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Q&A: Woodwind doubling advice
ByBret Pimentel May 24, 2023May 29, 2023
A couple of weeks ago I put out a call for questions, in honor of today being the fifteenth anniversary of this blog. A bunch of the questions boiled down to: what advice do you have on woodwind doubling? Here are a few answers:
- Be a beginner on each instrument. Take the time to work through beginner materials (starting probably with pages of whole notes!), scales, and so forth. Resist the temptation to dive in on advanced or even intermediate repertoire.
- Get comfortable with a long timeline. You can’t reach the highest levels of playing on a bunch of instruments in the same time that your peers are reaching the highest levels on single instruments, unless you’re a lot more talented than me. And you can’t afford to buy a section’s worth of top-quality instruments in that same time frame, either, unless you’re a lot richer than me.
- Prioritize what motivates you. Lots of aspiring doublers seem very concerned about what instrument they “should” learn next. There’s no roadmap, and it’s hard to predict what gigs might come your way in the future. So you might as well devote your time, effort, and money to whichever instrument you feel most excited about adding to your collection.
- Be skeptical of instruments, accessories, method books, etc. that are marketed as “for doublers.” If you want to play clarinet like a clarinetist, use what the clarinetists use.
Some other readers asked about the “secrets” to practicing multiple instruments.

As far as I know there aren’t any; if you want to play three or five instruments well, plan to put in three or five times as many hours. I’ve posted previously about an approach to an instrument rotation for practicing, but it really depends on you particular set of instruments, abilities, and goals.

Another reader asked how hard it was for me to learn secondary instruments.

Beyond general musicianship skills (like reading music or blending into an ensemble), I don’t think there’s a lot of useful cross-training effect. In other words, no instrument is a good shortcut to learning another, at least not learning it well. But I do think there are underlying concepts that can be useful for thinking of the woodwind family and its techniques as part of a unified whole. (I address those concepts in my book Woodwind Basics, or sprinkled throughout the last 15 years of blog posts.)

Someone else asked about when to get serious about woodwind doubling (high school? undergraduate studies? graduate school?), which is something I’ve opined about previously.

Everyone’s circumstances are different, but for my undergraduate music majors (and for me when I was in that stage) there are a couple of things that need to happen in their development: gain a certain level of mastery at operating the instrument itself, and develop a certain maturity of musicianship. While these things should be in development concurrently, achieving the first is ultimately a prerequisite to achieving the second. (You can’t fully execute a mature musical idea if you’re held back by technical deficiencies.) I think it can be a fun side pursuit to pick up an additional instrument or two in high school or college, but I think many people won’t be ready to pursue professional-level playing on multiple instruments until graduate school, and then won’t achieve it within the time frame of a graduate degree.

Another reader asked questions about pursuing a career in playing in musical theater orchestras: is it worthwhile to go on to graduate school? How do you get more gigs (cold-call theaters? take lessons with Broadway players)?

Graduate degrees (or any degrees) aren’t necessary for just about any kind of gig work, although they can provide useful training to improve your skills, gain some experience, and network with fellow musicians.

I would say don’t call theaters. Venues are unlikely to hire musicians directly. Instead, you want to connect with the musical directors or contractors who are likely hiring the orchestra members. Direct outreach to those folks might be effective in some cases. But a lot of musical directors, if they call their usual players and find them unavailable, will ask them for recommendations, so the musicians already playing the gigs you want are both your competition and your best chances at getting hired. Taking lessons is a possible way to get a foot in the door. Sometimes just catching them after a show, introducing yourself, complimenting their playing, and handing over a business card can be enough to get you on their radar.

Additionally, a career exclusively playing musicals would be an oddity. Most woodwind players who do musicals do lots of kinds of gigs. Develop your skills, build your network, and see what possibilities come your way.

Someone else asked a question about the history of multiple woodwinds degree programs.

This isn’t something I have dug into enough to answer with any confidence, but it would make a nice thesis or dissertation for someone working on a multiple woodwinds graduate degree. I do know that I’ve heard lots of folks confidently make conflicting claims about which degree programs were first or biggest or best, or about how the number or configuration or quality of degree programs has changed.

Thanks for the thoughtful questions!
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The future of woodwind instruments
ByBret Pimentel August 20, 2023August 30, 2023
Here are a few predictions (or wishes) about the woodwind instruments we might be able to buy in the future.

Personalized ergonomics

With the amount of worry musicians expend over repetitive motion injuries and other playing-related ailments, it’s truly baffling that instruments are still almost entirely a one-size-fits-all affair.

For just one example: for generations, saxophonists have applied cork or other stuff to their palm keys to help avoid collapsing the hand to press them. Most of the finest saxophones in the world still offer palm keys in a single height, meant to accommodate child and adult hands, male and female hands, large and small hands. (A couple of exceptions are Keilwerth’s wrench-adjustable left hand palm keys, and Cannonball’s “Stone Series” instruments, which can be purchased or retrofitted with stone touchpieces of varying heights for both left and right palm keys.) And this is only one of the ergonomic issues of saxophones and other woodwinds.

Imagine buying a production woodwind instrument that had fully adjustable keywork that could be matched to your individual hands. This could be done with interchangeable parts, or with keywork adjustable via screws or other means.

Related to this is a need to re-examine the possibilities of plateau (“closed”) keys. Most of the modern woodwinds have at least some fingerholes or keys with holes in them, and these cannot be moved to accommodate ergonomics without affecting pitch and tone. But the touchpieces on a saxophone or bass clarinet can largely be located according to convenience, to open or close toneholes somewhere else on the instrument’s body. Our largely unfounded derision of plateau keys on woodwind instruments prevents us from embracing much better ergonomic possibilities.

New materials

Far too much credit is given to materials, especially if those materials are costly and pretty, for their contribution to an instrument’s sound. Inventors have created incredible new materials for aerospace, automotive, and electronics applications. Why couldn’t we make woodwind instruments out of amazing new materials that are inexpensive, crack- and dent-resistant, sustainable, lightweight, and beautiful? (Buffet-Crampon’s “Greenline” instruments are an example of high-quality instruments made from synthetic materials.)

A move to new materials could reduce investment in instrument purchase and maintenance, prevent the heartbreak of a new clarinet or oboe cracking, stop over-harvesting of certain woods, and reduce repetitive-motion injuries.

And it wouldn’t be the first time woodwind players gave up traditional materials for better ones; there aren’t a lot of players still using boxwood flutes and clarinets.

Imagine, too, the possibilities of reeds and pads that are long-lasting, stable, and consistent.

Player-maintainable

It’s axiomatic among woodwind players that good instrument technicians are getting harder to find. In my rural area, it’s a 2½-hour drive to a city where I can get my high-quality instruments worked on competently, by people doing instrument repair in their homes rather than in music stores or commercial repair shops.

Many woodwind instruments have at least some adjustment screws or other relatively intuitive ways to keep them adjusted and playing well. Installing pads is still somewhat of a specialist art, but imagine how that could change with improved materials for pads and for toneholes, and with approaches like MusicMedic’s “self-leveling” Neo Pads.

Imagine instruments that are user-adjustable using common household tools or tools included with the instrument, supplemented with detailed instructional videos. Some routine tasks like pad or bumper replacement could become the player’s responsibility, or something that could be done by a minimally-trained music store employee, school band director, or private teacher.

Your turn

Let me know what features and qualities you would like to see in the woodwind instruments of the future!
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