Favorite blog posts, August 2020

From the woodwind blogs in August:

• Reports on the International Clarinet Society’s 2014 “ClarinetFest” (held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA) by Josh Johnson and, of course, on the ClarinetFest blog. (My own brief general report is here, plus a report on my own presentation on woodwind doubling.)
• Reports on the International Double Reed Society conferences (New York City) by Jennet Ingle, Patty Mitchell, and Robin Tropper (parts one and two).
• A sort-of-report (sort-of-advertisement) on the National Flute Association conference on the Powell Flutes blog.
• “TFox” examines the issue of ivory bassoon bell rings.
• Oboist Jennet Ingle comments on the maturity that comes with experience. In, I think, a sort of related vein, she also discusses perfectionism and “mistakes.”
• Clarinetist Heather Roche gives some tips on double tonguing.
• Saxophonist Jeff Cunningham suggests some guidelines for determining the right reed strength for you. His site is geared toward less-experienced players, but in my opinion a number of “advanced” players could use a refresher on this.
• Saxophonist Sam Sadigursky explains an approach to help with mastering scales.
• Adam Berkowitz shares and comments on a very cool video of some bleeding-edge electronic bass clarinet playing and technology (most of the playing is by Matthias Müller).
• Saxophonist Jody Espina shares his “squeak-be-gone” exercise.
• Saxophonist Bill Plake compares routine and process in practicing.