Favorite blog posts, November 2022
- DoctorFlute (Angela McBrearty): How to NOT Go Flat at the End of Notes
- Jenny Maclay (clarinet): Repertoire Recommendations Based on Standard Repertoire
- oboeinsight (Patty Mitchell): Advice from an Old Musician
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Favorite blog posts, January 2018
Just a few to share this month:
- Betsy Sturdevant shares some key ways to improve your bassoon playing.
- Oboist Christa Garvey gives advice on reedmaking, especially for students in a reed class setting.
- Saxophonist Sam Newsome offers tips on developing a personal “brand” as a musician.
Favorite blog posts, July 2016
- Theresa Koenig gives a brief history of the bassoon.
- Flutist Terri Sánchez shares an interesting idea for making long tones fun. (No reason these couldn’t be adapted for other instruments.)
- Jenny Maclay outlines some factors in clarinet tuning.
Favorite blog posts, September 2014
- Flutist Katherine Emeneth gives some advice to students preparing to rehearse with a collaborative pianist.
- Saxophone maker Steve Goodson discusses some of the developments related to his saxophones over two decades. Whether or not you have interest in Goodson’s instruments particularly, it’s an interesting look at saxophone manufacture and innovation. Long read.
- Bassoonist Christin Schillinger shares some insights on practicing and time management.
- On Powell’s Teach Flute blog, Morgann Davis discusses some pros and cons of the split-E mechanism.
- Bassoonist Betsy Sturdevant muses on playing in spaces with varying acoustical properties.
- Timothy Owen lists the three things you need to know to play the saxophone.
- Bassoonist Trent Jacobs explains some useful electronic effects for amplified bassoon playing.
- Clarinet Cache catalogs some useful online bass clarinet resources.
- Bassoonist Kristopher King recommends keeping an audition journal. (Warning: site has auto-playing music.)
Favorite blog posts, October 2017
- The International Clarinet Association blog provides an introduction to Kornel Wolak’s research on clarinet articulation.
- Érik González shares five tips to improve the oboe reedmaking process.
- Saxophonist Andy Austin does postmortem on a disappointing performance.
- Clarinetist Denise Gainey shares a personal experience with anxiety and self-care.
- Saxophonist Bill Plake takes a deep dive on warming up.
- Bassoonist David Pierce reflects on 35 years of growth as a teacher [update: link dead].
- Jennifer Fraley shares some alternate fingerings for E-flat clarinet.
- Flutist Jennifer Cluff reveals a favorite resource for study of ornaments.
- Stephen Caplan examines the connection between oboe playing and some gastric phenomena.
Favorite blog posts, May 2014
Kind of a short list this month, so either all the bloggers are on summer vacation or I am getting pickier.
- The eminent Nicholas Daniel gives us the inside scoop on judging a high-level oboe competition.
- Saxophonist Ben Britton shares some ideas about overtone practice. (Also: I got a sneak preview of the new overtone book Ben mentions, and it’s excellent. Review to come.)
- Flutist Jennifer Cluff reports on an Emmanuel Pahud masterclass.
- Saxophonist Matt Otto suggests playing with no tongue.
- Trent Jacobs shares an interesting idea about trying new bassoons.
Favorite blog posts, July 2026
- Hodge Products, Inc.: Latest News: The Geometry Of Tube Cane
- Jennifer Cluff (flute): Whistles to Flute in "Come From Away" the Musical
- Aaron Lakota: Oboe Reed Gouging: Understanding Side Thickness for Better Reeds
- Stohrer Music: Adolphe Sax's Last Patent: A Man Ahead of His Time