Favorite blog posts, June 2022

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I usually try to avoid sharing multiple posts from the same blog in the same month, but here are a couple of woodwind blogs that produced multiple high-quality articles in June:

See the woodwind blogs I’m following, and suggest others!

Review: Griff Musical Products EWI Stand

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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 … Read more

What to listen for (or ignore) in cane vs. synthetic reed comparisons

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selective focus photography of gray stainless steel condenser microphone

With the recent release of the second-generation Venn clarinet and saxophone reeds from D’Addario Woodwinds, there’s a new rush of YouTube videos and social media posts comparing them to cane reeds (and/or to other synthetics). Here are a few questions raised by those kinds of comparisons that you should be cautious of: “Do synthetic reeds … Read more

What to expect in your first semester studying music in college

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books file on shelf

Jumping in the deep end. In some college majors, you will spend your first couple of years doing “general education” courses (like writing, math, history, and science), and not take many “major” classes until later on. But with music, you usually start on day one with a lot of music classes. A thorough and varied … Read more

Doubling up pinky fingers on the clarinet

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There are two basic fingerings a clarinetist can use for B4: option 1 option 2 But there are some other possibilities, such as adding either of the pinky C keys. Doing this doesn’t open or close any additional toneholes, so the note isn’t affected at all: option 3 option 4 While the extra pinky finger … Read more

Why you should use a scale sheet

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My university students take a scale exam covering all the major and 3-forms-of-minor scales, plus arpeggios, in all 12 keys, memorized. In preparation, I provide them with a scale “sheet,” with all of the scales and arpeggios written out note by note. There’s a part of my brain that objects to this, since I don’t … Read more

Favorite blog posts, April 2022

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Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, April 2022 edition.

Creating “lightness”

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a white feather pen

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 … Read more