- Michael Dean shares a bibliography of editions and resources for the Rose clarinet etudes.
- Alain Vlamynck makes some Baroque oboe reeds. (French language.)
- Flutist Douglas Worthen offers some tips on playing Berio’s Sequenza I.
The bassoon’s special(?) staccato
I have a vague memory from childhood, well before my bassoon-playing days, of learning that the bassoon had some special quality to its staccato notes. (From an educational tv show? a children’s book on musical instruments? I can’t recall.) My impression was that this sound was different in some way than staccato produced on other … Read more
Frequently-asked questions about woodwind doubling, and their unpopular answers
Q. Should I be a woodwind doubler? A. In most cases, no. If you already feel driven to do it, and have the time and resources to devote to it, then maybe. Q. What’s the trick to getting in enough practice time on all these instruments? A. Figure out what to de-prioritize in your life … Read more
Buying more instruments, or making do with what you have
I get asked every so often whether it’s a good idea for a woodwind doubler to try to have a fairly “complete” set of instruments, or whether it’s better to make do with a few and make substitutions as needed. For example, do you need a B-flat clarinet and an A clarinet, or can you just transpose? … Read more
Favorite blog posts, July 2018
Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, July 2018 edition.
How to write boring program notes
Things to include in your program notes for maximum boredom: More than a sentence (two, tops) of general biography on the composer. Unremarkable facts about the piece’s structure (sonata form! key of F!). A blow-by-blow description (first there is a kind of sad theme! it starts out low and soft but then it gets higher … Read more
Reedmaking and choosing your college oboe or bassoon professor
If you’re considering a school where you might study with someone who isn’t a performer on your double reed instrument, it would be worthwhile to find out their plan for teaching you reedmaking.
Problem-specific vs. general solutions
I hinted at this idea in my recent post about clarinet undertones: Many of the ideas shared by the distinguished authors seemed like just descriptions of good basic clarinet technique (“ensure correct, stable embouchure formation,” “establish breath support/air pressure before releasing tongue”). … If you can play with a beautiful, characteristic tone, mostly in tune, … Read more
Favorite blog posts, June 2018
Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, June 2018 edition.
Voicing and clarinet undertones
A few months ago I shared a list of published opinions on how to avoid undertones on the clarinet. Many of the ideas shared by the distinguished authors seemed like just descriptions of good basic clarinet technique (“ensure correct, stable embouchure formation,” “establish breath support/air pressure before releasing tongue”). I agree that the most important … Read more