Favorite blog posts, May 2015

May 31, 2015January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Good stuff from the woodwind blogs in May:

Cate Hummel offers tips on diagnosing flute tone issues.
Felix from The Saxophone Corner takes a closer look at the mythology of the Selmer Mark VI.
Oboist Jennet Ingle uses powerful breath support.
Saxophonist Bill Plake suggests four questions to ask yourself while practicing.
Bassoonist William Short shares an infographic on practicing.
Saxophonist Sam Newsome discusses confident performance in a couple of posts.

Favorite blog posts, April 2015

April 30, 2015January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Enjoy:

Oboist Patty Mitchell wrote so many good posts this month that I just couldn’t decide, so here’s one about getting over reed stress, one about not making excuses, and one about half-hole technique.
Saxophonist Bill Plake discusses a problem with teaching and learning music.
Clarinetist Sandy Herrera dares to set the metronome aside, sometimes.
Barry Stees suggests a do-it-yourself fix for the problematic low D on bassoon.
Clarinetist Rachel Yoder describes a system for quantifying practicing progress.
William Short shares some lesser-known bassoon high note fingerings (with very attractive diagrams).
“Vintage Clarinet Doctor” Jeremy Soule explains the difference between a re-pad and an overhaul.

Favorite blog posts, January 2015

January 31, 2015January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Interesting and useful woodwindy blog posts from January:

Saxophonist Connie Frigo discusses fearless performance, and also teaching outside the studio. (This one is technically from the very end of December.)
Flutist Rachel Taylor Geier shares a thorough, holistic approach to New Year’s resolutions for musicians (it’s not too late).
Jennet Ingle bravely shares an experience with forgetting her oboe reeds, and because of this experience questions her usual pre-performance rituals.
Saxophonist Bill Plake discusses how we sit and stand when we play, and how we could do it better.
Cate Hummel shares some nice fingering tips for the third octave.
Woodwind doubler David Erato reminds us to keep our instruments well maintained.
Flutist Naomi Seidman discusses ways to improve breathing (on the Powell Teach Flute blog).
Jeff Cunningham gives advice to beginning saxophonists (or other musicians) who are struggling with motivation to practice.

Favorite blog posts, December 2014

December 31, 2014January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 2 Comments

Some highlights from the woodwind blogosphere in December:

Cate Hummel discusses the qualities of a good beginner-level flute. Good advice for those willing to do their homework; not a glib list of models to buy (which would just go out of date quickly anyway).
Bassoonist Cayla Bellamy finds inspiration to attempt the impossible.
Saxophonist Bill Plake prefers a good teacher (or good self-teaching) over a rigid “method.”
Doubler “ericdano” shares a list of favorite blogs (sort of jazz-saxophone-oriented) from the past year. Thanks for the mention!
The always-insightful Barry Stees shares a tip for diagnosing and fixing (cheaply and easily!) a common bassoon defect.
Sherman Friedland discusses the first three notes of the Debussy clarinet rhapsody (and more).
“Komuso Lady” from A Shakuhachi Journey muses on intonation.

Favorite blog posts, October 2014

October 31, 2014January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Lots of very fine woodwind-related blog posts this month.

Barry Stees exposes a common bassoon technique weakness (even for players at the highest level) and begins to explore solutions (promising more to come).
Oboist Susan Laney Spector explains some of the difficulties musicians face in the highly-competitive world of orchestral auditions.
Jennet Ingle has a breakthrough with an oboe student just by teaching some vocabulary.
Saxophonist Bob Reynolds does some YouTube archaeology and shows the difference a couple of decades can make in musical maturity, even for a very accomplished player.
Anna Norris and Nicolasa Kuster each share their experiences auditioning for the Chicago Symphony principal bassoon vacancy.
Cate Hummel advises against the “kiss and roll” method of teaching flute.
Oboist Patty Mitchell comments on practicing quantity vs. quality.
Jennifer Cluff shares a methodical flute warmup.
Flutist Katherine Emeneth shares a roundup of tips for “potent practicing.”
Saxophonist Bill Plake explains how to approach technique a little less, well, technically.
David Pierce rounds up some editions and recordings of the Mozart bassoon concerto.
“The Phantom Clarinet” at the Adventures in Woodwindland blog explores the extended low register of the bassoon.
Saxophonist Ben Britton reviews a new weird gadget that, to my surprise, seems to be getting a number of positive reviews. (I haven’t tried it.)
On Powell Flutes’s Flute Builder blog: how a wooden headjoint is cut.

Favorite blog posts, August 2014

August 31, 2014January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 1 Comment

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.

Favorite blog posts, July 2014

July 31, 2014January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 1 Comment

I am closing out July in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at ClarinetFest. Report forthcoming. For now, enjoy my best-of-the-woodwind-blogs for the past month.

David Wells shares a useful, sortable table of Vivaldi’s 39 bassoon concerti, and discusses their complicated cataloguing.
Heather Roche continues her project of documenting the clarinet’s extended technique possibilities with a chart of close-dyad multiphonics.
Ed Joffe shares a 2006 interview with jazz saxophonist and flutist Lew Tabackin.
John Witt explores some of the acoustical concepts related to oboe reeds.
Jennifer Cluff addresses some questions about neck tension and the flute. (If you have pain, please consider blog posts to be supplementary information to that provided by qualified medical professionals.)
Jennet Ingle exercises patience when returning to the oboe after a short hiatus.
Saxophonist Bill Plake works on “microskill” projects.
Trent Jacobs invents an improved bassoon A-flat/B-flat trill mechanism in the shower, and has one made for his own instrument. (As it turns out, someone else beat him to the idea, but it’s still cool.)
Sam Newsome discusses the ongoing influence of soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, and shares a who’s-who of current jazz soprano players.
Matt Stohrer comments on the potential viability of a 3D-printed saxophone.

Favorite blog posts, March 2014

March 31, 2014January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Recommended reading from the woodwind blogs in March:

“Komuso Lady” at A Shakuhachi Journey blogs about tsu meri difficulties. Even for players of “modern” Western woodwinds, there are good thoughts here on getting to know your instrument and its tendencies intimately.
Betsy Sturdevant offers some commentary and tips on playing bassoon 1 on the Firebird Suite.
Patty Mitchell shares some reed advice for oboe students.
At the “MetOrchestraMusicians” blog, a nice infographic about reeds. (Hat-tip to Patty Mitchell for this one.)
Saxophonist Timothy Owen explains his reed preparation and finishing process.
Clarinetist Adam Berkowitz offers some insightful responses and expansions to my recent blog post about uncompensated gigs.
Saxophonist Bill Plake keeps a level head about equipment (suitable for players of all instruments).

Favorite blog posts, December 2013

December 31, 2013January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 1 Comment

Here are the woodwind-related blog posts that made my “nice” list for December. (One from late November seems to have slipped in here, too.)

On his new blog, Timothy Owen explains how he tunes his saxophone like an M-16 assault rifle.
Bassoonist Betsy Sturdevant (of the Columbus Symphony) reveals her basic reedmaking method.
Cooper Wright doesn’t just play the oboe, he plays the concert hall.
Theresa Koenig domesticates a wild recorder.
David Freeman experiences a gig frustration common to woodwind doublers.
Jennet Ingle plays the oboe while sick, and learns some things about her playing.
Trent Jacobs shares a good contrabassoon fingering chart.
Saxophonist Bill Plake discusses advanced metronome usage.
Steve Moffett uses a vibrato exercise to develop his flute tone.
Jeff Cunningham has a literary adventure in the saxophone’s upper register.
Matt London asks some important questions about the “classical” tenor saxophone.
Bassoonist Christin Schillinger clears up some misconceptions about practicing.

Enjoy!

Favorite blog posts, November 2013

November 30, 2013January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 1 Comment

Some good stuff from the woodwind blogs in November:

I’m totally stoked that oboist Cooper Wright is blogging again, from a new location. Add this one to your RSS reader to follow his transition into a new job as co-principal oboist of the Thailand Philharmonic, and, of course, his endless reedmaking.
Saxophonist Steve Neff reviews the new John Coltrane Omnibook.
Helen Bledsoe searches for the elusive tin oboe. Spoiler alert: she doesn’t find one, but she tries some interesting things along the way.
Saxophonist Bill Plake warms up body and mind.
Bassoonist Betsy Sturdevant thoroughly prepares the Beethoven 4 solo.
Matt Otto takes a closer look at the 8th-note “swing” feel of three of the great jazz saxophonists. (Please don’t make the “oh, it’s just triplets” mistake.)
Jennet Ingle reminds us that effective doubling requires more than just being able to play the solos.
Adam at A Classical Journey is studying musical instrument repair and documenting the experience very thoroughly. The class has started its woodwind unit, so if you’re fascinated by this stuff like I am, then now is the time to tune in.