Favorite blog posts, January 2017

January 31, 2017January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 1 Comment

The flute bloggers have been busy this month.

Cynthia Ellis offers some ideas on altering flute fingerings with the right pinky.
Saxophonist Bill Plake provides some clarity on economy of movement vs. economy of effort.
Flutist Nicole Riner shares some ideas and resources related to the importance of hard work over talent.
Clarinetist Chastine Hofmeister gives some advice to young musicians on solo competitions.
Flutist Jolene Harju offers suggestions on rejuvenating your warm-up routine.
Flutist Nicole Chamberlain suggests prioritizing.

Favorite blog posts, December 2016

December 31, 2016January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Saxophonist Bill Plake discusses the relationship between strength and coordination in instrumental technique.
Jenny Maclay lists some important clarinet repertoire, in a festive format.
Clarinetist Denise Gainey shares a funny and relatable gig story.
David Pierce offers exercises for upper-register bassoon playing in sharp keys. I also liked this mini-etude for dealing with some common in-the-staff issues.
Khara Wolf compiles some information on making English horn reeds.
Oboist Patty Mitchell reminds us about posture and practicing.

Favorite blog posts, October 2016

October 31, 2016January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Rachel Taylor Geier offers a “practice blueprint” for the Poulenc flute sonata. I also liked her post on playing second flute (applicable to players of other instruments, too).
Meri Dolevski-Lewis makes a case for not hiring woodwind doublers for performing or teaching gigs.
Flutist Deanna Mathews Kilbourne discusses what an electronic tuner (or tuner app) is and isn’t good for.
Saxophonist Ben Britton explains his theory about ligature position.
Chris Hankin lists and comments on classical-period flute concerti by composers who aren’t Mozart.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay shares warm-up routines in small, medium, and large sizes.
Cate Hummel offers suggestions on teaching the flute’s third octave.
“Quinn the Eskimo”(?) expounds the history of the Mazzeo-system clarinet, with references.
Eryn Oft discusses bassoons in the less-than-$5000 category. (Fair warning: she appears to have some kind of financial arrangement with one of the makers in question.)
Bassoonist and historical-woodwinds player Theresa Koenig shares her experience with practicing and Alexander Technique.
Saxophonist Bill Plake recommends practicing with vision.

Favorite blog posts, August 2016

August 31, 2016January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 1 Comment

The Clarinet Online, the International Clarinet Association’s blog, gives reports on many of their August conference events. Jessica Harrie also makes a report, as does Chastine Hofmeister (two posts).
Cynthia Ellis shares a couple of third-octave piccolo trill fingerings.
The “Clarinet Things” blog outlines a method for practicing scales. Saxophonist Ben Britton shares some tips for polishing them.
Oboist Aaron Lakota gives some advice on breaking out of a “reed rut.”
Sandy Herrera is running a clarinet audition-prep challenge.
Woodwind player David Freeman relates an experience playing for a musical.
Eric Seddon comments on some jazz clarinet history.
Simon Barker offers advice on how to record a saxophone.
Oboist Jennet Ingle discusses her experience recording an album.
“Ericdano” reveals some saxophonists’ favorite electronic effects pedals.
Saxophonist Bill Plake explores “compression” and wind playing.

Favorite blog posts, April 2016

April 30, 2016January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Saxophonist Steve Neff shares a Joe Allard overtone exercise. (Read the comments section, too.)
Clarinetist Diana Haskell shares some results of asking colleagues what are the most important things about orchestral playing.
Helen Bledsoe shares some flute intonation exercises (could be adapted to other instruments).
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay offers advice on dealing with the mental baggage of being a musician. (Reminder: blog posts are not a substitute for professional counseling.)
Woodwind doubler Kelsey Mire makes a case for fair pay for doublers.
Saxophonist Bill Plake digs into reasons inefficient practice techniques get perpetuated.
Bassoonist Nadina Mackie Jackson answers questions about gender in the classical music world.
Oboist Jennet Ingle seeks balance between expression and technique.
Woodwind doubler David Freeman shares a funny pit experience. There are possibly teachable moments there if you care to draw them out.
Cate Hummel discusses solutions to third-octave problems, as well as when to introduce dynamics and vibrato to students.

Favorite blog posts, August 2015

August 31, 2015January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 1 Comment

Clarinetist Michael Dean examines some resources available for better-informed preparation of the Cyrille Rose “40” and “32” études.
David Erato compiles some piccolo tips by some top working flutists and doublers (and also me).
Saxophonist David Freeman shares some settings for the kinds of electronic filter sounds used by Michael Brecker and Jeff Coffin.
Josh Johnson shares in exhaustive detail the flutes he tried out at the NFA conference. For gear junkies only.
Heather Roche demonstrates some extended techniques specific to the “paperclip”-style contrabass clarinet.
Saxophonist Bill Plake discusses some benefits of practicing with a drone.
The unnamed mom at How About Oboe? gets her 10-year-old oboist to practice difficult things for just two minutes at a time.
Cate Hummel brings things back to Earth about the flute and the so-called lip “teardrop.” (I also hinted at that topic in a recent post.)

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.