Favorite blog posts, February 2016

Some woodwind blog posts I liked in February:

  • Bassoonist Barry Stees shares an interesting idea about reed autopsies, plus a method for practicing the Rite of Spring solo.
  • Oboist Patty Mitchell has some advice for students who think they have unfixable technique problems.
  • Rachel Taylor Geier has some suggestions if you need more flute etudes to work on.
  • Saxophonist Andy Austin discusses the role of passion in pursuing a musical career.
  • Specific instrument brand/model recommendations should always be taken with a grain of salt, but woodwind doubler Josh Johnson discusses the importance of backup instruments, plus some of the issues involved with choosing instruments for situations where crack-proofness is important.
  • Clarinetist Meri Dolevski-Lewis shares a process for developing sight-transposition skills [update: link dead].
  • Flutist Jennifer Cluff offers some ideas on increasing success on the problematic high B.
  • Jolene Harju plays the flute with her feet. (Okay, it’s really a post about having “a grounded, rooted connection between the feet and the floor.”)
  • Gaenor Burchett-Vass discovers some favorite treasures of the English horn repertoire [update: link dead].
  • Clarinetist Sandy Herrera seeks a new balance between a musical career and family life after having a baby. (Congratulations, Sandy!)