Stephen Caplan embraces plastic oboes. Related: Elizabeth Brown lists some signs that your wooden oboe has a crack.
Clarinetist Miranda Dohrman gives advice on building a freelance career.
Jennifer Mackerras provides solutions for recorders slipping and sliding around in your hands.
Peter Westbrook shares a 2003 interview with Herbie Mann, covering aspects of jazz flute playing, woodwind doubling, and more.
Oboist Jennet Ingle offers some suggestions on a good mindset for solo performance.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay lists some reasons you might not be improving as much as you would like.

Favorite blog posts, September 2018

September 30, 2018September 30, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Heather Roche shares a list of easy/reliable clarinet multiphonics. Useful information here for composers and performers.
Eric Schultz examines the history of multiple tonguing on single reed instruments.
Jenny Maclay explores clarinet orchestral excerpts. (Also consider enlisting for the October Uhl Boot Camp.)
Flutist Kelly Wilson explains the anatomy and function of the arms.
Jennet Ingle discusses producing a resonant sound on the oboe.
Oboist Nuria Cabezas demonstrates some stretches for musicians.
Flutist Jessica Dunnavant deals with performance nerves.
Ariel Detwiler shares thoughts on fitting into a band or orchestra bassoon section.
Patty Mitchell spends some time away from her oboe.
Hannah Haefele offers some suggestions for warming up on the flute on a tight schedule.

Favorite blog posts, February 2018

February 28, 2018February 28, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Flutist Nicole Riner assigns her students repertoire that reinforces skill development (a re-“print” from the 2012 A Flutist’s Handbook: Pedagogy Anthology Vol. 2).
Oboist Stephen Caplan reconsiders concentration in performance.
Bassoonist Barry Stees shares a simple but revealing way to test reeds.
Flutist Jessica Dunnavant discusses her complicated relationship with university teaching.
David Pierce considers a pedagogical order for the Vivaldi bassoon concertos (a re-“print” from a 1987 article in the Journal of the International Double Reed Society).
Oboist Jennet Ingle figures out how to give a good tuning A every time.
Saxophonist Helen Kahlke avoids germs on the gig.

Favorite blog posts, December 2017

December 31, 2017January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Betsy Sturdevant brainstorms some (tongue-in-cheek) reasons not to sharpen her bassoon reed profiler blade.
Woodwind doubler Ed Joffe shares some practical advice about subbing on gigs.
Flutist Nicole Riner explores some lessons about focus learned during an artist retreat.
Joan Martí-Frasquier lists some repertoire for baritone saxophone.
Oboist Jennet Ingle considers some ideas about motivation and doing difficult things.
Clarinetist Michael Dean offers some small but useful performing tips.
Flutist Jessica Quiñones shares some ways to build a private studio.
Saxophonist Larry Weintraub recalls a day spent with Michael Brecker.
Khara Wolf suggests solutions for oboe reeds with too-wide tip openings.

Favorite blog posts, November 2017

November 30, 2017January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Flutist Nicole Riner lists extended techniques with some sample repertoire and practice tips.
Saxophone mouthpiece reviewer extraordinaire Steve Neff explains how to test a mouthpiece thoroughly.
Oboist Patty Mitchell offers a somber reminder that sexual harassment is an issue in the music world, too.
Clarinetist Liz Aleksander outlines a methodical approach to tuning.
Bassoonist Nadina Mackie Jackson gives some perspective on teachers and teaching.
The “Curious Clarinetist” tells a satirical tale of new instruments.
Cynthia Ellis and Cate Hummel provide tips on playing the piccolo.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay shares ideas for mastering a new repertoire piece besides just practicing.
Oboist Jennet Ingle discusses the importance of choosing the right reed for a performance (and which factors are most important).
Ariel Detwiler discusses some of the issues of choosing which students are good prospective bassoonists.

Favorite blog posts, September 2017

September 30, 2017January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Flutist Jennifer Cluff offers advice on (not) playing with pain.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay invites you to enlist for Baermann Boot Camp starting October 1st.
Cate Hummel shares tips on basic flute care.
Flutist Jolene Harju discusses breaking the habit of playing “test notes.”
Rachel Taylor Geier challenges you to test your flute knowledge with a quiz.
Oboist Jennet Ingle finds inspiration in fancy fountain pens regarding “flourish.”

Each of these fine woodwind bloggers has been featured here repeatedly, so be sure to subscribe to their RSS feeds and/or social media streams. And get in touch to let me know who else I should be following! (You, maybe?)