- Ben Britton looks at some common saxophone tone production issues.
- Flutist Deanna Mathews Kilbourne reminds us to play in tune, even alone.
- Oboist Jennet Ingle provides a peek into a “portfolio” career.
- I mentioned previously this post by clarinetist Jenny Maclay on cueing (and attempted to expand upon it). Jenny also takes a look at the A-flat clarinet.
- Cate Hummel gives advice on what order to teach new notes to beginning flutists.
- Saxophonist Steve Neff explores the question of how much the mouthpiece matters.
- I’m still enjoying Rachel Taylor Geier’s “practice blueprints” for flute repertoire. Here is Bach sonata #4.
- “Ericdano” at jazz-sax.com suggests some essential gig gear.
- Cynthia Ellis offers a brief thought on dynamics and the piccolo.
Jenny Maclay
Favorite blog posts, October 2016
- 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 [update: link dead].
- 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, July 2016
- Theresa Koenig gives a brief history of the bassoon.
- Flutist Terri Sánchez shares an interesting idea for making long tones fun. (No reason these couldn’t be adapted for other instruments.)
- Jenny Maclay outlines some factors in clarinet tuning.
Favorite blog posts, June 2016
- Jenny Maclay gets a little judgy (not really) about deadly clarinet sins.
- Flutist Meerenai Shim explains the “tongue ram” extended technique.
- Clarinetist Denise Gainey shares somes memories of Kalman Opperman.
- Jessica Valiente shares a chapter from her dissertation on charanga flute music.
- Oboist Jennet Ingle submits her report from the International Double Reed Society conference. (Stay tuned for my own report.)
Favorite blog posts, April 2016
- 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, December 2015
I am pleased once again to share some excellent woodwind-related blog posts from the past month, and especially to point you toward some bloggers appearing here for the first time. Enjoy!
- Jenny Maclay’s 12 Days of Clarinet Christmas is a nice (non-denominational) list of potential practice material.
- Betsy Sturdevant shares some ideas on practicing double-tonguing on the bassoon, particularly as applied to Beethoven 4.
- David Pope shares some realities of being a university saxophone professor.
- Saxophonist Donna Schwartz explains her process for learning a large number of tunes in a short time for a rock gig.
- Saxophone technician Matt Stohrer is doing incredibly valuable work with his “Open Source Saxophone Project.”
- Bassoonist Christina Feigel explains the concept of “tilt” in musical performance, and gives some ideas for overcoming it. (Also, congratulations to Christina on completing her DMA degree!)
- Flutist Rachel Taylor Geier wrote a couple of excellent posts, about 3rd-octave “trick” (overtone) fingerings, and about tendinitis. (Be sure to consult a medical professional for any concerns about injuries.)
- Mostly-flutist Hannah Haefele explains why she is dropping a secondary instrument to focus on the flute.
- Eric from Midwest Musical Imports demonstrates oboe crack repair in a brief interesting video.
- Bassoonist Jessi Vandagriff gives advice on business practices for private teachers.
Favorite blog posts, October 2015
Lots of great woodwind blogging this month!
- Ben Britton shares some tips on jazz saxophone section playing. In a sort of related post, Bob Reynolds discusses note endings in section playing.
- Roderick Seed gives advice on getting a good middle E on the flute.
- Pauline at Cleonide discusses the (non?-)influence of instrument materials on tone. Unsurprisingly, the naysayers were quick to respond in the comments section with their unsupported arguments (as they have been on my own posts on this topic).
- Bassoonist Barry Stees offers some ideas for playing pianissimo.
- Clarinetist Jenny Maclay believes there is more to life than All-State auditions.
- Flutist Helen Bledsoe has a request for composers about articulation markings.
- Bassoonist Mike Macaulay shares thoughts on preparing orchestral parts.
- Saxophonist Peter Spitzer muses on the “bis” key.
- Bassoonist Jessi Vandagriff suggests raising your lesson fees.
- Saxophonist Bob Reynolds (again) relieves stress by practicing fundamentals.
Favorite blog posts, September 2015
- Bassoonist William Short explains his method for evaluating reeds honestly.
- Cleonide, an interesting new blog on musical acoustics, offers some insight on response issues in the saxophone’s low register. (Somewhat technical/mathematical.)
- Ed Joffe pays tribute to Al Block, a distinguished woodwind doubler who passed away recently.
- Cate Hummel discusses a timeline for teaching flute dynamics. (I agree wholeheartedly about waiting to teach dynamics, for all woodwinds, but respectfully disagree about how dynamic changes are produced.) In another post, she discusses teaching students how to practice.
- Flutist Rena Urso-Trapani shares her experience with a recent orchestral audition, and offers some tips.
- Clarinetist Jenny Maclay offers some ways to improve your playing from outside the practice room.
- Jennet Ingle teaches a young oboist a new fingering. (Great minds think alike.)