Favorite blog posts, April 2018

April 30, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

The flute bloggers were especially busy in April.

Flutist Nicole Riner shares some research-based recommendations (from 2004) about gender stereotypes and school band programs.
Jolene Harju Madewell prioritizes aspects of flute tone production.
Michelle Barraclough discusses orchestra pit playing for flutists.
Roderick Seed gives tips on improving flute resonance.
Flutist Rachel Taylor Geier offers advice on recital preparation.
Bassoonist Betsy Sturdevant continues her series of orchestral excerpt blog-masterclasses with the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique.
Woodwind player Larry Weintraub explores musical careers on cruise ships and in European publicly-funded ensembles.

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?)

Favorite blog posts, February 2017

February 28, 2017January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

Another month dominated by flute bloggers. Leave me a comment if there are excellent blogs by reed players that I should be reading.

Jolene Harju shares a calendar of flute practice ideas. (It’s for February, but easily adaptable to other months.)
Heather Roche continues her massive and thorough project documenting extended clarinet techniques with a chart of quarter-tone tremolo fingerings for bass clarinet.
Flutist Nicole Riner shares resources for commissioning new music.
Flutist Tammy Evans Yonce requires her woodwind pedagogy students to teach private mini-lessons.
Flutist Rachel Taylor Geier offers suggestions on making a recording for a job application or audition.
Cate Hummel explains playing the flute softly.

Favorite blog posts, November 2016

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

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.

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, September 2016

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

So many great woodwind blog posts in September. The flute bloggers are on fire!

Deanna Mathews Kilbourne offers some fingering tips for the flute’s notoriously sharp C-sharp.
Oboist Jennet Ingle explores quarter tones. Also, an open letter to her students about making their own reeds.
Flutist Nicole Riner shares some creative practice tips.
Ed Joffe discusses the history of woodwind doubling.
Flutist Angela McCuiston gets into some nuts and bolts of teaching lessons remotely via internet.
Bassoonist Jolene Mason experiences burnout.
Flutist Andrée Martin warns against mindless, repetitive practicing.
Joan Martí-Frasquier provides an annotated list of amateur/student-appropriate baritone saxophone repertoire.
Flutist Rachel Taylor Geier offers some suggestions on lesson scheduling.
Viviana Guzman reports on the National Flute Association conference.

Favorite blog posts, May 2016

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

Saxophonist Michael Shults advocates a thoughtful approach to musical versatility (doubling, playing jazz and classical music, etc.).
Wistam Boustany discusses power vs. economy in flute playing.
Oboist Jennet Ingle compares methods of ensuring playable performance reeds.
Saxophonist Sven Seebeck suggests tips for trying out mouthpieces.
Rachel Taylor Geier explains the flute’s C-sharp trill key.

Favorite blog posts, February 2016

March 1, 2016January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ Leave a comment

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.
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.
Clarinetist Sandy Herrera seeks a new balance between a musical career and family life after having a baby. (Congratulations, Sandy!)

Favorite blog posts, December 2015

December 31, 2015January 1, 2018 ~ Bret Pimentel ~ 2 Comments

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, November 2015

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

Lots of interesting woodwind blog posts this month. Here are some favorites:

Flutist Roderick Seed is doing a nice series offering commentary on the Andersen Op. 15 etudes.
Michael Lowenstern addresses the idea of bass clarinet as a college major. (This one is from very late October but I didn’t catch it in time.)
Saxophonists Sam Newsome and Ben Britton each offer exercises for improving low register tone production.
College freshman flute major Hannah Haefele shares what she is learning in her transition from high school practicing to college-level practicing.
Clarinetist Michael Dean shares his pre-performance checklist.
Oboist Patty Mitchell distinguishes between knowing your music and knowing your music.
Flutist Rachel Taylor Geier explains the practicing technique of chunking.
Cate Hummel recommends against the old flute “kiss and roll” trick.