- The Clarinet Online, the International Clarinet Association’s blog, gives reports on many of their August conference events. Jessica Harrie also makes a report [update: link dead], 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 [update: link dead].
- 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.
Sandy Herrera
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!)
Favorite blog posts, April 2015
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.