Woodwind Doubler Census 2021 results, part 1: demographics

ByBret Pimentel

Thanks to all who participated in my 2021 woodwind doubling survey, and to those who helped spread the word. I’m releasing the results in installments, so be sure to use my social media links, RSS feeds, etc. to keep up.

I got 284 responses, an improvement over 2011’s 187. The numbers for each of these questions don’t necessarily add up to exactly that number, since not everybody responded to every question.

Gender identity

I provided more options for gender identity than in 2011’s survey. Here’s the breakdown. (Percentages are of those who answered the question.)

2021 Data
Male 222 78%
Female 49 17%
Female, Transgender 1 ~0%
Nonbinary/nonconforming 10 4%
Transgender, Nonbinary/nonconforming 1 ~0%

2011 Data
Male 146 78%
Female 41 22%

Age

As was the case 10 years ago, the numbers skew toward the younger end. I’m not sure if this is affected by the survey being distributed primarily online. No respondents claimed to be younger than teenaged or older than in their 70s.

2021 Data
Teenage 22 8%
20s 72 25%
30s 67 24%
40s 40 14%
50s 41 14%
60s 35 12%
70s 6 2%

2011 Data
Younger than 20 19 1%
20s 54 10%
30s 31 29%
40s 36 17%
50s 33 19%
60s 12 18%
70s 1 6%

Region

I provided options for this that broke down by continent. A few of you island dwellers responded with “other” and specified locations in Oceania and the Caribbean. I probably need to rethink this question for 2031, but for purposes of data reporting I have lumped everyone together into continents for now.

The continued absence of responses from Africa and South America may be related to language barriers and/or other factors. I did get a few responses from Asia this year, which I didn’t in 2011.

2021 Data
Asia 3 1%
Australia 11 4%
Europe 20 7%
North America 249 88%

2011 Data
Australia 11 6%
Europe 12 6%
North America 162 87%

Which of these best describes where you live?

The “city, but not a ‘major’ one” option was added based on feedback from the 2011 survey. A few of you used the “other” option to explain more complicated living situations (such as multiple locations), and for reporting purposes I’ve taken the liberty of lumping those into the categories I thought were the closest match.

2021 Data
major city or metropolitan area 127 45%
city, but not a “major” one 69 24%
suburb or exurb 63 22%
rural or remote area 24 8%

2011 Data
major city or metropolitan area 93 50%
suburban area 66 35%
rural or remote area 23 12%
other 5 3%

Describe your current level of formal education (in any field).

“Less than high school diploma” is a new option this yea. The categories in the graph are abbreviated; the full text from the survey is in the data table.

2021 dATA
Less than high school diploma 8 3%
High school diploma or equivalent 6 2%
Some college 33 12%
Bachelors degree 70 25%
Some graduate school 18 6%
Masters degree 103 37%
Doctorate 38 13%
Other degree type or comparable certification 6 2%

2011 Data
High school diploma or equivalent 8 4%
Some college 28 15%
Bachelors degree 59 32%
Some graduate school 16 9%
Masters degree 53 28%
Doctorate 16 9%
Other degree type or comparable certification 6 3%

Thanks again for your participation and stay tuned for more survey results.

Similar Posts

  • |

    Practice slump checklist

    ByBret Pimentel

    Sometimes my students complain that they have had bad practicing days or weeks. Not that I have ever had this problem (ahem), but here are a few ideas for breaking out of a practicing slump.

    photo, Katy Wrathall
    photo, Katy Wrathall
    1. Check equipment. Slightly-malfunctioning gear can make you feel like a bad player. Be sure to eliminate this possibility.
      • Are your reeds functioning well? Prioritize response-balanced-with-stability over more subjective and malleable things like tone. Many reed players use unnecessarily stiff reeds; consider trying something a little softer if you haven’t lately.
      • Is your instrument functioning well? If you know how, check the most important adjustment screws (oboe: left hand stack, left G-sharp key, F resonance; saxophone: bis, G-sharp, right hand stack). Re-check basics like alignment of bridge keys. And, of course, make sure your instrument gets regular (at least annual) maintenance checkups. Professional instruments should probably get full mechanical overhauls every 5-10 years.
      • Are you using the best equipment for you? Don’t let new purchases be your go-to solution for every problem, but in some cases replacing an instrument or accessory can remove a roadblock to progress. (Do a reality-check with your teacher to make sure you aren’t just throwing away money chasing a quick fix.)
    2. Check technique. It might be you after all.
      • Have you warmed up thoroughly and correctly today? It’s best to do this at the beginning of your practice session, but there’s no rule that says you can’t warm up some more mid-session to double-check your tone production and reset your mental focus.
      • Have you reviewed all your fundamentals? Take a closer look at your posture, hand position, breath support, embouchure, voicing, finger movement, etc. Have you slipped back into a bad habit? Are you suffering the effects of a technique deficiency you know you should fix but haven’t gotten around to yet? If you don’t know how to fix it, check in with your teacher.
      • Can you release some tension? Frustration often goes hand-in-hand with tense muscles. Consider doing a little deep breathing, stretching, mindfulness practice, yoga, Alexander Technique, or whatever else puts your body back in balance.
      • Have you laid sufficient technical groundwork? If you are working on something especially difficult, is there something else you could practice as an intermediate step? Études, technical exercises, or other preparatory material can help bridge the gap between your current ability level and the ability level you need.
    3. Check your health. If your body isn’t responding well, your practice sessions will be difficult and unpleasant.
      • Have you been getting enough quality sleep? Implementing good sleep habits is a major upgrade to the function of your mind and body.
      • Are you eating balanced meals? Are you eating enough? Are you eating too much? Is your diet too low on good stuff and/or too high in bad stuff?
      • Are you getting outside for at least a few minutes of sunshine and “fresh” air? Sunshine is important to your body’s vitamin D level.
      • Are you stressed, or otherwise not at your best mentally? In some cases, professional counseling and/or treatment may be needed. If you are a college student, there is a good chance there are free, discreet counseling services available on your campus. In other cases, taking a break, getting a little exercise, talking something out with a friend or loved one, or just getting a change of scenery might be enough.
    4. Check your mindset.
      • Are you practicing mindlessly or without direction? Try making a short list of goals you would like to accomplish during this practice session. If you’re not sure where to start, make a quick recording (perhaps with the voice memo app on your smartphone) and listen to it to get some ideas about what needs improvement. If you don’t meet all your goals, you can tackle them again tomorrow or re-prioritize.
    5. Check your environment.
      • At what time of day are your practice sessions the most productive and pleasant? Do you practice best in the morning before your body is tired and your brain is full? Or do you get a second wind after the sun goes down?
      • What locations are most conducive to good practice sessions? Sometimes just changing the scenery can revitalize your focus and productivity. Practicing in places with different acoustical qualities can make you hear yourself in new ways and get your creative juices flowing.
      • What distractions are getting in your way? Can you reduce or remove them?
    6. Check your ego. Practicing should challenge you, but not overwhelm you.
      • Are you working on music that is inappropriately difficult for your current abilities? If you have some freedom to choose what you practice, consider working on something else for now and tackling this project later. If you are committed to a performance of something very difficult and have to make it work, be sure to include other things in your practice session that you can be successful at, to keep your motivation primed.

    Don’t let poor practice sessions bring you down—use them to refine your habits and make the next session your best yet.

  • |

    Woodwind Doubler Census results, part 5: challenges

    ByBret Pimentel

    Back for more, I see? Thanks to all who are still reading results from the Great Woodwind Doubler Census of 2011. At this point we are getting into some more of the questions with free-form answers, and I think your responses are really interesting.

    Q: What is your greatest challenge as a woodwind doubler?

    I categorized the answers as best I could, with many of your responses falling into multiple categories. Here are some of the most common issues raised:

    By far, the most common issue reported was finding the time to practice multiple instruments—I’ll reveal that this was my own answer, as well.

    Flute-specific problems were also frequently mentioned, with oboe, clarinet, and bassoon appearing lower on the list (the saxophone got only a mention or two). I do think that the flute as a double has some particular challenges, but, as we know, it’s also one of the most common doubles. It would be interesting to assemble a group of doublers who play all five major woodwinds at a somewhat equal level, and take a poll to see which instrument they think is the biggest challenge.
    Read More “Woodwind Doubler Census results, part 5: challenges”

  • Woodwind Doubler Census 2021 results, part 2: doubling abilities

    ByBret Pimentel

    Thanks to all who participated in my 2021 woodwind doubling survey, and to those who helped spread the word. I’m releasing the results in installments, so be sure to use my social media links, RSS feeds, etc. to keep up.

    I got 284 responses, an improvement over 2011’s 187. The numbers for each of these questions don’t necessarily add up to exactly that number, since not everybody responded to every question.

    Which woodwind instruments do you play, and at what levels?

    Based on feedback from the 2011 survey, this year I added the option “Strong amateur.” I also provided an option for respondents to affirmatively state that they play an instrument “Not at all,” but the “Not at all” data shown here also includes those who didn’t provide an answer for that instrument.

    2021 Data
    Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon Saxophone Any folk, ethnic, or historical woodwind(s) Any woodwind-style electronic instrument(s)
    Not at all 26 (9%) 126 (45%) 14 (5%) 151 (53%) 7 (2%) 149 (53%) 219 (77%)
    Casual dabbler 43 (15%) 47 (17%) 24 (9%) 39 (21%) 8 (3%) 59 (21%) 27 (10%)
    Strong amateur 64 (23%) 45 (16%) 53 (19%) 30 (12%) 53 (19%) 33 (12%) 14 (5%)
    Semi-pro or college music major 79 (28%) 31 (11%) 90 (32%) 29 (10%) 90 (32%) 29 (10%) 14 (5%)
    Professional 70 (25%) 32 (11%) 100 (36%) 34 (9%) 123 (44%) 13 (5%) 9 (3%)

    2011 Data
    Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon Saxophone Any folk, ethnic, or historical woodwind(s) Any woodwind-style electronic instrument(s)
    Casual dabbler 42 49 39 28 28 58 16
    Semi-pro or college music major 68 32 68 27 59 11 5
    Professional 48 18 69 22 92 13 16

    Which instruments do you own?

    2021 Data
    piccolo 174 62%
    flute 252 90%
    alto flute 85 30%
    other member(s) of the modern flute family 32 11%
    oboe 126 45%
    English horn 61 22%
    other member(s) of the oboe family 8 3%
    E-flat clarinet 84 30%
    B-flat clarinet 247 88%
    A clarinet 89 32%
    bass clarinet 143 51%
    other member(s) of the clarinet family 44 16%
    bassoon 85 30%
    contrabassoon 7 2%
    soprano saxophone 161 57%
    alto saxophone 240 85%
    tenor saxophone 197 70%
    baritone saxophone 124 44%
    other member(s) of the saxophone family 29 10%
    recorder(s) 169 60%
    pennywhistle(s) 95 34%
    bamboo, wooden, or similar sideblown flute(s) 60 21%
    other folk, ethnic, or historical woodwind(s) 60 21%
    electronic wind instrument(s) 36 13%

    2011 Data
    piccolo 97
    flute 161
    alto flute 35
    other member(s) of the modern flute family 17
    oboe 75
    English horn 24
    other member(s) of the oboe family 4
    E-flat clarinet 47
    B-flat clarinet 171
    A clarinet 61
    bass clarinet 84
    other member(s) of the clarinet family 26
    bassoon 51
    contrabassoon 3
    soprano saxophone 106
    alto saxophone 160
    tenor saxophone 138
    baritone saxophone 81
    other member(s) of the saxophone family 26
    recorder(s) 106
    pennywhistle(s) 75
    bamboo, wooden, or similar sideblown flute(s) 53
    other folk, ethnic, or historical woodwind(s) 32
    electronic wind instrument(s) 24
    other 34

    Which instrument(s) do you consider your “primary” instrument, if any?

    A number or respondents selected, for example, flute and piccolo as primary instruments, or all four major saxophones. I’m guessing that boosts the results here for some auxiliary instruments; there probably aren’t many doublers who would really consider piccolo their (single) primary instrument.

    piccolo 15 6%
    flute 46 16%
    alto flute 8 3%
    other member(s) of the modern flute family 3 1%
    oboe 36 13%
    English horn 12 4%
    other member(s) of the oboe family 1 0%
    E-flat clarinet 15 5%
    B-flat clarinet 95 34%
    A clarinet 28 10%
    bass clarinet 40 14%
    other member(s) of the clarinet family 6 2%
    bassoon 36 13%
    contrabassoon 6 2%
    soprano saxophone 41 15%
    alto saxophone 102 36%
    tenor saxophone 73 26%
    baritone saxophone 49 17%
    other member(s) of the saxophone family 4 1%
    recorder(s) 2 1%
    pennywhistle(s) 0 0%
    bamboo 2 1%
    other folk 1 0%
    electronic wind instrument(s) 3 1%

    Which instruments do you not own, and have had to turn down gigs because of that?

    piccolo 2 2%
    flute 1 1%
    alto flute 2 2%
    other member(s) of the modern flute family 0 0%
    oboe 4 4%
    English horn 6 6%
    other member(s) of the oboe family 1 1%
    E-flat clarinet 0 0%
    B-flat clarinet 1 1%
    A clarinet 0 0%
    bass clarinet 6 6%
    other member(s) of the clarinet family 0 0%
    bassoon 3 3%
    contrabassoon 7 7%
    soprano saxophone 2 2%
    alto saxophone 1 1%
    tenor saxophone 3 3%
    baritone saxophone 7 7%
    other member(s) of the saxophone family 2 2%
    recorder(s) 0 0%
    pennywhistle(s) 0 0%
    bamboo 0 0%
    other folk 0 0%
    electronic wind instrument(s) 0 0%

    How do you primarily identify yourself as a musician?

    For this question, many of you typed your own answers. Some of you wanted to provide more detail, such as which instrument(s) you consider your primary, some wanted to include non-woodwind instruments, and some wanted to use (essentially) some other synonym for woodwind doubler. In these and a few other cases, I felt that those answers did ultimately fit into one of these two categories, so I’ve shoehorned them in. A few others wanted to identify by some other career/hobby choice entirely, or wanted to say something like “it depends,” and I’ve omitted those so as not to muddy the original intent of the question.

    2021 Data
    as a woodwind doubler 192 69%
    as an instrumentalist on one specific instrument (or family of instruments, such as the saxophones) 85 31%

    2011 Data
    as a woodwind doubler 120 64%
    as an instrumentalist on one specific instrument (or family of instruments, such as the saxophones) 67 36%

    Do you have “primary” and “secondary” instruments?

    2021 Data
    One instrument is a “primary” instrument, and one or more are secondary instruments. For example, you play the flute well, and the clarinet at a noticeably lesser ability level. 113 40%
    Two or more instruments are “primary” instruments, but others are secondary. For example, you play the flute and the clarinet about equally well. 128 45%
    You consider all the instruments you play to be at/near the same level. 41 15%

    2011 Data
    One instrument is a “primary” instrument, and one or more are secondary instruments. For example, you play the flute well, and the clarinet at a noticeably lesser ability level. 85 46%
    Two or more instruments are “primary” instruments, but others are secondary. For example, you play the flute and the clarinet about equally well. 101 54%

    Which of these challenges have significantly affected your success as a woodwind doubler? Define “significantly affected” and “success” as you see fit. You may choose multiple answers.

    A few of you provided additional specifics/details, but I’ve folded those answers into the larger categories. In 2011, this was a free-form answer, and I tried to sort them into categories.

    2021 Data
    Time (such as for practicing) 186 67%
    Money (such as for equipment purchases) 162 58%
    Career development (such as finding gigs, establishing a reputation…) 117 42%
    Logistics (such as storage or transportation of instruments) 36 13%
    Pushback (such as from teachers or others who think you should not double) 48 17%
    Skill/talent/ability (such as particular difficulty with a specific instrument or technique) 86 31%
    None 22 8%

    2011 Data
    Time 49 30%
    Flute 19 12%
    Embouchure 18 11%
    Fast switches 17 10%
    Maintaining high level 16 10%
    Cost 15 9%
    Reeds 13 8%
    Oboe 8 5%
    Clarinet 7 4%
    Instrument maintenance 6 4%
    Establishing reputation 5 3%
    Bassoon 5 3%

    Which of these benefits of woodwind doubling have made a significant difference for you? Define “significant difference” as you see fit. You may choose multiple answers.

    In 2011, this was a free-form answer, and I tried to sort them into categories.

    2021 Data
    More gigs 214 77%
    Greater variety in music-making 226 81%
    Fun/satisfaction 242 87%
    Having more voices/tone colors available 183 66%
    Feeling challenged (in an enjoyable, productive, or otherwise positive way) 227 81%
    Cross-training effect (playing one instrument improves your skills at another) 183 66%
    None 2 1%

    2011 Data
    More gigs 83 52%
    Variety 46 29%
    Fun/satisfaction 32 20%
    Artistic expression 15 9%
    Cross-training 12 7%
    Challenge 8 5%

    What is/are your best woodwind doubling tip(s)?

    These are presented with only very minor edits, in random order. (Inclusion here doesn’t necessarily indicate that I agree, though I mostly do.) See 2011 results here.

    Sax tone is all about opening the throat and getting an appropriate level of pressure on the mouthpiece
    Make connections between similarities/differences from instrument family to instrument family.
    Start with the flute first in your practice sessions. If you don’t your lips will have no sensitivity after starting on the other instruments.
    Practice any woodwind instrument as if it is your primary. Walk the same path every other Xist (flautist, clarinetist, etc) has.
    Practice daily. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes, practicing my doubles daily has been the best process in my experience.
    Do not limit yourself! Have one primary but also a couple secondary instruments. You will make yourself more marketable!
    Find ways to connect your knowledge to other instruments, but still treat each instrument as its own separate voice (e.g. be a piccolo player, not a clarinetist who is playing piccolo)
    Practice and listen
    Train on each individual instrument on as regular a basis as possible.
    Finding great teachers for each instrument you play
    Consistent practice
    It’s all about tone quality. And reeds.
    Passion and love of the possibilities and not just versatility for gigging is a must. Acquiring equipment that is easy to get back into and consistent has been key for me to be able to for example: not play bass clarinet for 6 months and still be confident that I could say yes to a gig and get myself together in 1 week.
    Learn what the differences in playing styles between different instruments are, and why they come about. Knowing the context helps a lot in code-switching between instruments.
    Let clarinet be the foundation of your doubling
    take lessons with someone who has doubling experience. Practicing and familiarize yourself with all genres of music styles. practice playing multiple instruments back to back.
    Learn what skills are transferable across which woodwinds and apply them appropriately. For example, a lot of dexterity technique applies to many woodwinds, however, not all fingering patterns or standard fingerings are the same. Also, voicing and overtones apply to all woodwinds, but you don’t voice all woodwinds the same way.
    Practice – practice – practice
    Focus on fundamental on all horns
    If a particular instrument is inspiring you right now, use that inspiration and really work to improve on that instrument.
    Practice every instrument regularly
    Focus on each instrument now and then
    Practice sight reading, especially with swing/jazz rhythms. Keep on top of your reed situation. Try to design practice to “even out” your strength on each “family”.
    Practice each instrument as though it is a primary study – learn the known repertoire, study the history and the players, know the etude etc
    Have a goal to play all of the woodwind doubles at a very high level.
    Don’t be afraid to take on a challenge, especially on an instrument that is not your best
    Get a teacher for every instrument if possible- not one teacher for all of them.
    Long tones and scales with a drone/tuner
    Play flute every day, learn to make your double reeds
    Never be reluctant to schlep doubles you might need.
    Practice baby practice!!
    Voicing exactly as you describe.
    Learn on a quality instrument otherwise a lousy one will hold you back.
    Visit each instrument as its own thing when practicing. Use the same musical expression tools on your secondary instruments. Have patients when progress isn’t noticable.
    Find similarities between the instruments you already know how to play, and the instrument you are learning to double on. Ask your musician friends for tips or little known “secrets” that you may not know of a non-primary instrument.
    Open your teeth and jaw as much as possible and practical.
    Let others help you, the pit is a team and if one run is too hard and another person has it and it’s easy on their instrument. Let them do it. The audience may very well not know the difference. Or if you have a solo passage. Don’t overplay. You’re not the soloist the person on stage is. Overall. Let others help you
    Sometimes you have to go back to basics if it isn’t an instrument you’ve playing in a while and run scales or some some practice books.
    Finding similarities between each instrument to begin learning, then going to extremes to find the differences.
    Compare and Contrast each instrument – determine what transfers and what are specific to each instrument
    practice the same things on any instruments.
    Learn clarinets first, then saxophones.
    Common tip: Eb sax (like baritone sax) can read C bass clef (such as tuba, trombone, bassoon, and string bass music) as Eb treble clef without having to transpose.
    Less common tip: Once you’re comfortable with that, you can do the same with Bb clarinets (like bass clarinet) by using saxophone fingerings on the clarinet (exception being above the break, but it’s easy to get once you play it a bit). So using this you can read the bass clef parts of bassoon music on bass clarinet without having to transpose, and if the bassoon music goes into tenor clef you can read it as regular Bb treble because it works the same as reading C bass clef on an Eb sax. Blamo, you’re reading bassoon parts on bass clarinet and didn’t have to transpose or learn any new clefs.
    That they’re not all that different at the end of the day. The concept of blowing into a tube with holes in it is the same across all woodwind instruments.
    Compile a quick (approx. 5 minutes) gig warmup for each instrument type (flute, clarinet, etc.) that you play. You will rarely have time for a thorough warm up on each instrument on doubling gigs so you need something that lets you hit a number of fundamentals in a short amount of time.
    be inspired by great models on each instrument
    Learn your doubles. Get more bread
    Practice, then practice some more
    Really focus and learn the fundamentals for each instrument. I didn’t know I was playing oboe wrong until I took a lesson because I just figured everything would be similar to bassoon when I first picked it up.
    Don’t ever stop practicing. Keep a schedule.
    At different times, each instrument you play becomes your main voice— do so with love and a deep investigation of the traditions of each.
    Be adaptable/flexible and if it works don’t question it. Just because a certain way of doing something is not the standard approach does not mean it is wrong.
    Listening is key!
    Know who to tell what you play. To many people, I am an orchestral clarinetist. Some have no idea that I play jazz saxophone. To some, I am a flutist. Many know I do all three at a high level. But some may judge you.
    Whatever you are playing at the moment is, at least for the moment, your primary instrument. Treat it as such, with your full attention and consideration.
    Be an excellent sight reader. Know your scales. Work on sound production.
    Do what is comfortable for you.
    Aim for consistent mouthpiece styles. ie: a consistent ratio of sizing (small tip, long facing, etc)… don’t try to sound like David Sanborn and Harold Wright at the same time.
    Choose instruments that you like to play so that you’ll want to practice and improve on them!
    breath support
    Play everything you enjoy playing
    Treat each one as your main one while you practice.
    Get good stands, get to know the instruments you’re playing quickly
    seek teachers for each specific instrument
    Start with clarinet and maintain your skill on it.
    Take things slow! Now even slower. Be mindful.
    Listen to many. Develop your own sound.
    Practise changing from one instrument to another as well as just practising the individual horns
    Practice all at the same time.
    Good instrument stands are essential! Also a stand shelf has been really helpful for me to hold reeds and a water cup, other equipment and accessories.
    Sax and oboe have a ton in common in terms of using the reed or mouthpiece alone to train ways to avoid tension, and clarinet feels like the opposite in many ways, but at least it’s different enough that differentiation is straightforward.
    It`s okay to start each instrument as a beginner.
    Always be flexible
    Just play and have fun, and the instruments will learn themselves
    Use synthetic reeds for gigs you need to double on. Little to no warm-up/Reed wetting required when one instrument sits for a while before use.
    Treat each instrument as a new primary and get a proper teacher for each new primary. Play in ensembles on your doublers.
    They’re not the same
    Long tones and scales are key
    Everything comes back to air
    Sound is everything. Learn flexibility on every instrument. Every instrument deserves individual attention, even harmony instruments amongst families.
    Identify the connections between each instrument (fingerings, technique, etc.) and use that to help you succeed.
    Use a calendar, try your hardest to view other woodwind doublers in the area as friends instead of competition. Play duets with them and try to learn as much as you can from other doublers and single woodwind musicians as well. Classical musicians, listen to jazz saxophonists and really try to replicate their tone and inflection even if you claim it’s not for you. Jazz musicians, listen to classical woodwind players as most rep for doublers requires classical tone and technique. Have fun!
    consider the side range you enjoy the most and stick more on that end (high or low reeds)
    Take lessons with teachers who only play the one instrument, but also study with some doublers who have a good understanding of the similarities & differences between instruments. Record yourself often, and listen to recordings of top performers on your doubles to form a good sound concept. Time, intonation, interpretive choices, and ensemble balance are all-important no matter what instrument is in/on your face.
    If you’re struggling with switching to another instrument, find someone who is extremely proficient on it and pick their brains as much as possible, or even take lessons if you can. It helps if they’re a doubler too.
    1) Study to have a classical foundation for every double. It’s the best way to have solid tone and technique.
    2) Be kind to those you work with and low-maintenance for those you work for.
    3) Don’t seriously study secondary instruments until you are competent on your primary instrument. Once you hit a semi-professional or pro level on one instrument, you will have a bar to reach for with your secondaries.
    Try to draw connections where possible.
    I think one should only double if they are genuinely interested in it and enjoy challenges. I’ve met too many people who double primarily with the goal of making more money, and it almost never worked out as well for them in the long run as it did for the ones who actually loved playing all of the instruments.
    Flute is nothing like single reeds – not even the fingerings.
    Turn all instruments into your “primary”. Each instrument deserves its proper respect and diligence. If saxophone is so easy, why do so many clarinetists sound so bad? Attitude in approach to a secondary instrument goes a long way.
    it’s fine to make mistakes
    Play with people who are better than you as much as possible.
    Visualize and really hear the sound you want as you double, in whatever way works for you. Sometimes you can get caught up in the differences between the doubles, but visualizing and not overthinking allowed me to get by on many doubling gigs, and work through the parts more efficiently
    If not preparing for a specific gig or show, have an instrument of the week rotation. Focus on that one.
    Flute loses playing proficiency at a significantly faster rate than other woodwinds thanks to the extremely delicate embouchure – when a professional flutist misses 2 or more consecutive days of practice, it takes minimum 4-5 days to correct their embouchure again. So those that wish to maintain their flute fitness must make sure to set aside time for it at least every few days
    Practice, practice and practice!
    Think of each additional instrument you learn as an extension of musical mechanics— you’ve already learned the fundamentals of reading music, now you’re just learning a different pathway to create those sounds you read. Treat a new instrument, even one of the same family, as a whole new instrument with its own requirements and set points for pitch, resonance, and response.
    Always be ready to play clarinet
    Stick with one instrument per gig, if possible. Be careful of having a reputation as a doubler, as it may have negative connotations (jack of all trades, master of none).
    Take each instrument seriously
    Be proficient on clarinet first, then branch out.
    Play secondary instruments in ensembles (band, orchestra, chamber music, etc).
    Slow practice on all the instruments, don’t rush it on a “secondary” instrument because you can play it on a “primary” instrument
    Practice all your axes and always learn from everyone.
    Find an order of operations for your practice. I start my day on the flute and then move to the clarinet. When I get to tenor I am moving plenty of air and feel warmed up.

    Scale practice on flute will help saxophone playing
    Treat every instrument as a unique instrument of it’s own kind with similarities but unique.
    Lessons, performing, recording, great equipment
    Study each instrument you play with a non-doubler: major symphony/studio player.
    Practice so you concepts can benefit across all instruments.
    Take it slow
    Be very intentional when learning technique. I learned how to play saxophone with a clarinet embouchure, which is not correct. Work with a professional teacher to ensure you have the fundamentals of new instruments and check in with them regularly to ensure you are maintaining key distinctions between the instruments.
    Be cognizant of your body and the techniques you employ as you play (don’t go on autopilot); try to find complimentary mouthpiece/reed setups (if everything has a similar resistance level, switching will be easier)
    Choreograph the switches and after getting comfortable with a new double practice the switch to get faster at creating a good sound on the instrument as soon as possible.
    The goal of woodwind doubling is to be good enough on each instrument for people to think whatever instrument you are playing right now is your primary instrument, and not a double.
    Practice, listen, and be patient
    Never look for the “doubler way” to approach an instrument. Approach it as a serious study, as if you intend to make it your primary.
    Treat each instrument as if it is your primary instrument.
    Practice and take lessons. Continue to get better.
    Play the flute every day, studying with a specialist when possible
    If you have good air and support, you can play through the woodwinds without having to worry about their differences. Also, get good reeds!!!
    Put in the practice hours
    Practice. And then practice some more.
    Learn and practice the basics
    Get a teacher. You can’t learn all of these on your own.
    It’s ok to make a mistake, just keep going.
    I’ve found that taking the time to develop a woodwind practice routine has been super helpful! I’ve also found that I practice better when I start with my least proficient instrument, and work to my most proficient one. This helps me feel a bit better mentally when I practice.
    Practice lol. The sooner you learn “Work SLOWLY on what you’re bad at,” the easier your musical life will be. It’s rough, especially if you’re pretty accomplished on one instrument/family, but the slower you practice, the faster you’ll learn! Trust me, I know the feeling. I’ve got two masters degrees…but I’ve still gotta practice fairly easy flute stuff like I’m one of my 7th graders. I feel your pain! Oh and scales are your friends…all of them :)
    No matter what instrument you’re playing, no matter how much time you’ve had to switch, your goal should always be your best professional sound.
    Moderate setups for all instruments make transitioning between them less onerous
    Plastic reeds for the pit to avoid breakages
    To make sure that if this is something you choose to brand yourself as, go with it 100%
    Pick up each instrument with a new mindset as if it is your primary instrument. When I play flute, I’m a flutist. When I play oboe, I’m an oboist. Etc.
    Find a professional teacher as soon as possible instead of trying to teach yourself and (potentially) develop bad habits.
    Approach each instrument as if it is your major instrument
    Practice each a little every day and practice switching back and forth at home, not just at the gig.
    Stay w/someone who’s major instrument is your double.
    High quality tuition from specialists in each instrument, excellent sight-reading, good fundamentals, good air support across the board (!), familiarity with as many styles as possible
    While there are some universal fundamentals, each instrument (even within an instrument family) has unique characteristics that at the very least need their own mindset. Once you figure out the key differences, the things that are the same take care of themselves.
    Treat each instrument as if it is your major instrument.
    – Take regular (weekly/bi-weekly) lessons with excellent teachers on each instrument that you wish to play at a high level
    – Focus on improving one instrument at a time (ex. for three months taking flute lessons and primarily practicing flute, while lighter practicing + preparing for gigs on clarinet and saxophone)
    – Own high quality equipment and keep it in good repair
    Learn to be a performer on all of your instruments, not just a person who dabbles on the others!
    Learn each instrument as if you know nothing about how to play and learn to play it correctly from the beginning
    Play whatever instrument you enjoy the most. For example, don’t double on flute as a sax player just because you feel you have to. Play the recorder and contrabassoon, or celeste and guitar. Do what makes you happy.
    Listen to professionals to develop your best sound and practice your secondaries similarly to your primaries. Don’t be afraid to ask others for advice to improve your playing. Scales are good for everyone.
    Learn to play cross genre music on each doubling instrument. This will increase your career viability tenfold.
    “Book yourself on gigs you’re not quite ready for” – Don’t take the piss and lie in such a way that you’ll be unable to give a good show. But do book gigs where you are almost good enough but not quite yet. This gives you the motivation to reach that next step in your practice, and forces you to get better. Nothing to make you practice like an upcoming show!
    Don’t stop practicing.
    I would say treating your double as your primary horn (using the same techniques you used on your primary to learn). If you did scales, arpeggios, tone exercises, do the same on your double.
    Say “Yes!”
    Don’t have your instrument just be a work colleague. Noodle around and get to know them sometimes without a particular goal.
    I always say, “view playing each instrument like speaking a different language. They have similar qualities as Winds, but each one requires a different mindset and physical setup.”
    Think of each instrument separately, don’t try to transfer technique from one to another.
    Compartmentalize your brain. (eg. When I hold a saxophone, I can’t easily tell you much pedagogically about anything else)
    Take lessons on your secondary instruments with established teachers. Practice all of the music before the first rehearsal (especially for your secondary instruments).
    Try not to sound like a saxophonist playing a clarinet. Try to sound as much as a clarinetist as possible.
    The principles of tone production on single reed instruments are all the same, and that is more important to stress than the particulars of what will happen to achieve that on each instrument. e.g. the saxophone and clarinet embouchure will look different but for either all you need to do is make a seal with no unnecessary pressure or biting that minimally dampens the vibration of the reed
    Don’t get too bogged down in the beginning/intermediate stages with perfecting any technique or piece of music. It’s probably more important to read a variety of music so that you are reinforcing a bunch of different techniques in a bunch of different scenarios. It makes it more real world, forces you to discover and engage with more of the instruments strengths/weaknesses, and I think it makes you learn faster too because you see things in more different places
    Get a good teacher
    Off the top of my head: STYLE; maintain your instruments well; be good with your finances and set aside a little money each month for new instruments, upgrades, accessories, reeds, repairs, etc.
    Legere reeds are great for doublers!
    Study instruments with teachers on that primary instrument (flute with a flutist, etc)
    Show up confidently prepared!
    Treat every instrument as it’s own when you start. Just cause you play saxophone doesn’t mean it’s a golden ticket for you being good at anything else.
    Practice!
    Spend a reasonable amount of time on rudiments for your weakest, or non-native, instrument. Then spend an equal amount of time goofing around on the same instrument.
    Synthetic reeds help with quick instrument changes, especially when the new instrument hasn’t been played for several minutes.
    Which ever instrument is in your hand, practice/play it like it is your primary/only instrument
    Master the basics of all your doubles.
    You have to really want to do it. Nothing is wrong with not woodwind doubling ie. focussing on just one instrument. The opposite can also be true.
    Study with a specialist on that instrument
    Good instruments help a lot.
    Study each instrument privately with someone who is highly accomplished.
    Never neglect the basics when learning a new instrument. Long tones and scales are universally important for learning tone and technique, and those don’t usually cross over between instruments
    Take lessons/listen/get the tone, intonation and musicality right and let the fingers work themselves out.
    Don’t allow the mentality of being a doubler lessen your goals toward sounding you are a specialist on the horn in your hands.

    Even if you never sound like Tim McAllister (or whoever), be proud of your versatility: doubling has opened doors for me that specializing on a single instrument would have never done.

    You may never arrive at what your musical ear wants to hear from your own playing, but enjoy the never-ending growth, exploration and discovery that comes along with chasing that ideal.
    Practice your instrument switches!
    Treat each instrument as if it is your primary, learning all of its specifics. Take good lessons to sure up lesser instruments, no matter how old you are. Practice!
    have fun
    Master one instrument before adding more.

    Thanks again for your participation and stay tuned for more survey results.

  • Why do I need to use alternate fingerings?

    ByBret Pimentel

    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

    Woodwind instruments including the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone all have more than one fingering for some notes. Why is that, and do you need to learn them all? Instead, could you just learn the one main fingering for every note and get really good at using it?

    Here are some things to think about:

    • There’s not always one “main” fingering. For example, the clarinet has its “pinky finger” notes that have left-hand or right-hand options, and you need to know both equally well to play above the beginner level. The flute has “1 and 1” and “thumb” fingerings for B-flat that are both common and standard. The oboe has two or three standard fingerings for F. The bassoon’s thumb and pinky options for F-sharp and A-flat and the saxophone’s “side” and “bis” B-flats are also arguably equally important.
    • Using an alternate fingering can sometimes help avoid awkward movements. One example is flip-flopping (one finger lifting up while another presses down) with F to F-sharp on saxophone or in the clarinet’s middle register. Another is sliding (moving a finger from one key to another) like going from D on the oboe to F with the right-hand F key. Sometimes these awkward movements are unavoidable, but good woodwind players avoid them whenever possible.
    • Alternate fingerings don’t always sound or respond the same. Some do, such as the clarinet’s pinky finger notes, because the pinky keys open and close the same holes. But some alternate fingerings might be a little louder or softer, sharper or flatter, more or less resistant, or brighter or darker in tone. Excellent woodwind players use these differences in artistic ways.

    So alternate fingerings are important and useful. But do you need all of them?

    There can be a lot of alternate fingerings. Advanced bassoonists sometimes refer to a book of fingerings that is over 300 pages long! (There are books for other instruments, too.) Sometimes there can be dozens of fingerings for a single note.

    If you’re currently learning an instrument and using a method book (individual or band method) that has a fingering chart, you could check to see which notes have more than one fingering. It might be a worthwhile challenge to learn all those fingerings, and see if the book gives any hints about when to use which ones.

    If you’re a more advanced student, the music you’re working on might present challenges when fingering patterns get awkward. Take on the challenge of researching lesser-known alternate fingerings that might help. (Sometimes a fingering has both advantages and disadvantages that you have to weigh carefully.) Start collecting useful fingering charts, or compile your own.

    If you have my sights set on playing professionally, then you will need to know lots of alternate fingerings, have good resources to consult when you need more options, and know exactly how each fingering sounds, responds, and tunes on your instrument.

    Good luck!

  • |

    New book! Woodwind Basics: Core concepts for playing and teaching flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone

    ByBret Pimentel

    If you are teaching a woodwind methods course, you might be interested in my book.

    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

    Woodwind Basics by Bret Pimentel

    I’m pleased to announce the release of my book, Woodwind Basics: Core concepts for playing and teaching flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone. I wrote it with woodwind methods/techniques classes in mind, but I think it also works well as a reference for private teachers at any level, or for woodwind players, especially woodwind doublers.

    I’ve been using various drafts of this book for the last few years with my own woodwind methods classes. (If you’re a reader of this blog, you’re familiar with my complaints about the existing textbooks.) I wanted to write something very focused, clear, and methodical, with the side benefits of being relatively short, easy to read, and inexpensive.

    I’m pretty happy with how it turned out and I hope you’ll get yourself a copy. I especially recommend the PDF/ebook version for low price and immediate delivery, but it’s also available in paperback from Amazon.

    I owe a special thanks to readers of this blog over the past 9 years. The 500+ posts I’ve written here, plus your comments and other responses, have done a lot to shape my ideas about woodwind playing and teaching. So, if you will send me an email, I’ll be happy to send you a coupon code worth a few bucks toward the PDF version. Let me know who you are and why you’re interested in the book. Offer good through June 2017.

  • Breath support, register breaks, and resistance

    ByBret Pimentel

    A few months ago I wrote this about the clarinet:

    If breath support, embouchure, and voicing are correctly established, then Crossing the Dreaded Break ceases to be a Thing. It’s just another note: a moment ago you were playing B-flat, and now you are playing B-natural. As long as your fingers get where they are supposed to go, then that’s all there is to it. Personally, I don’t even use the word “break” with a beginning student—there’s no need to get them all uptight about what really is a non-event.

    My point was that crossing a register break is merely a fingering issue, and shouldn’t be turned into a big to-do about embouchures and equipment purchases and so forth. And I stand by that, but there is something I glossed over a bit that perhaps ought to be revisited in more detail, and that applies to register break crossings on all woodwind instruments.

    The point that I want to return to is that of breath support. If it, and some other basic tone-production matters, are “correctly established,” then break-crossing is indeed nothing more than a new fingering or two. But assuming that breath support is 100% correct with a student just reaching the break-crossing stage is often a mistake.

    Each note on the clarinet (and on any woodwind) has a certain level of resistance—that is to say, it requires a certain amount of air pressure to get the air column vibrating. Some notes are more resistant, and some are less resistant. As a sort of general oversimplification, we might assume that a long-tube note (with more toneholes closed) is more resistant than a short-tube note (with more toneholes open). Other factors do apply, of course: the size of the toneholes, whether the fingering is a “forked” fingering, and more, but let’s isolate tube length for the moment. So for the clarinet, having a break between A-sharp and B, we would expect to see this kind of resistance change while crossing the break:

    Taller grey bar = higher resistance
    Taller grey bar = higher resistance

    (Note that the bar graphs here are strictly illustrative and not based on any real measurements.)

    A beginner who is accustomed to the lower resistance of a few chalumeau-register notes might have intuitively developed just enough breath support to make those notes respond. When he or she attempts to cross the break, the breath support isn’t enough to overcome the increased resistance: Read More “Breath support, register breaks, and resistance”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments that take a negative or confrontational tone are subject to email and name verification before being approved. In other words: no anonymous trolls allowed—take responsibility for your words.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.