Favorite blog posts, May 2019

And, as always, this is an excellent way to get your blog post selected as a favorite:

See the woodwind blogs I’m following, and suggest others!

Favorite blog posts, April 2019

Jennifer Stucki, oboist: Why is my Reed Playing Sharp and Flat? Rachel Yoder, clarinet: Objective Language in Applied Music Instruction Just Flutes Blog (Roderick Seed): Tips on Andersen Etudes: Op15, No. 3 Sam Newsome’s Blogsite: Soprano Sax Talk: Acute and Chronic Practicing Bassoon Blog (Betsy Sturdevant): Contrabassoon for Dummies The Flute Examiner (Kelly Wilson): 11 … Read more

Favorite blog posts, March 2019

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, March 2019 edition.

Favorite blog posts, February 2019

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, February 2019 edition.

Switching between saxophones

If you are an alto saxophone player and pick up a tenor or baritone for the first time, it’s pretty common to have a thin, weak tone, to be on the sharp side, to struggle with low note response, and to have issues like the top-of-the-staff G and G-sharp squeaking. If you are a tenor … Read more

FAQ: Ligatures

These are questions I am often asked about clarinet or saxophone ligatures, by blog readers or by my students. Is there a ligature that can accomplish _____ for me? If you are looking for something to hold the reed onto the mouthpiece, then yes. If you are hoping to achieve something loftier, then probably not. … Read more

Favorite blog posts, September 2018

Hand-picked high-quality woodwind-related blog posts from around the web, September 2018 edition.

Recital videos, August 2018

Here are some videos from my recent Delta State University faculty recital. I enjoyed tackling Brett Wery’s challenging Sonata for multiple woodwinds (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone) and piano, plus some little oboe pieces and the André Previn bassoon sonata. As always, the goal was to challenge myself, so, as always, the performance had some hiccups. But … Read more

Recording: Claude T. Smith Suite with Delta State Wind Ensemble

A few months ago I got to perform Claude T. Smith’s Suite for Solo Flute, Clarinet, and Alto Saxophone with the Delta State University Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Erik Richards. It’s a fun showpiece for a woodwind doubler with band, which I’ve had a few opportunities to perform over the last 10 years. The … Read more