A Ligature is No Small Thing In the quest to coax the best performance from any level band student, it’s important to leave no stone unturned. Woodwind students, most of whom are usually renting their first instruments, have the deck stacked against them from the very beginning. They are attempting to hone their musical skills on an instrument that, fo ...
Why do beginning clarinet players play flat?
By Rheuben Allen
There are many reasons why the young clarinetist tends to play flat.
Undeveloped embouchure
The undeveloped embouchure is of course number one. In the first notes that come out of the clarinet there are many problems. Pitch is just one of them... we have tone color.... learning to tongue... le ...
AcoustiCoil: Positive Interference Making Better Music
An interview with inventor/trumpeter Don Novy by Banddirector.com
BD: (Banddirector.com): What is an AcoustiCoil? DN: (Don Novy): An insert to the bore designed for woodwinds, saxophones and brass instruments to improve their response acoustically. BD: It goes inside of the instruments? DN: Yes. BD: ...
To Breathe Or Not To Breathe
by Michael Levine
WHY KIDS DON’T BREATHE
What beginners discover is that they really don’t need to take any extra breath to make a sound on their instrument. They can make a sound and get by with whatever breath they have on hand at the moment. Besides, they are inundated with so many other things to think about &n ...
Practice Man, Practice
William Berz
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
According to the old joke, it’s: practice man, practice. Certainly, practice is central to being a successful musician. Unfortunately, as all music teachers know, the solution is not really that obvious.
A recent article by Robert Rawlins, coordinator of theory at Rowan Un ...
How to Practice
Richard Hahn
Richard Hahn is Professor Emeritus of Flute and former Director of the Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho. He began his career as a flutist with the Milwaukee Chamber Players and was a featured soloist with the Fine Arts String Quartet.
His activities in solo and chamber music have earned him a national reputa ...
DANSR adds Denis Wick Specialist
by DANSR
August, 2006, Chicago IL – DANSR, inc. announced the hiring of Dan Fisher for the position of brand manager for Denis Wick products. Dan will be involved with all aspects of the Denis Wick product line including sales, marketing and artist relations.
An Eastern Illinois University graduate with a BS degre ...
THOUGHTS ON PRACTICING
Martin Schuring
The most important thing to learn is how to practice. If you learn that, you will certainly learn how to play. Many students (and professionals too, for that matter) don't like to practice, don't do it enough, and don't use their practice time productively. Many students don't even know what to do when they are suppos ...
Circular Breathing
by Joe Burgstaller of Canadian Brass
» Play Video
The five virtuosi of Canadian Brass have made the brass quintet an exciting vehicle for serious concert music. The quintet — now in its 35th season spend most of their time on tour, and have performed with many major symphony orchestras in the US, Canada, Europe and Jap ...
New Products Focus on Performing Artists Breathing Training Using PowerLung, Inc. Technology
December 13, 2005
HOUSTON, TX, Dec. 5, 2005 - No two people are alike. Neither their breathing capabilities nor their goals are alike as other products lead you to believe. PowerLung has always recognized this fact and offered product models designed for differe ...
Doubling on Secondary Instruments:
Perk or Punishment?
Allison Baker
The ability to play auxiliary instruments is an invaluable asset for professional musicians, but not everyone can perform as effectively on a secondary instrument as they do their primary. Orchestral wind players are paid extra for doubling on the piccolo, English horn, or bass clarinet, ...
Controlled Air Release Exercises for Wind Players
Don SumwaltWoodwind & Brasswind
In teaching proper tone production on wind instruments, we always check on basic items: Proper mouthpiece, good reeds, proper formation of the embouchure, and of course, proper breath support. We teach students that breathing the proper is the way to produce good tone. Ho ...
Controlled Air Release Exercises for Wind Players
Don Sumwalt, Woodwind & Brasswind
In teaching proper tone production on wind instruments, we always check on basic items: Proper mouthpiece, good reeds, proper formation of the embouchure, and of course, proper breath support. We teach students that breathing the proper is the way to produce good tone. ...
CONSIDER SOLO PIECES FOR A VARIETY OF INSTRUMENTS
Most bands will have one or more players of soloist quality every year. The problem is that the soloists are not always on the same instrument. This forces the band maintain an inventory of solos for each instrument. Editions Marc Reift has a line of band arrangements which include solo parts for almost ever ...
Good Used / Bad Used
by Melner Flute Centre
How this repair technician looks at a used woodwind instrument.
First, let me give you a little background about who I am and about Melmer Flute Centre. I've been repairing for almost 15 years now and I'm a flute player. I started off repairing in a couple of mom and pop shops until about 10 years ag ...