Category: articles
Budget Bass Clarinet Reviews
Fact: Woodwind doublers need to own lots of equipment. Fact: High quality equipment isn’t cheap. So unless funds are unlimited, woodwind doublers have to choosy on what equipment they spend money on. While I would love to own a $14,000 bass clarinet, it makes no sense for me to go into debt for one. It’s…
What happened the night Jethro Tull beat Metallica to a Grammy Award – Classic Rock
Tongue in cheek, our record company placed an ad in Billboard magazine with the strapline: ‘The flute is a heavy, metal instrument.’ link >
Phil Woods, Top Jazz Saxophonist, Has Died : A Blog Supreme : NPR
https://www.npr.org/sections/ablogsupreme/2015/09/29/444562972/phil-woods-top-jazz-saxophonist-has-died
Is one month of lessons enough to assess?
data-animation-override>“An experienced teacher often needs about ten lessons to really learn about their student. These are things like:- how they learn- how much they practice- how they practice- what they already understand vs. new information to be assimilated over time- what their physical strengths and weaknesses are on the instrument- what their intellectual and emotional…
Nobel medicine winner says: I owe it all to my bassoon teacher
Who was your most influential teacher, and why? My bassoon teacher, Herbert Tauscher, who taught me that the only way to do something right is to practice and listen and practice and listen, hours, and hours, and hours. full article >
Steve Schoene, woodwind repair tech
Steve Schoene is a genius, and he charges far too little for his amazing work. ~ Jeani Foster, Principal flute MSO I have to take a moment to say a few words about woodwind technician Steve Schoene, owner of Schmitt Music in Racine, Wisconsin. For two reasons, one because he’s really really good and deserves…
RIP Frank Foster
From A Blog Supreme/NPR Jazz: Frank Foster, a saxophonist and composer/arranger best known for his longtime association with the Count Basie Orchestra, has died. He passed away in his sleep early Tuesday morning at his home in Chesapeake, Va., according to his widow and manager, Cecilia Foster. He was 82. Foster was a key member…
Childhood Music Lessons May Provide Lifelong Boost in Brain Functioning
Photo credit: dierck shaefer | Flickr.com / Creative Commons License More scientific proof of the advantages of taking music lessons. Source: Sciencedaily.com Childhood Music Lessons May Provide Lifelong Boost in Brain Functioning
App review: Fingering Woodwinds for iPhone
Given how huge apps are, I figured there might be something in Apple’s App Store. And lo and behold there is “an app for that.” It’s called Fingering Woodwinds for iPhone ($4.99, iTunes link). The developer does have a separate iPad version as well for $6.99. While I would like to review that one as well,…
New Study: Playing Bassoon Protects Against Sleep Apnea
SEATTLE, June 10 — Compared with other members of an orchestra, musicians who played a high-resistance woodwind instrument were less likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea, researchers found. In a study of 901 professional musicians, the woodwind players also had a lower risk of apnea than did singers or conductors, according to Christopher P. Ward,…