Woodwinds

The Bassoon is used in most Band and Wind Ensemble groups. However, there are special problems that such bassoonists have to face. The primary one is how to balance with the other instruments. It is obvious that the bassoon is the weakest…
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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…
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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.
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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…
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Students often putheys the side keys of the saxophone down without realizing it. Show the student where they are touching the side keys with the inside or palm of their hands. The student must arch their hand around the saxophone in order…
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Sound On your initial play test, you should be asking yourself the all-important question; "Does this clarinet play with the sound for which I am looking". Play slowly in all registers paying special attention to the color and vibrancy of…
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Correct embouchure is the most important aspect of playing which beginning clarinet students must achieve during their first year. As any band director knows, there are several other skills needed that first year - - but none so crucial as…
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It has been nearly fifty years since Dr. Eugene Rousseau opened his saxophone studio at the Indiana University School of Music in 1964. The renowned wind faculty which included Rousseau, William Bell, Keith Brown, Philip Farkas, Leonard…
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There are perils involved in playing the piccolo, but there are also many rewards. Moreover, with the "population explosion" in the sheer number of flutists these days, you will find yourself more in demand than a correspondingly good…
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The major components of a mouthpiece can be generalized to the interior, the facing, and the tip opening. The components and their effects are described below, so you may put your knowledge to use and select the mouthpiece that is best for…
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