Woodwinds

A flute dating back to approximately 900 B.C. was found in China and called a ch'ie. To date, the oldest flutes have been found in the Swabian Alps region of Germany, and are said to have been from about 43,000 to 35,000 years ago.
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To play the piccolo well only takes knowing what is the same and what is different, and how to deal with these differences. No two people, or instruments for that matter, are alike, so you have to discover some of these issues on your own.…
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Playing in jazz band is a great opportunity for every student. Besides the obvious change of genre and music style from concert band, it also allows for students to develop good listening habits by working in an ensemble with just one…
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Many student players take the time to tune to one note -- which is fine for a start. But, it is necessary to relate to different notes when working with a saxophone section. In tuning the saxophone AND a saxophone section it is best to…
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Since its release earlier in 2013, saxophonists around the world have been lauding the Vandoren Universal Saxophone Support System. Its even distribution of the instrument weight and multiple comforts and security adjustments have made it a…
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A day before the performance, I try not to play, at all, if I can help it. Choosing the reed is the only thing I would do. I try to mentally calm down and do completely different things to keep my mind off of the performance. Practicing the…
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It's common to hear a student say, "No matter how much I practice this, it just doesn't get any better". This student has obviously gone through days or even weeks of practice room frustrations. So what can the teacher do?
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I began experimenting with extended techniques as soon as I began playing the saxophone. I remember my elementary school friends and I turning our mouthpieces upside down and squawking at each other. I also saw the percussive abilities of…
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