Most any student can learn to play the bassoon well. A knowledge of bass clef, playing experience on another woodwind instrument (because of the technique of covering tone holes), ability to read music, and having large hands help. However,…
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Very small cracks in the tip of the reed will usually be OK to play on. If the crack extends beyond 1 millimeter and it is difficult to articulate notes and/or have sudden flatness or unstable pitch, then it's time to buy a new reed.
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Students who are very small physically will benefit from the curved head-joint flute, and students who have larger hands may be best served starting with an open hole instrument, such as the Yamaha YFL361(H) or 461(H).
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Among the first questions, I ask my new students is, "How do you practice?" Usually, the student is uncertain about how to respond to the question and, if so, I go on to ask that they begin a typical practice session, just as though I, the…
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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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