Preparation Is Half The Battle, Right?

Preparation Is Half The Battle, Right?

Nov 16, 2020 | music

I’m one step closer to getting back in the playing habit. Over the weekend my goal was to organize my music drawer. I am using an old SmartPak (equine supplement) plastic drawer in which I store my reeds and apparently half a dozen music books, an old flute...
Preparation Is Half The Battle, Right?

It’s Been A Long Time (Music Monday)

Nov 9, 2020 | music

It’s been a really long time since I’ve picked up my clarinet, and I need to rectify that. Back when I started working from home, I thought I’d have “more time” to play. And yet, between health concerns and everything else going on, the...
Clarinet Update

Clarinet Update

Nov 13, 2019 | music

I haven’t blogged an update about clarinet practice, mostly because there hasn’t been any. Between my work schedule changing and my not having time to practice, I have the bronchitis from hell and though I could sterilize reeds and my mouthpiece when...
Clarinet Update

Moving Beyond Scales

Jul 31, 2019 | music

I want to admit something to you. I have an addiction. Okay, two. First, I’m addicted to reeds. I love finding different brands, different strengths, even trying the cheap Chinese reeds on eBay. It’s all good, and I love them all. I’m a reed geek....
The Brain To Finger Connection

The Brain To Finger Connection

Jul 26, 2019 | music

One of the things I’ve found that regular practice helps is the “brain to finger” connection. There’s a moment when you see a note that you have to translate it to its letter, then to its fingering. Next, you move your fingers into position....
Clarinet Update

Back On The Practice Track

Jul 24, 2019 | music

One of my goals was to get back to practicing the clarinet at least four days a week. So, I turned the page to the F-Major scales, saw the notes go up up up, and took a deep breath. Then I made the clarinet sound like a drunk goose. One with a voice that cracked like...