Amazing Alternative Fingerings Here are some useful (and fun) fingerings for these notes: G6 Here’s a handy fingering for high G. It’s quite stable, in-tune (440), and responsive. I use it a lot in slower music; it’s a little too cumbersome in faster passages. B5 […]
5 useful alternative fingerings Read More »
Here’s my list! 1) Martin Fröst – Saint Saëns Sonata Revelation: how “easy” music can be played in such an arresting and captivating way. I heard this when I was in high school; I never thought of “easy” music the same way again! 2) Nash Ensemble – Krommer Octet Partita Revelation: how well a classical ensemble, including clarinets, can
Five Clarinet Recordings that Changed my Life Read More »
Disclaimer: when I use the phrase Performance Anxiety (PA) I am referring to everyday musicians’ performance anxiety. This post is relevant only to people with garden-variety PA. This PA might be common, but it is not a small problem by any means Before I finished my undergraduate degree, I would rate my PA experiences as
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What is musical General Knowledge™? For examination boards, like ABRSM, Trinity, and AMEB, General Knowledge (GK) is a component of your exam that is hard to prepare for. It boils down to practically everything! You can be hit with questions concerning music theory, harmony, form, terminology, history, and performance practice, to name a few categories!
Improving your “General Knowledge”, the 21st Century Way Read More »
One of my favourite authors, Scott Adams, described his exercise regimen on his podcast this morning. He’s a pretty high-achieving guy, so one might suspect his system was sophisticated and goal-oriented. It wasn’t. Mr Adams simply wakes up, drives to the gym, and walks in. That’s it. If he takes a look at the weights
How to Play Clarinet Every Day Read More »
I love watching PC-building videos on YouTube. Half of the fun is watching people who understand IT assembling something cool. The other half is more conceptual: it’s inspiring to watch experts make intelligent, well-reasoned compromises. When it comes time to buy your first clarinet, there are hundreds of options to sift through on Amazon alone.
How to Buy a Clarinet Part 2 – Accesories and Upsells Read More »
Skip to the end for the TL;DR There are many careers, hobbies, and side-hustles in this world. People who decide to take up the clarinet, or decide to make clarinet their profession, are rare. This begs the question: why choose to spend so much energy learning to play the thing? First, the clarinet is a
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Skip to the end for the TL;DR Today, I want to argue how learning online can be superior to the old-fashioned way. I’ve dedicated all of my working hours to teaching clarinet online. I truly believe it’s the superior medium, at least until VR lessons become the norm! 5-minute preparation and 5-minute pack-down Time is
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Skip to the end for the TL;DR I have been teaching clarinet online since Skype was the biggest name in video conferencing. Unfortunately, having a great learning experience online is not a matter of simply finding a good teacher. If only! I will list and discuss some ‘level ups’ you can make, starting with free
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Skip to the end for the TL;DR The #1 question I am asked by my students and students’ guardians: how do I go about buying a clarinet? I understand the problem! The financial stakes are high. In the year 2022, you are both blessed and damned by all the choices you have at your fingertips.
How to Buy Clarinets – a Practical Guide Read More »
