Playing Tips

Recently, I saw various sections resting and oblivious to the music that was surrounding them. I stopped the group and...

I get many phone calls asking for help because "I oiled my valves and now my horn won't play." The...

Imagine a story as you perform, whether the music at hand is an etude, a concerto, or a set of...

A great practice method is the Penny Game. There are three versions of this, so it can be tailored to...

Most sax players use too little mouthpiece in the mouth. I use my "rule of thumb": have them put their...

Play loud, and act confident until you are confident with your playing.Razan A. Badr Riverdale High School Jefferson, Louisiana

Never play to "impress" others! I have seen dozens of musicians tie themselves in knots at auditions, performances and even...

The dot makes a note longer by half the notes value. I first teach the dotted half note, then the...

Before playing your flute, take the mouthpiece only and do a few slurring exercises (going from the lower octaves to...

To accelerate learning for B above the break, I put 1/4" round color coding labels on both pinky keys. Students...

Tip: I always start my practice with a stretch of my hand. By doing this, I can play more efficiently...

Play it again!Often in rehearsal, we are quick to stop playing and "fix" something. Many times, simply playing a passage...