My Blog

Everyone wants to learn tunes. Some want to learn the Jazz Standards, some want to learn cover songs, others church songs. But if you're not careful, you can wind up actually making these 3 mistakes that make it harder to learn the tune in the first place. Watch the...

One of the many questions I get asked is, "How do I improve my saxophone technique?" Technique, when playing any musical instrument is extremely important in order to play your favorite pieces and also express a message you are trying to say through your music. Of...

There were some great new products and amazing jam sessions at NAMM 2018 in Anaheim. Here are some of my highlights: Trevor James Saxophones The saxophones from Trevor James were outstanding. Artists such as Andy Snitzer, Brian Miller and Steve Cole perform on them....

Which is the best airline when flying with your musical instrument?  That's the million dollar question that everyone asks.  We hear so many horror stories (like this one) about people's musical instruments getting severely damaged on a flight and we do not want to...

One of the biggest hassles and pain points for performing musicians is flying with your musical instrument. As a saxophone player, even slight damage can set you back if you're traveling to a gig. There have been many stories of instruments suffering severe damage or...

Play the saxophone softer - wouldn't you want to play louder? The saxophone is one of the most expressive musical instruments. From the breathy subtone of the jazz greats to the screaming high note rock solo, saxophones can cover all types of dynamic requests and...

Back in high school, I was really confident performing music on stage, whether it was in school or in the community.  My attitude was, "I own this stage; no one can take it away from me." But then, I hit a real low point in my life and my playing, and I experienced...

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  One after one, every person that tried out this new tool (the Klangbogen) was getting an amazing boost in their tone - it was so big, it was blowing my hair off the top of my head! (And I have a lot of hair ?) When I met Mauro...

Many saxophone musicians complain about reeds that either don't work, are unresponsive, or don't last long enough. They are told to just practice more, but more practicing doesn't work if the reed isn't in tip-top shape. One of the ways to have really responsive reeds...

In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, here are 3 videos to jumpstart your Beginner Jazz Improvisation skills. Beginner Jazz Improvisation; Where to begin In this video from a recent Facebook Live session, I answered a great question on beginner jazz improvisation...

As a Band Director, or even a private teacher, you often wonder why your beginner clarinetists have poor intonation. The standard solutions to fix the intonation problems are to firm up the embouchure and increase the reed strength. Some teachers recommend changing...

Many view the saxophone ligature (and clarinet ligature) as just something to keep the reed on the mouthpiece so it can vibrate to produce sound. As a result, you will often see beginner saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces with that standard metal ligature - you know,...

Musicians have special concerns when dealing with their health. There are certain musicians' products that are vital for optimal performance. I never leave home without these special musicians' products. Why? Lip Eze You see, as a trumpet and saxophone player/teacher,...

When you first started playing saxophone or clarinet, did you ever feel like you could never get a good tone no matter what you tried? Did you try out every reed in the box, but still squeaked away? If you teach, were you stumped when your students could not produce a...

"Something about unbalanced reeds that get exaggerated in certain conditions..." There's nothing more frustrating than trying to perform and you can't stop your reed from squeaking no matter how much you soak it. If you live in a dry area, or even a high-altitude...

In my latest radio show for the BAM Radio Network, I had the great privilege of speaking at length with Tom Ridenour. Tom is a world-class Clarinetist, Educator and inventor who has created a product that can truly help clarinet and saxophone musicians of all...

When first starting out on the saxophone or any woodwind instrument, there are so many questions about saxophone reeds: Which brand of reed should I use? Which strength reed is best? Should I use cane or synthetic? How long does each one last? Why doesn't every reed...

If you are struggling for new ideas for improvisation and desperately need to improve your jazz vocabulary, you need to check out my latest radio show on the BAM Radio Network, with special guest, Nick Mainella, creator and host of the 10 Minute Jazz Lesson Podcast...

How important are warmups up to you? How long do you spend warming up? What exercises do you warm up with? All these questions and more are answered in my latest radio show on the BAM Radio Network with my special guest, Nick Mainella, from the 10 Minute Jazz Lesson...