Recent Episodes
Bassoon Problems and Solutions for Music Educators Bassoon problems can be challenging to diagnose, especially for band directors who do not teach the instrument every day. An unresponsive note, weak tone, growl, squeak, or crack may come from the reed, air support, embouchure, fingering, special-key technique, moisture, or the instrument itself. In this episode of […]
Saxophone problems can be difficult to diagnose because the sound a teacher hears may result from several interacting factors, including instrument setup, reed and mouthpiece condition, embouchure, voicing, air support, finger placement, or mechanical adjustment. In this episode, we examine 10 common saxophone problems and practical ways music educators can isolate the likely cause, test […]
Why does a bass clarinet student keep squeaking, sounding airy, struggling across the register break, or fighting the instrument physically? In this episode of The Music Educator Podcast, Bill Stevens examines 10 common bass clarinet problems and practical ways to solve them. The episode covers equipment mismatches, reed strength, mouthpiece problems, mechanical leaks, assembly, posture, […]