*Saxophones can follow the same steps but with practicing the jaw motion in time. Note that the jaw should only lower slightly, but not come too far up and raise the pitch (no chewing the reed).

Trills-

See "tr" above a note in your music? Trill from the written note to the next highest note in the key signature.
When a "tr" with a squiggly and an accidental is present....Accidentals above the trill symbol apply to the note being trilled to.

When looking at a trill chart, the finger being trilled will be depicted in gray as opposed to fully colored, which would just be a steady pitch.

IMPORTANT CHROMATIC FINGERINGS:
Clarinet Bb to B (or add the register key for F to F# in the clarion range)

Saxophone F to F#

Clarinet F to F# (throat tones)

Forked F vs. Regular F on oboe-
Regular/Left F
Can either be played with the 3rd finger banana key or the F key on the left (this left F key may not exist on your oboe!). The third finger should never slide off the banana key so sometimes we need...

Forked F
Not as stable, but will prevent blips. The addition of the E-flat key can help stabilize but will make the note sharp.

Intermediate Skills- 

Play in TONE to play in TUNE

Push in (shorten) The instrument if pitch is flat

Pull out (lengthen) The instrument if pitch is sharp 

Flute:

Daily tuning- 

Special tuning-

Super special tuning-

Oboe- 

Daily tuning-

Clarinet- 

Daily tuning- 

Special tuning-

Bassoon-

Daily tuning- 

Special tuning- 

Sax-

Daily tuning- 

Special tuning- 

Bb Tenor Saxophone: Sounds down a M9 (aka a M2 plus an octave)
Eb Baritone Saxophone: Sounds down a M13 (aka a M6 plus an octave)
Other transposing instruments:

Bb Soprano Saxophone (down M2), English Horn (down P5), Piccolo (up one octave), Eb Clarinet (up m3), and MANY MORE!

Identify the key of the non-transposing instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon)

Transpose the concert key as Sounding to Written.

Sounds up an octave from written

Has the same fingerings as flute

Much smaller, more focused embouchure

Intonation tendencies are usually the opposite of flute

Requires very small intonation adjustments

Confident high school flute students with a good year should play the piccolo

English horn

Sounds down a P5 from written

Fingerings are generally the same as oboe (Except for the extreme high register and a half hole is configured differently)

Plastic is recommended for schools to avoid cracking from intermittent playing

Different Reed than oboe

Only needed occasionally for symphony orchestra pieces or sometimes pit orchestra for musicals

Eb clarinet

Sounds up a m3 from written

Same fingerings as B-flat clarinet but different read

Intonation is usually the biggest challenge

Usually found in more advanced wind band pieces

Do not start your beginners on this

Confident high school students with a good ear can be successful on Eb clarinet

Bass clarinet

Sounds down a M9 from written (same as tenor saxophone)

Same fingerings as B-flat clarinet

Common switch in the second year of playing

Usually plays same parts as bassoon and tuba

Synthetic reeds recommended; go down a half size and switching from B-flat clarinet

Great for students who have good air support, but a naturally looser embouchure than desired for clarinet

Saxophones

Bb Soprano

Transposes down an M2 like a clarinet

Appears in advanced wind repertoire pieces and sometimes jazz band

Bb Tenor

Transposes down M9

Can be switched to in middle school if the student is big enough

Often doubles Trombone line in band repertoire

Essential in jazz band

Eb Bari

Transposes down M 13

Can be switched to in middle school if the student is big enough

Often doubles tuba line in band repertoire

Essential in jazz band

Make sure students don’t get so into doubling that they never really get good at one instead

Switching instruments can sometimes solve student struggles, but not always. Switching is successful when students have a strong understanding of the basics and are willing to practice

After this process, you can mark the Reed with a pencil. Put good reeds in your case and bad reeds back in the box. After they’ve been broken in, you can adjust them using sandpaper. Note that reeds get softer as they are played on and as they age!

Fixing warped reeds: 

Characterized by waviness at the tip and poor response.

Chirping when you articulate? It needs to be soaked more. If that doesn’t work, try a different reed! 

Move the Reed on the mouthpiece:

Both of these options are really only helpful if the Reed is pretty good. They won’t fix a bad reed.

Up and Down:

Left and Right: 

Selling reeds to students:

Having students by Reeds directly from you is sometimes easier (and cheaper) than having the parents do it! 

Use reed “punch cards” 

Purchase boxes of reeds in bulk using whatever teacher discounts you can get from your local music retailer!

See if you can purchase some double reeds from a local reed maker to have on hand for your students just in case. (Maybe they’ll give you a deal if you buy in bulk)

It’s OK for young students to buy the cheap reeds – they’re going to break them a lot anyway!

Rico- Great for young students

Vandoren- Great for high school students

Student should...

Have multiple reads: 3 to 4 reeds that are broken in and work well (no new reeds at a concert!)

Rotate reeds: play a different reed every time to get out there instrument (helps reeds last longer and the student develop flexibility in their playing)

Have a good reed case: helps reeds last longer and saves the money. Make sure students are taking their reed off their mouthpiece every time!

It’s OK to throw them away. 

Halloween is also an excellent time to throw away all the new reeds that your student started using in August

Synthetic reads:

Expensive, but maybe worth the investment for some students

Basic Supplies

What to look for

Springs

Pads

The following our emergency fixes and pads replaced by your repairman

Screws

 Bent keys

Corks

Saxophone pearls

Key corks

Tips for diagnosing the problem

Teach when... students have a consistent tone and embouchure in all ranges of their instrument

Use recordings! 

To help students learn to use their vibrato musically

Steps: 

Vibrato is produced by pulses of air for the flute, oboe, and bassoon. For saxophone is produced with small downward jaw motions

1: help students find their abdominal muscles they will be using by coughing, laughing or the “huh!” 

2: add this pulse of air to playing a single note on the instrument

3: turn on the metronome at about 60 BPM and play the pulse in quarter notes, eighth notes, then triplets

4: work to increase tempo or rhythm

a. The vibrato may move up to the throat as tempo increases, ThaTS okay

b. Throat vibrato feels like articulating while whistling

c. Usually a combination of abdominal and throat vibrato is ideal

02: Trills

In trill charts gray notes are the ones to be trilled

03: Chromatic Fingerings

Clarinet Bb to B (or add the register key and it’s F to F# in the clarion.)

Saxophone F to F# 

Clarinet F to F# in throat tones

Gemeinhardt 2SP (closed hole) = $479

Yamaha YFL-221 (closed hole) = $244.00

Yamaha YFL-281 (open hole) = $399.00
Intermediate- 
Jupiter - 711R = $1,000-$1,400

Yamaha - YFL-461H, YFL-481H = $1,400-$2,200

Advanced- 
Altus = $9,500-$14,000

Haynes = $3,00-$7,000

Pearl = $2,000-$4,000

Powell = $3,000

Notes: Open holed flutes add an extra level of challenge for young flute players. Holes can be plugged, but consider saving the open hole for the intermediate model.

Oboe:
Intermediate- 
Fox 333 (plastic) = $3,510.00

Fox 330 (plastic) = $4,200

Yamaha 241 (plastic, no left F) = $3,000

Yamaha 441 (wooden) = $3,557.99–$3,648.99

Advanced- 
Lorée Standard (plastic top joint also available) = $8,000 

Lorée Royale (plastic top joint also available) = $10,400

Fox 300 (full conservatory, plastic) = $5,500-$6,000

Fox 400 (Grenadilla) = $6,500

Yamaha 841 = $6,500-$7,500

Yamaha 841L (lined) = $7,500

Notes: These recommended models have a modified conservatory system mechanism with some closed keys and a left F unless specified.

Well constructed plastic oboes are better than bad wooden ones. 

Clarinet:
Beginner- 
Plastic! (Plastic for marching band!!)
Yamaha = $1,000-1,500

Vito = $100-200

Selmer = $200-$500

Intermediate- 
Wood or plastic
Buffet E11 = $3,000

Yamaha = $1,500

Selmer = $1,600

Advanced- 
Wood
Buffet R13 = $3,500-$4,500

Buffet Greenline = $3,500-$4,500

Yamaha = $3,000-$4,000

Selmer = $6,000

Clarinet mouthpieces/Ligatures
Beginner-
Mouthpieces:

Yamaha 4C (plastic) = $30

Hite Premiere (hard rubber) = $25

Fobes Debut (plastic) = $40

Ligature:

Stock Ligature (comes with the Clarinet)

Intermiediate- 
Mouthpieces: 

Vandoren 5RV, M30, M15, M13 (hard rubber) = $90-$150

D’Addario Reserve X0, X5, X10 and X10E (hard rubber) –The X0 is recommended for most students = $105

Ligature:

Cloth Ligature: 

Rovner= $25-60

BG L6 Standard Clarinet Ligature = $35

Metal Ligature:

Bonade = $25

Vandoren Optimum = $20

BG Metal Tradition = $145
Notes- 
Generally a good idea to upgrade your beginners from the stock mouthpiece to one of those listed.

Keep extra stock ligatures; they break/bend easily; cloth replacements may be wise
Cloth ligatures darken tone, metal ligatures brighten tone.

Saxophone:
Beginner- 
Yamaha YAS-52 = (model does not exist anymore)

Bundy I or II = (does not exist anymore)

Conn-Selmer = $2391

Armstrong = $1400

Chateau CAS-50D (student/intermediate) = $1,349

Intermediate-
Selmer SAS-280 La Voix II Series = $2,500

Yamaha Custom = $4,300

Yamaha YAS-62 = $3,200

P-Mauriat PMXA-67 = $2,590
Notes- Tenor and Bari saxes follow the same brands, but are more expensive

Saxophone Mouthpieces/Ligatures
Beginner- 
Yamaha Stock = $28

Bundy Stock = (does not exist anymore)

Intermediate- 
Selmer S80 C* or C** = $170

Selmer S90 = $160

Vandoren = $120

Notes- Selmer C* is the best all around mouthpiece for classical and jazz playing

Bassoon:
Beginner- 
Less quality, but cheaper
Fox Model III and Model IV (plastic) = $8,000 and $6,600 

Fox Renard Model 41 (plastic), add D flick key =  $6,000

Intermediate- 
Middle quality, but more pricey
Fox Renard Model 240 (maple) = $11,000

Fox Renard Model 222 (maple) = $7,000

Moosmann Model = $7,000-$9,000

Advanced:
High quality, high prices
Fox Model 680 (maple) = $30,000

Moosmann (maple) = $13,000

Yamaha Custom YFG (maple) = $20,000

Cleaning clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces:

Water in your keys? Oh no! Heres what to do...
When in rest position, keep the instrument vertical (oboe, clarinet, bassoon) or rest it with the keys facing up (flute) to prevent this.

Get rid of the water by placing ungummed cigarette paper or a BG Pad Drier under the key. Open the key before removing.

Swab frequently if the problem persists.

Sticky keys can be solved with powder paper or a dollar bill!

Tips!
1. Get your friends to help!
Place woodwind, brass and percussion specialists in different rooms so that students can test each instrument.

2. Give students rating sheets for each instrument
Teachers rate their ability to make first sounds on a scale

1 = lots of effort would be needed

2 = potential for success

3 = AMAZING

3. Teacher helps to make the final decision.
Meet with students to help them pick an instrument that they will be successful on (and do your best to achieve balanced instrumentation)

4. Provide rental information
Make sure students/parents know the cost and where to rent quality instruments

So after school doesnt work. What now? Well...
1. See if you can pull students out of their classrooms to try instruments one-on-one with you.
2. Students don’t have to start playing the very first day of class to engage in musical concepts! Teach rhythms and basic notation while you do try-outs

Pro tip!
If a student can’t get a sound right away, try a few corrections. But if they can’t get it within 5 minutes, they should try a different instrument!

Which instruments to start?
Flute- Common switch to oboe
Clarinet- Common switch to saxophone, bass clarinet
All- If you have the resources and the students are motivated, why not?

Woodwind Specific Balance:
Depends on the size of your overall ensemble and what instruments students have selected to play!

If parts are divided, put more students on the lower part. For example, if there are 5 clarinets total, I would put three on part 2 and two on part 1.

Balance with imperfect instrumentation:
1. Double parts in other instruments
2. Select your repertoire carefully
3. Teach students to listen for correct balance

1. Balance Points

Not only should the musician balance their body (1, 2, Instrument to You), they should also balance the instrument.
2. Hands

Straight wrists and curved fingers are important. Fingers should move from the knuckle and not collapse!
3. Straps and Angle

Neck and seat straps should be adjusted to fit the player each time. Check that the instrument is angled correctly.

Most common; especially used in slower staccato articulations

Best to use when the notes are too fast to stop with the air

Double Tonguing:
Double tonguing: "too/koo," "doo/goo,"  "ta/ka," "da/ga"

Triple Tonguing: "too/koo/too," "doo/goo/doo," "ta/ka/ta," "da/ga/da"

Practice achieving each syllable with clarity slowly and one at a time. At high speeds, they should sound the same.

Flutter Tonguing:
Two Methods:

Practice on easy notes; make sure pitch doesn’t fluctuate