When classical musicians decide to play klezmer music, it’s always a risky challenge. But with the Sirba Octet, it’s just a great pleasure for us listeners! These 8 musicians from the “Orchestre de Paris” are perfectly aware of their classical background, and they don’t pretend to play “pure” klezmer music. The octet mixes the traditions…
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Do you remember Watchdog? I told you about this duo a few days ago. They were about to release their debut album, “You’re Welcome”. Well, it has been released since yesterday. I listened to it on line via bandcamp, and it’s a really great album. Especially for clarinet lovers! The various combinations of the instruments…
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Why does a cylindrical tube play a lower note than a conical tube of the same length? Why is it difficult to play the lowest notes on the saxophone softly? What is the influence of the wall material on wind instruments? An oboe goes to the octave, a clarinet goes to the fifth. But why?…
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Every musician knows that having good regular practice habits is the key to improve. If you’re a teacher, you have certainly noticed how difficult it could be for a student to practice regularly. Telling them about our own methods does not solve the issue. When I was a teenager, I used to wake up every…
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Smartphones have become increasingly popular in the last ten years. They are very useful tools for musicians, making it possible to combine the functions of several devices in a single machine. Here are my favorite apps: Pro Metronome : “The best metronome app. Period.” says the developer on itunes. Well, it’s true. It allows many…
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After Emilien Véret, Ismail Lumanovski & Inspector Gadje and Klarthe Quintet, all in various styles, here’s another great find! Watchdog’s debut album, “You’re welcome”, has nothing to do with any of the other albums I discovered lately, but it’s definitely worth listening. Watchdog is a duo, with Anne Quillier (piano, Fender Rhodes, Moog) and Pierre…
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Remember Ismail Lumanovski? I discovered him last spring in a video where he played with the “New York Gypsy All Star” balkanic music with amazing energy. He is now in a new partnership with “Inspector Gadje” Brass Band (what a joke!). A series of concerts in the next few days in L.A. and the recording…
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Every musician needs music paper, you can download one of the files below and print out as much as needed! Download PDF music paper Download PNG music paper
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When you learn playing the clarinet, crossing the break is a big step! Because between A and B, or Bb and B, you’ll need to move almost all your fingers. Maybe a little joke could make it easier? Let’s transpose Neil Armstrong quote “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”…
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