Practice your Sight Reading!

These days, you can find everything on the Internet. While searching, I stumbled across the site PracticeSightReading.com. This great site does what is in it's name, it helps you practice your sight reading. Well, to a certain extent. This site helps you with the rhythm aspect of sight reading. Using the green bar at the top of the page, you can choose a different meter (time signature), then number of measures you want the exercise to be, and the level of difficulty (1 to 5). When you click the button, the site generates a random assortment of rhythms for you to count or clap. Stumped? Don't worry, just click the play button and they will play the rhythm for you. On the go? Click the print button to print the exercise out, and practice on the go. Think you are a master? Try the beta program that lets you change time signatures in the middle of the exercise. This site is a great tool that should be bookmarked by every student musician, and the best part is it's FREE! Check this site out today.

PracticeSightReading.com

Pre-UIL Success!

As you may or may not know, I am in my high school's marching band. Yesterday, I was at Pre-UIL, a marching competition to prepare us for UIL Region marching contest. At Pre-UIL, we competed against 15 other bands. From all the 16 bands, they chose 6 to advance to finals. Our band was lucky enough to advance to finals. At finals, we played our guts out and ended up winning Grand Champion! Below is a video of our preliminary performance. Enjoy!
http://wildskies.phanfare.com/4857161

Which type of metronome should I buy?

Below is an article courtesy of howtopractice.com on purchasing a metronome, the musician's best friend.

Texas All-State Etudes 2010 Help

For all of the Texas high school students who are working on the All-State Etudes for this year, here is a great FREE practice kit from James Barger for Alto, Tenor, and Bari. It features midi recordings at different tempos, tuning notes, and other practice tools. Download the kit here.

Good luck practicing!

Forestone 2nd Generation Synthetic Reed Review

Forestone Reeds is a great synthetic reed company that combines the traditional cane with a more modern synthetic. If you have read my previous review on the original Forestone Reeds, you would have seen that these are great pro-quality synthetic reeds. Well Forestone has come out with the 2nd generation of their amazing synthetics. Check out this updated review to see what has been improved.

The Chromatic Sax by Jim Schmidt

In the world of saxophones, new technology doesn't come often. We might get something like a high g key on the alto or some new neck design that is supposed to radically change your sound, but what about a totally new fingering system? Well, Jim Schmidt did just that by inventing a tenor saxophone that implements an easier fingering system. Since the saxophone is based around the concept where closing holes makes lower notes and opening them makes higher notes, Jim decided to make a saxophone where you only have to lift one finger to move up chromatically. It also features two octave keys (for each thumb) and a C# key operated by the left hand thumb! So what are some advantages of this saxophone over the current fingering system, the Boehm system, used? Here are some from his website:

*CLOSED* Who wants a free Gift Certificate? (Giveaway)

You might remember that I recently reviewed Theo Wanne's Enlightened ligature. Well, if you would like one at a cheaper rate or want to purchase any other Theo Wanne product, then you will want to enter this giveaway! The nice people at TheoWanne.com have decided to sponsor a $25 gift certificate giveaway! So how can you win?

Flavoreeds Review

Have you ever popped that reed in your mouth wishing it tasted like something other than cane? Do you want an easy way to tell when your reeds need to be replaced? Do you need some incentive for young beginners to practice? If you answered, "Yes," to any of the above questions, you may want to read this review and see if Flavoreeds are for you.

Theo Wanne Enlightened Ligature Review

First Impressions: The packaging of the Theo Wanne Enlightened ligature was very nice. Each piece and a spot and fit nicely. When you order the Enlightened ligature, you receive the reed replacer (a unique twist on the traditional mouthpiece cap), two pressure plates (alive gold and heavy copper), an extra screw, a screwdriver for changing pressure plates, and of course the Enlightened ligature.

Saxotone SuperStak Handmade Wooden Ligature Review

I was recently given the opportunity to try the Saxotone SuperStak ligature, a wooden ligature that is handmade. The Saxotone SuperStak Wooden Ligature is a ligature made for all "common" saxes (see below) and bass clarinet and clarinet. It is handmade and totally customized depending on what your mouthpiece's make and model is. This make this ligature unique to other ligatures since they are only made after you order them. Are they worth the money? Find out in the review below.