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How to Overcome FOMO for Musicians
With the pervasiveness of social media, FOMO (or fear of missing out) is becoming a more common issue. Whether you’re seeing evidence of your friend’s trip to Bali or lusting over somebody’s new designer purchase, it’s easy to feel like the world is passing you by. FOMO is an ugly combination of jealousy, insecurity, and ennui with your own life in comparison to others. Everybody has experienced FOMO at some point during their lives, but it’s especially prevalent among the hyper-competitive world of music. Job scarcity, cut-throat auditions, and a plethora of other factors can make FOMO feel more personal to musicians. When you see your friends and colleagues traveling…
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The Complete Guide to Buying Your First A Clarinet
There comes a point in many clarinetists’ lives when your trusty B-flat isn’t enough anymore. Maybe you’re tired of transposing in orchestra (cool it with the A clarinet, Tchaikovsky!). Maybe you want to play the Mozart Concerto in the original key signature. Or maybe you’ve decided to continue your musical studies into college and beyond. Whatever the reason, owning an A clarinet is a requisite for any serious clarinetist. Many of the greatest masterworks of orchestral, chamber, and solo literature are written for the A clarinet. Professional clarinetists are expected to own and play on both B-flat and A clarinets for auditions, recitals, and performances. But when should you purchase an…
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Band Roadblocks: Reasons Why You’re Not Improving As Much As You Would Like
I’ll be the first to admit that I can be a bit…impatient. Maybe it’s my sense of millennial instant gratification, or maybe it’s just pent up creative energy – whatever the case, it can be frustrating in music. Improving your musical abilities takes time and effort, and it can be exasperating to feel like you’re putting in more than you’re getting out. This is especially true in band programs, where you’re side-by-side with musicians of all levels and it’s easy to compare yourself to others. Here are a few roadblocks which could be preventing you from reaching your potential: You don’t practice enough. Just like you have homework in math…
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Chilling Clarinet Solos to Get in the Halloween Spirit
Updated October 19, 2025 As clarinetists, we are lucky to have a veritable treasure trove of repertoire at our disposal. Throughout the years, I’ve curated quite the music library, including all the standard repertoire and some quirky gems I’ve found along the way. I’m sure I’m not the only clarinetist who has purchased incidental music by title alone, and I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to share some of my favorites with you. I love planning and performing themed recitals, and I’d like to share some Halloween repertoire inspiration with you. Even though I haven’t performed all of these pieces, I’ve read through them and chosen them based on…
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International Day of Baermann
Calling all clarinetists! Last October, I created the Baermann Boot Camp, a practice plan which allows you to complete Carl Baermann’s eponymous scale book in one month. Clarinetists from around the world bonded over torturous key signatures and those dreadful octaves, and we emerged stronger and more technically proficient after an intensive month of scales. A lot of people probably thought I was crazy for cramming so much music into just 31 days. Well, I’m about to share an even more ambitious idea. I’d like to introduce the inaugural International Day of Baermann on October 24, in honor of the 208th birthday of our patron saint of scales. To celebrate, we’ll be…
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The Beginner’s Guide to Orchestral Excerpts
If you’re a musician, you’ve probably crossed paths with a few orchestral excerpts throughout the years. For such short snippets of symphonic literature, you’d think excerpts would be more manageable and less stressful…but unfortunately, that’s not the case. For the uninitiated, what are orchestral excerpts and what’s the big deal? I remember my first experience with an orchestral excerpt. I was asked to record an excerpt from the Brahms 3rd Symphony for an audition in early high school. Having been raised as your typical band geek, I was well-versed in the ways of marching band tunes, patriotic pep songs, and other school band toe-tappers, but I had had little knowledge…
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So You Want to Play an Auxiliary Clarinet?
One of the great things about the clarinet is that it has quite the extended family. From the mighty contra-bass clarinet to the wailing E-flat clarinet, there is a veritable orchestra of clarinets at our disposal. Although each clarinet uses basically the same fingerings and similar fundamentals, each auxiliary clarinet presents its own unique challenges. Here’s everything you need to known about playing an auxiliary clarinet: Why should you play an auxiliary clarinet? To become more marketable. More clarinets = more gigs. Your band director or ensemble conductor asked you to double or switch. Most importantly: because clarinets are cool and you want to learn an auxiliary clarinet! Which auxiliary…
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The Clarinetist’s College Packing List
It’s that time of year again – school bells are ringing, stores are advertising discounted school supplies, and college-bound musicians are preparing for their impending move. I’m preparing for my own upcoming move to Montreal, so I thought it would be nice to share my packing list for all my fellow clarinetists (because we all know that I have a slight obsession with making lists). Keep in mind that this list is just music-related products and is not comprehensive, so don’t forget to pack the essentials (you know, like clothes and stuff). clarinets – Bb, A, Eb, bass, plastic clarinet for marching band, or any other clarinets you may need…
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The Complete Guide to Long Tones
You’ve probably heard your band director, private teacher, or other well-meaning music instructor tout the benefits of long tones at some point during your musical career. Maybe you’ve even been known to play a few long tones yourself (when the mood strikes). Better yet, maybe long tones are as integral to your daily routine as your morning coffee (#longtonesforlife). So what’s the big deal about long tones anyway? There’s a reason everybody keeps talking about long tones – they’re kind of a big deal for musicians. Whether you’re a long tone skeptic or believer, there’s no argument that long tones are super important for your musical growth and development. Much like…
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Quick Fix Friday: Breathe Like Kirby
I love video games, especially when I can combine them with clarinet pedagogy. This week’s Quick Fix Friday is an analogy to help younger students (especially gamers) visualize proper breathing. I’ve taught dozens of beginner clarinetists over the years, and one of the most important fundamentals they must learn is air and breath support. Many younger students aren’t using enough air, and I can only say “More air!” so many times before we both get frustrated. Enter Kirby. He (or she??) is cute, cotton-candy pink…and a breathing machine! Anyone that’s ever underestimated Kirby in SSB (that’s Super Smash Bros., for any of my non-gamer readers) knows that his gale-force wind…
