I learned of Monster Oil several years ago. The company was formed by 3 trumpet players from The U.S. Coast Guard Band and their first products were some very fine synthetic oil. They also had a Doc Severinsen model that was very thin and fast. At some point early on they came out with a synthetic slide grease. Back then I did not want to use synthetic oil, but I really liked their slide grease. It had just to viscosity I was looking for. I've been on the ...
Updated 02-24-2024 at 08:06 PM by davewerden
Two Books by Adam Frey: The Art of Practice The Game of Practice Most readers here probably know that Adam Frey is a long-time, dedicated educator. He is very articulate about a great many sub-topics in the realm of music practice, and he used these talents to create a pair of books: "The Art of Practice" and "The Game of Practice." The former describes practice techniques and concepts, and the latter is an aid to put the various concepts ...
Updated 01-19-2024 at 07:14 PM by davewerden
The International Tuba-Euphonium Association is a valuable organization. They have conferences in various locations where you can hear top artists, see the latest music and instruments, and meet many new/old friends. They publish a quarterly journal, which is currently being expanded to include content for players of all abilities and ages. You can be a member and get the electronic journal for only $35/year! If you prefer a printed journal that is available for $55/year. Learn more here: https://iteaonline.org/join-itea/ ...
Updated 11-26-2023 at 07:12 PM by davewerden
I just came across the review of my "International Songbook for Euphonium" from the online journal of the International Tuba-Euphonium Association. You would need to be a member to see the whole journal, but I have their permission to reprint reviews of my own material. International Tuba-Euphonium Association Journal (online edition), July 1, 2023 The International Songbook for Euphonium. Euphonium and Piano. Traditional. Arranged by David ...
Updated 11-24-2023 at 11:41 AM by davewerden
Hang onto your hats! There is another fine choice now in the realm of Wick/Bach size 4 mouthpieces. This one is made by Ultimate Brass for Adam Frey. Changing my pattern a bit, I'm relaying on the video for most of the review. I'll say first that the mouthpiece is a good competitor and is fairly comfortable to play if you are already accustomed this general size. I'm comparing to my Alliance DC4, which seems to be the closer of the 2 mouthpieces I'm using now (my other, the DC3, is ...
Updated 10-15-2023 at 03:13 PM by davewerden
Let me start by saying that you don't have to be a member of a church to benefit from the free lessons I discuss, although some of the lessons will have more impact on your music education with more exposure. In my case I had a gappy relationship with church. My parents, and later my older sister, took me to church regularly during my younger years. But around my 7th grade year that mostly stopped. My relationship with church started up again while I was in the early ...
Updated 09-27-2023 at 01:59 PM by davewerden
REVIEW OF AUSTIN CUSTOM BRASS EUPHONIUM MOUTHPIECES: #1, #2, and #3 Our friends at Austin Custom Brass have been busy! A while ago we learned they produced some nice euphoniums as part of their "Doubler" instrument line. Now we learned that ACB has produced an interesting line of euphonium mouthpieces! There are three models, numbered simply 1, 2, and 3. However, what is not so simple is the way the numbers relate to each design. ...
Updated 07-14-2023 at 06:25 PM by davewerden
NOTE: this article assumes your playing is already at a high enough level to be a soloist. I want to discuss other considerations. But even if your playing is not there yet, the tips below are good to keep in mind! Many euphonium players hope to become a featured soloist with a wind/brass/military band, and there is a good reason for that. Euphoniumists have been soloing with bands since the 1800's, and our history is rich with accomplished soloists. A few very old recordings, and many ...
Updated 07-07-2023 at 11:42 AM by davewerden