Category: Band & Orchestra

How to Make the Most of Your Trombone Lessons

How to Make the Most of Your Trombone Lessons

Whether you’ve just enrolled your child in trombone lessons for the very first time or they’re back in lessons after taking an extended break, excelling at an instrument takes more than just showing up for lessons–it takes practicing, maintenance, and plenty of communication between you, your child, and your child’s music teacher. With tips that […]

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Trombone Mouthpiece: A Buying Guide

Trombone Mouthpieces: A Buying Guide

If you or your child are interested in learning to play the trombone, there’s a lot you’re going to learn. Inexperienced and aspiring trombone players may not be aware, for example, that the mouthpiece is arguably the most important part of the instrument. To the untrained eye, trombone mouthpieces all appear to be similar in […]

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Violin Strings

How to Tell If You Need New Violin Strings

If you’re interested in becoming a violinist, one of the most important things you’ll have to learn is how to properly maintain and care for your instrument. Proper care and maintenance of a violin is crucial to producing the best possible sound as well as making sure the instrument stays in the best possible condition […]

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Mouthpiece Buyer's Guide

Clarinet Mouthpiece Buying Guide

The first and most important step to finding your ideal setup is selecting a good mouthpiece. The selection process will be different for every player for several reasons. Firstly, everyone has their own concept of sound. Secondly, every person’s physical makeup is unique, with different jaw and teeth structure, size and shape of mouth and […]

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How to Replace Your Flute Pads

How to Replace Your Flute Pads

Although replacing flute pads isn’t an inherently difficult task, it does require a certain element of skill and expertise. For this reason, Music & Arts recommends having your flute pads replaced by a professional repair technician who not only knows exactly what they’re doing, but has access to all the right tools. Do not attempt […]

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Common Repairs for the Saxophone

Common Repairs for the Saxophone

Not only can saxophone repairs be costly, but some issues can take some time to fix–cutting away from valuable practice time that’s crucial to your progress and success. As with any instrument, it’s important to be aware of some common issues you might experience, and have a proper understanding of the causes and solutions to […]

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Clarinet Ligatures: How to Choose the Best One

Comparing the Buffet Crampon R13 and E11 Clarinets: What Are the Differences?

Young clarinetists often begin their instrumental music study with a plastic student clarinet, such as the Buffet Crampon Prodige.  As a student grows in ability and musical maturity, however, the need for a wood clarinet arises.  Advancing to a wood clarinet presents many, many options for the consumer and it can be confusing as to […]

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Viola Maintenance

Viola Maintenance: Keep Your Viola Sounding (& Playing) Its Best

Whether you’re a beginner or professional viola player, it’s important to educate yourself on the basics of viola maintenance so you can keep your instrument sounding and playings its best. Just like a car requires oil changes and regular maintenance, your viola also needs special attention and adjustments every now and then–not to mention frequent […]

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What’s the Difference Between a Reverse and Non-Reverse Leadpipe Trumpet?

What’s the Difference Between a Reverse and Non-Reverse Leadpipe Trumpet?

The leadpipe of a trumpet, or the section of tubing that runs from the mouthpiece to the first tuning slide, is usually about eight inches long and has a very distinct purpose: to help with control of airflow and accuracy of pitch. The leadpipe tapers very gradually, starting out narrower at the mouthpiece, and allows […]

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Different parts of the trombone

What Are the Different Parts of the Trombone?

If you’re thinking about enrolling your child in marching band, selecting an instrument is part of the process–and the trombone is a popular choice. The trombone’s ancestor was a medieval instrument called the sackbut, which looked a lot like the trombone except its bore was narrower and its bell wasn’t as wide. In the 17th […]

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