Bassoonists elite

[BassoonPadwan]

Hi! I was looking for a recording of a marching band show when I found this site. I noticed a few bassoonists from Cedar Park... and I have got to say that you guys rock. At region auditions I was blown away by all your guys sounds. You guys tone is so freakin awesome. For the past two years I have prepared as best as I know for region tryouts, and I have got there feeling confident like I am the best bassoonists on the planet. Then when I get there, and here you guys, I'm like, .

 

I was wondering if you guys would care to share how ya'll got so good. What kind of reeds do you play on? What is your embouchure like? Practicing habits? And any other things you guys think about.

 

Could tell me who you take from/study with so I can take from them too?lol I feel as though my private lessons teacher, although great, is a little young and I think that I could benefit more from someone who has had more experience. What does your lessons teacher work with you on?

 

This is not just for people from Cedar Park, but any other bassoonists! Particularly if you have placed high in competitions I would like for you to share how you became good, as well as answer the questions above.

 

The reason why I am asking these questions is because today my confidence has been shattered by a box.lol I just underwent a long and tedious recording session, I'm wanting to go to Sewanee and I had to make a CD. To say the least, I am not at all pleased with my sound and have fallen into a depression wondering where all those hours of practice went.lol

 

 

Anything is highly appreciated guys!

[G'townPIT]

There are so many variables in playing correctly. It just depends on what works for you.

 

Some general things to remember:

 

Embouchure: keep your corners in and don't feel like you're smiling. always have a little bit of an overbite unless you are flat.

 

Keep your throat open; breath like you are darth vader, and that's what it should feel like in your throat.

 

Your reeds make all the difference in the world. If you can't find a lesson teacher to make them for you, go to www.forrestsmusic.com or www.charlesmusic.com to buy a few.

 

As long as your taking private lessons with somebody who knows what their talking about when it comes to bassoon, you should be fine. Hope this helps.

[euro_euph06]

  G said:

btw...number of cp bassoonists at area this year: 0

dude you are wrong--i know the results---number of CP bassoonists at area: 2

 

The bassoonists of CP who is playing in the duet--his screen name is nnelsonbsn. His real name is Nick Nelson. He is a pretty darn good bassoon player. He has been in top band since he was a freshmen. He went to Interlochen this past summer. He might give you a few pointers.

[euro_euph06]

  G said:

Sorry, you are right. None of them made top 3 at reigon or top 2 at orchestra though. It was just that the 1st and 2nd bssn had to pick which tracks they wanted to go on. Sorry!

Area:

 

3rd-Nick

4th-Another CP student

 

 

Region Orchestra:

 

2nd-Nick

3rd-The same CP student

 

 

Just trying to give accurate information.

[BassoonPadwan]

Thanks guys! This did help!

 

 

Just out of curiosity, who were 1st and 2nd chair?

 

 

 

 

Btw, would you guys happen to know Nick Nelson's screen name?

[G'townPIT]

1st was Amanda Turley from Westlake

[euro_euph06]

Quoting myself:

 

  euro_euph06 said:

The bassoonists of CP who is playing in the duet--his screen name is nnelsonbsn. His real name is Nick Nelson.

[nnelsonbsn]

  BassoonPadwan said:

Hi! I was looking for a recording of a marching band show when I found this site. I noticed a few bassoonists from Cedar Park... and I have got to say that you guys rock. At region auditions I was blown away by all your guys sounds. You guys tone is so freakin awesome. For the past two years I have prepared as best as I know for region tryouts, and I have got there feeling confident like I am the best bassoonists on the planet. Then when I get there, and here you guys, I'm like,  .

 

I was wondering if you guys would care to share how ya'll got so good.  What kind of reeds do you play on? What is your embouchure like? Practicing habits? And any other things you guys think about.

 

Could tell me who you take from/study with so I can take from them too?lol I feel as though my private lessons teacher, although great, is a little young and I think that I could benefit more from someone who has had more experience. What does your lessons teacher work with you on?

 

This is not just for people from Cedar Park, but any other bassoonists! Particularly if you have placed high in competitions I would like for you to share how you became good, as well as answer the questions above.

 

The reason why I am asking these questions is because today my confidence has been shattered by a box.lol I just underwent a long and tedious recording session, I'm wanting to go to Sewanee and I had to make a CD. To say the least, I am not at all pleased with my sound and have fallen into a depression wondering where all those hours of practice went.lol

 

 

Anything is highly appreciated guys!

BassoonPadwan:

-This is Nick Nelson the bassoon from Cedar Park. It's awesome to hear compliments like that from people that I have never met . I speak for Lauren too (the other senior bassoonist from CP) on that.

 

-Mainly what drives me and I think her too is the support that we give each other. We have played together in the same band throughout HS and MS (excluding freshman year) and we will probably be going to the same college with the same major (UT, music performance). We have both grown together and it has always been a generally friendly and supportive relationship, plus we are really great friends outside of music.

 

-I use reeds that my teacher makes, but I will be starting to make my own starting tuesday in preperation for college (hopefully I don't cut up my fingers too much :-X). I think that Lauren uses arundo reeds, black. The different colors of them affect the sound (I think the numbers are wire measurements in mm, I'm not too sure though because I don't use them).

 

-I see that a lot of bassoonists play where their top lip is right at the first wire and their bottom is like half on the reed so it has a large overbite. I used to play like that but at Interlochen I switched to where I try and keep it as natural as possible. I play with my lips about the same place on the reed, and I generally do put very much reed in my mouth unless I am playing very high. Now I'm not telling you to change how you play, that is just my personal preference and it has worked out for me. Talk to your teacher before you do ANYTHING like this.

-Oh yes. If you have problems with opening up, I'm sure you have tried things like imagining an egg or an ice cube or something. Try a bubble. Imagine that you have a bubble in your mouth and you are trying not to pop it by closing in. For me an egg would make me force my mouth open and it would end up hurting and not working. Imagining a bubble lets you stay relaxed yet open, but not too open.

 

-The main thing for practicing is sounding good. I try to get in a good warm-up, usually 15-20 minutes. First I just kind of play around on my horn to get my sound, then I will play some slow scales to key in on matching tone quality. Then I start moving my fingers by playing fast scales or scale patterns. Of course I throw in some tounging because that is one of my weaker aspects. Also I choose 1-2 notes per day and do a tuning excersize on them.

-met: 60bpm, pick any note. Hold it soft 4 counts, cres. 4 counts to f, decres. 4 counts to p, hold again 4 counts. Focus on keeping the bar exactly still on 0.

-I always play through all my music after I warm-up just to see what it sounds like, and again if I'm up to it before I stop. I usually practice 1.5 - 2 hours a day leading up to auditions and such. Lately I have been slacking because well.. I have not much to practice for because everything is over except band. During practice sessions make sure you play accurately. Don't just play lines and leave them sounding poor. Go measure by measure to fix things, often beat by beat or note by note.

 

-I have been taking lessons from Jenny Mann for about 2 years now. She was hired by our school district so she is booked up with tons of school. There are lots of other good teachers around though, you just need to search a little for them.

-Who is your current teacher?

-My teacher works on tons of stuff with me. Right now I am working on fundamentals, reeds, and practice techniques in preparation for college.

 

-For competitions I honestly don't care how I place, I care how I play. If I play and perform well, I don't care if I miss the cut. This is basically the philosophy of our school. Granted, if I were to lose an audition for a job or something I would be angry, but region band and such don't really bother me. I go into them looking to just play my best and get audition experience so I don't get so nervous. When you record try and get 2-3 recordings that you would consider good for each of the pieces. Then you can talk with your teacher and see which one you want to use as a final recording.

 

-I have gone through slumps too. Just relax, take maybe 2 days off, then you have to hit it hard again.

 

Peace,

Nick Nelson

 

aim: nnelsonbsn (as stated)

 

And in response to G'townPIT, I have made area 3 years in a row now (since sophomore year). Region orchestra the same three years, and region band all four years. I never made all-state, but all-state means practically nothing to colleges. You get a patch, just like all the other region events.

 

And in response to euro_euph06:

This year area:

1st - from Houston

2nd - Amanda

3rd - from Houston

4th - me

5th - Lauren

Orchestra:

2nd - me

3rd - Lauren

Band:

2nd - Lauren

5th - me

Auditions at these events can go anybodys way.

For example last year at area:

1st - Amanda

2nd - Lauren

3rd - Billy

4th - Phillip

5th - me

(2nd through 4th was a tie, judges preference based on the people who got the highest amount of 1st votes, then 2nd votes, etc.)

[BassoonPadwan]

  nnelsonbsn said:

BassoonPadwan:

-This is Nick Nelson the bassoon from Cedar Park.  It's awesome to hear compliments like that from people that I have never met .  I speak for Lauren too (the other senior bassoonist from CP) on that.

 

-Mainly what drives me and I think her too is the support that we give each other.  We have played together in the same band throughout HS and MS (excluding freshman year) and we will probably be going to the same college with the same major (UT, music performance).  We have both grown together and it has always been a generally friendly and supportive relationship, plus we are really great friends outside of music.

 

-I use reeds that my teacher makes, but I will be starting to make my own starting tuesday in preperation for college (hopefully I don't cut up my fingers too much :-X).  I think that Lauren uses arundo reeds, black.  The different colors of them affect the sound (I think the numbers are wire measurements in mm, I'm not too sure though because I don't use them).

 

-I see that a lot of bassoonists play where their top lip is right at the first wire and their bottom is like half on the reed so it has a large overbite.  I used to play like that but at Interlochen I switched to where I try and keep it as natural as possible.  I play with my lips about the same place on the reed, and I generally do put very much reed in my mouth unless I am playing very high.  Now I'm not telling you to change how you play, that is just my personal preference and it has worked out for me.  Talk to your teacher before you do ANYTHING like this.

-Oh yes.  If you have problems with opening up, I'm sure you have tried things like imagining an egg or an ice cube or something.  Try a bubble.  Imagine that you have a bubble in your mouth and you are trying not to pop it by closing in.  For me an egg would make me force my mouth open and it would end up hurting and not working.  Imagining a bubble lets you stay relaxed yet open, but not too open.

 

-The main thing for practicing is sounding good.  I try to get in a good warm-up, usually 15-20 minutes.  First I just kind of play around on my horn to get my sound, then I will play some slow scales to key in on matching tone quality.  Then I start moving my fingers by playing fast scales or scale patterns.  Of course I throw in some tounging because that is one of my weaker aspects.  Also I choose 1-2 notes per day and do a tuning excersize on them.

-met: 60bpm, pick any note.  Hold it soft 4 counts, cres. 4 counts to f, decres. 4 counts to p, hold again 4 counts.  Focus on keeping the bar exactly still on 0.

-I always play through all my music after I warm-up just to see what it sounds like, and again if I'm up to it before I stop.  I usually practice 1.5 - 2 hours a day leading up to auditions and such.  Lately I have been slacking because well.. I have not much to practice for because everything is over except band.  During practice sessions make sure you play accurately.  Don't just play lines and leave them sounding poor.  Go measure by measure to fix things, often beat by beat or note by note.

 

-I have been taking lessons from Jenny Mann for about 2 years now.  She was hired by our school district so she is booked up with tons of school.  There are lots of other good teachers around though, you just need to search a little for them. 

-Who is your current teacher?

-My teacher works on tons of stuff with me.  Right now I am working on fundamentals, reeds, and practice techniques in preparation for college.

 

-For competitions I honestly don't care how I place, I care how I play.  If I play and perform well, I don't care if I miss the cut.  This is basically the philosophy of our school.  Granted, if I were to lose an audition for a job or something I would be angry, but region band and such don't really bother me.  I go into them looking to just play my best and get audition experience so I don't get so nervous.  When you record try and get 2-3 recordings that you would consider good for each of the pieces.  Then you can talk with your teacher and see which one you want to use as a final recording.

 

-I have gone through slumps too.  Just relax, take maybe 2 days off, then you have to hit it hard again.

 

Peace,

Nick Nelson

 

aim: nnelsonbsn (as stated)

 

And in response to G'townPIT, I have made area 3 years in a row now (since sophomore year).  Region orchestra the same three years, and region band all four years.  I never made all-state, but all-state means practically nothing to colleges.  You get a patch, just like all the other region events.

 

And in response to euro_euph06:

This year area:

1st - from Houston

2nd - Amanda

3rd - from Houston

4th - me

5th - Lauren

Orchestra:

2nd - me

3rd - Lauren

Band:

2nd - Lauren

5th - me

Auditions at these events can go anybodys way.

For example last year at area:

1st - Amanda

2nd - Lauren

3rd - Billy

4th - Phillip

5th - me

(2nd through 4th was a tie, judges preference based on the people who got the highest amount of 1st votes, then 2nd votes, etc.)

Thanks dude your awesome. Thanks for all the effort you put into that, your a huge help. I appreciate it, you give your school a good name.

 

 

 

Good luck with all your future endeavors.

 

 

 

 

Now , I must go practice........

[nnelsonbsn]

No problem, sorry it took me so long to reply. The site admin took two weeks to tell me about this.

[stewiemylove]

aww shucks

you are mostly talking about the seniors though

they are amazing

i only wish i could sound like lauren and nick

 

nonetheless i guess something our private lesson teacher works on constantly is sounding warm; its the priority.

 

everyone plays on different reeds, but we just focus on tone before anything else.

 

=]

[BassoonPadwan]

  nnelsonbsn said:

-Oh yes. If you have problems with opening up, I'm sure you have tried things like imagining an egg or an ice cube or something. Try a bubble. Imagine that you have a bubble in your mouth and you are trying not to pop it by closing in. For me an egg would make me force my mouth open and it would end up hurting and not working. Imagining a bubble lets you stay relaxed yet open, but not too open.

 

Hey man you really helped me out figure out things to research and look out for.

 

What's your opinion on being too open? What do think is too open?