When I decided to start writing this blog I was very wary of being one of those bloggers who fizzled out on content. I even started with a few posts written in advance so I would have a backlog ready to go. Even with that, though, the last couple of weeks have been rather trying… Continue reading It’s Been A While
Author: Barry
I've been playing the saxophone professionally for over 30 years mostly in the Baltimore/Washington DC area. I've been through a lot of trials and tribulations trying to learn and play this wonderful instrument and my hope is to pass some knowledge along to others and maybe save them some of the trouble. At the very least I want to give you some things to think about even if you do something different or disregard what I say completely.
Fun Weekend
I just got through a really fun weekend playing for the first time with a new (to me) band. The Hudson Project is a wedding and event band out of NYC and they played a couple gigs in my area. I played with them Friday and Saturday nights – Friday I was the only horn and… Continue reading Fun Weekend
Stand Up For Yourself
One of the things I wish someone had told me a long time ago is how important my posture while playing would be to both the quality of my performance and my long-term health. Well, it’s not like no one told me but I guess I should have recognized the impact that not paying attention… Continue reading Stand Up For Yourself
October ’12 News and Notes
Lots of cool things going on right now. First off, there’s a cool new behind the scenes video from the Emma White show I did a few weeks ago at Artscape in Baltimore. It starts off with Emma doing What is Hip from Tower of Power…no small feat for only two horn players. I can… Continue reading October ’12 News and Notes
EWI Corner – The Virtual Years
So I already talked about my old hardware setup for the EWI and how it progressed over time. Those years are mostly behind me these days as I have moved completely over to virtual synths on a laptop. It’s a very flexible setup but I still have my last rack as well as some other… Continue reading EWI Corner – The Virtual Years
An Opinion
A couple weeks ago Amanda Palmer, formerly of the Dresden Dolls and current musical diva of Kickstarter, announced that she was going to have volunteers supplement her touring band and that they would be playing for free (well technically for beer and hugs). This announcement literally lit up the intarwebs where the righteous indignation meter… Continue reading An Opinion
In Pursuit of a Shiny Horn
I love my Mark VI…I mean I really love it. I’ve been through more than 32 years with the same main horn and I pretty much know it like the back of my hand. There are only two things that could be better. For one thing, this horn (like it’s owner) has seen a lot… Continue reading In Pursuit of a Shiny Horn
A Fun Night
I had a really great night on Friday. I was playing with Technicolor Motor Home at the Recher Theatre in Towson, MD. This band is one of my greatest pleasures right now. First off, it’s a great bunch of musicians and a tremendous bunch of people to hang out with. It’s incredibly gratifying for me… Continue reading A Fun Night
ReedGeek Universal Tool
I’ve talked about my reed break-in process but I didn’t really mention this tool that really helped make everything even better. The ReedGeek Universal Tool has been an incredibly helpful addition to my “arsenal” since I purchased it about 6 months ago. For me, it provides the perfect blend of effectiveness with low maintenance that I… Continue reading ReedGeek Universal Tool
EWI Corner (The Hardware Years)
I remember the first time I heard Tom Scott play a Lyricon a very, VERY long time ago. I was instantly intrigued and I was pretty much hooked on the idea of playing a wind-driven synthesizer even though it would be quite a few years before I even had the chance to start playing something… Continue reading EWI Corner (The Hardware Years)