NEW STOCK: Open Hole Flute Pads
19th March 2024We’re delighted to now offer a full range of open hole flute pads to our customers. This means no more punching holes into standard pads, you can simply buy the size and pad type you need in the open hole configuration. Check out the video and text below which explains the different models we are stocking in 17mm-18.5mm sizes.
(more…)NEW STOCK: Music Medic Tan Saxophone Pads
15th March 2024We’re delighted to add some more Saxophone Pad options to our stock. The Music Medic Tan Saxophone pads are a high-quality option for any repairer/player seeking new pads. We’re stocking various models which are explained in the video & information below…
(more…)Clarinet Bore Oil Information
22nd February 2024In this blog (with demonstration video) we discuss the how and why of oiling the internal bore of a wooden musical instrument. In this example we’re demonstrating using a Bb Clarinet, but the same technique and reasoning applies to any wooden bodied instrument.
(more…)Dawkes Music Reviews: Platinum Service Award (2024)
29th January 2024We’re delighted to have been awarded the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award based on Dawkes Music reviews in 2023! This independent award is the ultimate accolade for customer service. It recognises brands that consistently deliver exceptional customer service.
(more…)Yamaha 82Z Saxophones – Celebrating 20+ Years!
12th December 2023This blog, with accompanying videos, is here to celebrate 20+ years of the Yamaha 82Z range of Saxophones. This model launched Yamaha firmly into the pro Saxophone market in all areas of the world, and gave modern players an exciting and credible alternative to vintage Saxophones. Find out more about the Yamaha 82Z history and the current range below…
(more…)Brass Instruments: Lubrication Advice
6th December 2023Join Sunniva from the Dawkes Workshop as she walks through our suggested lubrication and maintenance tips for piston and rotary brass instruments. These recommendations are based on thousands of brass instrument repairs and access to a wide variety of lubricant solutions. The accompanying video demonstrates how to apply each lubricant and discusses why we recommend it.
(more…)Most Useful Clarinet Accessories: Swabs & Pullthroughs
30th November 2023In this upcoming series of articles we’re going to be looking at some of the most useful clarinet accessories. This will include swabs, cleaning materials, slings, supports, stands, mouthpiece patches, ligatures and more! Let’s first take a look at the most important accessory to use every time you finish playing; the cleaning swab/pullthrough.
(more…)Top 5 Tips: How To Test Saxophones
6th November 2023In this video we sat down with professional player & teacher Alastair Penman to discuss how to test Saxophones. This advice applies to any Saxophone including Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Baritone, and also new or pre-owned models. The guidance here is aimed at players upgrading from a student model, or indeed someone seeking out a professional model for long-term use.
(more…)Best Clarinet Set-Up: Under £2,000 (Non-Classical!)
4th October 2023In this blog with accompanying video, we discuss and demonstrate a range of Clarinets and mouthpiece/reed set-ups for under £2,000. The emphasis is on non-classical playing such as jazz, commercial and band. We compare models from Buffet, Yamaha and Backun. We also get the input of a professional player on his preferred mouthpiece and reed set-up for this combination.
(more…)Start Small, Dream Big – Yamaha Trumpets
28th September 2023The Yamaha YTR-2330 is a perfect Trumpet for beginners. This highly durable build quality combined with unsurpassed ease of play ensures every beginner gets off to a great start. Yamaha are currently offering an extended 5 year warranty and FREE 3 month premium subscription to the online music resource ‘Tomplay’. Read on to find out more…
(more…)NEW! Selmer Signature Saxophones
25th September 2023For over 100 years Selmer Paris have been regarded as the premium Saxophone maker in the world. Now in late 2023 we welcome the Selmer Signature Saxophones in Alto & Tenor. Designed to carry on the legacy of the classic Super Action 80 Series II and Series III models. The Signature models are the new mainstay of the Selmer Saxophone range. Check out all the info & video reviews below…
(more…)Aizen Tenor Sax Mouthpieces
5th September 2023Here at Dawkes we are delighted to offer the full range of Aizen Tenor Sax Mouthpieces. These mouthpieces are hand-made in Japan and are aimed at the upgrade/professional player. In this blog, with accompanying video, we discuss and demonstrate the 3 Tenor Sax models from Aizen.
(more…)Start Small, Dream Big – Yamaha Beginner Saxophones
Now is a great time to start your musical journey on a high-quality Yamaha Saxophone. Yamaha student saxophones take inspiration from their professional models and make for a reliable and accessible instrument for the best start in music.
For a limited time Yamaha are offering a FREE 3 month premium subscription to the online music resource ‘Tomplay’. This features over 40,000 scores which you can play-a-long to on your mobile device. You can also register to benefit from a 5 year warranty for your new YAS-280 Alto Saxophone.
Why Choose Yamaha?
The Yamaha YAS-280 is a very reliable and versatile Alto Saxophone. It’s easy to play, makes a great sound and is the best way to begin your musical journey. We believe the YAS-280 is the perfect beginner instrument, here’s 7 reasons why:
- A reliable instrument at an accessible price
- Precise intonation makes it easier to play
- Adjustable thumbrest for comfortable hand and finger positioning
- A bright dynamic sound to keep you engaged with your music
- Responds quickly and clearly to your playing style
- A quality instrument for a lifetime in music
- Free 5 year warranty and 3 months premium access to Tomplay
Free Interactive Sheet Music
1st September 2023Yamaha are currently offering 3 months FREE premium subscription to ‘Tomplay’ – an online music resource featuring over 40,000 scores that you can play-a-long to. Simply purchase any new Yamaha brass or woodwind instrument and register online here to receive access.
What Is Tomplay?
Choose your instrument and explore a huge library of interactive sheet music with Tomplay. It offers scores complete with backing tracks to play along to. You can filter by musical style, composer, difficulty rating and accompaniment type. Tomplay interactive sheet music scrolls automatically on your screen in time with the music. Choose the audio track you need and press play to start the interactive score with the music.
Gone are the days of poor-quality MIDI sound! All of the Tomplay audio tracks are recorded by professional musiciains. You can choose the tempo and record yourself and listen to your performances. It’s a great way to get inspired and accelerate your learning.
You can also annotate and print your scores, and create loops of particular passages for detailed study and practice. A metronome is integrated into the app to allow you to work on your rhythm and timing. For strings and wind instruments, you will even find a tuning fork for tuning your instrument.
Who Is Eligible?
Anyone who has recently purchased (Sep 2023 onwards) a new Yamaha brass or woodwind instrument and registers within 6 month of purchase. You need to create an account on the Yamaha site and register your serial no. with them accordingly.
Getting Started on Woodwind & Brass Instruments
31st August 2023Here at Dawkes Music we offer various options for obtaining quality Woodwind & Brass musical instruments. If it’s for a child starting a new school year or for an adult wanting to try something new. We’ve got low-cost options for everyone!
Let’s look at the 3 main choices, with video explanations…
(more…)Which Clarinet is Best for a Beginner?
29th August 2023Whether choosing one for your child or picking up the instrument for the first time yourself, it’s never easy knowing which clarinet is best for a beginner. There are so many options and a lot of jargon to wade through, making it near impossible to figure it out without a little help. That’s exactly why we’ve put together this guide looking at beginner clarinets.
Buffet B12 Clarinet – An Old Favourite
23rd August 2023The Buffet B12 (recently replaced by the Buffet Prodige) was THE student clarinet for many decades. We recently recorded a video featuring a limited edition clear perspex model (see below) and decided to look back at this popular beginner Clarinet here on the blog.
(more…)Piccolo Probe Attachment (The Flute Ferret)
22nd August 2023In this short blog we take a look at the Piccolo Probe for use on the Flute Ferret device. This combo can be used to diagnose pad leaks on piccolo flutes and help you resolve them. It’s a ‘must have’ for any discerning Woodwind Repair Technician.
(more…)Playing Soprano Saxophone – Getting Started
21st August 2023In this blog, with accompanying videos, we discuss various options for getting started on the Soprano Saxophone. Whether you’re a beginner wanting to play Soprano Sax, or perhaps an Alto/Tenor playing wanting to add Soprano, this guide will help you. We discuss buying vs renting, curved vs straight and the best choice of mouthpieces.
(more…)Best Clarinet Set-Up | Under £2,000 | ‘Non-Classical’
7th August 2023In this blog, with accompanying video, we’re taking a look at potential clarinet set-up options for non-classical players. We’ll be discussing three different clarinets and using Simon Bates combination of mouthpiece, ligature and reed to top it all off. Read on to find out more…
(more…)From the Workshop: ‘Re-Guilding’ Logos
20th July 2023Often on woodwind instruments, engraved or recessed logos with gold detail can wear thin and lose their lustre. Sometimes that little brand name can mean a lot to the owner – the bright gold against the wood of the instrument contrasts beautifully and offers a lovely bit of detail.
During routine maintenance it’s great to be able to offer to restore this tint for customers as it’s quick and easy, but also really visually effective. This small gesture can make an instrument both look and feel brand new to the owner after servicing. We keep stock of 2 different ‘re-guilding’ crayons, and can offer some comparison on both to help guide you towards your choice.
(more…)Careers in Music – Music Therapist
12th June 2023This is the third of our blogs highlighting various careers in music. This time we chatted with Laura Spencer who is a Music Therapist working for Chiltern Music Therapy – a national supplier of Music Therapy services. Once upon a time Laura completed her school work experience placement at Dawkes so this was a fantastic way to find out what she’s gone on to achieve.
The role of a Music Therapist is a demanding yet rewarding career that provides a fantastic support to a wide variety of people of all ages. Please read on to find out all about the role of Music Therapists…
(more…)How to Sell Your Woodwind or Brass Instrument
15th May 2023If you’re looking to sell a quality used Woodwind & Brass instrument we may be able to help. We offer three main ways to sell your instrument via Dawkes:
- Commission Sale
- Part-Exchange
- Buy-In
In this blog we’re primarily giving information about our Commission Sale process which is our main option. However, we do also offer part-exchange and straight buy-ins occasionally if it’s a very popular model (and depending on our stock). Part-exchange values are given in-store so we would recommend booking a visit to see us and try out new gear to trade your instrument against.
(more…)Theo Wanne Alto Sax Mouthpieces – Most Popular?
9th May 2023In this blog, with accompanying video, we check out the two most popular Theo Wanne Alto Sax Mouthpieces. We’ve teamed up with pro-player Simon Bates to discuss and demonstrate the Durga and Gaia Alto Sax models in more detail.
(more…)Careers in Music – Music Production, Composition & Recording
2nd May 2023This is the second of our blogs highlighting various musical careers. In this blog we chatted with Joe Rodwell, a musician who wears various career ‘hats’ just like many in the creative industries. Joe is a music producer, arranger, composer and session musician. He’s a great example of someone who has mastered the tapestry of skills and roles that modern musicians need to forge their careers.
He recently arranged a version of Rhianna’s ‘Diamonds’ for the Netflix series ‘Bridgerton‘ (alongside producer Hannah V). Aston Martin featured his compositions and recordings at their centenary celebrations and he wrote and recorded the music for a recent TV advert featuring Michael Buble. Joe’s playing and recording sessions have seen him work alongside leading artists such as Shy FX, Tom Grennan, JP Copper and Jo Harrop.
(more…)Wood Stone Alto Saxophone Ligatures
25th April 2023The Wood Stone range of Saxophone Ligatures are exclusive to Dawkes Music in the UK. They are made by the Ishimori company in Japan to the highest standards. Wood Stone ligatures are available to fit a vast array of Sax mouthpiece sizes. They also offer three main models which affect the tone & playability.
In this blog with accompanying video we discuss and demonstrate the Wood Stone Saxophone Alto Sax ligature range with professional Saxophonist Alastair Penman.
(more…)Careers in Music – Instrument Repair Technician
13th April 2023This is the first in our new series of blogs profiling various careers in the Music Industry. First up we are joined by our own Sunniva Hellerud who is a specialist Woodwind & Brass Repair Technician here at Dawkes Music.
Sunniva’s story is inspirational for anyone who wants to explore a career in the exciting line of musical instrument making and repairs.
(more…)The Getzen 4147IB Trombone with Ian Bousfield
6th April 2023In this blog with accompanying video we learn more about the latest version of the Getzen 4147IB Trombone. We’ve been selling the 4147IB for a number of years, but the development between Ian Bousfield and Cristian Griego has been ongoing throughout the models lifetime. This has resulted in the latest phase being released on 2023 models.
(more…)One Ligature to rule them all? BG Duo Ligatures
3rd April 2023We’ve been really impressed with a particular range of BG ligatures that could well be the solution for many Sax & Clarinet players. Introducing the BG Duo ligature, one ligature that can fit not just one of your mouthpieces, but two!
(more…)Best Student Clarinet Mouthpieces
15th March 2023In the first few years of Clarinet playing your choice of mouthpiece is very important. Student Clarinet mouthpieces are usually plastic, primarily for cost reasons, and they come in a variety of designs. The 3 most popular (and best) student clarinet mouthpieces are made by Buffet, Yamaha and Windcraft. In this blog, with accompanying video, we discuss and demonstrate the options.
(more…)The Flute Ferret – Available at Dawkes Music
30th January 2023Many Flute repairers and flute players alike are aware of Stephen Wessel Flutes. Stephen made a name for himself as an extremely innovative Flute maker. He has made some of the lightest and most unique looking flutes on the market. He has also engineered a similarly innovative leak detector called the Flute Ferret, which gives surprisingly accurate readings.
(more…)UniGloves Select Black Latex Gloves – Box of 100
UniGloves Select Black latex gloves have been a workshop staple for many years here at Dawkes. Now we’re happy to say we stock them so you can buy them easily from us for your workshop.
(more…)Yamaha Synthetic Sax Reeds – Any Good?
15th November 2022At half the price of many of the alternatives we wanted to check out these new Yamaha synthetic Sax reeds and see who they were suitable for. Check out our video demo below and some important info about the strengths below…
(more…)Clarinet Playing Tips & Advice (Part 2/2)
31st October 2022We recently hosted Peter Cigleris for a Backun Clarinet event here at Dawkes Music. This is part 2 of our follow up blog showcasing some clarinet playing tips & advice from Peter.
(more…)Synthetic Alto Sax Reeds
In this blog with accompanying video we demonstrate and discuss a range of synthetic alto sax reeds and see how they compare against a can equivalent. Can you listen and guess which is which?
(more…)Clarinet Playing Tips & Advice (Part 1/2)
24th October 2022We recently hosted Peter Cigleris for a Backun Clarinet event here at Dawkes Music. Along with a stunning performance Peter also spent some time discussing common aspects of Clarinet playing. In this blog (part 1 of 2) we share some of the highlights with you…
(more…)Eight Men, a Young Woman and a Studio
20th October 2022Peter Gardner
According to one source the group was called ‘Dave Dexter’s International Jazzmen’, whereas, more accurately, the group’s name was ‘Capitol’s International Jazzmen’. Dave Dexter was involved; he was Capitol Records’ producer and he had assembled the musicians, but the group didn’t bear his name. ‘Capitol’ was the label they were recording for and as for ‘International’, this apparently came from the fact that three of the musicians had enjoyed longish spells in Europe. And the seeming grandeur of the title was certainly deserved: the group consisted of Coleman Hawkins, tenor sax, Benny Carter, alto sax and arranger, Buster Bailey, clarinet, Bill Coleman, trumpet, Nat King Cole, piano, Oscar Moore, guitar, John Kirby, bass, and Max Roach, drums.
Even bearing in mind that only Roach would count as a modernist, this must still stand as one of the very best octets one could get together in March 1945. ”Capitol”, according to Benny Carter’s biographers, had taken “advantage of the presence in Los Angeles of this dream personnel”, musicians from several backgrounds all on the West Coast. They would record only once together.
(more…)Clarinet Mouthpieces: How to Test
10th August 2022We asked leading UK professional player Nick Carpenter for his top tips on choosing the correct clarinet mouthpiece for you. Dawkes offer a wide range of clarinet mouthpieces, these tips will help you when testing between different models.
(more…)Choosing A Saxophone Sling
11th July 2022To play their instrument comfortably, saxophonists use a sling or harness. When it comes to choosing a saxophone sling, how can you know which is the best for you? We sell a range of Saxophone slings and harnesses – lets look at the selection and help you decide which you need!
(more…)Heatwave Advice for Woodwind Players & Instruments
7th July 2022Over the next few days we could be in for temperatures exceeding 30 degrees! This kind of environmental change affects our bodies, and the same goes for your woodwind instrument. Here are some ‘hot tips’ from the Dawkes Workshop to help your woodwind instrument keep its cool in hot weather.
(more…)Ultimate Guide – Clarinet Mouthpieces
4th July 2022Students, intermediate players, hobbyists and professionals…clarinettists of all levels inevitably go through the process of finding a new mouthpiece. Clarinet mouthpieces appear simple, but their intricate designs ensure no two are the same! This ultimate guide will explore all things clarinet mouthpiece to help you make the best choice next time you purchase.
(more…)Is the bassoon the hardest instrument to play?
20th June 2022The bassoon has a reputation for being a difficult instrument to play. Taking a first look at the affectionately named ‘clown of the orchestra’, you could see why! With a seemingly unwieldy size and generally well over 20 keys, it appears impossible to tame. Furthermore, the price of a good quality instrument can be off-putting for those wanting to start playing the bassoon. Let’s find out if the bassoon is the hardest instrument to play by taking a look at some features.
(more…)How Much Do Flutes Cost?
As with any instrument, the cost of flutes can depend on a few factors. These can be split into features like playing level, keywork styles, age and silver content. We’ll break down the features of a few highlights at different playing levels to help you understand the differences of prices on the market!
(more…)Happy Birthday to Wally Fawkes
Towards the end of June this year will be Wally Fawkes’ ninety-eighth birthday. Those who wish to celebrate the birthday of Trog or the Daily Mails’ Flook have my blessing and my encouragement. I am not going to interfere with anyone’s celebration of one of our greatest artists and cartoonists. Instead, I wish to focus on Wally Fawkes, clarinet and soprano saxophone player, and one of our finest musicians.
(more…)GUIDE: How To Test Brass Instruments
16th May 2022We asked professional brass player Rob Blencowe to create a guide for upgrading players to help them try out new brass instruments. This information is intended for players or parents making their first upgrade. Rob uses a Trumpet to demonstrate but the advice is suitable for all brass instruments.
(more…)Tool Spotlight: Third Hand Soldering Jigs
26th April 2022When doing soldering jobs, there are many ways to hold your work pieces. Some repairers prefer to use individual spring loaded clips and a vice; some jobs may call for binding wire to be used. Usually the shape of the piece will inform the best way to position the joint, but one of the most flexible solutions is a third hand clamp or two. In this blog we introduce and demonstrate two new soldering jigs…
(more…)VENN Saxophone Reeds Review
With the arrival of the new VENN synthetic reeds for Saxophone we asked one of our own staff members to try one for a month and report back. How do they play? How does it compare to other synthetic and cane reeds? Over to Kasey to tell us her experiences…
(more…)Dawkes Music Reviews: Trusted Service Award Winners (2022)
11th April 2022We’re delighted to have won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service award for 2022. This is an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences. The Feefo Review platform shares independently verified feedback from real customers.
(more…)New VENN Synthetic Reeds by D’Addario
28th March 2022The new VENN advanced synthetic reeds for Clarinet, Alto Sax and Tenor Sax are now available from D’Addario. These are the 2nd Generation models and are the biggest news to hit the single reed market for decades!
All the benefits of synthetic reeds (consistency & durability) with the best qualities of cane reeds (tone and playability).
(more…)Selmer Clarinets: Pro Models Compared
23rd March 2022In this blog, with accompanying video, we check out the main 4 professional Selmer Clarinets. Made in the factory outside Paris, these models offer a beautiful tone and response. In this guide we check out the Recital, Signature, Privilege and Muse models.
(more…)Repair Materials Spotlight: Mini Woodwind Repair Kit
15th March 2022If you play Flute, Clarinet or Oboe this is a perfect small repair kit for minor fixes and diagnosis of your instrument. This combination of a small screwdriver, our smallest spring hook and Yamaha cleaning papers (useful as a feeler gauge) is small enough to fit in most instrument cases or outer bags.
Perfect for taking to band practice when your playing colleagues ask you to “just have a look” or you have a sudden playing fault on your own instrument – the ideal kit for the gigging repairer.
(more…)Repair Materials Spotlight: Premium Deluxe Sax Pads – Plastic Resonator
With a few new Saxophone pads available this year, we’d like to properly introduce you to one of the newest members of the pad family, the GSX Premium Deluxe Pad with Plastic Resonator…
(more…)Tool Spotlight: Adjustable Oboe 8ve Box Remover (FF3)
2nd March 2022In our latest ‘Tool Spotlight’ for Wind & Brass Technicians we feature the FF3 Adjustable Oboe 8ve box remover. An essential tool for anyone offering Oboe repairs, and a tool that has a lesser known second use…
(more…)Tool Spotlight: Testing Feeler Holder (FD35)
In this latest blog from our Workshop Team we check out the super useful FD35 tool which acts as a convenient feeler holder for woodwind repairs…
(more…)Sax Repairs: Selmer MKVI Overhaul
1st March 2022The Dawkes Music workshop team are fortunate enough to see several inspiring professional musicians for running repairs and servicing. One such player who we know, and love is Simon Bates. Simon is a Yamaha endorsed artist with an impressive list of film and TV, pop, jazz and live playing experience to his name.
This is the story of his beloved old Selmer MKVI Alto Sax and how we gave it a new lease of life…
(more…)Trumpet Repairs: Bell Recovery
This poor Trumpet was one of the more extreme dent repair challenges we’ve taken on. After being accidentally run over with a car(!), this Trumpet seemed to be almost beyond repair. However, we ‘never say never’ in our brass workshop and this is the story of a minor miracle…
(more…)Army Musicians: A Unique Career Path
7th February 2022Fancy an exciting life as an Army Musician? This unique career option is well worth exploring if you want to experience the thrills and spills of a professional musical life. Here’s Saxophonist Paul Lamstaes of the Household Cavalry Band to tell us all about his journey into the Royal Corps of Army Music…
Joining the British Army as a musician doesn’t always seem like the most obvious choice of career when mentioned in conversation. What if I also said that you can play music whilst riding a horse? Most people would probably need to see it to believe it. It is however a legitimate career path individuals can take, should they choose to join British Army Music.
(more…)Sam’s Liberation Band
20th January 2022“…he took over Artie Shaw’s band after the latter’s discharge and developed it into one of the most magnificent bands of all time.”
George T.Simon
Late in 1943 a twenty-five year-old musician went to Washington with a mission. The future of his band was uncertain. Maybe he could persuade the admirals his band should keep on playing. He was Sam Donahue and, fortunately, he was successful.
(more…)Reserve Clarinet Reeds by D’Addario Woodwinds
14th January 2022The D’Addario line of Reserve Clarinet reeds have three different variations: Reserve, Reserve Classic and Reserve Evolution. These are ideal reeds for the advancing student or professional player, whether you are wanting to blend within an orchestra or stand out with your solo performance. But what is the difference between them?
We asked leading professional Clarinettist Nick Carpenter to demonstrate and discuss this range of reeds…
(more…)Top Tips: Baritone Sax Playing
5th January 2022The Baritone Saxophone can be an unruly beast of an instrument, but that’s the fun of it! We asked top UK sax professional Simon Bates to share some tips and tricks for getting the most out of a Bari Sax…
(more…)Huber Mutes for Trumpet
20th December 2021We’re delighted to be the exclusive UK stockist for the fantastic new range of Trumpet mutes from Huber, USA. These mutes are very unique in their design, production and materials. Find out more below about these fantastic new Huber Mutes for Trumpet players.
(more…)Synthetic Saxophone Re-Pads: Kit List
14th December 2021Our new V-Pads (below) are Saxophone pads with no reliance on animal based materials, but what else do you need to do a fully synthetic sax Re-Pad? We check out all the items you’d need to complete a synthetic (and Vegan!) Saxophone re-pad.
Pad Adhesives
Shellac has traditionally been the choice for most glued in pads. It however, is not vegan as it relies on the resin secreted by the female lac bug, which is then harvested and processed to make this popular pad adhesive.
With the arrival of synthetic thermoplastics on the market we have seen many move towards using a hot melt glue for seating saxophone pads. As its properties like melting point, cooling time and viscosity is quite different to traditional shellac, many now prefer the new epoxy based Synthetic Shellac. This was brought out by MusicMedic a few years back and has proved popular. Both hot melt glue and synthetic shellac are suitable for vegan re-pads.
Plant based or Synthetic key materials
When installing regulation corks, key heel corks, and bumpers, Saxophones traditionally use a combination of cork and felt. Felt is typically wool based, but there are some synthetic felts on the market. On our sheet felt pages you can now tick the “Synthetic” box to show felts and felt alternatives without wool in them.
Natural cork, with its plant based and biodegradable nature it has been an ever popular choice on instruments. On the downside, cork can scuff easily and can cause some gripping and compression issues. This is where Synthetic Materials have come in to fill the gap.
Tech cork, Hycotex and rubber cork sheets are fantastic regulation material. As they are based on natural cork set in a rubber cast they still offer the best qualities of cork without the brittleness and compression issues.
They can be very successfully paired with Ultra Suede. This is a thin synthetic suede in three thicknesses. It has great silencing properties and low compression which ideal on heel corks.
Other alternatives include Black magic, a black foam ensuring quiet action with a softer bounce, and Sorbothane, a denser rubber sheet material. There’s also Teflon and rubber tubing to take up the sliding and rubbing joints.
For guard bumpers you can use cork bumpers with a silencing material on the face of them like a layer of black magic or UltraSuede.
Is Synthetic the Future?
With all this innovation within materials the possibilities for adaptive and customisable repairs are endless. We’re certainly excited for this new wave of materials offering an opportunity to be creative and un-traditional, as well as being supportive to the needs of all players.
If you are a Repairer and want to come in and see some of these materials first hand why not book an in store Trade Appointment. We’ll be happy to show you our favourites and discuss the best techniques when tackling these new materials.
If you’re a Saxophone player who would like to explore these options on your instrument please contact us in the Repair Workshop for all the details.
Vegan Saxophone Pads – The ‘V-Pad’
We’re pleased to announce the new ‘V-Pads’ for Saxophone. Produced in association with the world’s leading pad manufacturer Pisoni, these are fully Vegan saxophone pads. They are the result of 12 months of testing, experimenting and innovation with our workshop, leading professional Saxophonists, and the Pisoni team.
But why Vegan? Have a read below to find out more…
(more…)The Reed Cane Journey – From Field to Factory
6th December 2021In this blog we take a look at how your Clarinet reed or Saxophone reed is made. The natural materials used to make cane reeds go from field to factory and eventually onto your mouthpiece! Check out the full journey of this incredible natural product and the hard work that goes into making your reeds by the D’Addario Woodwinds team…
(more…)Select Jazz – Saxophone Mouthpieces
29th November 2021If you want to branch out and try some new mouthpieces for your jazz set up, D’Addario’s Select Jazz Saxophone mouthpieces are a great place to start. In this blog we take a look at the design and production processes of these models, and how that rewards the player with a versatile and flexible tone.
(more…)Top 5 Clarinet Accessories – D’Addario Woodwinds
26th November 2021We offer a huge range of clarinet accessories from many top brands. The D’Addario Woodwinds range offers great value for money and high quality. In this blog we take a look at our Top 5 most popular (and most useful) accessories for clarinet players.
(more…)Jazz Clarinet Mouthpieces – Which is Best?
25th November 2021We asked leading UK professional player Simon Bates to demonstrate and discuss a range of jazz clarinet mouthpieces and ask “which is best?”. We looked at the leading models from Vandoren as well as alternatives from Otto Link and Meyer.
If you’re wanting to play in a more jazz oriented way on Clarinet we would advise selecting a jazz designed mouthpiece to really help. Check out the video and our info on how to choose below…
(more…)NEW! Yamaha Custom Trumpets
18th November 2021Yamaha have just launched two NEW custom jazz Trumpets – the YTR-8335LA and the YTR-8330EM. Designed alongside Wayne Bergeron and Eric Miyashiro respectively, these updated custom models are the ideal choice for the discerning player.
Check out more details about these fantastic two Yamaha trumpets below:
(more…)GUIDE: How to Test a Clarinet
16th September 2021Testing any new musical instrument should be a fun experience. But you also need to be sure you’re really testing the instrument, not yourself! Together with professional Woodwind player & teacher Alastair Penman, we’ve put together our ‘Top 5 Tips’ for testing a new Clarinet…
(more…)Brass for Africa
Brass for Africa is an award-winning charity that delivers music education with integrated life-skills training to over 1,000 disadvantaged children and young people in Uganda, Liberia and Rwanda.
Dawkes Music have been proud to support the fantastic work of Brass for Africa over a period of years. The relationship has been built around the common goals of promoting the value of music, and empowering young people by developing their skills.
(more…)Trumpet/Cornet Warm Up – Top 3 Tips for Daily Practice
14th September 2021We asked professional Trumpet player Rob Blencowe for some top tips on daily Trumpet/Cornet warm ups. Playing a Brass instrument requires a lot of physical exertion so it’s important you get your body and mind suitably prepared before each practice or performance session.
Rob has many years of experience playing in the Coldstream Guards and British Army Band Sandhurst where he gets to perform on Trumpet and Cornet. Rob has played all around the world in all sorts of musical scenarios. There’s no excuses in front of Royalty or on live TV shows so it’s important to be ready to perform when the baton falls!
(more…)From the Workshop: Sax Pearl Replacements
This lovely Andy Sheppard Autograph Series Tenor Saxophone recently came in for a full service and the owner enquired about options for key pearls. He loves his Sax, but the original finger button pearls on this model are totally flat. They also feel a bit ‘slippy’ under the fingertips. Looking for extra comfort, he was interested in concave pearls that his fingers could sink nicely in to.
(more…)NEW! Yamaha Podcast Series…
31st August 2021Yamaha have recently started releasing free podcasts with some of their performing artists. These audio interviews cover all aspects of Wind & Brass playing and some of the background stories of the players and their journey to being full-time professionals.
Louis Dowdeswell Trumpet
In this episode UK Trumpet player and big band leader Louis Dowdeswell discusses his musical education, learning from top pro’s such as Wayne Bergeron and forging his own career in the modern musical landscape.
Listen for free via the player below or download Yamaha Artist Insights via your favourite podcast app.
Louis has built a huge following online and is well known for his popular YouTube channel where he features popular covers with his big band. He is a busy session musician and is one of the new breed of top players who has carved out a career in the new landscape of multimedia channels.
Louis’ Gear Choices:
Louis plays on the Yamaha YTR-6335RC Bb Trumpet of which he says “Simply put, this is the easiest feeling trumpet I have ever played. It’s efficiency, great ergonomics, and brilliant design has opened up a whole new set of musical opportunities. Never before have I felt so in control of all aspects of my playing.” On Flugel Horn he plays the Yamaha YFH-6310Z.
Which type of Saxophone is best?
26th August 2021In this blog we check out which is the best type of Saxophone. We take a look at the main four members of the Saxophone family, alongside some of the speciality instruments. We also discuss which might be most suitable for you…
(more…)Buffet or Yamaha?
25th August 2021We’re often asked about the difference between Buffet Clarinets and Yamaha Clarinets. Each brand offers a range from student to professional. In this blog we take a look at the two manufacturers and their Clarinets and consider if you should choose Buffet or Yamaha?
(more…)The Best Accessories for Yamaha Brass Instruments
If you’ve invested in a quality Yamaha Trumpet, Cornet or Trombone, it’s a sensible idea to keep it well maintained. Choosing and using the best accessories for your Yamaha instrument will help maintain its finish, keep it playing better and support a stronger resale value.
In this blog we’ll take a look at the best accessories for your Yamaha brass instrument…
(more…)The Best Accessories for Yamaha Woodwind Instruments
If you’ve invested wisely in a quality Yamaha Woodwind instrument such as a Clarinet, Flute or Saxophone it’s a sensible idea to keep it well maintained. Choosing and using the best accessories for your Yamaha instrument will help maintain its finish, keep it playing better and support a stronger resale value.
In this blog we’ll take a look at the best accessories for your Yamaha woodwind instrument…
(more…)Which is the best brand musical instrument?
Here at Dawkes we offer a range of Woodwind & Brass instruments from top brands such as Yamaha, Buffet, Selmer, Bach, Getzen and more. We’re often asked by customers which is the ‘best’ brand to buy. In this blog we’re going to take a look at some of the main brands and how to consider their relative merits…
(more…)Dawkes Music Tuition: New Teachers…
17th August 2021We are thrilled to have welcomed Rob Blencowe (Brass) to our teaching team. Rob brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our team! Check out more about Rob and his role with us below…
(more…)Adult Tuition: What’s On (Autumn 2021 )
We have a wide variety of lessons and ensembles to play in during Autumn 2021. From small groups to our larger bands, there’s something for every player at every level. All the info about our upcoming groups is below…
If you would like to book your place on any of the termly groups please drop Vicky an email: teaching@dawkes.co.uk
(more…)Kids Tuition: What’s On (Autumn 2021)
We offer a range of kids musical tuition here at Dawkes Music, from individual lessons to group sessions. Why not check out some of our highlights for the Autumn term below…
(more…)Top Tips: Testing a Clarinet Mouthpiece
16th August 2021Here at Dawkes we often assist players when choosing a new Clarinet mouthpiece to help improve their sound and response. Whenever testing it’s important to follow some simple steps to make sure you’re really testing the mouthpiece fairly and to ensure you make the right choice.
In this short video and blog we give you our Top 5 tips for testing Clarinet mouthpieces…
(more…)New from British Army Music: FREE GCSE Music resources
The fantastic musicians at the British Army have developed a set of new resources for GCSE music pupils, some of which focus on Woodwind & Brass instruments. Currently the Clarinet and Trumpet modules are available via this link.
Check out all the information below explaining why and how these resources have been created…
(more…)NEW! Yanagisawa Saxophone AKZ Necks
Yanagisawa have recently released a new ‘AKZ’ range of Alto Saxophone necks. These models differ from the standard necks that are supplied with instruments. As such they offer players the chance to upgrade their Yanagisawa set-up and play with new tonal colours and response.
Check out our guide below to the NEW models…
(more…)From the Workshop: Favourite Tools (Ana)
10th August 2021In this series of blogs we catch up with some of our Repair Technicians and ask them for 3 of their favourite tools, either traditional models or perhaps something they have modified for their own use! This time it’s Ana…
(more…)NEW! Wera Screwdrivers for Repair Techs
9th August 2021In the large arsenal of useful tools that technicians have, none are quite as important as the humble Screwdriver. When approaching almost any repair on Brass or Woodwind Instruments, repairers will use a multitude of various shapes, sizes, and lengths of Screwdrivers which is why it’s important that these valuable tools are of a good enough quality that they can be used time and time again with a constant and reliable result.
Dawkes Music is pleased to now stock a Screwdriver brand which has been a favourite of some of our repairers for a while now: Wera Screwdrivers. In this short blog we take a quick look at what we stock and why…
(more…)Buffet R13 vs Buffet RC – What is the Difference?
11th July 2021For many years the Buffet range of clarinets has been quite dominant in the upgrade and professional clarinet market. Whilst the competition has certainly come on strong in the last few years (Yamaha and Backun primarily) it’s fair to say that for many players and teachers the Buffet is still first on the list to start the comparisons.
In the pro upgrade range Buffet start with the R13 and RC. These two clarinets are the same price, made of the same quality materials, made by the same team etc so what differentiates them? We take a look at the differences below and also feature a video demonstrating both models…
(more…)From the Workshop: Sax Tone Hole Repair
5th July 2021When replacing, re-seating or generally involving yourself with Saxophone pads, a flat tone hole is something of a necessity. However it can be something you take for granted and then find challenging when a certain pad won’t behave due to tone hole issues. Checking and resolving tone hole issues is a key skill for any successful Saxophone repairer.
In this blog Abi from our Workshop takes a look at some of the tools on the market for diagnosing and resolving issues with Saxophone tone holes…
(more…)From the Workshop: Buescher Sax Pad Punch
Most technicians agree that Buescher Saxophones benefit substantially from pads being floated in on a bed of adhesive, rather than using the traditional metal-backed pads which are snapped in place and manipulated to make the pads seal; a difficult and time consuming process with inconsistent results.
If you’ve ever tried to line up a punch over the existing hole on a pad to cut it larger, you know the frustration of centering the new, larger hole. With this Buescher Hole Punch, you can use your own existing pad stock on Buescher True Tone and Aristocrat saxophones and get the hole perfectly centered and the correctly sized every time.
(more…)From the Workshop: Favourite Tools (Abi)
In this series of blogs we catch up with some of our Repair Technicians and ask them for 3 of their favourite tools, either traditional models or perhaps something they have modified for their own use! This time it’s Abi…
(more…)Yanagisawa Saxophones
10th June 2021Here at Dawkes Music we stock a wide range of Yanagisawa Saxophones for sale. Yanagisawa are one of the most popular upgrade professional level Saxophones. This is our ultimate guide to the brand, the range and all the differences to help you choose.
The 1990’s saw the introduction of the 900 series which helped cement their hard-earned regard from players and dealers around the world. The classic A901 Alto Sax went on to be a huge seller, directly competing with the popular Yamaha YAS-62 series at the first pro upgrade level of the market. Throughout the 1990’s Yanagisawa continued to push the boundaries of manufacturing by producing bronze and solid silver instruments. Some models even combined both materials to make some very interesting sounding Saxophones.
(more…)From the Workshop: Favourite Tools (Ryan)
4th June 2021In this series of blogs we catch up with some of our Repair Technicians and ask them for 3 of their favourite tools, either traditional models or perhaps something they have modified for their own use! This time it’s Ryan…
(more…)From the Workshop: Slide Leg Spacers for Trombone
The key when working on Trombone slides is ALIGNMENT – this is especially important when adjusting the position of, or replacing an inner slide tube. There are so many factors to consider to achieve a perfectly smooth running slide. Minor discrepancies can cause fundamental issues which will keep you going round in circles looking for the fault.
Thankfully, there are a number of tools which help to eliminate the guesswork. One that I swear by is the G35 set of inner slide leg spacers from Ferrees. These small wedges of brass are a simple but brilliant method of aligning the slide tube centrally in the cork barrel.
(more…)From the Workshop: Favourite Tools (Sunniva)
5th May 2021In this series of blogs we catch up with some of our Repair Technicians and ask them for 3 of their favourite tools, either traditional models or perhaps something they have modified for their own use! First up is Sunniva…
(more…)Top 5 Saxophone Accessories – D’Addario
30th April 2021When it comes to saxophone accessories there are so many different choices for players on the market at the moment. Fundamentally any accessory should help or improve the playing & ownership experience. So, with that in mind we thought we would share our top 5 D’Addario Woodwind accessory products for saxophone players.
(more…)History of Yamaha Woodwind & Brass Instruments
17th March 2021Yamaha are one of the most recognised musical instrument brands in the world. This is the story of their origins and in particular some of the developments relating to Woodwind & Brass instruments.
(more…)Saxophone Pad Options
11th March 2021Are you looking to have your Saxophone overhauled in the near future? Our workshop team can help improve the response and playability of your Sax with a full overhaul. We can help advise on choices such as key heights (to create more/less resonance), tuning adjustments and what types of felts or corks to choose.
However, by far the most important choice, is what type of pad you would like on your Saxophone. Pads make a huge difference to the overall feel, resonance, brightness or response of your instrument, as well as the look and feel under your fingers.
Below, Tim from our woodwind workshop has outlined a range of Saxophone pad options we offer when servicing/overhauling your Saxophone.
(more…)From the Bench: Scraping Tools
4th March 2021Our ‘From the Bench’ series is brought to you by the workshop team at Dawkes. In each blog they explain why they find certain tools useful and how they commonly use them as technicians. This time, Abi talks to us about scrapers for Wind & Brass instruments…
(more…)New Look Repair Dept, Shop & Testing Rooms
2nd March 2021Although we’ve been kept very busy here at Dawkes Music during the 2020-2021 lockdowns we wanted to make some changes to our in-store environment. We’ve been in this building since August 2000, and we wanted to draw on some of our inspirations from 1966 when we originally began as just a small repair workshop in a shed back in Uxbridge…
(more…)Top Tips for Choosing a New Saxophone Mouthpiece
16th February 2021Upgrading your Saxophone mouthpiece can help you produce a variety of tones and achieve the sound you want. There are a wide range of models available and it can be overwhelming. Of course our team are here to help and in this blog & video top UK player Justin Swadling give his TOP 3 TIPS for testing Sax Mouthpieces…
(more…)Discovering Music Theory – ABRSM Workbooks
11th February 2021ABRSM Discovering Music Theory’s new suite of workbook with corresponding answer books offers fantastic preparation for ABRSM Music Theory exams from 2020.
These colourful workbooks (available in Grades 1-5) prepare students of all ages with the knowledge, understanding and skills required for a ABRSM Music Theory exam. Written to make theory fun, engaging and relevant!
(more…)Adjusting Your Reeds: Clarinet or Sax
4th February 2021We all know and understand that Sax & Clarinet reed strengths vary slightly within a pack. This is due to the natural material and internal fibres of the cane. In this blog we check out some non-destructive(!) ways to alter your reeds to get the most from a box…
(more…)Choosing The Best Reed: Clarinet or Sax
With so many different Clarinet & Sax reed types and strengths on the market it can be overwhelming. How do you know which make to buy? And how do you choose the right strength? In this blog (and video) we give some advice on choosing the best option for you…
(more…)Upgrading Your Clarinet…
1st February 2021There a comes a time in every player’s life when a better-quality instrument is the key to both inspiring and unleashing the next phase in their musical development. In this blog we take a look at some considerations when upgrading. We also check out the custom range of Yamaha Clarinets and the differences between these models…
(more…)Bench Review: UltiMax Pivot & Roller Lubricant
27th January 2021In this latest ‘Bench Review’ from Abi in our Workshop Team we check out the Ultimax Pivot and Roller Lubricant from MusicMedic…
(more…)New Yamaha Baritone Saxophones
26th January 2021Yamaha have just launched 3 new Baritone Saxophones for 2021. The YBS-480, YBS-62II and YBS-82 refresh the full Baritone model range for Yamaha. These instruments offer players at all levels and budgets a way into the Yamaha range.
Check out the specs and differences below…
(more…)The pInstrument Range
17th December 2020What started with the original Jiggs plastic trombone (the pBone) has now evolved into a full range of plastic musical instruments. From entry level basic pBuzz models to the recently released hyTech Trumpet, the pInstrument range has something for everyone. Whether you are a new beginner or an experienced player. Let’s take a look at the range…
(more…)Making pInstruments Carbon Neutral
In this latest blog focusing on sustainability within the music industry, we check out the pInstrument range which has recently been awarded official Carbon Neutral Product status…
(more…)Do You Hear Me? – New EP
11th December 2020We always love to support our musical ‘family’ which includes all our staff, customers and the professionals we work with. Alastair Penman (who you may recognise from some of our YouTube videos) has been a long-standing friend of ours, from being a teenage customer to now being a highly respected professional musician and Professor of Saxophone at Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London.
In this blog we’re going to take a look at his new EP ‘Do You Hear Me?’ which pulls into focus the huge issues surrounding climate change…
(more…)Sustainable Production Methods
9th December 2020Do you know where the wood for your Clarinet came from? What do you know about the methods used to obtain or produce it? Have you considered the full lifecycle of your musical instrument (of any type) from raw materials to your hands? Many of us probably don’t give enough thought to these questions. Here at Dawkes we’re determined to bring you more information about the sustainability of products, and learn more from our suppliers about the responsible actions they take in production.
We’ve been lucky enough to visit factories and manufacturers around the world and can say that all things are not equal. From the way raw materials are procured to the conditions that are present in the factories. This can be to do with workers, materials and disposal of waste. Running a responsible operation comes at a financial cost and sometimes if instruments are extremely cheap, it’s worth considering why.
In this first blog we check out Yamaha’s commitment to a more sustainable future and methods of production…
(more…)Top 5 Clarinet Gift Ideas
4th December 2020Whether you’re looking for a loved one, or perhaps just treating yourself (!) we’ve put together our Top 5 gift ideas for Clarinettists of all levels. From accessories to instruments, we’ve got something for all players and all budgets…
(more…)Top 5 Saxophone Gift Ideas
1st December 2020Whether you’re looking for a loved one, or perhaps just treating yourself (!) we’ve put together our Top 5 gift ideas for Saxophonists of all levels. From accessories to instruments, we’ve got something for all players and all budgets…
(more…)NEW Yamaha YBS-82 Baritone Sax
16th November 2020It’s been a long time coming, but finally the Yamaha YBS-82 Baritone Sax is nearly with us. Rounding out the Custom 8 series from Yamaha, the Baritone 8 model has been conspicuous by it’s absence in recent years. In this blog we’re going to take a look at the new model, what’s different and why it just might be the ultimate Bari Sax…
(more…)Mail Order: 14 Day Home Trial
2nd November 2020As fellow musicians we understand that sometimes it’s important to compare similar items back-to-back and/or just get a few days to make sure something is right for you. Our 14 Day Home Trial option is there to help you find the right item and test it in an environment you’re comfortable in. Here’s how it works…
(more…)Yamaha Custom Tenor Sax Comparisons
22nd October 2020We’re often asked about the specific details between particular Yamaha Saxophones: “What’s the difference between the 875 and 82Z?” being very common for people upgrading. There are some tech differences which we outline below in this blog. These difference go towards the feel and sound on each model.
In this blog we discuss the differences and also feature a video demo of these two models back-to-back, so you can hear the difference.
Yamaha Sax Custom Necks – for Alto & Tenor
20th October 2020The new range of Custom necks for Yamaha Alto & Tenor Saxophones have proven to be very popular since their introduction. We’re often asked to explain the differences in model design, and in the finishes. So, with the help of top UK player Simon Bates, let’s take a listen to these models in action on Alto Sax…(The Tenor Sax demo is available here)
New Study: Learning an instrument can help children with creativity & memory
19th October 2020A new study shows young musicians who play an instrument and practise frequently have increased memory and attention skills. The findings come from a recent study, which showed how musically-trained children performed better at attention and memory recall exercises. They also had greater activation in brain regions related to attention control and auditory encoding.
Whilst many of us are fully aware anecdotally that learning music can bring such benefits, it’s reassuring to see regular new studies that back that up with scientific method.
(more…)‘Reed’ all about it…Part 1 of 3. Vandoren & Gonzalez (Clarinet Reeds)
19th July 2020Clarinet reeds have developed a long way since the old days when the choice was either a blue box of Vandoren or orange box Rico reeds. There are multiple brands that are worth your consideration. Within all brands there are also different models. In this blog we have a look at some of the more popular options (Vandoren & Gonzalez) in Part.1 of our Clarinet Reed ‘State of the Union’…
(more…)Saxophone Playing | Low Notes!
4th July 2020We’ve all been there, a quick look at the music and “oh great, the composer has written a phrase starting on low Bb with a dynamic of pp, what joy!” or words to that affect! We know getting low notes to speak easily and clearly on the Sax can be a bit of a challenge so we tasked Alastair Penman with creating this video/blog to help…
(more…)Crack Repair: Using Hot Stuff and Grenadilla Wood Powder
25th June 2020There are many approaches to filling a crack in a wooden instrument. I’d like to share with you the most popular technique used in our workshop at Dawkes Music. We do most of our crack repair using fine powdered black wood dust (or the same wood as the instrument) set with Hot Stuff, a low viscosity, hard setting, quick working super glue. The items are available in a handy kit so you have what you need in one place.
(more…)Clarinets – Why Upgrade?
10th June 2020If you’ve been playing clarinet for a few years on a trusty plastic beginner model, or indeed a basic wooden instrument, the likelihood is that at some point you’d very much benefit from an upgrade model.
But, the big question is “Why? – How do they differ?” It’s a common query we are asked. From a distance a beginner clarinet at £300 and a £3,000 pro clarinet don’t look massively different. So where is your money going, and why is it important to upgrade?
Breathing Control for Clarinet & Sax
8th June 2020It seems obvious, right? We all play Wind Instruments, and thus the importance of breath and airflow cannot be underestimated. But, it’s a common issue that comes up with players in-store and from Teachers…We all need to blow MORE!
Check out two videos from our pro-playing friends who discuss and demonstrate some exercises to help you improve your airflow and capacity.
Liz Drew: The Importance of Airflow
(more…)Clarinet Playing | Articulation Advice
1st June 2020Achieving a clean and crisp articulation is obviously the goal for all of us. We asked top Clarinet player Elizabeth Drew to give some tips for all advancing players on this topic…
(more…)Clarinet Playing | Resistance Exercise
26th May 2020This is a neat little exercise to get you focussing on your air flow and air support. Regular use of this exercise will improve your sound and control.
(more…)Ask Dawkes – Clarinet & Sax Answers Session #3
Carrying on our series with our top panel answering your questions…We picked out some more from your submissions and recorded our answers via the power of online meetings!
Check out all the questions and answers below, and the previous ones for Session 1 & Session 2 answers. If you would like to submit a question, you can do that through the initial blog, or by using the form at the bottom of this page.
(more…)Brass Playing Tips | Producing a Good Tone with Georgina Jackson
21st May 2020In this short video & blog, top UK Trumpet player Georgina Jackson discusses some simple ideas to help improve your tone and approach to playing.
Georgina Jackson is a professional Trumpet player and singer. Working for years with many famous faces, such as Frank Sinatra Junior, Nancy Sinatra & Seal. Georgina learned her trade as a lead trumpet player with touring Big Bands in Concert Halls, on Television and Radio broadcasts. She has even performed at the Proms in London both singing and playing!
(more…)Clarinet Articulation Exercises
19th May 2020We all know just how important good articulation is on all Wind Instruments. In this video Peter Cigleris walks through 3 exercises to incorporate into your warm-ups to help with articulation and get your tongue moving swiftly and lightly.
(more…)Safe and Clean! A Guide to Keeping Your Kit Clean for Wind Players
13th May 2020Given the current situation, a lot of people are concerned about public and personal health. A musician’s health can be heavily associated with how well they keep their instruments and accessories. Today we’re going to guide you through measures you can take to ensure your gear is kept safe and clean!
In regards to personal health, please follow the current advice given by the NHS.
A note for all players! This blog will focus on keeping the mouthpiece clean, but be sure to also swab through and clean your whole instrument as usual to keep it working its best by insuring it is dry after playing. Take a look at our other cleaning and maintenance options online via your instruments accessory pages or here on the blog.
(more…)
Ask Dawkes – Clarinet & Sax Answers Session #2
11th May 2020We recently offered to answer more of your Clarinet & Sax related questions. We picked out our favourites and recorded our answers via the power of online meetings!
Check out all the questions and answers below, or the first 8 questions here. If you would like to submit a question, you can do that through the initial blog, or by using the form at the bottom of this page.
(more…)Selmer Reference 54 Saxophones – The Best New Sax Around?
The Saxophone market is awash with various manufacturers all producing a variety of different models. Yet, amongst all the noise (ahem!), there is a core group of top models which we feel lead the pack by some distance. At the peak of this group is the Selmer Reference 54 Alto and Tenor Saxophones.
In this blog we look at some of the competition, the Selmer ‘story’, and what it is about their sound that just ticks all the right boxes…
(more…)Clarinet Warm-Up Tips
We’re joined by Ben Mellefont (Principal Clarinet, London Philharmonic Orchestra + Yamaha Performing Artist) to discuss the importance of warming up correctly, and some top tips of how to do it…
(more…)Home Recording – Top 5 Tips
7th May 2020Whilst performing with friends and in public isn’t an option at the moment, plenty of people – myself included! – are exploring the world of home recording. After all, as musicians, we live to showcase our art!
But a percentage of these people – again, myself included! – are novices when it comes to the editing processes. From one beginner to another, here are a few tips I’ve figured out since I started experimenting with home recording and video editing.
Ask Dawkes – Clarinet & Sax Answers Session #1
5th May 2020We recently offered to answer ANY of your Clarinet & Sax related questions. We had a good number of queries and have recorded our answers via the power of online meetings!
Check out all the questions and answers below. If you would like to submit a question, you can do that through the initial blog, or by using the form at the bottom of this page.
(more…)Silver Polishing Options
28th April 2020As Repair Technicians, or indeed as players, it’s important that we can maintain and refresh the silver plating on our instruments. Unsightly tarnish can slowly develop and become very stubborn to remove. In this blog & video we check out the best options for cleaning and polishing Silver Plate…
(more…)Saxophone Fingerings | Ultimate Guide
27th April 2020We all know the basic fingerings on Saxophone, BUT do you know all the alternatives? And how about all the high notes? And ideas for getting those C#’s in tune? Check out our ultimate guide with accompanying video…
(more…)Clarinet Tips | Tone Exercises
We’re joined by Ben Mellefont, Yamaha Performing Artist & London Philharmonic Principal Clarinettist to discuss a couple of quick and easy exercises for your Clarinet tone development…
(more…)Why Play a Wind Instrument? Top 10 Reasons…
23rd April 2020Playing a musical instrument has many proven benefits for your mental and physical well-being. Whether you’re considering taking the plunge and starting your first instrument, or you’re coming back to music after a break, here are our Top 10 reasons to play a Wind Instrument…
(more…)Ask Dawkes – Clarinet & Sax
22nd April 2020We’ve put together a top panel from our team with over 75 years of Sax & Clarinet playing, making, advising, teaching and performing experience under their belts.
You can SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION further down the page…
(more…)Saxophone Tips | Playing Fast
21st April 2020As part of our #CreateInspireSupport series we’re delighted to offer this video from Alastair Penman.
There are reasons why playing fast is slightly harder on Sax than Clarinet or Flute for example. In this video and blog Alastair discusses why and offers some tips for you to overcome any issues with speed.
(more…)Clarinet Tips | Warm Up Exercise
As part of our #CreateInspireSupport content we’re delighted to bring you the first of a series of Clarinet videos from top UK player Peter Cigleris, supported by Backun Clarinets.
In this first video, Peter demonstrates a warm up using intervals on the clarinet. All designed to get your air flowing, your lips flexible and your instrument warmed up.
(more…)NEW! Ultimax Lubrication Range for Wind Instruments
17th April 2020We’re delighted to be selling the Ultimax Lubrication range, developed by MusicMedic.com. A complete system of synthetic lubricants designed to work together. Ultimax lubricants are safe for use on all woodwinds because they will not react negatively with each other, or any other part of your instrument.
(more…)Learn Any Musical Passage in 10 Minutes…
15th April 2020Recorded a couple of years ago, this popular video discusses a single technique to accelerate your practice and help you to learn any musical passage with relative ease.
Prof.Weinberg taught at Indiana University in the USA and the Guildhall School of Music in London. He also enjoyed a busy session playing life with recordings alongside such pop greats as The Beatles & Jimi Hendrix, and classical and film work with the London Symphony Orchestra…
(more…)Practicing Difficult Passages of Music
A couple of months ago we recorded a number of videos with Benjamin Mellefont, Yamaha Performing Artist and Principal Clarinet in the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In this particular video, with accompanying blog, Ben selects a challenging few bars of repertoire to dissect.
It doesn’t matter what instrument you play, the advice here works in all situations for musicians. In the blog & video below , we discuss:
- The importance of knowing about the music & composer
- Tips for researching the repertoire
- How to ‘read’ the musical clues in the repertoire
- Advice for de-constructing a flurry of notes and rhythms
- Achieving success in your practice
Sax Tone Enhancing Gadgets
9th April 2020During this Covid-19 lockdown we’ve been reaching out to our regular video artists to send in some reviews from home. In this blog, with accompanying video, we check out a range of Sax Tone Enhancing gadgets with pro-player Simon Bates.
We check out the following nifty bits of kit from our Tone Enhancing Stock:
- The Yanagisawa ‘BooStar’
- The ‘Klangbogen’ by ReedGeek
- Lefreque Sound Plates
- JodyJazz ‘Power Ring’ Ligature
- ‘Tone Tablets’ by Corry Bros
Synthetic vs Cane Sax Reeds – Demo & The Stats
1st April 2020This blog consists of the following Sax reeds information for Players:
- Playing Comparison: Legere Signature vs Vandoren Traditional (Video Demo)
- Your Options: Synthetic & Cane options for classical/grade Sax players
- The Market: Who’s choosing what? Check out the buying trends with our stats
Trumpets – Stand Your Ground! Stands for Trumpets
21st March 2020Many trumpet players find themselves doubling – playing more than one instrument at a gig. This ranges from classical and orchestral musicians who might have trumpets in different keys required by the repertoire, to pit musicians playing a part with flugel horn on the same pad. Or maybe you just have a long time to wait before your next entry and don’t fancy holding your instrument for so long! Whatever the case, plenty of trumpeters will require a stand for their instrument. Take a look at the options we offer to keep you from putting your instrument on the floor!
(more…)The Learning Never Stops – Brass Training Aids
Whether you’re an old pro or you’ve just started your musical journey, training aids are there to keep you on top of the basics! If a brass player can keep their basic technique top-notch, then everything else will fall into place a whole lot easier. Here are a few products we sell that you can use during practice – or even on the go! – to be sure you build and keep a strong foundation to your playing.
(more…)What Sax Mouthpiece Do I Need? Versatile All-Rounders!
11th March 2020There are many saxophone mouthpieces on the market designed to do one job, and do it well! However, equally there are mouthpieces that can fit in just about anywhere. Are you a student or pro that likes to stick to one mouthpiece? A doubler who needs something that does everything? Or maybe you’re just looking to explore a range of styles with a budget? Here are our Top 5 ‘All-Rounder’ mouthpieces that are suited to just about any occasion…
Beginner Improvisation Course – Saxophones
5th March 2020In April 2020 we will be continuing to offer small group improvisation lessons. After the success of our first series of lessons in 2019 we’re delighted to offer this beginners course again.
These lessons are:
- Aimed at complete beginners to improvisation
- For Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Baritone Sax Players
- Run in a 6 week course, with one lesson per week
- Designed to be a ‘first-step’ into improvisation
- Starting on April 8th, 2020 (10.30am-11.15am for x6 consecutive weeks)
Auxiliary Woodwind Instruments
19th February 2020This is a term you may have heard before, but what exactly does it mean? In short, an auxiliary instrument is any ‘non-standard’ version of the common members of an instrumental family. They’re often used in orchestras and other ensembles by the specialist players. Today we’re looking at the auxiliary instruments in the woodwind family, as well as a few that we sell in store!
(more…)JazzLab Sax Silencer – Info & Exercises
The saxophone and clarinet, aside from the instrument, use a setup comprised of the mouthpiece, reed and ligature. The ligature secures the reed to the mouthpiece in such a way that leaves about half of the reed’s length free to vibrate. When the mouth forms a seal around the reed an mouthpiece and air is passed through, the reed vibrates. These vibrations push air down the instrument – this is how our sound is made.
Solid breath and embouchure control is the foundation block of any wind player. Read on to see how to take advantage of just your mouthpiece setup to build your technique and stamina – and how to do so anywhere with the JazzLab Silencer!
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What’s Your Set-Up? Sax & Clarinet…
This question gets thrown around a lot! From first time mouthpiece upgraders looking for something new, to highly-skilled amateurs looking for a different sound. Truthfully, someone’s answer – beyond letting you know how much money they dropped on a mouthpiece! – isn’t a lot of use to you. Why is this?
(more…)When Should I Upgrade?
A lot of adult learners and parents ask this question – and rightly so. Upgrading from a student to an intermediate (or even professional) model can be a significant financial investment. We’ll discuss when it’s good to upgrade an instrument, and what benefits an upgrade brings to your music making.
(more…)Lightweight Legends! Beginner and Student Brass Alternatives
Continuing from our post on lightweight woodwinds, we also offer a range of lightweight brass instruments. Our selection of alternative brass instruments are great for the mini musician’s first instrument. They’re also ideal for adults – beginners to professionals – looking for fun, robust alternatives to classic models. Read on to find out more about the pBone, pTrumpet, and pBuzz!
(more…)Backun Clarinet Barrels – How to choose?
One of the most popular accessories we sell for Clarinets is additional barrels and bells. This is a great way to change your tone and response without having to mess about with mouthpieces which can take much more getting used to. The range of Backun clarinet barrels has led the way for these upgrades due to the quality of materials and design.
Backun produce various models in two different materials, so let’s take a look at the range and discuss how they can improve your sound…
(more…)Fletcher Henderson
15th February 2020“If Benny was the “King”, what then was Fletcher?”
– Gunther Schuller
“Goodman…opened the whole wide world of jazz to hundreds of thousands
who had never heard of Benny Carter or Fletcher Henderson.”
– Tom Scanlan
Henderson “made great recordings of his own compositions, which sold a
minimal number, only to have the same tunes and arrangements cut by Benny
Goodman with astronomical sales. No question about it; he was frustrated.”
– John Hammond
(more…)‘Must-Have’ Accessories for Brass and Woodwind Students
14th February 2020Flute Upgrade Guide
1st February 2020In this flute upgrade guide we’re looking at everything you need to know. When to upgrade, why to upgrade, what the spec differences are and much more. Read on for more info…
(more…)Art Deco Deluxe – The Getzen Eterna ‘Deluxe’ Cornet
9th January 2020New in store! We’re very pleased to be offering Getzen’s 800DLX Eterna Deluxe Cornet, Getzen’s finest offering for Cornet players to date. Here’s all the info you need on this special new instrument…
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Lightweight Legends! Beginner and Student Woodwind Alternatives
Musical instruments are complicated pieces of technology. In recent history (well, the last few hundred years) woodwinds in particular have seen huge shifts in design. Often the design of instruments make them unsuitable for young beginners, or people with physical handicaps – this could be due to the weight, the stretch required to reach keys, or the complexity of maintaining a wood or metal instrument and mechanism.
But as much as technology has created complexity of design, it’s also allowed for simplicity! We stock a number of plastic instruments designed for younger players, or indeed anyone else who may struggle with the stretch or weight of ‘standard’ instruments.
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What Sax Mouthpiece Do I Need? Rock, Pop and Commercial
Pop and rock sax players, as they need to compete with electronic instruments, often opt for very bright, metallic tones, with a lot of edge to really cut through the wall of sound. Jazz musicians also use metal mouthpieces if they need something to really speak out over everything else but it’s worth remembering that the internal design of a mouthpiece is more important than the material. For example some ebonite pieces are brighter than some metal models because of their internal design, so it’s well worth considering both ebonite & metal options as discussed below…
Can I Hire an Instrument?
23rd December 2019Can you hire an instrument at Dawkes? Yes, you can! Whether you want to rent a Bass Clarinet for a term, or want to try a beginner flute for a few months before spending the money on your own one, renting one of our instruments can be a great idea. Find out everything you need to know in our guide.
(more…)Can Learning an Instrument Help Mental Health?
20th December 2019As humans, our mental health is incredibly fragile – for some more than others – and anything from a traumatic event to increased stress at work can lead to problems. The arrival of social media and a far more digital world seems to have only made these issues worse, too. So, if something can give even a little relief to someone struggling with their own mental health, it’s worth looking into – and one such activity is learning an instrument.
(more…)How Much Does it Really Cost to Learn an Instrument?
18th December 2019Learning an instrument has plenty of benefits, from looking great on school applications to boosting your memory, so choosing to pick one up yourself or encouraging your child is a no-brainer. But, it does come with a cost. Of course, there are ways you can reduce the price of learning an instrument to make sure it fits your budget, and we’ve got plenty of tips as we answer the question ‘how much does it cost to learn an instrument?’.
(more…)Top Trumpet Technique Books
14th December 2019You might be a student looking at university or conservatoire study, or a high level amateur wanting to advance your technique. Or maybe you’re seriously considering a professional career as a trumpet player! In any of these cases, you’ll need a good repertoire of studies, exercises and etudes to keep your fingers quick and your chops in good shape. These are just a few suggestions of books we have in stock for advancing your technique…
(more…)…and then came Phil and Lew
6th December 2019The musical revue, ‘A to Z’, opened on 11th October, 1921, at the Prince of Wales’ Theatre in London’s West End. It would run for 428 performances. Ivor Novello is credited as being the composer of ‘A to Z’, though other songwriters contributed pieces of their own, including the revue’s most durable song. Composed by Philip Braham with words by Douglas Furber, ‘Limehouse Blues’ would become something of a jazz standard or, if you have grown tired of musicians battling over its accommodating changes at breakneck speeds, maybe you would prefer the description ‘jazz warhorse’. Recorded by Paul Whiteman in the early 1920s and, several decades later, by the Sun Ra Arkestra, ‘Limehouse Blues’ certainly has staying power. It has also proved quite enticing to post-bop saxophonists wanting to give their awesome techniques a workout while providing their rhythm sections with a wake-up call. But more of them later.
(more…)Five Trombone Maintenance Essentials
4th December 2019If your instrument is working the best it can, then you’ll have the best tool to practice and perform to the best of your ability! Here are a few bits and bobs for your trombone case to keep up with every day maintenance and care.
(more…)Five Bassoon Maintenance Essentials
The bassoon isn’t the most common instrument, and it can take a while to really get the hang of it! Making sure it’s working it’s best and is comfortable to use is the first step to helping yourself tackle this unique instrument. We’ve got a few bassoon case ‘must haves’ for care and maintenance.
(more…)What Sax Mouthpiece? Ebonite Jazz Mouthpieces
‘Jazz’ is a broad genre, and as such there are many mouthpieces available for the styles. Jazz has a variety of sounds, such as that classic smokey sound, to brighter, ‘pingy’ sounds. Ebonite lends itself well to producing that warm, ‘classic’ jazz sound, but with the right design it can really be a contender against it’s metal counterparts! This is just a small selection of the ebonite mouthpieces we offer that could be suitable for jazz styles …
(more…)Five Trumpet and Cornet Maintenance Essentials
Having an instrument that works exactly as it should makes playing much more rewarding – and of course, much more fun! Take a look at these accessories that are must haves for keeping your trumpet and cornet in the best condition.
Five Flute Maintenance Essentials
28th November 2019Playing your instrument is even more fun and rewarding if the instrument is working at it’s best! Here are a few flute maintenance must-haves to keeping your flute looking good and working perfectly.
(more…)Tenor Sax – Ebonite Mouthpiece Options
23rd November 2019For many years the Otto Link range of Tenor Sax mouthpieces have been considered the classic, or standard choice for many amateurs and professionals. We wanted to check out the current Link models in Ebonite, AND, consider what else is worth looking at if you’re in the market for a new Tenor Sax ebonite mouthpiece…
(more…)Jazz and Swing Music in the 30s and 40s
All across North America, jazz and swing music dominated the airwaves and the dancehalls during the 1930s and 40s. Though the former had enjoyed widespread popularity since the turn of the century, it gave birth to swing in the late 1920s and by the following decade, had been usurped by swing as the most popular form of music in the USA.
Though jazz and swing are intrinsically linked and share many common facets, swing differs quite noticeably from the former in its celebration of the weaker or off-beat pulse of the music. It was first popularised by musicians like trumpet player Louis Armstrong and pianist Earl Hines. Although it would see its heyday diminish by the mid-1940s, the style of dancing (swing dancing) which it inspired would live on and enjoy huge popularity until the present day.
(more…)Making the Switch – Swapping to Légère Reeds from Cane Reeds
Experimentation around reed design, and the technology to make them, has really excelled in recent years. With so many on the market, it’s become increasingly easy to find the right one for you. And then, there’s the spanner in the works … synthetic reeds! More specifically, Légère reeds. We’ll talk you through some key differences between cane and Légère reeds, as well as why switching to Légère may suit you.
(more…)The Birth of Bebop – Jazz in the 40s
21st November 2019Bebop, also known as rebop and bop, was birthed in the early to mid-1940s as a direct response to the swing-style music that had come before it. Whereas its predecessors had focused on creating music to dance to, bebop concentrated solely on the music itself, allowing for faster tempos, asymmetrical chord progressions, advanced harmonies and freestyle improvisation.
The name bebop comes from the nonsensical words and phrases used by scat singers to accompany their music and transform the human voice into a more flexible instrument. Though that term is believed to have been coined in the 1920s, bebop music itself didn’t enjoy widespread popularity until some 20 years later.
(more…)Free Jazz – Jazz in the 50s and 60s
18th November 2019Free jazz, sometimes known as avant-garde jazz, is an approach to the genre which arose in the late 1950s and developed throughout the 1960s. While jazz has always been a genre characterised by improvisation, that improvisation has traditionally taken place against a set of pre-defined conventions, such as regular tempos, recurring chord changes and specific tones.
Free jazz attempted to distance itself from that by dispensing with those conventions, thus emphasising the importance of the improvisational abilities of the performer. All pre-established forms and templates are discarded and the musician is free to play whatever notes, rhythms and compositions he feels, as well as elicit new sounds from his instrument while doing so.
(more…)Women In Jazz – Female Pioneers in Jazz History
16th November 2019While jazz music has perhaps traditionally been associated with male composers and performers, there has been plenty of room for female influence in the genre, as well. Indeed, during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, many female jazz singers and musicians used their platform to campaign for greater equality both between genders and between races.
While singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone might be the most glamorous names attached to the female jazz scene, there have been plenty of composers, writers and instrumentalists who have made waves in the genre, as well.
(more…)Diamonds in the Rough – Vandoren’s New Mouthpieces
6th November 2019Vandoren’s original Black Diamond, or BD5, was released in 2015 and rapidly became one of their most popular clarinet mouthpieces. It provides a rich, dark tone, with the compact sound we’ve come to expect from a good clarinet mouthpiece. Vandoren have recently developed new variations on the Black Diamond, the BD4 and BD7. I tried these new offerings, alongside my trusty BD5, to see how they compared.
(more…)LefreQue Part 4 – Trombone
5th November 2019Continuing our series of experiments with the LefreQue acoustic plates, Matt and I tested a few on his trombone. We were both eager to see what sort of effect they would have, especially as his trombone is nickel at the intended placement of LefreQue, with a brass bell. Generally we’ve found it’s best to match the LefreQue material to the instrument’s setup. What happens when we can’t match the materials?
(more…)Linda’s Learning Lessons – Breathe!
4th November 2019Proper use of breath support is essential for woodwind and brass instruments. Well, without air, they wouldn’t make a sound!
Playing slowly through passages helps me become more aware of my breath. It makes me release the air in a more controlled way, ensuring I engage my core muscles to help support my breathing.
(more…)“Proper breathing is just as important as proper technique.”
Double Reed Cases – Do’s and Don’ts!
31st October 2019Reed cases hold anywhere between three or four reeds up to twelve at a time – or even more! They should keep your oboe or bassoon reeds in good condition for as long as possible, protecting them from damage whilst being stored or travelling. A good reed case will secure your reeds in a way that doesn’t put undue pressure on them whilst ensuring they don’t rattle about.
(more…)What Sax Mouthpiece? Classical Sounds
The mouthpiece is one of the most – if not the most – influential pieces of kit on the sound of your instrument. And, at some point, you’ll be needing to get yourself a new one! A new mouthpiece will help you explore an entirely new tone world. Furthermore, and particularly in the case of upgrading from a plastic student mouthpiece, a new piece will help develop stronger expressive tools like articulations and dynamics.
But with so many mouthpieces available, with a range of tip openings, lays, chambers, materials … which one is good for what style? Hopefully we’ll be able to provide some insight on to which mouthpieces work in a range of genres – starting off with classical saxophone.
(more…)Trying New Instruments
Whether you’re a student looking for a first upgrade or a professional on the market for something different, trying new – and second hand – instruments can be a difficult task. At least, if you don’t know what you’re looking for! We’ll give you a few pointers on things to focus on to get the most out of your trial sessions.
(more…)Yamaha Technician Visit
24th October 2019We were delighted to welcome selected product designers and technicians from Yamaha EU to our workshop here at Dawkes recently. These visits are very useful for both parties to discuss the latest developments in instrument manufacturing and design…
(more…)Flute Masterclass: Elizabeth Walker
We were delighted to welcome Elizabeth Walker to Dawkes recently to host a FREE evening Flute masterclass. We had a great turnout and diverse audience from advancing teens (and younger) to adults, all of varying abilities from around Grade 4 upwards…
(more…)Ultimate Guide: The History of Jazz
Jazz is one of the most iconic genres of music and it’s a music style with so much history and context. Jazz is a type of music that was born in the USA, and has it’s history entwined and rooted through the country’s own sociological and political history too.
(more…)Linda’s Learning Lessons – Start Slow
21st October 2019As an adult learning a new skill, it is very easy to get frustrated at yourself for not making faster progress than expected! I feel this frustration can lead to the opposite of progress, and trying to learn something fast only leads to later problems.
(more…)“Don’t run before you can walk…”
LefreQue Part 3 – Saxophone
18th October 2019On our quest to find out just how versatile the LefreQue are, myself and sax specialist Nick tried a few out on his tenor. Nick’s sax is unlacquered brass with a solid silver neck and gold plated mouthpiece. I was excited to see which LefreQue he thought suited his sax best, with a mix of different materials in play.
(more…)Early Jazz: New Orleans & the birth of a musical style
13th October 2019New Orleans has always been a hot spot for things that are quirky, different and intriguing. One of the many new movements to come out of the city, and perhaps one of things to make the city most famous is, of course, jazz music.
Jazz is found all over the world now, but it’s origins are focussed in New Orleans and most people credit New Orleans as the birthplace of jazz music and the place where early jazz matured and developed into its own unique style.
(more…)Double Reeds Starter Guide
12th October 2019You’ve been thinking about starting an instrument and have come across the double reeds – oboe and bassoon. What are these instruments, and what do you need to get started on them? We’ve put together a short guide to help point you in the right direction!
The oboe and bassoon – and related instruments, such as the cor anglais – are double reed instruments. This means the reed is comprised of two pieces of wood shaped and tied together, through which air is passed to make the reeds vibrate and make the sound. Oboes are typically made with grenadilla black wood, but to reduce costs and weight they can also be made of ABS resin. Bassoons are often made of maple wood, which is less dense than grenadilla. Both instruments have very distinctive sounds, and despite having a reputation for being more difficult to start on they are incredibly rewarding and are always in demand – so you’ll never be stuck for playing opportunities!
(more…)Top 5 Clarinet Ligatures: Rovner Fabric Style
In this blog & video we check out the ever popular Rovner range of Clarinet ligatures. The vast majority of the Rovner range is made of a fabric material and these models have been the no.1 choice of many players for decades. Check out the video below demonstrating and discussing these models, and for more info we have a full model breakdown below…
(more…)LefreQue Part 2 – Euphonium
11th October 2019Like woodwind instruments, brass instruments can benefit from the addition of a LefreQue acoustic bridge as part of the set-up. Our brass specialist, Matt, had a go on a range of our LefreQue stock with his euphonium. As well as trying the different materials, Matt tried the LefreQue at different placements on the instrument.
(more…)Which Instruments are used in Jazz Music?
10th October 2019As with all different genres of music, Jazz music tends to use a certain selection of instruments, known for blending that perfect jazz-style sound that has made the jazz genre so popular and well loved. Jazz is certainly known for a specific sound and style – and that’s what makes the music so well loved.
However, because the genre of jazz music is so flexible and unpredictable, it’s a genre that generally tends to be quite experimental with instrument choices. This means that a lot of modern jazz try to vary their instrumental choices – saying that though, there does tend to be a few instruments that feature in the majority of jazz bands, so we’ll discuss these below in more detail.
Pearl 665 Flute – Special Editions
8th October 2019The Pearl 665 flutes remain a staple step-up flute with the added interest of a solid silver headjoint. Exploring their own tagline, Tradition of Innovation, Pearl have produced two interesting additions to the existing 665 range, all around the popular £1,000 upgrade price point…
(more…)Linda’s Learning Lessons
7th October 2019Linda is a sales specialist at Dawkes, and has been learning the flute for two years. Despite her background as a singer, taking on the flute was a whole new venture! In Linda’s Learning Lessons, she’ll discuss what she’s taken away from learning an instrument as an adult.
(more…)Our Pick: Top 5 Brass Bands in the World
6th October 2019Brass bands are the ultimate in uplifting, joyful music. Brass bands are known for filling the streets with amazing music and uplifting the spirits of people passing by.
Brass bands have a special place in our hearts and we love the music they make, and how they make us feel.
Oboe Cases
2nd October 2019Looking for a new case, spare case, or one for your oboe and cor anglais together? We have a range of oboe single and double cases available to suit all sorts of needs. Each one fits a range of oboe makes and models, so don’t forget to try in store before you buy to see if it’s a good fit!
Our double reed specialist Louise took a look at our cases, considering these criteria …
- Is the case lightweight?
- Does the case have good storage options?
- Is the case easy and comfortable to transport?
- Does the case hold the instrument well without worry of damage?
‘Chu’
1st October 2019“…had he lived there is no doubt that he would be ensconced in the jazz pantheon alongside Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. He was that good.”
– Dan Morgenstern
“(Charlie)Parker even gave his first son, born in January 1938, the middle name of Leon, after his idol.”
– Jeffrey Magee
In late October, 1941, one the most extrovert bandleaders of the Swing Era and his band were playing a dance in Youngstown, Ohio. The next engagement for Cab Calloway and His Orchestra was scheduled to be in Buffalo, New York. When the Youngstown engagement finished, saxophonists Andy Brown and Leon ‘Chu’ Berry decided to travel ahead of the band bus in trumpeter Lammar Wright’s new car. Calloway’s bass player, Milt Hinton, recalled that the bus followed on about half an hour later and about fifteen minutes into its journey the bus stopped at the scene of an accident. There was no street lighting, but what could be seen in the band bus’s headlights was that Lamar Wright’s car was badly damaged and on the wrong side of the road.
(more…)What’s the difference between Jazz & Blues?
To the musical novice, Jazz and Blues may seem very similar and can easily be mixed up. The truth is, the two genres do have many similarities, but the core, origins and stylistic choices of the music styles are actually very different.
Here we’ll discuss some of the main differences, and what makes both of these styles of music unique in their own right. Thinking about what makes music, music – the cultural history, the origins and the instruments used are perhaps the most influential aspects. Here are some initial differences.
(more…)LefreQue Part 1 – Introduction and Flute
Musicians of all abilities, new learners to professionals, are endlessly hunting for that ‘perfect’ tone and intonation. Of course the most effective way of achieving this is through hours of practice! However there are a number of products on the market that may be able to help you in this journey. We’ve been looking at the LefreQue, the ‘acoustic bridge’ that could get just get you one step closer to that dream sound.
(more…)Eddie Daniels joins the Légère Family!
30th September 2019American jazz and classical clarinetist and saxophonist Eddie Daniels has made the switch! After using cane reeds throughout his career, Daniels now exclusively uses Légère synthetic reeds on clarinet and tenor saxophone.
Daniels is now a Légère edorsing artist. Read on to find out more about the innovate reeds he endorses. ‘Life just got easier’!
‘Summits and Beyond’
13th August 2019Peter Gardner
Accounts of when Soprano Summit’s musicians first got together all mention that it was at the end of one of the Dick and Maddie Gibsons’ annual jazz parties. It was early September 1972 and the party, which was held at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, had nearly run its course. For the last few days the Broadmoor’s guests had heard some wonderful musicians. Amongst the trumpeters who had taken to the stage were Ruby Braff, Clark Terry and Joe Wilder. Buster Cooper, Urbie Green and Frank Rosolino were some of the trombonists who had entertained the party crowd and saxophone masters Budd Johnson, James Moody and Flip Phillips along with legendary pianists Hank Jones and Teddy Wilson had all played their parts.
(more…)Wayne Bergeron Trumpet : Video Interview 2/5
12th July 2019Ever felt like giving up? In Part 2, Wayne talks about teeth and embouchure challenges that almost ended his career. You won’t want to miss this brutally honest journey and how he came back even stronger.
Big thanks to the guys at ChopSaver for sitting down with Wayne to get the insights on his career and history as one the worlds leading Trumpet players
Wayne Bergeron Trumpet: Video Interview 1/5
20th June 2019In the first of a 5 part series recorded by the team at ChopSaver products, Dan Gosling (the inventor of ChopSaver) sits down with Wayne Bergeron and discusses what happened behind the scenes with the famous LA LA Land solo, his hilarious first gigs when he was a teenager, and how to network with other players.
Big thanks to the guys at ChopSaver for sitting down with Wayne to get the insights on his career and history as one the worlds leading Trumpet players…
Russell Procope
15th June 2019On 6th December, 1928, and not yet twenty-one, he entered a New York recording studio as part of Jelly Roll Morton’s Orchestra. He would play clarinet on two sides. The first, ‘Red Hot Pepper’, a lively piece full of unexpected breaks. The second, ‘Deep Creek’, a slow blues. On 3rd June, 1976, at the St. Ivo Centre, St. Ives, Huntington, he would be guest star with Chris Barber’s Jazz and Blues Band. With Barber his clarinet would be heard on ‘Mood Indigo’ and ‘The Mooche’, his alto on ‘Take the ‘A’ Train’ and ‘Just Squeeze Me’ amongst other Ellington favourites. In the nearly forty-eight years between playing with Morton and playing with Barber, Russell Procope would be a member of some of the greatest groups in jazz history.
‘Reed’ all about it: Part 2 of 3. The Clarinet Rico/D’Addario Stable…
8th May 2019Many thanks for all the positive feedback from Part 1. (Vandoren & Gonzalez) we’re glad you found it so useful. In Part 2. we’re going to look at the Rico & D’Addario offerings, there’s quite a few options here but stick with me, it’ll all be worth it!
‘Reed’ all about it: Part 3 of 3. Synthetic Clarinet Reed Options & ‘Best of the Rest’
5th May 2019Following on from Part 1 (Vandoren & Gonzalez) and Part 2 (D’Addario Woodwinds i.e. Rico, LaVoz etc) we’re going to look at some of todays synthetic options for clarinet players. Plus a special ‘best of the rest’ mention for another brand of cane reed which deserves your attention.
(more…)Straight Soprano Sax vs Curved Soprano Sax – Which is best?
26th April 2019It’s a question we are commonly asked here in the shop. Whilst we understand these things can be subjective, we wanted to give you a good starting point and something to compare.
In this video and article, we discuss the differences in feel and sound. We also look at certain model options available to buy or rent.
‘Ike’s Last Hurrahs’
23rd April 2019Accounts of his short life usually stress he made a promising start to his career as a saxophonist, for in his early years he recorded on numerous occasions and became a principal soloist with the Cab Calloway Orchestra. The second period of his career, which covers most of the 1950s, is seen as a bleak battle with a heroin addiction, few well paid jobs and few recording opportunities. Third, and finally, there is a golden sunset, where our saxophonist was able to make recordings and gave performances that showed him at his best. Of course, real lives are never this simple or so neatly compartmentalised, and Ike Quebec’s was no doubt more complicated than this brief summary suggests, but I also suspect that most who knew Ike would recognise him from the picture we have painted.
Clarinet Playing Advice – Warming Up (Video 3/3)
In the final video of this mini-series, we talk about the importance of warming up. Often overlooked, the warm up should form a strong part of your overall practice time and regime. Nick talks about the books he uses and why it’s so crucial to warm up properly, whatever your level and experience.
Clarinet Playing Advice – Alternate Fingerings (Video 2/3)
17th April 2019This is Part 2 of our Clarinet Playing tips series with Nicholas Carpenter (former Clarinet Principal London Philharmonic Orchestra). In this video we discuss SELECTED (not all!) clarinet alternate fingerings. Including throat Bb, long Bb, second register F# and High G…
Gonzalez Bass & Bb Clarinet Reeds – Daniel Rye
We catch up with Gonzalez Reeds pro player Daniel Rye and discuss why he chooses to use the Gonzalez RC Bass Clarinet reeds and the FOF Bb Clarinet reeds.
REPAIR CAM: Axial Flow Valve Disassembly – Bass Trombone
Join Abi in our workshop as she takes apart an Axial Flow valve system on a Bass Trombone. These Axial Flow valves are different to the standard rotor valve system. Abi discusses some of these differences, and also the modularity of this particular model.
Clarinet Playing Advice – Practice Tips (Video 1/3)
9th April 2019In the first of a series of three videos we look at some important points around efficient clarinet practice. With the help of top pro-player Nick Carpenter (former principal clarinet with London Philharmonic Orchestra) we discuss the importance of practice and some helpful tips and suggestions for how to practice efficiently…
Workshop Feature: Making a Bass Clarinet
28th February 2019We’re very lucky to have a unique team of experts in our Woodwind Workshop. Their skills cover everything Woodwind & Brass related, and we want to share some of their stories with you…
In this blog, we talk to Ana who joined us in 2016 after receiving her BA Hons in Musical Instrument Craft (Woodwind Making & Repair) from Newark Campus (Lincoln College) – the leading Repair training centre in the UK. This is the story of her Bass Clarinet, yes, the one she actually made from scratch!
Flute Features – B Footjoints
Many flutes have the option of adding a number of different features, one of the most common being the B footjoint. As well as exploring what this does and how it affects the instrument, we’ll be demonstrating the differences in a video with a pro Flute player.
Jug – Gene Ammons
19th February 2019“When I heard (Gene) Ammons play that saxophone, I knew that I was going to become a saxophone player. There was no doubt in my mind about it.”
Johnny Griffin
“His big sound and driving beat established him as one of the giants of modern jazz saxophone.”
Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler
In August 1947 Albert Ammons, whose business card read, “Albert C. Ammons – King of Boogie Woogie”, went into a Chicago studio to record for the Mercury label. As he had done off-and-on during his career, Ammons would be recording with a group named as ‘Albert Ammons and His Rhythm Kings’, and guitarist, Ike Perkins, and bassist, Israel Crosby, who were part of the ‘Rhythm Kings’ when the group first recorded in 1936, would be part of the 1947 ensemble. But the twenty-two year-old tenor saxophonist was new to the group. The tenor player was Albert’s son, Gene.
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Trombone Mouthpiece Buying Guide
14th February 2019The Trombone mouthpiece is the bridge between the musician and their instrument, so it’s important to choose the right one for you! But with so much variation in brand and style, the selection available can be quite overwhelming. What can you do to make sure you pick the right mouthpiece?
Trumpet Mouthpiece Removal – Beware!
28th January 2019This is a common issue we see in the workshop. Trumpet, or indeed any Brass mouthpieces, get stuck in the instrument due to dirt and moisture. Getting stuck is inconvenient but not terminal. There are a couple of removal tools (more on that later) and any good Repairer can do it within moments. However, what’s not a good idea is to try removing it yourself…with brute force!
This is a cautionary tale of what can go wrong and a video showing how we have to fix the aftermath…
Flute Features – Open Hole Keys
24th January 2019A major factor to consider when upgrading your flute is whether or not to buy an open or closed hole flute. Most student flutes are only available with closed holes, whereas intermediate and professional models can be bought with either closed or open holes. Is one option inherently better than the other? Today we take a closer look at why the open holed flute might be right for you.
Howarth Junior Oboe
23rd January 2019Welcoming a new arrival to our new instrument stock at Dawkes – the Howarth Junior Oboe!
In recent years, the oboe has enjoyed increased popularity. Howarth found that younger students were willing to learn the Oboe but sometimes required something smaller. In response to significant demand from teachers, parents, and music services, they developed an instrument perfectly suited for young students.
Brass Instruments in the Orchestra
Brass instruments in the orchestra traditionally fall into the four categories of horns, trumpets, trombones and tubas.
A typical combination of such instruments in a full symphony orchestra is four horns, two trumpets, three trombones and one tuba.
However, the exact numbers in a given orchestra has been known to vary considerably according to historical period, geographical location and composer preference.
As their name suggests, brass instruments are unsurprisingly made of brass. They essentially resemble very long pipes that widen into a bell-like shape at their ends. The pipes are curved and twisted in many different ways, to enable them to be held and played more easily.
So, whether you are interested in a trombone, French horn or tuba, what do you need to know about the brass instruments in the orchestra to make the most informed buying choices?
(more…)Ultimate Guide: What is a Concert Band?
A concert band is broadly definable as a relatively large group of brass, woodwind and percussion players who perform in a concert hall. The latter fact distinguishes a concert band from a marching band, and nor is a concert band the same as a symphony orchestra, given its lack of string sections.
Potentially maximising the confusion is the fact that a concert band can be referred to by many other terms. These range from ‘wind ensemble’, ‘wind symphony’, ‘symphonic band’ and ‘wind orchestra’ to ‘wind band’, ‘symphonic wind ensemble’, ‘symphony band’ and ‘symphonic winds’.
Ultimate Guide: What is a Brass Band?
What is a brass band? Well, in essence, it is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a collection of players of brass instruments who perform pieces of music with their brass instruments. However, the history and complexity of the brass band may surprise you.
Ultimate Guide: What is an Orchestra?
The term ‘orchestra’ means many things to many people, so it is probably most instructive to look first at the dictionary definition.
Dictionary.com, for example, provides various answers to the question “what is an orchestra?”, with the first being “a group of performers on various musical instruments, including especially stringed instruments of the viol class, clarinets and flutes, cornets and trombones, drums, and cymbals, for playing music, as symphonies, operas, popular music, or other compositions.”
However, the same site also posits that in a modern theatre, the term ‘orchestra’ may refer to the space reserved for musicians, usually the front part of the main floor. It adds that in the ancient Greek theatre, the orchestra was the circular space in front of the stage, allotted to the chorus.
Ultimate Guide: What is a Wind Orchestra or Ensemble?
If you are a music lover, chances are you will have heard some form of orchestral music, be that at the theatre, at live music events, or even on TV and film soundtracks. But what is an orchestra? Well, put simply, an orchestra is a group of musicians who play a range of instruments together to create live music. They differ from a marching band in that they are designed for concerts and seated performances. (more…)
What is a Cornet and how does it Compare to a Trumpet?
If you don’t play a brass instrument or are not part of a band, you can be forgiven for getting a little confused over the different types of smaller instruments. Especially as they can sometimes look very similar. Take a cornet and a trumpet for example, people often think they are one and the same, when in reality there are a number of subtle differences between the two.
(more…)Flute Videos: Krzysztof Kaczka in Conversation
22nd January 2019Our ninth and penultimate video in this Flute Technique is a little bit different…This time we chat with Krzysztof about his life as a professional Flautist. We chat about the dedication required to make it to the top level, and some of his inspirations and motivations. Hopefully this is a useful (and entertaining!) glimpse into the life of a Pro Flautist…
Buyers Guide: New Instruments
21st January 2019Buying a new instrument (or indeed second hand!) should be an exciting prospect. Your choice should help you progress as a musician and help propel you forward. For over 50 years we’ve helped musicians at all levels choose equipment. From new beginners aged 5, 6 and 7 through to top professionals who tour the world as musicians.
With all that experience we wanted to put together our ultimate guide to testing new instruments.
Jody Jazz DV Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
16th January 2019Jody Jazz offer a great selection of mouthpieces to suit a number of needs. Known for their punchy projection, the mouthpieces include a variety of hard rubber and metal mouthpieces. But today, we’re going to take a closer look at one of their more intriguing pieces – the Jody Jazz DV. We asked one of our sax specialists to put it through its paces!
Flute Playing Videos: EXTENDING BREATHING CAPACITY (8/10)
17th December 2018Our eighth video in this Flute Technique series discusses some top tips for extending your breathing capacity. This is the eight of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
About Sonny Criss – Jazz Saxophonist
17th November 2018‘Hootie Blues’ was recorded by Jay McShann and His Orchestra in April, 1941. After the opening chorus there is a brief saxophone solo. Ross Russell would later write that the saxophonist’s twelve bar solo was “heard as a sermon from the mount.” The saxophonist was Charlie Parker. A young alto player is said to have first heard a recording of ‘Hootie Blues’ in Los Angeles and become a convert. He was reported as saying, “That solo on ‘Hootie Blues’ started me in a completely new direction.” The young musician was Sonny Criss.
Woodwind Instruments in the Orchestra
15th November 2018The name ‘woodwind’ for this family of instruments refers to the wood from which these instruments were once exclusively made, as well as the need to blow air – or ‘wind’ – into them to produce a sound.
Woodwind instruments in the orchestra are no longer solely made of wood, with metal and plastic also now being used.
An orchestra’s wind section can consist of various combinations of such instruments as the piccolo, oboe, flute, clarinet, cor anglais (literally French for ‘English horn’), bass clarinet, E-flat clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon and saxophone.
Below, we have sought to answer some of the most common woodwind orchestra queries that our customers here at Dawkes Music have.
(more…)Are Saxophones Part of the Orchestra?
It’s fair to say that the saxophone has long had a mixed relationship with the classical music world – such that you may be much more likely to hear one in a jazz recording than an orchestra. This is despite the saxophone somewhat filling an otherwise vacant gap between woodwind and brass instruments.
So, what are the factors in saxophone history that have contributed to the instrument’s slightly ‘outsider’ status among classical musicians – and what is the saxophone orchestra’s potential in the 21st century?
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The Dawkes Music Story – About Jack Dawkes (part 2/2)
8th November 2018This is the second part of our look back at the life of our founder Jack Dawkes. In the first blog Jack discussed his early life, time spent distance learning composition in WWII trenches(!) and leaving to become a working musician. In this second blog Jack talks further about his playing career and subsequent progression into Instrument Repairs and provision…
Flute Playing Videos: Tips For Good Posture (7/10)
3rd November 2018Our seventh video in this Flute Technique series discusses some top tips for good flute playing posture. This is the seventh of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
The Dawkes Music Story – Jack Dawkes (part 1/2)
2nd November 2018Here at Dawkes we’re proud to be a family business, in fact the fourth generation has just started working with us full time! We wanted to share some of this history through the words of our founder Jack Dawkes over two blogs.
In this first part Jack looks back at his early life including his first musical studies and his time in WWII including the Normandy campaign…
ACOUSTIC ROOM – UNIQUE FACILITY AT DAWKES MUSIC
30th October 2018Here at Dawkes, we are always delighted to present you with the opportunity to come in and test run new (or used!) equipment. Whether that is a mouthpiece, instrument, or something from our wide range of accessories. What may be of interest to you is that our Acoustic Room is a facility where you can really hear the difference certain equipment makes to your sound.
In this room you can test out different equipment in a variety of acoustic environments. These can be changed at the push of a button, essentially simulating many ‘real world’ acoustic scenarios live. You can test and compare equipment and playback the results. You’ll finally be able to hear what your audiences hear. More importantly, you can make sure you’re happy with what YOU hear.
Brass Mouthpieces – An Overview
Why so Important?
All brass players wonder at one time or another whether or not making a change to their mouthpiece will help. Could it give them more range, more volume or a bigger sound? A change in the mouthpiece can yield fantastic results to the player. You can achieve faster, higher and louder from just a small change.
How to Choose a Jody Jazz Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
You’ve heard your bandmates raving about their Jody Jazz mouthpieces – they all have their opinion, but how can you tell which one is best for you? This handy little guide will point you towards a new mouthpiece in the Jody Jazz range. We’ll look at what suits a wide range of needs and playing styles.
Flute Playing Videos: Practicing Good Technique (6/10)
11th October 2018Our sixth video in this Flute Technique series discusses some physical and practice based pointers for improving your technique. This is the sixth of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Low C Bass Clarinets – Buffet vs Selmer
27th September 2018The Bass Clarinet is quite simply a majestic instrument in many ways. If you’ve never seen a low C professional model it’s a piece of engineering and natural beauty. The elegant grenadilla joints filled with keywork make it look mesmerisingly complicated! However, with patience and practice the Bass can be a very expressive and versatile instrument in Orchestral and Jazz situations.
Whilst there are a few options in the market, including Yamaha and Uebel, the main choice for most players looking for a low C comes down to Buffet vs Selmer. We wanted to take a quick look at some of the models and differences with this blog…
Johnny Hodges: Small Group Maestro
15th September 2018“Johnny Hodges had the most beautiful tone of any saxophonist in jazz.”
– Scott Yanow
“Johnny Hodges was one musician who never had to sell himself. All he had to do was blow.”
– Budd Johnson
“His way of playing, whether smooth or passionate, his incisive attack and extraordinary skill in the art of glissandi, always made him instantly recognizable.”
– Boris Vian
I have talked to several people who, like me, were privileged to see and hear Johnny Hodges, and frequently they speak about his apparent lack of involvement. “He just walked to the front and played. I don’t even think he tapped his foot” and “He seemed slightly bored” are some of the comments I have heard over the years. Critics also commented about his demeanour: “the super-placid Johnny Hodges” is how George Avakian described the great saxophonist; Philip Larkin referred to him as “the inscrutable altoist”.
Selmer MKVII Alto Sax – 3rd Octave Key
23rd August 2018Every now and then we get some nice ‘oddities’ in the workshop. Some are for customer repair and others for sale second. This early Selmer MKVII features the 3rd octave key that is a rare option on some Selmer Saxophones. Take a look at the set-up below. It features an added vent hole and key on the neck. With the additional thumb lever near the left hand thumb rest.
Tip Top Tipple: Oboe Reeds
Calling all Oboists!
There are some new reeds on the scene. For years, we’ve seen Winfield, Jones and Emerald rule the roost of popular reeds – but is that about to change?
Let us introduce Tipple Reeds! English company Tipple hand-make oboe reeds from hand-gouged Cogolin cane, tied to 47mm brass staples – if this means anything to you oboe players (which it should!). They are now available to purchase on our website or in-store.
Flute Playing Videos: AIR SUPPORT pt.2 with Krzysztof Kaczka (5/10)
16th August 2018Our fifth video in this Flute Technique series focusses on another exercise to improve your breathing and air support. This is the fifth of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Meet the Team – Ana (Repair Dept)
About Ana:
Hi, I’m Ana! I moved from Lisbon, Portugal to England to study a 3 year Woodwind Instrument Making and Repair Course at Newark College. This is an internationally known course that is recognised and valued among the industry. I believe for that reason I was accepted to join the team at Dawkes Music Workshop. Also the passion I bring to put my knowledge and skills into each repair.
Meet the Team – Jocelyn (Repair Dept)
About Jocelyn:
Hi, I’m Jocelyn, one of the Repair Technicians at Dawkes. I work on both woodwind and brass instruments.
John Hammond’s ‘From Spirituals to Swing’
10th August 2018Most of his biographers mention that he found some very talented performers and brought them to the attention of wide and appreciative audiences. Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Charlie Christian, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen are just some that get named as being amongst his ‘discoveries’.
Meet The Team – Linda (Customer Service)
Hello! My name is Linda and I work in the customer service and sales department at Dawkes Music. My life would be incomplete without music! I’ve been singing and dancing for as far back as I can remember.
Flute Playing Videos: AIR SUPPORT with Krzysztof Kaczka (4/10)
Our fourth video in this Flute Technique series focusses on an exercise to improve your breathing and air support. This is the fourth of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
REPAIR CAM – Trombone Slide Leg Replacement
4th August 2018A local band recently brought this Trombone in for assessment and repair. Unfortunately they had got a large cleaning cloth stuck down the inside of one of the inner legs. In the process of trying to remove it the slide had become buckled and damaged. The slide damage, coupled with the extremely stuck cloth meant that there was only one remaining solution. We had to order in a replacement inner slide leg and remove the old one.
Brass Players – Valve Oil Guide
2nd August 2018For brass players, especially new ones, one of the most-asked questions regarding accessories is about valve oils and lubrications. It has been a couple of years since the new CLP (Classification Labelling and Packaging) rules were brought in which affected all the regulations around bottling and caused some supply issues with certain brands. So, it is high time we rounded up all of the valve oil that is currently available, examine the top sellers and look forward to a returning old favourite…
Meet The Team – Matt (Brass Dept)
Hi! My name is Matt and I am a Brass Instrument Specialist here at Dawkes Music.
Flute Playing Videos: PRACTICING STACCATO with Krzysztof Kaczka (3/10)
20th July 2018This is the third of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: TONE EXERCISE with Krzysztof Kaczka (2/10)
23rd June 2018This is the second of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: WARM UP with Krzysztof Kaczka (1/10)
1st June 2018This is the first of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
REPAIR CAM – Clarinet RePad (Ana)
31st May 2018We wanted to take you behind the scenes in our Workshop. Here, Ana shows various stages of a Clarinet RePad in action. Normally this is a relatively straight forward job with modern instruments. However it still requires a good amount of skill in both the technical precision and in time management. We want to do a great job and keep the cost affordable for the customer.
REPAIR CAM – Great Bass Recorder (Abi)
26th May 2018This ‘Great Bass’ recorder in C (by Mollenhauer) is a regular visitor to the Dawkes workshop.
It gets a fair bit of use in a local recorder ensemble, which is after all what its there for! These instruments are really beautiful to behold and make a gorgeous haunting sound.
Besson Anniversary Sovereign Euphonium BE967T-2M-0
8th May 2018Something a little bit special has arrived on the brass scene, and you’ll want to be quick! Besson turns 180 years old this year and to celebrate, they have very aptly produced a limited edition set of 180 brass instruments. Out of those 180 are 50 euphoniums in a special finish with various unique aesthetic and physical characteristics.
…and finally ‘Lotus Blossom’
19th April 2018I travelled with a young saxophonist who had never seen the great man before. The journey was uneventful and we arrived on time at Preston railway station. Then we made our way to Preston’s Guild Hall for the second concert of the evening. In a foyer we came across a large crowd of people facing closed doors that led into the auditorium. The doors were manned by a number of ushers and security staff. Word quickly spread that the start of the first of the evening’s concerts had been delayed and that the first concert would end in about thirty or forty minutes. As a result, the second house would be starting late. The ushers and security staff, more than willing to try to explain what had caused the delay, went through the foyer chatting to groups and answering our questions.
Start Spring Afresh with some Inspiring Local Music
12th April 2018The Easter break may be drawing to a close – but that doesn’t stop the musical fun from happening! Are you still looking for something to interest the whole family these holidays? Look no further afield as this weekend; there is something happening on your doorstep at Norden Farm.
The Duke, Hawk and maybe Lorenzo
23rd March 2018According to John Chilton, despite all the musicians who met up at the recording studio on that August afternoon being “hard bitten veterans who had made thousands of records between them”, nevertheless the occasion “seemed special”. This was going to be no ordinary recording session; it would involve two musical legends who, or so they insisted, had been intending to get together for decades. But record producer Bob Thiele had finally made it happen. The date was 18th August, 1962.
Remarkable Repairs
Here at Dawkes, we are lucky to say that our business thrives on the strength of not only our friendly sales team but also our technically qualified repairers in our onsite workshop. We employ more qualified brass and woodwind repairers than any business in the UK, and are proud of our legacy built by Jack Dawkes back in the 1960’s from a shed in his back garden.
G is for great – or is it? New G-Reeds for Saxophones…
12th March 2018You may have noticed, if you were in the market for new reeds (or even your trusty usual ones!) that we have some new synthetic options. Now for sale on our site we have the new G-REEDS!
“Faz” by Peter Gardner
9th March 2018The number of great clarinet players who were born or learned to play in New Orleans when jazz was in its infancy is quite amazing. Johnny Dodds, Edmond Hall, Albert Nicholas, Omer Simeon, Leon Roppolo, Jimmy Noone, Barney Bigard, Sidney Bechet and Irving Henry Prestopnik are just some that come to mind. If the last of these is not too familiar, maybe you know him under the Mediterranean name for ‘beans’, possibly acquired as a term of commendation, or because in his early days he only played from music in a prim and proper or ‘fah-so-lah’ kind of way. Still, whatever its etymology, ‘Fazola’ replaced the east European name of his father, ‘Henry’ was dropped and for most of his adult life he was known as Irving Fazola or ‘Faz’.
5% OFF – Top 10 Saxes Offer
6th March 2018We’re delighted to be offering an extra 5% discount off our Top 10 Saxophone models until April 30th, 2018. There is limited stock available across a variety of brands including Yamaha, Selmer & Yanagisawa. So, don’t miss this chance to grab a bargain for either a beginner, upgrader or pro player – we’ve got something for everyone.
5% OFF – Top 10 Clarinets Offer
We’re delighted to be offering an extra 5% discount off our Top 10 Clarinet models until April 30th, 2018. There is limited stock available so don’t miss this chance to grab a bargain for either a beginner, upgrader or pro player – we’ve got something for everyone.
Learn To Play Day – Success Story #1
3rd March 2018In preparation for this years national ‘Learn To Play Day’ we are chatting with some new players who started their musical journeys at a previous Learn To Play event. Whatever your age, there’s nothing to stop you picking up an instrument and achieving your musical dreams! Over to you Heather…
Learn To Play Day – Success Story #2
In preparation for this years national ‘Learn To Play Day’ we are chatting with some new players who started their musical journeys at a previous Learn To Play event. Whatever your age, there’s nothing to stop you picking up an instrument and achieving your musical dreams! Over to you Jinny…
Learn To Play Day – Success Story #3
In preparation for this years national ‘Learn To Play Day’ we are chatting with some new players who started their musical journeys at a previous Learn To Play event. Whatever your age, there’s nothing to stop you picking up an instrument and achieving your musical dreams! Over to you Joshua…
‘Jaws’
23rd February 2018“I didn’t buy an instrument for the sake of the music…I wanted the instrument for what it represented. By watching musicians I saw that they drank, they smoked, they got all the broads and they didn’t get up early in the morning. That attracted me. My next move was to see who got the most attention, so it was between the tenor saxophonist and the drummer. The drums looked like too much work, so I said I’ll get one of those tenor saxophones. That’s the truth.”
A Golden Age?
1st February 2018Nostalgia isn’t history; it’s too caught up with sentiment and rose-tinted recollections to let the facts and diligent research get in the way. So, forgive me if accuracy and well-grounded judgement are casualties in my trip down memory lane to an age or at least a time which for me was and still is golden. As The Good Book says, giants walked on the earth in those days. And please don’t think I am setting out to brag; it just so happens that I was fortunate enough to have experienced a wonderfully rich period of jazz, and only desperate people brag about sheer good fortune.
The Fastest Tenor in the West
17th January 2018He was a seventeen year-old alto saxophone player when he first joined Lionel Hampton’s band in 1945, but Gladys Hampton, Lionel’s wife, who also managed Lionel’s band, insisted that the teenager with the alto had been hired to play tenor saxophone, and no one argued with Gladys. So, Johnny Griffin started to play tenor. Before too long he was duetting with the band’s star tenor player, Arnett Cobb. Eventually the routine of playing Hampton’s big hits night after night became tiresome. Griffin left Hampton’s band, and, though he returned for a brief spell, he finally quit for good shortly after his nineteenth birthday.
Artie Shaw – The Last, the Very Last, the Final Gramercies
8th December 2017Join jazz aficionado Peter Gardner as he discusses the excellent late recording work of clarinettist Artie Shaw…
It wasn’t until about twenty years ago that I realised that such marvellous recordings existed. I was in a large bookshop in the north of England and I had been told the bookshop also stocked some jazz CDs. As I recall, there weren’t too many jazz CDs there and most seemed to be by John Coltrane and Miles Davis. But somewhere near the end of the jazz shelves, perhaps between Rollins and Tatum, I came across a double CD whose attention-grabbing title had the words ‘…The Last Recordings Rare and Unreleased’.
Upgrade/Pro Flute Offers – December 2017
4th December 2017We’re delighted to be offering an extra 5% discount off any upgrade/pro Flute (or Piccolo) over £1,000 until Dec 31st 2017.
The First Great Jazz Saxophonist
3rd November 2017“Sidney Bechet was, by an impressive margin of several years, the first great jazz saxophonist.”
– Humphrey Lyttelton
One day in 1920 a trumpeter in his very early twenties and a clarinettist, who may not have been much older, were walking down London’s Wardour Street. The trumpeter had been born in the West Indies, but had spent most of his early years in South Carolina. The clarinettist, who had toured with various groups since a teenager, was originally from New Orleans. He was a Creole; most of his forbears were African Americans, but at least one was French. Both the trumpeter and the clarinettist had come to England from America with Will Marion Cook’s Southern Syncopated Orchestra in 1919. In the window of J. R. Lafleur’s music shop at 147 Wardour Street the clarinettist spotted a shiny straight soprano saxophone.
Pearl Flute Masterclass with Krzysztof Kaczka
27th October 2017We had a great event last night with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. It was a full house, so many thanks to all for attending, and especially those who performed. It takes some guts to stand up in front of a room full of strangers and perform a piece for public critiquing! It was especially heart warming to see that 5 of the 6 playing volunteers were teenagers as one of our main goals with these events is to support and inspire the next generation of musicians.
‘Ronnie Peters’, ‘Buckshot La Funke’, Julian ‘Cannonball’…
8th September 2017Join jazz aficionado Peter Gardner with his look back at the one and only Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley…
Some accounts of his arrival on the New York jazz scene read like an exaggerated piece of jazz folklore. Aged twenty-six, already a successful high school music teacher, he was in New York with a view to starting graduate studies to add to his already impressive educational CV. On Saturday 19th June, 1955, he had his alto with him and rather than leave it in a car, which could be fraught with danger in New York, he took it with him into Café Bohemia to hear a group led by bassist Oscar Pettiford. Pettiford’s tenor player, Jerome Richardson, hadn’t shown up and neither had his dep.
Not ‘The Lion’ and Hamp in Pasadena
18th July 2017Join jazz aficionado Peter Gardner with his look back at one of the premier, but lesser known, lead Alto Saxophonists in jazz history…
If your CV included playing lead alto in the bands of Jimmie Lunceford, Harry James, Duke Ellington, Billy May and Charlie Barnet as well as spells with Jazz at the Philharmonic and Gene Krupa trios, and you had played on one of the most famous jazz records, we might expect that you would be quite well known to any modern saxophonist who has more than a passing interest in the history of jazz and big bands. Sadly this is not the case, and when you mention this saxophonist’s name, people with some knowledge of jazz history often think you are talking about a famous stride pianist. So, let me clarify. Willie Smith, or to give him his full name, William McLeish Smith, was the lead alto saxophonist with the more than impressive CV. Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith was a justifiably famous, bowler-hatted, cigar-chomping, extrovert stride pianist.
Break-In at Dawkes: Saxophone Thefts
13th July 2017*UPDATE: We have a full list of our stolen instruments & the saxophones also stolen from Sax.Co back in April/May – SEE BELOW
In the early hours of July 12th we were victims of a break-in at the shop. The gang of thieves forced their way into our Sax Suite and stole 40 saxophones that were on display (full list below). The police arrived on scene and are investigating the matter further. Sadly this is the most recent in a spate of Music Industry related break-ins with the thieves clearly targeting certain locations and stock types. It is unlikely these instruments will appear in the UK marketplace but we have listed a full inventory below of what has been stolen, please be aware or on guard for any 3rd party re-selling or auction sites offering these models. Any info can be passed to us or Thames Valley Police (Ref: 43170204724)
Learn To Play Day – Live Music (Flute Duet – 2.30pm)
22nd June 2017We’ve got some more inspirational live music for you as part of our LTPD celebrations this Saturday 24th June. At 2.30pm we will hear some wonderful flute duets from two talented flautists Victoria Dawkes and Suzanne Poulter. Here’s a little bit more about them both:
Learn To Play Day – A Family Day Out
7th June 2017What is Learn To Play Day?
We’re very excited to be taking part in the National ‘Learn To Play Day’ again this year. Each time we offer FREE taster sessions on Saxophone, Clarinet & Flute to anyone coming through our doors on Saturday June 24th.
Each year we give lots of free taster sessions to adults and children, it really is a fun day out for all the family in a supportive and relaxed environment. So far we’ve given over 300 free lessons in LTPD history, and many visitors have gone on to get involved in playing an instrument (read some our ‘Success Stories’ here).
Learn To Play Day – Live Music (Sforzando! Sax Ensemble)
As part of our Learn To Play Day celebrations we’re delighted to feature some Live Music throughout the day. This is all free and serves to inspire and encourage visitors to take part and pick up a musical instrument. It’s not all about the professionals either, there are many adult and children’s groups in our community at various levels of experience and expertise.
Learn To Play Day – Live Music (MyMusic Adult Group)
26th May 2017As part of our Learn To Play Day celebrations we’re delighted to feature some Live Music throughout the day. This is all free and serves to inspire and encourage visitors to take part and pick up a musical instrument. It’s not all about the professionals either, there are many adult and children’s groups in our community at various levels of experience and expertise.
Reed Dr – Event (Sat 13th May, 2017)
17th May 2017We were delighted to welcome Anthony Pike to the shop on Saturday to host our ‘Reed Dr’ event. Anthony is a long established professional player who has taken a hands on approach to adjusting and maximising each reed he uses. We held two sessions due to the demand and both were informative and engaging for all involved.
NEW! Select Jazz Tenor Sax Mouthpiece…
16th May 2017The new Select Jazz Tenor Sax mouthpiece from D’Addario has been launched. It is immaculately made and blows the house down, but is that enough? Shouldn’t it be more expensive? Why isn’t it hand finished on the eleventh moon of the solstice? You get the idea, it’s from a big multinational company, how can it possibly have the nuances we all desire? Well, read on to find out why we don’t give a monkeys about any of the above – blowing is believing and this thing rocks!
(more…)Benny’s Tales
19th April 2017Join Jazz aficionado Peter Gardner as he explores the great Benny Goodman…
It has become part of jazz folklore that once upon a time in a Chicago slum, shortly after the end of the First World War, a desperately poor Jewish father, who had emigrated to America from Eastern Europe, decided that some of his children might benefit from learning to play musical instruments. On hearing that a nearby synagogue ran a band for boys, the father took three of his twelve children to meet the synagogue’s band master.
A Forgotten Man?
24th March 2017by Peter Gardner
In the UK his name rarely crops up in discussions about jazz saxophonists and no saxophone student I have talked to recently has ever heard of him. I suspect the same goes for many of those students’ teachers as well. Even if you look on the websites of the famous jazz stars he played and recorded with, his name is at best infrequent.
Squeaking? Blame the mouthpiece??
13th January 2017Post Author: Prof. Anton Weinberg (www.antonweinberg.com)
I am always concerned when teachers and players assume that squeaks on a mouthpiece are caused by the facing being crooked. Yes indeed, it might be a possibility, however my research over many years has found that a great majority of the mouthpieces used by clarinetists that we admire are indeed crooked.
Barrow to Broadway: a White Christmas Story by Peter Gardner
7th December 2016On Tuesday 11th March 1879 The Barrow Herald, one of the local papers for Barrow-in-Furness in the north west of England, reported that on the previous day a vessel had been launched by the Barrow Shipbuilding Company and that “Miss Welch, daughter of the American minister in London, gracefully performed the ceremony of naming the vessel, the launch being of the most successful character.”
5 Minutes with…Andrew Marriner (Principal Clarinet LSO)
29th November 2016Tim Ower (Sax) – Life on the road…
9th November 2016Tim is a London based Saxophonist and a graduate of Leeds College of Music, he has gone on to perform and tour across the UK and internationally with a diverse range of award-winning artists and groups spanning a multitude of genres, from working with pop and commercial artists on the stadium circuit and festivals to performing with renowned techno DJ’s, Bollywood film composers and touring with original groups playing in rock venues and jazz clubs.
‘Big Ben’ by Peter Gardner
3rd November 2016In January 1967 Ben Webster was playing a short season at Ronnie Scott’s Cub in London. As often happened back then, star soloists who were playing at Ronnie Scott’s would play some out of town gigs. That was how, a few months earlier, I had heard Johnny Griffin in Coventry’s Leofric Hotel. Griffin, ‘The Little Giant’, ‘The Fastest Tenor in the West’, had left his audience enthralled and somewhat drained by his astonishing speed, unquenchable imagination and stamina.
Benny Carter: ‘The King’
11th October 2016…he is a king, man! You got Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and my man the Earl
of Hines, right? Well, Benny’s right up there with all them cats. Everybody
that knows who he is call him King! He is a King!
Louis Armstrong
Generations of jazz fans grew up in the firm belief that the three greatest alto saxophone players were Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter and Charlie Parker. Of this wondrous trio, only one could claim to be multi-talented; he was Benny Carter. His principal instruments were the alto sax and trumpet, which prompted someone with the pen-name of Snooty McSiegle to wax poetic:
Education Support
4th October 2016Dawkes Music strives to support musicians throughout their journey, and from the very beginning. A couple of events we were present at in September are perfect examples of how we are always here to help create, support and inspire musicians of all ages.
The Shy Revolutionary
22nd September 2016Join Jazz aficionado Peter Gardner as he takes a look at the glorious Lester Young…
By the autumn of 1936 someone who would become one the most influential and imitated of all jazz musicians had been ‘on the road’ for most of his twenty seven years, but hadn’t yet been heard on record. Lester Willis Young had started out as a boy drummer in his father’s band, though in early adolescence he discovered that by the time he had packed up his drums at the end of an evening, the girls had gone. So, he switched to saxophone.
Flute Masterclass – 6th October, 2016
14th September 2016Together with Pearl Flutes we’re delighted to be supporting a Flute Masterclass with top European flautist Krzysztof Kaczka in Oxfordshire on October 6th…
Details:
Where: Oxfordshire County Music Service, Centre for Music, Bayswater Road, Oxford, OX3 9FF
When: Thursday October 6th (5pm – 7pm)
Suitable For: Any advancing flautist from Grades 2/3 onwards
Cost: FREE (Parents & Pupils all welcome)
Booking: Direct through OCMS: (Tel) 01865 816 999 (Email) paul.bruce@oxfordshire.gov.uk
More Info: If you’d like any more info please contact events@dawkes.co.uk or call us on 01628 630 800 (Contact Name: Karen or Linda)
‘Bagpipe Lung’ – Cleaning Care Advice & Gear for Wind Instruments
23rd August 2016Many of you will have seen the recent article and report warning players of so-called ‘bagpipe lung’ infections. So, what’s the truth behind the situation and what can you do to ensure you keep your instrument clean and safe…
The Making of a Masterpiece…
16th August 2016Join Jazz aficionado Peter Gardner as this time he takes a look at the origins of ‘Body and Soul’…
It would become one of the world’s most recorded songs. One recorded performance would reach artistic heights rarely exceeded in the history of jazz. As the result of that performance, the tune would become something of a test piece for jazz musicians, particularly tenor saxophonists. Yet, some accounts of the song’s origins give little hint of the memorable things that were to follow.
When Johnny Hodges Doubled…
10th June 2016Join Jazz aficionado Peter Gardner as he takes us back to 1938 & that famous Carnegie Hall Concert with many of the Jazz greats…
On the evening of 16th January, 1938, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra played before a packed house at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Billed as ‘The First Swing Concert in the History of Carnegie Hall’, it was not the first time jazz had been played in what Down Beat called the “sanctum of long-hairs”, but it was the first time an entire Carnegie concert had been devoted to such music.
Légère Synthetic Oboe Reed – A snip at £129 ?!
Légère Oboe Reed Review – European Scrape (Medium)
Oboe Reeds are a very personal thing to an oboe player. All players go through different scrapes, brands of cane and makes, all in the search of the ‘perfect’ reed; again the ‘perfect’ reed being different for each player.
New Buffet Clarinets – Launch on Saturday May 28th…
12th May 2016The New Buffet ‘Tradition’ Professional Model:
The new Tradition has been inspired by a pre-1950s design while taking into account the needs of modern musical repertoire and performance practice, this brand new cylindrical bore compliments the R13 and RC bore families, adding a new acoustic dimension to the Buffet offerings.
Featuring a cylindrical bore design, the new clarinet harkens back to the purity of sound produced by the BC20, with a tone hole placement inspired by the Tosca design. The result is an instrument that presents a clear, focused, rich sound suitable for any acoustic environment and an even scale for consistent intonation throughout all registers.
Stan Getz: Delving back…
9th May 2016Join Jazz aficionado Peter Gardner as he delves back into the family history of Stan Getz, one of the very greatest Jazz Saxophonists…
When The Observer’s jazz critic Benny Green heard Stan Getz playing at Ronnie Scott’s Club in March 1971 he spoke of Getz as “one of the greatest jazz masters of all time” and he added: “It is doubtful if Getz has ever played better in his life…Getz’s genius has flowered again”.
Grafton Alto Saxophone
3rd May 2016The Grafton saxophone was an injection moulded, cream-coloured acrylic plastic alto saxophone with metal keys, manufactured in London, England by the Grafton company, and later by ‘John E. Dallas & Sons Ltd’. Only Grafton altos were ever made, due to the challenges in making larger models (i.e. the tenor) with 1950s plastic technology. Production commenced in 1950 and ended after approximately ten years. However, a few last examples were assembled from residual parts circa 1967. All tools, machinery and jigs required to manufacture the Grafton were sold for scrap and subsequently destroyed in 1968.
Eddie Daniels pt.3: Choosing an Instrument…
27th April 2016Join virtuoso clarinettist Eddie Daniels as he discusses how to choose an instrument…
Eddie Daniels pt.2: Jazz Phrasing…
21st April 2016We hope you all enjoyed Part.1 (It’s all about the blues), now you’ve got at least a few notes going on in a more blues or jazz feel let’s think about how we can phrase them in a jazzier way…
New Vandoren V21 Sax Reeds…
14th April 2016Whilst it’s no surprise that Vandoren have just released the new V21 Sax reeds (hot on the heels of the Clarinet V21’s) what is more intriguing is quite who or what they are intended for, or at least getting this information out of them (as a UK Retailer or Customer) isn’t as easy as it could be.
Eddie Daniels pt.1: It’s all about the Blues…
13th April 2016Sometimes it’s important to get inspiration from other players, re-connect us with why we play and the great benefits it can give us in life.
NEW Yamaha YFL-212 Beginners Flute…
11th April 2016Wow, even writing YFL-212 feels very odd! Ever since I’ve been in this industry (1996) the premium student flute on the market has been the Yamaha YFL-211. Sure, it’s had the odd roman numeral II or lettering after it but fundamentally the 211 has always been a 211. It’s become synonymous with quality and a safe bet for any student starting out. Why? Well, it’s surely been the best engineered model in production since the early 1990’s and the headjoint cut has been especially easy for new players to strive on.
Beginner Oboes – An overview…
30th March 2016Here our Oboe specialist Louise will walk through the main beginner oboes:
Beginner oboes come with a variety of prices and differences. Whether it is the reputation of the manufacturer, the quality of the materials or what you get with regards the key-work to help your playing improve. These oboes are designed to encourage the player and would suit complete beginners all the way up to grades 4 or 5.
Music Education Expo (2016)
23rd March 2016For the first time, this year Dawkes Music took a stand at the Music Education Expo at London Olympia at the end of February. We were aiming to raise awareness of our products and services within the music teaching community. With an estimated attendance of 2500-3000 teachers, we were feeling confident that we could have lots of conversations about activities such as our ‘Hands on’ instrument sessions for schools, our Teacher Loyalty Scheme, the new Education Workshop series, our expertise in instrumental repair/ maintenance and the availability of repair days, as well as our range of beginner and intermediate instruments – all with a view to create, inspire and support new young musicians.
UK Jazz History…
17th March 2016Preface: I have spoken to Peter for many years via telephone whilst working for Dawkes. Throughout that time he has regaled me with his jazz related historical stories and teachings. In fact, in preparing to give jazz related talks in the North West he’s often sent me a copy of the talk with accompanying CD. I felt it was time for some of these fascinating stories to be re-told to our customers, for its on these building blocks that the current genre of jazz in the UK was born…Sam @ Dawkes.
NEW Jupiter Beginner Clarinet…What’s in a name?!
28th January 2016I mentioned in a recent article that Yamaha were often guilty of using Roman numerals to denote new models, i.e. YCL-CXIII. Seemingly Jupiter have a slightly different affliction and that is to put S, Q, FQ or QO and all sorts of letters after a model when they change it. It can be both confusing and a bit misleading as sometimes the change is very minor (i.e. it’s just in a new case) and other times it can be a full instrument re-design.
NEW Selmer Privilege Clarinet…
25th January 2016It’s arguably the greatest time ever to be looking for a new professional wooden clarinet, there are simply loads of wonderful choices. In fact whilst discussing this exact topic with a colleague the other day it was noted that if you can’t find a great instrument now then it’s probably time to try playing another instrument, or take up something equally lucrative such as Hungarian stamp collecting…
Rico Jazz Select Reed Re-Branding & Reed Tips…
4th January 2016It’s amazing to think that the D’Addario company bought out Rico back in 2004 yet the confusion of branding cropped up again recently and so we wanted to take this opportunity to update all Clarinet & Sax players of the most recent reed box packaging changes on Jazz Select & Reserve reeds in particular to avoid any confusion and to discuss what a re-brand can do to us single reed players minds!…
The Uebel Emperior Bass Clarinet is a serious competitor!
29th December 2015The Uebel Emperior is a fantastic new addition to the professional Bass Clarinet range.
“The Uebel bass clarinet is a fantastic and much needed addition to the bass clarinet market that compares favourably with it’s competitors. It plays extremely well and is a reliable alternative for players looking for a high quality instrument at an affordable price.” Sarah Watts, B
ritish bass clarinet specialist, teacher of bass clarinet at Royal Northern College of Music.
Dawkes Music Workshop: Saxophone Split and Patch
24th December 2015This Buescher 400 ‘top hat & cane’ came to us as a recent purchase for general set-up.
The biggest problem we found was a small split running along the bottom bow and into the low Eb tone hole. This would cause the pad to leak air from the split so it needed to be filled one way or another.
Trumpet Re-Lacquering in the Dawkes Music Workshop
22nd December 2015This Bach Stradivarius Trumpet has had a new leadpipe fitted as the red rot on the underside rendered it un-preppable for relacquer.
If metal is too rotten, it will not be able to withstand the invasive filing, sanding and pressure of the re-surfacing work. During the preparation of the surface, all dents and scratches have to be removed and the metal is filed and polished to a mirror finish. This is the most important stage as any remaining imperfections will show up tenfold under new lacquer.
Have you tried D’Addario Reserve Reeds?
4th December 2015Acclaimed for their unrivalled consistency and ease of response, D’Addario Reserve reeds are fast becoming a favourite amongst the UK’s top orchestral players.
Restoration in the Dawkes Music Workshop
27th November 2015Sunniva, one of our dedicated workshop repairers, was so happy with one of her latest restoration jobs she shared it on her personal blog. She did such a great job on this J. Higham cornet we thought the internet deserved to see this beauty.
National Association of Musical Instrument Repairers Hold AGM at Dawkes
9th November 2015The National Association of Musical Instrument Repairers (NAMIR) held their Annual General Meeting at Dawkes Music on Sunday 1st November. Some of our repairers and spare parts experts attended and let us know what happened.
The Summer of Vintage Saxes!
15th September 2015This summer we have seen a multitude of beautiful vintage saxophones come into the workshop so we thought you might like to see what we have seen and what their issues were. Have a look through, there are some real beauties!
Introducing… Dawkes Music Reed Selection Packs
29th August 2015As fellow clarinettists, here at Dawkes we understand how important it is to find the right set-up.
Workshop Tips: How we fix clarinet cracks
23rd July 2015This Buffet R13 came into our workshop with an enormous crack in the top joint, running through the speaker tube and into the thumb bush. Miraculously, the crack had not travelled through into the bore of the instrument, so we were able to fill and secure the crack using wood powder, glue and a lot of patience.
Simon Willescroft plays Cannonball Bari Sax at T in the Park with Paloma Faith
21st July 2015It was great to see our friend, and Cannonball Musical Instruments artist, Simon Willescroft rocking it with Paloma Faith at T in the park this weekend on his B5-B Cannonball Bari Sax!
Selmer Paris release new reeds!
15th July 2015We are excited to hear that Selmer Paris will be launching their own reed range for soprano, alto and tenor saxophone!
Feefo – Gold Trusted Retailer (Independent Reviews)
11th February 2015
Dawkes Music receive ‘Gold Trusted’ Retailer award…
Feefo has introduced the Trusted Merchant accreditation to recognise the hard-work of merchants that consistently deliver excellent customer service in the eyes of their genuine customers.Those businesses that meet the criteria, have been accredited as either a ‘Trusted Merchant’ or a ‘Gold Trusted Merchant’.
Dawkes & Taylor Swift @ Madame Tussauds London
Dawkes support 7 time Grammy Winner & Top UK Tourist Attraction…
We were delighted to help out top London tourist destination Madame Tussauds recently by supplying a Sax & Trumpet for their new Taylor Swift ‘set’. The venue wanted to showcase the top US star and wanted some real instruments to compliment the amazing waxwork figures they are so famous for. What better than to call the UK’s no.1 Wind & Brass supplier and ask for help!
Award Winners! Dawkes scoop ‘Best Classical Music Instrument Shop’ award…
26th November 2014We’re delighted to have been voted by the public as the ‘Best Classical Music Instrument Shop’ for the UK in 2014.
Having been previous winners in 2011 & 2012 we were excited to get the award back to our shop in 2014. We’d like to thank everybody that took the time to vote for us, we do appreciate it very much and we hope we can continue to fulfill your musical needs throughout 2015 and beyond!
Replacing a Saxophone Crook Cork…
28th October 2014Check out our video explaining how we would change the cork on any Saxophone neck. We offer this as an ‘on the spot’ service in store and it’s something you can drop in to be done at any time, just remember to bring your mouthpiece so we can size it up perfectly for you.
Yoga Masterclass – Saturday November 15th, 2014
13th October 2014‘Don’t forget to breathe: Yoga and the art of Woodwind Playing’
We’re delighted to welcome top UK Woodwind Pro Duncan Lamont Jr to Dawkes for this exciting Yoga masterclass. Duncan will be accompanied by his Yoga instructor (Karen Pancholi) and they will be discussing and demonstrating how Yoga can help all Wind players with breathing, relaxation and much more…
Sax Mouthpieces – How Dawkes can help…
8th October 2014Whether you are a beginner, advanced amateur or a professional the choice of mouthpiece can make a huge difference.
Beginner Players
When you’re starting out the Sax mouthpiece you choose needs to be (a) easy to play (b) well made (c) help you make a decent tone. We see many poor quality mouthpieces on beginner Saxes and more often than not the player is struggling away trying to play something that really isn’t doing them any favours. Sadly the cheaper quality instruments often come with these inferior mouthpieces and players struggle accordingly. It needn’t be this way, with the right help and guidance we can get student players enjoying their Sax more with the correct mouthpiece choice.
Brass Mouthpiece Advice & Info…
18th July 2014Many brass players will tell you that you can search for that elusive perfect mouthpiece, but never find it. Truer words have probably never been spoken but the benefits of trying to find a good compromise can be enormous. If you are looking to improve the squeakiest of lead trumpet parts, the mellowest of flugel tones or the meatiest bass trombone pedals, the chances are we have something to suit!
Allen Vizzutti Video Series – Episode #4 (How to approach the jazz idiom)
26th March 2014Top US Trumpet professional Allen Vizzutti spent some time with us discussing all things Trumpet related.
As part of his video tip series we present #4 – ‘how to approach the jazz idiom’
Learn To Play Day – 2014
17th March 2014It’s that time of year again. Every April we throw open the doors and offer FREE Woodwind lessons to anyone who wants them!! We also have live music in the shop to get you inspired to pick up an instrument and blow!
Abi in Uganda…supporting Brass for Africa
20th February 2014Abi’s diary inputs from her trip to Uganda to help set-up a repair workshop for the Brass for Africa charity:
Trumpet DIY Repair Tips – Broken Waterkey spring
19th February 2014Problem: Waterkey spring has broken!
This minor problem is easily repairable, all that is required is the correct parts, possibly a tool and some patience. It may not seem like a minor problem at the time, as the instrument will no longer be airtight and it will squeak and be wildly uncontrollable. Firstly identify the broken spring, and there can often be more than one. The water key will be flapping and have no tension to it.
Allen Vizzutti Video Series – Episode #3 (performance anxiety)
Top US Trumpet professional Allen Vizzutti spent some time with us discussing all things Trumpet related.
Cannonball artist Gerald Albright in the UK…
31st January 2014I was lucky enough to meet Gerald Albright a couple of years ago at the NAMM show in the USA where the great and good of the music industry assemble (and me!). I had been an admirer of his playing for some years, his CV is pretty impressive with 16 solo albums to his name and well over 1 million records sold…1 million! For an instrumentalist that is a pretty major output! He’s also recognised for his work as a touring live Saxophonist with great Pop stars such as Whitney Houston and most commonly Phil Collins. This work has propelled him onto a world stage and I’m pretty sure he must be one of the most ‘seen’ live Saxophonists because of this.
Trumpet DIY Repair Tips – Stuck Mouthpiece
29th January 2014PROBLEM: MOUTHPIECE IS STUCK
This is a problem for pretty much all brass players at one time or another. It can be caused by a dirty mouthpiece shank, or dirt in the mouthpiece receiver. It can also be caused by the mouthpiece taking a knock and getting shunted a little too far into the receiver. Depending on how stuck the mouthpiece has become, this is a repair you can attempt at home, but can often require a repair technician.
Allen Vizzutti Video Series – Episode #2 (Warm up advice)
Top US Trumpet professional Allen Vizzutti spent some time with us discussing all things Trumpet related.
‘Trumpet-Fest’ – Live @ Dawkes Event (Sat Nov 16th – Report)
4th December 2013Many thanks to all who attended ‘Trumpet-Fest’, a fun time was had by all and plenty of Trumpet bargains got snapped up including some of the NEW Cannonball Lynx Trumpets!
Allen Vizzutti Video Series – #1 Early Trumpet Influences
28th November 2013
We were delighted to welcome Allen Vizzutti into our store one afternoon in October 2013, as part of a European tour we were able to grab some time and sit down and chat about all things Trumpet and Allen’s extensive playing career and experience.
Intermediate Clarinets – Sound Clip Tests
We help lots of customers coming to the store (or mail order) choose an ‘upgrade’ clarinet. Often we’re asked “what are the differences?” – Well there are often many technical differences to do with the internal bore shape and size of the clarinet, the wood quality and how it is treated, plus multiple manufacturing and quality control differences. However, what it comes down to is the sound, we only stock models that we feel are good enough to deserve your hard earned investment, and as such we encourage players to play-test the instrument themselves to determine what’s best.
Rico X10E Bb Clarinet Mouthpiece – Launch
Rico have certainly ‘rocked the boat’ in the clarinet mouthpiece world since the introduction of their Reserve Range. The initial range consisted of the X0, X5 and X10. Featuring advanced modern manufacturing techniques coupled with vintage mouthpiece designs the Reserve Range offers a dark, rich, centred tone that is easy to play and ‘reed friendly’. After some touring of Europe with Ricos product specialists they felt there was a requirement for something a little different/extra for players in our area, thus the release of the X10E.
Cannonball Sax News – Cannonball Run (Gordon Goodwin) Video
22nd November 2013The wonderfully creative and dedicated guys and girls at Cannonball are all players of some sort or another. They’ve got a few videos up online featuring their acoustic technicians playing various charts. This month we wanted to highlight a recent video they made playing a specially commissioned piece by Gordon Goodwin called ‘Cannonball Run’.
Sax DIY Repair Tip – #1
Here’s Abi from the workshop in the first in a series of DIY repair tips to help with emergency Sax issues. Of course these snippets are just helpful hints to get you out of a spot of bother, if unsure we always advise bringing your Sax in to see our qualified and highly skilled technicians. Stay posted to our newsletters and Facebook for more top tips.
Rare Selmer ‘Art Deco’ Tenor…
This beautiful Selmer Tenor Sax was brought in recently for some Workshop TLC. It’s serial number 22540 puts it as a very early ‘Balanced Action’ model. This was the first time that a Selmer had both bell keys (low B & Bb) on the front side of the sax, as we are used to seeing today.
Breaking News! EBJO will be Live @ Dawkes…Sat Nov 16th @ 1.30pm
8th November 2013We’re delighted to announce that East Berkshire Jazz Orchestra (EBJO), run by local youth music provider Berkshire Maestros, will be playing Live @ Dawkes as part of our Trumpet-Fest celebrations on Satruday Nov 16th.
Julian Bliss visit to Dawkes Music
30th October 2013For those of you that have been to Dawkes you know we have a big shop area, but now we’ve converted our previously ‘unseen by the public’ front building (maybe we need a better name for this area!) into a spacious teaching and master-class/clinic suite. The front couple of rooms are taken up by our MyMusic adult teaching service and that leaves a larger room for events and ensemble rehearsals etc. Well, in true Dawkes style we thought let’s give this room a little launch so to speak and invite arguably the most well regarded young clarinettist the UK has produced for many a year…Julian Bliss.
Workshop Tips – Clarinet Squeaking? Throat A key screw adjust
Hi All, just a little quick top tip from our workshop to get you out of squeaky problems on your clarinet. Of course many things can cause issues with your instrument which is why we recommend keeping it regularly serviced, but this little tip may get you or a pupil out of trouble!
£2000 Pro Trumpet Tests…
18th July 2013Tues July 18th 2013 – Pro Trumpet Test:
We were joined today by a young man on work experience, one of the tasks we ask these visitors to do is to try some instruments and write a quick review about how they get on. On this occasion Lewis is a Trumpet player so we locked him in a room with 5 of our most popular instruments and this is what came out…
Learn to Play Day 2013 (Live @ Dawkes IV)
30th March 2013Saturday March 16th saw this years National Learn To Play Day land in style at Dawkes. As one of over 80 retailers taking part we were proud to offer free music lessons throughout the day, and in the usual Dawkes fashion we like to think we took it up a notch with some live performances from a Big Band and two local youth wind groups.
Selmer Mark 6 Saxophone Service
26th March 2013The Selmer Mark 6 Tenor Saxophone was bought into the Workshop the other week. It had some really serious damage when it was put into the hold of an aircraft. The main stack was really badly bent and the Saxophone did not play. We were looking at one very sick Saxophone… The impact had upset the alignment of the pillars, and the pads were not seating on the tone-holes. Take a look at the before and after pictures below. (more…)
Dawkes Music – 2012 Award Winners…AGAIN!!! ‘Best Classical Instrument Retailer’
23rd November 2012The annual MIA (Music Industry Association) awards took place last night at the Emirates stadium in London. A gathering of all corners of the music industry from small independent retailers to large world renowned manufacturers meet at these annual awards to sort the ‘best from the rest’.
Live @ Dawkes III – Vive Le Saxophone!
The third ‘Live @ Dawkes’ on Nov 10th 2012 featured a fantastic Jazz quartet consisting of Selmer saxophone artist Greg Abate, and a crack hot rhythm section of Geoff Eales on Piano, Dave Richmond on Bass, and Clark Tracey on Drums. The chaps took to the stage at 2pm and let rip with a 1hr 20min tour de force of some classic jazz charts and a sprinkling of lesser known originals and new tunes. The Alto playing of Greg Abate was a joy to hear, with ample dexterity and a polished sound he thrilled all the crowd with some dazzling playing.
Ultra Pure Valve Oil
20th July 2012
Endorsed by some really big names; Wynton Marsalis, Alison Balsom, Arturo Sandoval our very own Matt Sanders to name but a few! ULTRA Pure oil is a new type of synthetic oil. It is non-toxic and odourless making it the perfect choice for younger players, there is also no trace of the nasty “taste” some oils leave inside the instrument.
Clarinet Ligatures
22nd June 2012‘The Ligature for me – The Bois’
Michaela Bell, Woodwind Teacher; Berkshire
Clarinet set up: Selmer 10S Bb clarinet, Zenith M1 mouthpiece, Bois Ligature, Vandoren 56 Rue Lepic reeds.
When looking for a new ligature for my Zenith M1 mouthpiece, I tried a variety of different brands, styles and materials but found that the Bois did exactly what I wanted from a ligature, and I haven’t looked back.
Clarinet Accessory Reviews – Bore Oil & Pullthrough
19th May 2012Michaela Bell; Woodwind Teacher, Berkshire
I recently bought a secondhand Selmer 10S clarinet from Dawkes, which I had kept my eye on as soon as it came into the shop! This instrument was made some time between 1978-9 (so it is approximately a decade older than I am!). Although it is in immaculate condition, (especially after the workshop had got their magic hands on it), I was concerned that due to its age, the bore might be prone to drying out and in need of some TLC. In the past, I have treated my oboe and Cor Anglais with bore oil, but this has led to problems with sticky pads and I wasn’t entirely happy with the results, so I was a little reluctant to try that particular brand of bore oil again.
Learn to Play Day, March 31st and Live @ Dawkes Gig #2!
5th April 2012March 31st 2012 saw the first ever ‘National Learn to Play Day’ and Dawkes were commited to doing their part to help inspire and create new musicians in the community. Free taster lessons were available throughout the day to visitors young or old. We saw people aged 5 to 80 and gave over 60 people tuition on the day, everyone left able to play ‘hot cross buns’ and we even heard a few scales starting to come out. We were helped out by 3 or 4 local teachers who generously gave their free time to help people play and encourage new beginners, we’d like to thank Jon Woodhouse, Rachel Riordan and Michaela Bell for their time.
Yamaha Trumpets – New Models
7th March 2012Yamaha trumpets have always been well established. In the beginner range the Yamaha YTR-1335 especially had a good following with Trumpet teachers as it offered the beginner trumpet player a good sounding, in tune option. Best of all the Yamaha student trumpets were always very reliable, less time for Teacher/Parent to spend having to get the instrument adjusted or fixed etc. That said, it’s a design that had been around for a while. Now, as part of an overall student and intermediate re-design the Yamaha student brass range has changed, for the better…
Wayne Bergeron (Top US Trumpet Player) visits Dawkes… Sat March 10th
4th February 2012Top US Trumpet ‘superstar’ Wayne Bergeron will be in-store at Dawkes on Saturday March 10th (10am-Midday). Wayne will be on hand to talk all things trumpet, technique, high notes etc and discuss his vast experience as the worlds #1 lead trumpet player.
Trevor James SR Saxophones – Special Offer
Launched last year the Trevor James (or TJ) range of SR saxes offer the intermediate or upgrading Sax player a really fruity sound and slick action for a great price. With the Alto model costing just £1299 inc.vat and the Tenor model costing just £1679 inc.vat the SR models come in a few hundred pounds less than the well known Yamaha 62 and Yanagisawa 901 models.
Selmer Reference 54 Alto – DragonBird Collector’s Edition
22nd October 2011VIP Package…for a VIP Saxophone
We’re delighted to be selling one of these Selmer Ref 54 DragonBird Collector’s Edition Alto Saxophones. Only a select number (400) of these special reference 54’s have been made and they complete the final year of the ‘Tribute to Bird’ series that Selmer have been running. The series, which was launched in 2005 has seen a ‘bird’ reference for each continent; Hummingbird/America, Kookaburra/Australia, Flamingo/Africa, Firebird/Europe…and now the final DragonBird/Asia.
Rare Boosey & Co 4 valve Tenor Horn
7th October 2011This very rare Boosey & Co 4 valve Tenor Horn came into the Brass Workshop this week. It was made around 1920 and has been converted to low pitch. What makes it rare is the fourth valve which could have been added to help with tuning. We didn’t know this model existed!
Beginner Saxophones…
3rd September 2011To Rent or Buy?
Obtaining your first saxophone from Dawkes Music can be achieved in a simple and cost effective way. We offer various ways to get you your first saxophone, which we believe suits everyone.
As a woodwind and brass specialist shop, you will be guaranteed the best student model saxophones on the market, with the addition of ongoing workshop support from us to ensure the saxophone continues to play to its highest capabilities. Dawkes do not simply give you a saxophone out of the box; we add our personal touch to each instrument ensuring it is set up and easy to play suiting the players requirements.
New Yamaha YCL-CSGIII… move over Buffet R13?
18th August 2011Sam, Woodwind Dept: Yamaha Pro Clarinets have always sold steadily but we must be under no illusions, if you look at the stats for clarinet sales (over the last 10 years) around the £2000 mark the Buffet R13 stands head and shoulders above the rest, with its brother the Buffet RC usually coming in 2nd place. Of course I refer to Dawkes Music stats primarily and there could be historic reasons for this R13 loyalty from customers and teachers, BUT, if you compare the UK wide sales stats on Buffet vs Yamaha vs Selmer vs Leblanc (there are a couple of others but the numbers sold are so insignificant they’re not worth mentioning) the numbers of Buffet sold are miles ahead of the others. Before I get to the NEW Yamaha CSGIII it’s good to think about this R13 phenomenon because we must understand why it’s kept it’s place at the top of the tree, no other instrument I can think of has done this. For example Yamaha YAS62 Alto Saxes used to outsell others by far but the last 10 years has seen the rise of Yanagisawa, Mauriat, Cannonball etc and the 62 dominance has been hit. There aren’t any flutes that consistently outperform others by such a margin either, nor Trumpet, or Trombone etc etc.
LIVE @ Dawkes…Sunday June 19th – Big Band Gig
23rd June 2011Sunday June 19th saw the birth of ‘LIVE @ Dawkes’…an ongoing commitment to live music in our community, here’s how we got there:
Yamaha NEO YEP642SII Euphonium
13th June 2011“The new standard in Brass Band Instruments” – Yamaha’s tagline for the Neo range of instruments… It rang true for the new neo tenor horn a couple of months ago; it also rings true to this new YEP642SII Neo Euphonium.
At first glance, the new addition to the Yamaha Euphonium range (Neo YEP-642SII) doesn’t seem to have changed much from the Yamaha Maestro. It does boast slightly wider tuning slide bows and a redesigned hand rest, the new emblem is clear on the flawless bright silver plate. It is available in both silver and lacquer and both look exceptionally beautiful, even without the “gold bits” on Yamaha’s Custom range.
ChopSaver Lip Balm – Product Review
26th May 2011It’s been a busy couple of weeks in the brass band world, with the run up to the Spring festival and now in the last week before the Masters. We have been rehearsing solidly most nights for the last 3 weeks and along with my personal practice, and an instrument and mouthpiece change, my lips have taken quite a beating.
Vandoren CL4 and CL5 Clarinet Mouthpieces – NEW!
10th May 2011VANDOREN CLARINET MOUTHPIECES CL4 AND CL5
The new Vandoren CL4 and CL5 clarinet mouthpieces arrived with us today. We passed them to our mouthpiece designer and Woodwind consultant Prof Anton Weinberg for a review:
Secondhand York Euphonium and Schilke S32 Trumpet – 16/4/11
16th April 2011This past week we have received a couple of excellent professional quality instruments into our secondhand stock…
Selmer Paris – My French Love Affair…
14th February 2011
Selmer – Saxophones and Clarinets
So, Valentines Day 2011 comes around and arriving on our doorstep is a new delivery of Selmer Paris Saxophones and Clarinets. I’ve been selling Selmer personally for the last 13 years and it’s fair to say it’s been a bumpy time with various ups and downs…
Royal Northern College Of Music – Festival of Brass 2011
8th February 2011RNCM Festival of Brass 28-30 January 2011
Dawkes Music were lucky enough to take a trade stand up to Manchester for the Royal Northern College of Music’s Festival of Brass. Being a self-confessed Brass Band “nutter” I volunteered for the job straight away! The weekend consists of plenty of brass band and ensemble concerts and this year, a tuba masterclass with Leslie Neish.
NEW – Yamaha YTR-5335G Trumpets…
22nd January 2011It’s new product time again, and this time it’s the Yamaha YTR-5335G Trumpets, available in Lacquer and Silver Plate. Complementing Yamahas range from 1335 all the way up to 9335 the only real gap in the range was between the YTR4335 and YTR6335…thus the new model.
Saxophone Ligatures…
9th December 2010What A Difference A Lig Makes……….!
Now and then in life, you get one of those ‘Eureka’ moments. Occasionally you might discover one of the fundamental laws of the universe, other times may be a little more prosaic, but nevertheless, eventful in their own way. Let me tell about my recent experience.
Chris Potter @ Ronnie Scotts…
18th November 2010Saturday 13th November was a great day – not only did England run Australia into the ground at the Rugby match at Twickenham, but a few of us had booked tickets to go see the phenomenal American tenor saxophonist Chris Potter at Ronnie Scotts. Having worked all day at the shop on Saturday, we were eager for a dose of jazz that night. Making it into London amongst the jolly rugby fans was something of a mission, but worth the battle as we finally entered one of the most prestigious jazz clubs in the world. Sat in our dimly lit rows, surrounded by pictures of jazz greats past and present, we settled down for an evening of sublime jazz performances.
Besson and York Brass Special Offers…
21st October 2010Besson Sovereign Offer:
Buying a Besson instrument just got a lot easier…
We are currently running a special offer on all new Besson Sovereign and Prestige instruments, giving you between £100 to £250 off the listed price!
Madejski Academy Music Trial Day
6th October 2010Thursday 30th September, John Madejski Academy, Reading- Matt Sanders, Brass Dept
Snake Davis DVD – “Make It Sing” Review
15th September 2010“MAKE IT SING!” Snake Davis
“What good is a great finger technique if it is not supported by a fantastic sound? The notes won’t mean anything” (Snake Davis)
Want your first Sax?
4th September 2010To Rent or Buy?
Obtaining your first saxophone from Dawkes Music can be achieved in a simple and cost effective way. We offer various ways to get you your first saxophone, which we believe suits everyone.
As a woodwind and brass specialist shop, you will be guaranteed the best student model saxophones on the market, with the addition of ongoing workshop support from us to ensure the saxophone continues to play to its highest capabilities. Dawkes do not simply give you a saxophone out of the box; we add our personal touch to each instrument ensuring it is set up and easy to play suiting the players requirements.
British Flute Society Convention – Day 4 FINAL
23rd August 2010[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59ZX5qdIEB0[/youtube]Day 4:
I must say that despite barely playing a note over the past few days I am totally fluted out! Today started with a brilliant beatboxing session with Greg Pattillo (SEE VIDEO ABOVE – COURTESY OF YOUTUBE).
British Flute Society Convention – Day 3
22nd August 2010After a good nights sleep I managed to make it to Trevor Wyes early
session on practising efficiently followed by the brilliant Alexandra
Grot, the hong kong flute centre flute orchestra, another piccolo
recital and the fantastic Katherine Bryan who has inspired me to dig
out the Hue fantasie when I get home.
British Flute Society Convention – DAY 2
21st August 2010Well, needless to say I didn’t make it to the warm up this morning at 7am but I did manage to catch an early lecture on performance anxiety with Mary lee Cochran from the psychology department of Kansas State University. This was followed by a recital by two horribly attractive and talented flautists, Kayoko Minamino and Zsuzsa Vamosi-Nagy, titled fresh faces – fresh music.
British Flute Society Convention – Day 1
20th August 2010Julia Bentley Dawkes is a local flautist and flute teacher specialising in the suzuki method of teaching music. She is attending the British Flute Societys seventh international convention at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Marlborough International Jazz Festival
17th July 2010The weekend of the 10/11th of July saw the Marlborough International Jazz Festival lift off with a great card of performers. We had been invited to attend by main sponsors UK Jazz Radio. The Sunday Telegraph wrote “each year the excuisite market town of Marlborough becomes a mini New Orleans!”…We couldn’t agree more, the whole town seemed captured by the event.
Wynton Marsalis & Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
18th June 2010THURSDAY JUNE 17th Review (Fri 18th review below)
I was lucky enough to get tickets for Wynton Marsalis & JLCO last night (17th June 2010) at the Barbican Theatre, London. I’ve seen this outfit now on 3 occassions and am constantly wowed by their skills and panache. Last nights gig was entitled ‘Swinging Beginnings’ and was part of a series of concerts and events with the JLCO in London.
Yamaha Flugel Horns – YFH8310Z & YFH8315G – New Model Info
19th May 2010Yamaha have been busy working on two new professional Flugel horns to add to their Flugel Horn range. The YFH-8310Z and YFH-8315G each offer different options for all players.
Yamaha Neo Tenor Horn YAH-803S – New Product
15th May 2010In a market place that has both a loyal and knowledgeable following any new Brass Band instruments are often poured over and scrutinized for any potential benefits. The new NEO range is launched with the arrival of the much anticipated YAH-803S Tenor Horn.
Why Tenor Horn first? Well, you could argue the other manufacturers have somewhat overlooked this instrument and developments and releases haven’t been as common and talked about as Cornet or Euphonium for example. Also Yamaha had a partnership with Sheona White the great soloist and respected figure in the field, why not try and improve this often overlooked instrument. The YAH-803S completes the range of available Yamaha Tenor Horns.
Selmer MkVI Alto Repair – Emergency!
5th May 2010It’s Wednesday morning, the phone rang and I happened to pick it up to hear a somewhat distressed sounding musician friend, either he’d just missed out on the gig of a lifetime that paid huge £ (do they still exist?!)…OR, and as it turns out this was it, he had knackered his very expensive Selmer Saxophone! After suffering a tumble over some PA equipment he dusted himself off and took one look at his Selmer MarkVI Alto and doubtless had ‘kittens’…see for yourself:
Bass Flute – Have a sit down!
1st May 2010Well, we waited eagerly (at least the flute players here did!) for the arrival of our Jupiter Bass Flute – 1125ES…seen for the first time last year ‘stood up’ at a trade show.
Brass Instrument Repairs – The Weird and Wonderful!
28th April 2010Here at Dawkes we get a broad range of brass instruments coming to our workshops for repair and improvement. Two instruments have been in recently that caught our eye and are certainly worthy of wider mention. Firstly we had a request by a football mad Trombonist: He wanted his Bach 36 Strad Trombone relacquered in the colours of his beloved West Ham Utd (good job they stayed up – ed), so always keen for a challenge we worked with the relacquering team to match the colours faithfully. (more…)
Yesterday Buffet R13’s – Today…a Tarogato!
20th April 2010NEW! Pearl Flute Info Videos
15th April 2010Hi all. We’ve just uploaded 2 new videos on the splendid Pearl 695RBE CODA and 795RBE Coda Flutes.
Emergency Saxophone Repair
Nice little story…We were displaying at the National Concert Band Festival last weekend in Birmingham. It was a great weekend and inspiring to see so many players, especially kids, enjoying playing in concert and big bands. We were by our stand when a rather distressed young lady came to us clutching a Baritone Sax and exclaimed that it has suddenly stopped working properly! She was due to play in 2 minutes and the Sax was not blowing any notes below a D, so my colleague pointed the girl in my direction as he knew I had some repair experience (albeit a few years ago!). I asked the young lady to play for me so I could hear the problem, at this point your mind wishes you were at the work bench with your leak light and tools, it’s funny how being removed from a usual place of work can affect your ability.
Ton Kooiman Clarinet Thumbrest
7th April 2010A lot of people have difficulty holding their Clarinet. After playing a while, it can cause discomfort to the thumb.
Saxophone Octave Mechanism Repair
In the Sax workshop, we see this problem daily…
The Saxophone is a fragile instrument and the brass keys can get bent. It’s really easy to be a bit heavy handed and grip the crook too tightly when packing it away. What tends to happen is that that key on the top of the crook gets bent and it when you play, you get a really bad squawking sound. That’s not you, that’s the pad at the top of the Saxophone not closing. The Sax is trying to play the octave above. Your best bet is to get a qualified Instrument Repair Technician or Teacher to repair it, but if you can’t here’s how it’s done.