Post 45: Young Harris Clarinet Summit, April 1 2017
Here at Onks Woodwind Specialists, we love educating our clients about instrument maintenance just as much as serving them through instrument repair. We feel if we can help our clients extend the life of their instruments through general knowledge of handling and maintenance, our clients will be equally happy with their instruments over time, not just after they have been serviced in the shop.
Recently Jonathan was honored to speak at the 4th annual Young Harris College Clarinet Summit. During his time at the summit, Jonathan spoke to the participants about acceptable clarinet handling and general thoughts on maintenance. Jonathan also performed several evaluations of participants’ clarinets. This gave those lucky participants a one-on-one session with Jonathan specific to their own clarinet’s needs and maintenance. A special thank you to Leigh Miller for inviting Jonathan to speak and experience the Young Harris Clarinet Summit!
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- Jonathan sharing with the group
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- Still sharing…
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- Beautiful image of the North Georgia Mountians!
Post 43: Contras and Basses can put you through your paces…
Have you ever been frustrated trying to play your bass clarinet? Contra bass clarinet? These instruments can add an amazing timbre to your school’s band or orchestra if they are in playing condition. If they are not in playing condition, they might as well be a paper weight or paperclip.
Here at Onks Woodwind we only work on clarinets and oboes. The longer we do this, the more we feel that oboes and bass clarinets are the same, at least regarding their mechanisms. Have you ever had a Bb clarinet with several leaky pads or a bent key? If so, you probably were able to continue playing that clarinet even though it wasn’t in tip top shape. Bass clarinets, on the other hand, are not so forgiving. Due to the complex mechanism of basses, contras, and oboes, you can have one pad leak or one key bent and the whole instrument will stop responding.
At Onks Woodwind we encourage all wind players to have annual maintenance, but it is essential if you play bass clarinet, contra clarinet, or oboe and English Horn. This is what we specialize in and would be honored to maintain your clarinet or oboe today. Contact us today to schedule your instrument maintenance!
Post 42: From Humble Beginnings…
Ten years ago today, I took a huge leap into the world of self employment and Onks Woodwind was born. As an oboist with repair skills, I always had my sights on running my own shop to specialize in oboe repair. The first weeks and months were very slim with only a few instruments here and there to work on. Mainly I spent most of my time during that first year just learning how to run a business (nobody told me that part!).
My first shop was located in a small shed in our back yard in Savannah, GA. The square footage inside the converted shed was just under 200 square feet. That’s not much space, but just enough for me to get my feet wet in the world of self employment.
Post 40: Visual: Why Annual Cleanings are So Important
Below is a picture showing why annual cleanings on your instrument are so important. Delaying cleaning allows dust and debris to clog up the holes on your instrument as seen here: Read more
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621 Fitzhugh Blvd. Suite 100
Smyrna, TN 37167
615-223-9015