If your kicking yourself for missing the Saxophone Smackdown at MusicMedic.com, you need to kick harder!


To the Music Medic team: Thanks for everything! You guys have significantly raised the bar regarding what a regional clinic can be. - Jeff Peterson Yamaha


This year MusicMedic.com was the host of the first ever, Saxophone Smackdown! The Smackdown is series of clinics aimed at addressing advanced repair procedures of the saxophone. It's also a great time where techs come from all over the world to party down and enjoy a great time with fellow NAPBIRT members; MusicMedic style....

Host: MusicMedic.com

Clinicians:
Jeff Peterson -Yamaha
Matt Stohrer -Stohrer woodwinds
Steve Goodson -SaxGourmet Products
Curt Altarac -MusicMedic.com

Band: Benny Hill Trio

Catering: Flaming Amy's Burrito Barn.

I was going to take a moment to tell you about the clinics and clinicians and the parties and festivities that happened at the Smackdown but, after the event I received so many Emails from attendees that I think I let them tell you the story.

Here's a synopsis from Smackdown Clinician, my friend and Mentor, Steve Goodson.


“In spite of bad weather on the East Coast, we had standing room only attendance! It was absolutely the BEST saxophone conference I have EVER attended, and all the credit goes to Curt Altarac and the staff at MusicMedic for superb organization and planning.

Curt started us off with some really technical explanations of his neck research, with fantastic graphics that didn’t cause your eyes to glaze over. He’s doing some amazing experiments with pips (shape, placement, and other parameters) and other aspects of neck design. His work is simply brilliant, and we must all encourage him to do more.

Jeff Peterson may very well be the finest, most thoughtful saxophone tech in the world, and it’s a cryin’ shame that Yamaha and their endorsing artists have him all to themselves! His clinic on high performance saxophone repair left everyone just amazed at his innovation and insight. Jeff really puts some thought into his work, and it shows.

NYC superstar tech Matt Stohrer (who I met for the first time, and who is not only knowledgeable but an INCREDIBLY nice guy) gave a fascinating and quite comprehensive presentation on saxophone manufacturing techniques, along with literally hundreds of photos he had taken on his personal factory visits. He filled in a lot of blanks about “how it’s done” for the attendees.

I presented a program about saxophone mouthpiece design, modification, and repair, which seemed to be well received. I’ll have my presentation available on DVD soon for anyone who wishes a copy.

The new MusicMedic facility is amazing, and was the perfect place for this conference. It is truly the most state of the art saxophone repair facility anywhere, no question about it. The food was fabulous, and even the live band which performed during lunch (yes, they DO support live music and working musicians at MusicMedic, as everyone should) was just great, and the perfect touch. We had a lot of great fellowship and interaction, and I know that everyone left with only one regret: it was too short, we want more!”

Steve Goodson
SaxGourmet Products.



Aside from the great visiting clinicians, the attendees were a veritable whos-who of saxophone repair. Here are some comments from our friends that came to support NAPBIRT and be part of our day.



Thanks to Curt and the staff of Musicmedic for a great clinic!!!!!
Very well organized, clear concise information. OUTSTANDING WINE &
BURRITOS!!!!! The staff was eager and wanted to share information with everyone. Wonderful opportunity to see and feel tools before ordering them!! Nice to be reminded about taking care of details (small stuff) and then the big stuff works so much better!!!

Good to put a face to the voice on the phone. I have had the music library at the university I teach at, Appalachians State, order all 3 of Steve's DVDs. Great info on these and sources for things!!! I can always refer to them if I need to. If you can get these I think you should.

As a clarinet specialist this was very good information, I use the roo clarinet pads on all pro overhauls and custom clarinet building, They are so good I do not make pads anymore!!!!

Again thanks to Curt and the staff!!!!

Rodney Berry
Repair Department
Muncywinds Music
Vilas, NC



Thanks to clinicians Curt and crew and the band...Fantastic new facility !! ...There was more interaction among participants than I have ever experienced at a regional. ...words cannot express how much I enjoyed the clinic.

Jim Varno



“As an attendee, I did not get a chance to meet many folks cuz so much was going on!...Super great clinic! Thanks

Garret



To the Music Medic team: Thanks for everything! You guys have significantly raised the bar regarding what a regional clinic can be.

To those that planned to attend but couldn’t make it: We missed you, but hope you can make the next one!

To clinicians Curt, Matt, and Steve: Thanks for sharing your knowledge and continuing to inspire!

To Curt: Thanks for inviting me! I had a blast!!!

Jeff Peterson
Manager - Los Angeles Atelier
Woodwind Artist Development



I rolled in about 11pm last night. My wife and kids greeted me gleefully and then wife and 16 yr old daughter were off to bed. However my 20 yr old son hung out and asked a bout the clinic. When I finally shut up, he said... " Wow Dad, I don't think I've ever seen you this excited about what you do."

Thanks Curt. To You, the clinicians and your staff for an outstanding day.

I have no doubt that the investment in this trip will pay dividends in spades.

Very Best Regards,

Sid Marlin



As I open the package containing my nice, new, exciting post swedging pliers, I am reminded of the wonderful time I had at the clinic. This was the first and only clinic I have attended in my 25 years repairing.  I found the level of passion and dedication of the clinicians and Music Medic staff inspiring. It was also especially fun to meet the other technicians in your fine facility and share some ideas and stories, although I wish there was more time for that.

It is comforting to know that when there are difficult saxophone related problems that confront us,  there are people out there with the answers, willing to share. Thanks again.

Cheers, Don LePage,
The Woodwind Project



Thank you for everything , Curt , Rich and Matt , and all the Clinicians. It was our first time and overwhelming, we wish others may come in future. Congrats on the Shop is really the best, Keep doing it
Warms regards from Chile!


Hey Curt, Thanks. Awesome regional clinic! You sure stirred it up. The event fueled the collective energy that is NAPBIRT. From the mohawk pipped Bundy neck, through the factories of Japan and Taiwan, into the depths of saxophone mechanisms, and out the playing end, you covered the saxophone world in microcosm. Not to mention the equipment demos, saxophone demos, and display of your totally awesome facility. It was truly a great setting as you can tell from the response of your fellow NAPBIRT's.
Don sends thanks and especially wanted to send regards to Matt and Rich. Thank them for their part in making this happen. We know they worked hard. I'll be in touch.

Lee Kramka
Lee's Saxworx

Every year I make a pilgrimage to Red Wing Minnesota, home of the Red Wing Repair School and the location of a NAPBIRT Regional clinic. Every year it's snowy and beautiful and I'm caught off guard by the program and the people in Red Wing. This year was no exception.

I am just returning from three days of talking about, learning about and sharing ideas about Band Instrument Repair. I would like to share a little bit of the great time I had these three days with you.



Day 1. Talking to the students.

I flew into Red Wing Minnesota with only a light wind breaker and my sunglasses to keep me warm. I drove straight from the Airport to the College, where Professors Lucas Pemberton, John Huth and Greg Beckwith asked that I talk to their students while in town.
As soon as I rolled in the guys greeted me and asked me to get started.. The students were really receptive and had lots of questions. I could tell at a glance that this group of students really knows their stuff and the guys are doing an excellent job with them. The students surprised me with their knowledge of repair and an amazing positive attitude geared toward learning their trade.


Night 1: Gathering with new friends
After speaking with the students, a group of us went to take a drive ON the Mississippi. Dodging ice fishing houses, sliding, spinning and getting stuck on a frozen river is pretty cool. It was a total blast and I will not forget it. Guys thanks for taking me, YOU ROCK!

Then came the night owls. For a small town the night life scene in Red Wing is pretty great. We continued to talk about woodwind repair and all other matters well into the morning. You people (and you know who you are) are super hosts and didn't let any time slip by when we weren't learning and having fun. Thanks!


Day Two: Some Curt Time and Advisory Committee Meetings
The second morning I spotted a Bald Eagle. I was surprised to see how massive the bird was in person.







What a great town! I decided that my email could wait and took off driving around Red Wing. I tried to get into the shoe Factory but the guard (nice lady) at the door said there were no factory tours this time of year. Later that night I broke into the warehouse and gave myself a tour and picked up some really nice sneakers.






Later in the day I went to the advisory committee meeting at the Red Wing Repair School. It's an outstanding experience to sit on a board with so many talented technicians and business people. The committee advises the school on all manners of their activity. The teachers at the college take this meeting seriously and try to get as much out of it as they can. They push the board to help evaluate past decisions and they seek direction for future decisions. These guys and gals are very open minded and insist that we be honest with our evaluations.

Students looking to attend a repair school are in very good hands if they choose Red Wing. The professors either know the answers, or are in search of the answers. The school seems to be growing and thriving. A few years ago, they had a major expansion and the place went from good to 'oh my god'. The students and professors at Red Wing are taking full advantage of the facility and the vibe there is electric.


Night 2: The night owls return
After the meeting we all enjoyed a fine dinner downtown then, the night owls were out again. Thanks for a killer time everyone! To the night owls, who I'm sure are sleeping as I type this on the flight home, thanks so much for a first class hang!




Day Three: NAPBIRT Regional Clinic
Coffee was the solution to the previous nights endeavors. Every year Red Wing hosts a regional clinic the day after the advisory committee meeting. It's great for me because I get to stay another day and attend or present the clinics. This year I attended 2 clinics and they were outstanding.




First Jim Thomas and Ken Skitch did a hands on clinic on plating. These guys learned plating from the repairers point of view and they're not messing around. They both have different, compact and working plating set ups. Combining their knowledge on plating was a great idea. Between Jim and Ken every (green) plating set up I know of was not only discussed but shown. We were able to plate keys from start to finish. The Technicians all got to try the various plating set ups, get an idea of the cost of each and make educated decisions about what set up they might want in their own shops.
Jim and Ken: You two are so cool, kind and helpful, thanks a lot. Your openness and desire to help and share anyway you can are contagious! I knew walking out of your clinic that staying for the clinics was a good idea. What I got from the first half of your clinic alone made the trip to Red Wing worth it!



The Mood changed quickly when Cindy Budd started her Oboe clinic. When I heard that we were going to pin a crack on an oboe, and build a tone hole replacement insert on an oboe, I really didn't think it would all happen. Cindy was awesome, what a great lady to learn from. She has a no nonsense attitude toward her repairs that is nearly Zen like. When Cindy's clinic was over, I found myself wishing it was just starting!
Thanks for sharing your great ideas and your craft Cindy! I wish I played Oboe so I could send it to you for repairs!


Night 3: Night Owls Last Stand
With the Clinics done and all the meetings complete us night owls tried one more time to tear it up! Once again, thanks everyone for a great night!
To my friends at NAPBIRT and the entire staff and students at Red Wing, thank you so much for an outstanding time! I can't wait to do it again next year!


-Curt

A customer of mine just sent me a link to this Blog where he is going through a saxophone overhaul using the MusicMedic.com saxophone repair kit.

Pretty cool.

Check it out!

http://www.bridgesax.blogspot.com/

Curt Altarac, Wayne Leechford, Matt Scott



The other day, I had a talk with a player while I was working on his horn. After a few hours of sitting there talking, the player said to me, “You should be taking notes on this...” Of course he was joking but it got me thinking. Maybe I should be taking notes. I mean people, like you, might want to know who comes into the shop and what they think about this or that. So, I promised myself that next time I have an interesting conversation with a customer/client/player or teacher, that others might like to hear about, I would make a blog entry.

Here's that blog entry and the first ever (drum roll) Benchside Interview.

-Note that a Bench side interview differs from a regular interview in that it is the result of a discussion that happened during some repair work. For this interview, no notes were taken and these thoughts are just from my memory of a great discussion I had with Saxophonist and teacher Wayne Leechford.

Aside from having the opportunity to work on the coolest saxophones anywhere, one of the great pleasures of having a pro-shop is that we get to talk with many of the worlds finest players and teachers. The even cooler thing is when these players are right here in our area. Wayne is both in our area and a superstar. Today Wayne came in to have a few leaks taken out and let us have a look at some instruments that we have not worked on. Knowing this area of North Carolina, I started talking with Wayne about what it is to be a full time musician and teacher. Wayne plays woodwinds for a living and maintains the largest teaching studio of anyone I know. Wayne's gigs are far reaching and many of his students go on to study music at the university level.

One of the reasons that hWayne's successful career as a musician and teacher is so fascinating to me is that Wayne is a lot like me. I mean to say that Wayne is a Bari player, he takes gigs on classical and Jazz saxophone, teaches saxophone and Wayne seems to love all things saxophone. Of course, one way that Wayne is a lot different than me is that Wayne is a full time musician with no day job.

Speaking with Wayne about the decision to become a full time musician has opened my eyes to an interesting concept. When I asked Wayne what made him consider becoming a full time musician, his answer was surprising. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He told me a story about hearing his mentor James Houlik play for the first time and how that opened his eyes to the classical saxophone. Wayne also talked about his first musical influence, Grover Washington and how at one time, he wanted to sound just like Grover. But he couldn't say that any of these influences lead him directly to giving up his day job and taking on a career as a musician. It's interesting that one could venture into a world so diverse, dangerous, and unclear as that of the professional musician and not have a distinct turning point that forced the player to take that path. After talking to Wayne more, I think I figured out what it is that made him the outstanding player and teacher that he is today... A bachelors degree....

Unlike most musicians that come to my shop, Wayne has a degree in Business. In fact, Wayne Leechford has three degrees; he has the usual Bachelors and Masters in Music Performance but he also has a Bachelors degree in Business. When I discovered this the pieces started to fall into place. Wayne is an outstanding musician because his business sense allows him to be. When it comes to the ever important task of getting gigs, Wayne approaches things from a business standpoint. From talking to him, I don't believe that the prospect of failure was ever really a factor in his decision making. He approaches his music career with all the professionalism that any successful business person would approach any business and, as such he is a huge success!!



To learn more about Wayne Leechford, visit his website:
www.wayneleechford.com

The Rascher Saxophone Quartet!



Here's a cool and unusual modification we did in the New MusicMedic.com sax-repair-facility. The Bari in question belongs to our good friend and RooPad endorser, Kenneth Coon of the Rascher Saxophone Quartet. When we overhauled Ken's Bari we talked a lot about the wimpy brace that holds the bell and body together on Buescher Baris and how adding a new brace would sturdy the instrument and possibly improve the sound of the instrument. Since Ken's Bari is heavily modified already, adding a brace would not affect the resale value and we suppose that adding a brace would increase the value as now there is really no question that this is in fact, Kenneth Coon's Bari Sax.

What pushed the project forward was when Ken dropped the Bari traveling in Asia gigging with the Quartet. The horn was repaired locally as a quick fix. As soon as he could Ken came back to the states to have us get it really going. After fixing the bell dents, it was obvious that this would be the perfect time (it was Christmas time) to add the.... Merry X-Brace!


This picture was taken before the Brace was added.

This old pic of the bari shows it without the Brace.



Here is the Kens Bari Conn-0-fied... with a factory OEM X-brace cut, buffed, brazed and plated.


Here are a couple more shots of the Bari and the Brace. The guys at the Conn Factory would really appreciate this!


-Curt