Back when I was in high school and was taking private violin lessons, my teacher used to talk about being in “my studio” to practice. I always got the giggles […]
Tag: learning to play
If you are like many of my students, you have probably taken a break from playing the fiddle through the summer. Now that we are headed back into the school […]
In learning the fiddle, it can be very handy to know the anatomy of a fiddle tune. The general structure of a fiddle tune is quite simple, although, as with […]
What do you hear when you are playing your violin? Interestingly, I have been reminded recently of the fact that not all of my students listen carefully to what they […]
For several years I ran a fiddle camp and hired many other instructors. It was interested to hear what their opinions were when it comes to learning by ear vs. […]
The last couple of months I have been teaching a group adult fiddle class. As part of the class, I have been offering a single private lesson to each student. […]
Memorization has been a hot topic recently on music blogs. I love playing music from memory! I feel more confident, prepared, and also feel more freedom if I am not […]
Perhaps due to my classical training, I feel best about lessons that include technique, such as scales, as well as learning pieces. Here is a conversation that often occurs as […]
Hearing yourself play any instrument is kind of like hearing recordings of your own voice. It is terrifying, but one of the best things you can do to improve your […]
Periodically I come up against the same dilemma: it feels like everyone else in the world is progressing really quickly, in whatever way, and like I am moving very slowly. […]