Private Teachers
« Previous Entries Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007Improving Intonation for String Players
All string players, regardless of experience struggle with intonation to some degree or another. A violin (or viola, cello or bass) doesn’t automatically produce a correct note when a button or key is pushed (like a piano), but the fingers must make constant adjustments to achieve the correct pitch. Here are some tips […]
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007How to teach memorization
Many teachers simply say to a student, “Memorize this piece by your next lesson.” Without guidance, students can feel overwhelmed by such a daunting task. Teaching a musician how to memorize music is an important skill.
It wasn’t until I was in college that my private teacher taught me memorization skills. Having these skills […]
Practice Techniques for String Players
Often when students begin taking lessons, or attending a group class, they believe that the teacher has some “magical formula” to make them great players. I always emphasize to my students that the real “magic” happens at home in their practice sessions. With this in mind, it is important to teach students proper […]
Saturday, September 15th, 2007Practice Makes Perfect?
When asked to complete the following sentence, “Practice makes ____________” most students will answer with confidence “Perfect!” After shouting “NO!” (this always gets their attention!), I demonstrate the following:
I play a passage of music very poorly (poor posture, intonation, rhythm, etc).
I play the passage over and over (students are usually annoyed by the […]
Teaching Tone to String Players
When teaching a string class or a private student about tone, the first priority should be seeing that students understand what tone is. I usually demonstrate a good tone, then a poor tone. All students can hear the difference, but it may be difficult for them to put into words. Point out […]
Wednesday, August 29th, 2007Buying or Renting a String Instrument
As a public and private school teacher, I often deal with student instrument purchases and rentals. After years of frustration with substandard selections, may I offer a few suggestions to parents and students considering purchasing or renting an instrument.
1. Go through a local, reputable dealer. Although you may get a great deal on […]
Review of the “Bow Right” product
A few weeks ago, I purchased a product called the “Bow Right for Violin.” As both a private and public string teacher, I have always been frustrated trying to get my students to play with a straight bow stroke that is parallel to the bridge. I have been pleasantly surprised by this […]
Thursday, August 2nd, 2007Note Reading and Flash Cards
Because note reading is largely about memorization, students need their own set of flashcards by the second or third lesson (for the D and A strings). Although note reading while playing should not be introduced at this point, students should review note-reading flashcards on a regular basis to prepare them for this task later. […]
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007Tapes vs. No Tapes
There has long been a controversy in the string world on whether teachers should put finger tapes on beginning students’ instruments. In a perfect world, where students are regularly taught music from a young age and can hear whether a note is out of tune, finger tapes may not be necessary. However, students often […]
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007Introducing Rhythm
Once students have a clear understanding of beat (see previous post), they are ready to learn basic rhythms. In a group setting, teachers will encounter varying levels of rhythm comprehension among students. I typically begin my discussion by saying something like “Some of you may already know how to read these rhythms, but […]
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