Students
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 […]
Buying 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 […]