February 2, 2018

Oh No! I Bought a Chinese Violin!

Buying a violin is a big deal.  Even if you are buying a spare (like I just did), you need to shop around and not only get the best deal ($$), but the best value.  Value is defined as the amount of quality at a given price.  We want better quality, but can we also…

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violinguy

January 24, 2018

Goals for the Year

I know, it’s almost February.  New years resolutions should have been made a month ago.  Fear not, intrepid reader, you can still organize your goals for the coming year.  I’ll help you. Give it Some Thought Just like the practicing you’re about to start, you need take your time and think about what you want…

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violinguy

January 18, 2018

I Practiced Only Scales for a Month and Look at the Change!

We’ve all seen the ads and “sponsored” content on the interwebs:  I only ate kale and anchovies for a month and look at the difference!  Very annoying for sure.  However, it occurred to me I could use this as a teaching tool and improve my own playing to boot.  I practiced only Carl Flesch scales…

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violinguy

December 19, 2017

The Last Jedi – Review – Spoilers Below

Greetings, my intrepid readers.  I’m taking a moment away from interesting violin-related drivel to bring you my review of Star Wars-The Last Jedi, which I have now seen twice.  Yes, I liked it.  Not all of it, but if you want a TL;DR version, I liked it the first time, and loved it the second…

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violinguy

November 11, 2017

Chamber Music – The Best Way to Play

There are three basic categories of classical music that performers can choose from – orchestral music, solo music, and chamber music.  Obviously within those categories are infinite sub-categories and genres, but when we perform, we do so in one of those three ways.  I have loved chamber music since the tender young age of 13…

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violinguy

November 7, 2017

Long Layoff – Getting Started Again!

For those of you just joining us, I usually post 2-3 times every month.  You may have noticed an almost two month layoff.  Hopefully you did because that means you actually visit here regularly :).  I enjoy creating new content and updating my site regularly but sometimes life takes over and some things need to…

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violinguy

August 3, 2017

Strong Habits for Young Violin Students

A great many blog posts and ebooks have mimicked the great book,  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Too many really.  I’m not going to copy that other than to say that below are some habits that will make young violin students more successful and therefore happier.  I began playing the violin at age…

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violinguy

July 19, 2017

The Classics – Gateways to Even Better Music

One of the criticisms I hear a lot regarding classical music is, there is only so much Mozart, Beethoven, or Tchaikovsky out there.  While that is true, most novice classical music lovers are usually unaware of the awesome depth of fine music from any one composer.  Mozart has 41 symphonies to choose from.  Brahms wrote…

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violinguy

June 19, 2017

Rock and Pop Ripped from Classical Music

I have always said that without church music there would be no secular music (baroque, classical, etc.), and without classical music, there would be no rock or pop music.  There are so many great rock and pop artists who write great melodies.  Some pop artists are excellent composers in their own right.  Paul McCartney wrote…

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violinguy

June 7, 2017

Myths of Classical Music Debunked (Mostly)

For those of us who make our living performing classical music, loving it is a no-brainer.  Explaining it to the uninitiated is another matter completely.  It has become increasingly more difficult for the general population to take the plunge and listen to classical music.  Personally, I think it’s because of one or more of the…

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violinguy

May 22, 2017

5 Things to Remember Now That Summer Is Here

Summer is here (at least in Georgia where I live) and that means school is out, kids run wild, and the weather is nasty.  High temperatures mean sunburn and dehydration while you’re in the pool or at the beach.  You need to be aware of the ways hot weather and sun can hurt you.  You…

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violinguy

April 20, 2017

Final Four – Tournament of Classical Music

Well, here we are.  I’ve been out of town performing and that’s made me a little negligent when it comes to writing for my blog.  I’m going to fix that with a bunch of posts this week before I go out of town again.  Today, we’re going to get our tournament down to the final…

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violinguy