Dos and Don’ts of Playing Gigs
Gigs come in many different forms; weddings, symphony work, corporate functions, pit orchestras, and many more. Below are six tips that every musician should follow so he or she will not only be successful, but get hired again. For purposes of this article, I will assume you are a freelance musician and not a tenured…
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violinguy
5 Violin Showpieces to Motivate Young Violinists
It is well known that children are easily motivated by someone doing what they want to do, and doing it very well. When I was a young violin student, my parents bought a record (you know, those big black vinyl discs) of Itzhak Perlman encores. While many young students today look up to Joshua Bell…
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violinguy
5 Violin Practice Tips to Do More in Less Time
Practicing. I doubt there is a single violin student who can’t wait to lock himself in a tiny room and hash out scales for hours. Successful violinists practice violin for upwards of 6-8 hours per day. That’s longer than some people spend at work. Below are five practice tips to help you get more accomplished…
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violinguy
How to Make a Violin Mute Out of a Dollar Bill
Today I’m going to tell you (and show you if you watch the video) how to make a violin mute out of a dollar bill. One of the tools you must have as a string player is a mute. Showing up at rehearsal (or worse a performance) is very unprofessional. Orchestra music routinely calls for…
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violinguy
What I did on my Summer Vacation
Good day all! First, let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has visited my site as it begins to take form. I appreciate any input or suggestions you may have, and as always, don’t be mean or I may cry. As the rest of you are no doubt enjoying your summer vacation, I…
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violinguy
Supermarket Etiquette
Welcome to my first off topic rant blog post. In the modern world, there seems to be an overwhelming lack of etiquette, and today, I’m going to discuss one area that bothers me quite a bit. As a professional musician who makes the majority of his money performing (almost always at night), I get the…
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violinguy
The Mount Rushmore of Classical Music
We often hear about the “Mt. Rushmore of……” when it comes to many things. Usually it’s sports-related (the Mr. Rushmore of baseball hitters, etc.), or even music (the Mt. Rushmore of bands). Here is my Mt. Rushmore of classical music composers (rewritten from a lost blog post of a few years ago). I’ve thought about…
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violinguy
The Wonderful World of Viola
As I have already stated, I play viola in addition to violin. This year, I purchased my first good viola to use for gigs and teaching, and this last weekend, I performed with it for the first time. For years I have been a violinist who can’t resist telling a good viola joke (What’s the…
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violinguy
Cool T-shirts and Gifts
So, not only am I a world class violinist and in-demand private teacher, but I also design and sell stuff through a print-on-demand company called Zazzle. I design lots of gifts, clothes, and other fun merchandise and get a small commission when people buy them. Zazzle takes care of the production and website, and I…
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