Do you think differently during practice and performance? You should! To explain why, here’s a conversation I had with a student recently. Preparing for an upcoming performance, she told me, “It’s so hard to keep everything I’m working on in my head while I play! I...
I think new year’s resolutions are kind of crap. I’m all for self-improvement and goal-setting, but tons of research has shown us that setting resolutions is a terrible way to do both of those things. 80% of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by the second...
Even in a normal year, the final months can bring some burnout in all areas of life, and that includes music. If you’re feeling that burnout, it can be tempting to wonder if it might be best to take a break from your instrument. To keep enjoying playing, many people...
In the era of Zoom, performances look a little different. Preparing for them is a little different too, but ultimately, performing online can be a rewarding way to connect with an audience. Here are our top seven tips to bring the virtual house down with your online...
Coucou! As I write this, I’m sitting in my new home for the next seven months: a lovely, many-windowed apartment at the heart of La Réole, France, where I arrived almost three weeks ago now. La Réole is a tiny town of less than 5000 people situated about 40 minutes...
What is a Fiddle School Session ? Each Fiddle School session is designed to include one year of material broken into twelve month-long lessons. Fiddle School Session 1: Texas Fiddle Foundations is perfect for the new or returning fiddler, whether you’re just getting...
Raise your hand if you’ve got a kid learning from home this year. Yeah, that’s a lot of hands out there. If your other hand is busy wiping the sweat off your forehead right now, it’s normal. Schooling from home for the first time is a lot to handle, especially if...
Even when we’re not in the midst of physical distancing and a sea of canceled events, everyone struggles with low motivation from time to time. But you don’t have to bend to the whim of motivation; instead, you can cultivate it consciously. Here’s the recipe to keep...
As fiddlers, nothing makes our hearts plummet more quickly than a buzzing fiddle. The worst-case scenarios flood in: “Is there a crack? Is something loose? Do I have to take it to the luthier and fork over a lot of cash to figure this out?” Thankfully, these aren’t...
We often discuss the loftier aspects of musicianship, but today we’re getting into the nitty gritty: how should you care for your fingertips, and nails? These simple things can make a big difference. Where should I expect calluses to form? As your calluses form for...
Practicing fiddle is like stretching your muscles: it lets you notice areas that need attention and give them extra care until you notice improvement. For many people, the area that needs a lot of special attention is their left hand, where tension commonly builds up....
by Celeste Johnson Let me guess: you’re reading this from home. Hopefully, you’re also wearing your favorite pair of slippers and sipping a good cup of something. But even if you’re happy to hibernate at home for a while, some of the changes in our routines...