The nice thing about teaching strings is, unlike band instruments, all the instruments are the same… almost! The double bass is somewhat of an oddball, being played standing, only able to play two notes per string, and tuned in fourths … Read More
When I started to teach by finger pattern, one of the first activities I had my students do was to draw the fingering charts for each of the keys they were learning. This is a great way to give students … Read More
This handy reference for note-reading on violin, viola, cello and bass is great to have to reinforce music-reading skills. Download it for free, or purchase it along with the worksheets. Worksheets help reinforce note-reading and fingering on all strings, and … Read More
Using just six finger patterns can greatly simplify how you teach violin, viola, cello and double bass. I first wrote about The Six Basic Finger Patterns back when I started this blog. Since then, I’ve created many materials and strategies … Read More
The set-up of a string orchestra can be a bit bewildering to beginners. One of the first things I do in September is use this handout with my beginning students to illustrate how a string orchestra is seated. Through this … Read More
It is very common for string teachers, whether they be classroom teachers or private violin, viola and cello teachers, to start their students off playing by ear. This sets up a foundation for intonation and listening. Because playing a stringed … Read More