Frequently Asked Questions

 Classroom violins are available for enrolled students to use during class time -  a service included with classes and lessons to make it easier to get started on your musical journey! However, to make progress you’ll find that practice between lessons and classes is needed - and this is where having your own rented or purchased instrument will ensure long-term success. Assistance with finding your first (or second or third!) instrument is also automatically included for enrolled students - all you need to do is ask!

If you're hoping to start on viola, cello, or double bass, you'll need to rent or buy an instrument to bring to lessons and classes. However, if one of these instruments is your long-term plan but you're not ready to invest in the instrument just yet, you can start on violin and develop many skills that transfer to those other instruments.

Before you rush to buy an instrument, there are a few things to consider!  Quality is very important to your success, and I recommend only going through a violin shop that specializes in stringed instruments for that reason.  Recommended violin shops that are online that have low price points while maintaining quality and offer rental and rent-to-own programs include: kennedyviolins.com, sharmusic.com, swstrings.com, and fiddlershop.com. (There are others, too! But you'll notice I don't list Amazon or Ebay - this is because you really need to know what to look for.) I also highly recommend Benning Violins in Studio City, CA (Los Angeles) if you’re able to make the drive there. For children, make sure you get the right size - not too big! Violin shops normally also rent or sell violas, cellos, and double basses - they're all in the same "family" after all!

With in-person lessons, in the very first lesson, we will tune your violin, learn about the parts and care, practice holding the violin and the bow, and even make a little music!

Generally, we'll focus on making music without worrying about how to read music for the first couple of months (or longer or shorter, depending on the student).  That way, you know how to "speak" the language before you learn to read it, and you get to really enjoy playing the violin because we will be playing real songs from the beginning.

If you have already been playing for a while, we'll talk about your current repertoire before the first lesson.  Then at the beginning of your first lesson, we'll assess your technique through your current repertoire and go from there!

You will need rosin for all stringed instruments (this usually comes with the instrument) and a shoulder rest for violins and viola, or a endpin stopper for cello, which you might have to buy separately. 

For in-person lessons, I supply sheet music and will tune your instrument for you until you learn to do it yourself.

For online-only lessons for beginners, you will need to get Suzuki Violin Book 1 and a tuner.  You can buy a stand-alone tuner, or you can download one of the many tuner apps that are available for Android or iOS. (I will still help you with tuning during lessons though!)

There is SO MUCH to learn with the violin!  But it does not have to be hard to learn everything. I believe anyone - yes, anyone! - can learn to play the violin if their teacher knows how to break everything down into very small steps. This way, you can master each step, grow your confidence, and ensure that you learn to play with good technique. 

I have successfully taught students with a variety of challenges to play the violin, including dyslexia, audio-processing disorder, other learning disabilities, autism, and cerebral palsy - just to give you an idea.  Anything is possible if you have a committed teacher who understands the instrument and the learner!

My policies for practicing are a little different that most music teachers.  I don't require a certain amount of practice - only that you aim to pick up your violin and play it 5 or 6 days each week. Even if it's for just 5 minutes, this is still okay! And in the very beginning, you will only need about 10 minutes a day - I do this on purpose because it takes time to build up endurance. Of course, once you begin to progress, you'll progress faster if you practice more than 5 minutes a day. But I understand that sometimes life gets crazy, and 5 minutes is all you might have. During those times, the important thing is that you keep going! For those considering a career in music, I encourage a much more rigorous practice routine, building up to 3-6 hours per day.

I'm happy to answer all your questions!  Feel free to send me an email or leave a phone message (text or voicemail) - click the button below for the details.