Why having lessons in a devoted music space is important:

As I am beginning to teach violin lessons in Los Angeles, I have made a deal with myself to teach in a devoted music space.  In times past, I have done the travelling violin teacher gig where I would go to my students' houses for a higher rate.  It was convenient for them, but it was rather a nuisance to me.  When you travel, it is really hard to be organized exactly right.  There would always be one or two items missing that I needed but didn't have. I would have a brilliant flash of genius and want to assign an etude to fix a specific problem, but, alas, my library is too big to travel with me--not to mention my scanner/printer/computer.  When I was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State University, I ran into this same problem while teaching in a different practice room everyday.  So I decided that I would set up my violin studio the way that I want it.  And even as I am looking to find a location to teach in elsewhere in Los Angeles, I want it to be somewhere that I can set it up and leave it be.

I feel that having a devoted music space will serve my students well, and keep me organized.  Teaching violin lessons in Los Angeles is an exciting prospect for me, and I am excited to get started.

For further information on violin lessons, take a look at my website.  From there you can view my studio policies, fees, bio, and more!  Also, check me out on Facebook and Twitter!

Tim Miller
TDM Violin Studio
http://timmiller1685.wix.com/violinlessons

Changing Your Violin Strings

At some point, every student runs into a string emergency when there is no teacher around and no violin shop open.  For this reason, you should always keep a spare set or two of violin strings around.  If you rely on the violin shop or your teacher to change your strings, you might find yourself in a tough situation if a string breaks before or during a concert.  Therefore, changing violin strings is a skill that is highly valuable for string players.  

To put the strings on, you must take off the old strings.  However, you do not want to take all of the strings off at once.  It is ok if they do this at the shop...they can set it all back up rather quickly!  The strings put around sixty pounds of pressure on the body of the violin, and the release of all that pressure at once will cause your bridge and sound post to fall down.  It is also possible to damage the instrument like this. I usually start by taking off the E string and changing them all one by one. 

Twist the peg counterclockwise until the string is unwound.  Pull it to take it out of the peg, and gently remove the other end from the tailpiece.  Insert the head of the new string into the peg and twist clockwise.  Stop after a few twists and insert the ball or loop end into the tailpiece.  If you have fine tuners make sure they are about ninety percent loosened. This will give you room to go either way later.  Use your other hand to keep up the slack until the string is tight enough that it does not slip out of the tailpiece (let it go when your finger does not fit comfortably between the fingerboard and the string).  Continue to tune like normal, pressing in on the peg while you twist.  You may also use fine tuners if you have them. 

If you have problems getting the ball end onto the tailpiece, use a pencil to work it in.  The string may also have a little rubber piece that slides along the string. This is to go over the bridge.  If you have a string with a ball end and you need a loop, you can use your fingernails and knock the ball out.  If the problem occurs in reverse, attach the loop to the side of the fine tuner.

Repeat with the other three strings, then go back and retune the rest.  Depending on the strings you choose, the climate you live in, and your violin; the strings will need to be tuned again throughout the next day or two. 

New violin strings make the violin sound fresh. Now that you can change them on your own, you should change them at least every six months or whenever they start to go dull.

This might be a really tricky process at first, but every time you do it you will get faster.  Changing your strings is a very important skill to have, so make sure to know this process so you do not need to panic when your string breaks before the big concert.

For further information on violin lessons, take a look at my website.  From there you can view my studio policies, fees, bio, and more!  Also, check me out on Facebook and Twitter!

Tim Miller
TDM Violin Studio
http://timmiller1685.wix.com/violinlessons

Why Start With a Cardboard Violin?

A cardboard violin is a common way to start learning the violin.  I prefer using this method for many different reasons.  Overall, it is, in my opinion, the best way to begin a student on the violin.

A cardboard violin is cheap.  Many parents express apprehension over buying an instrument and finding out their child does not want to play it.  This is a great way to ease the initial unease.  Once the parents see that their child is enjoying what they are learning, they will want to invest in an actual violin to continue lessons.

Unless someone in the family has played violin before, it is often an overwhelming process to buy a violin.  Starting out on a cardboard violin gives some time for me to give the parents tips on selecting a violin and to refer violin shops.

Like I said in the beginning, a cardboard violin is cheap.  And let's face facts, kids like to play rough.  Some more than others.  Sometimes a violin is the first object a kid own that is fragile and precious.  So one of my main rules is that my students do not get to pull out their real violin until they can treat the cardboard violin with respect.  Violins are beautiful and robust instruments, but let's face it, they're pretty fragile little things.  Playing the violin is an excellent way for kids to learn how to gently handle things, but first let them learn on something less expensive.

Usually a cardboard violin is used during the first month of lessons while the different parts of the violin are learned, the correct way to hold the violin is mastered, a perfect bow hold is obtained, and the basics of reading music are learned.

For further information on violin lessons, take a look at my website.  From there you can view my studio policies, fees, bio, and more!  Also, check me out on Facebook and Twitter!

Tim Miller
TDM Violin Studio
http://timmiller1685.wix.com/violinlessons