All Episodes
The Violin Geek Podcast — 130 episodes
Grow Your Ears - Listen Deeper
Getting Business Savvy with David Cutler
Audition Preparation Tips
All About Études
Choose the Best Strings for Your Instrument
Play Faster (not just for violinists!)
Your Violin Questions
Recovery Practice
Pitch versus Tone
"Weaving musical worlds into one" - a conversation with Jazz violinist and composer Meg Okura
Shifting Technique Deep Dive
Play More Musically
Getting comfortable with Uncomfort: Tools for Overcoming Performance Anxiety
"Make Great Music with Ease" - a chat with violinist and Art of Freedom Method creator Jennifer Roig-Francolí
Finding a comfortable and effective chin and shoulder rest
Music Careers, Part 3
Russian versus American Music Education - a conversation with Russian violinist and educator Michael Dvoskin
Making Time for Music: a chat with violinist Julia Reddy
Finding our voice, from Classical strings to Hot Jazz - A chat with violinist Gabe Terracciano
Rediscovering Baroque Bows - a chat with historical bowmaker Ralph Ashmead
Where am I supposed to put my thumb on the violin neck? Principles and considerations.
Music Careers, Part 2
Strengths and Challenges of Adult Learners - an interview with Rachael Ridge of "The Adult Violin Academy"
Music Careers, Part 1
Challenges of the Adult Beginner Violinist: Laurel's interview on the Violin Class Podcast
Intonation Mastery #4: Issues within our Technique and Approach
"Learning By Ear" - a chat with fiddler Lissa Schneckenburger
Stories About Songs - "If A Wave"
Intonation Mastery #3: Avoiding External Factors + Practicing For Better Tuning
Following Your Passion to a Unique Career - an interview with DJ violinist and entertainer Asher Laub
Functional Fitness for Musicians, Part 3: Spine, Low Back, and Hips
Functional Fitness for Musicians, Part 2: Neck, Shoulders, Upper Back
Traveling with Your Instrument - Tips and Stories!
Functional Fitness for Musicians, Part 1: Arms and Hands
How Do I Get Out of Pain? - Playing Health in the Spotlight
"Back to Bach" - rediscovering your path and passion with Israeli/German violinist Maya Lorenzen
Female Composers in the Spotlight - an interview with Dr. Cora Cooper
"Counting Down the Hours" - finding freedom and joy with Classical violinist and fiddler Maura Shawn Scanlin
Learn to Love Your Metronome
Stories About Songs - "Money Shouldn't Talk That Strong"
Stories About Songs - "Make Me Come Alive"
"A Grand Journey" - bridging musical worlds with violinist Alexandr Kislitsyn
Arranging Pop and Non-Classical Genres for Solo Violin or Ensemble
Championing the Viola and Modern Classical Music - an interview with acclaimed soloist Brett Deubner
Virtual Teaching for Success - Laurel Thomsen interviewed for FAR-West Teaches
DIY Empowerment for Creatives with Justine Lucas of Madwoman Productions
Recording a violin, viola, or cello
Learning to love the process
Improve Your Intonation Now
Traditional folksongs in conflict with political correctness and racial equality
Discovering great new artists and heartfelt songs
Tips to help prepare for an orchestra, ensemble, or band practice
A Theory Behind the Flesch and Galamian Arpeggio Sequences
Audition Breakthrough
Tour Stories Part 2
Tour Stories Part 1
Canadian Fiddlers Part 3 - An interview with Grammy and Juno winner Tania Elizabeth
Complete Vibrato Mastery
Canadian Fiddlers Part 2 - Three Time Grand-Master Fiddle Champion Patti Kusturok
Canadian Fiddlers Part 1 - prolific fiddle composer and prodigy Calvin Vollrath
It's only a test
Memorizing Music
"Playing Less Hurt" - an interview with musician's health advocate and author Janet Horvath
Beyond Talent - a talk with author and career consultant Angela Myles Beeching
Rhythm Troubleshooting
Practice Tidbits #6 - first impressions
The Classical versus the Romantic Shift
Scales 101
Family life in the arts - an interview with Hilary Orzel-McSherry
Blues Fiddle - a lesson
Improvising with heart: an interview with fusion violinist Bahman Sarram
Practice Mastery #2
Performance psychology for musicians: an interview with Dr Noa Kageyama
Tailpiece innovation for tonal excellence: a chat with luthier Nicholas Frirsz
Practice Mastery #1
Overflow your creativity: a chat with gypsy minstrel Maesyn
Practice Tidbits #5: your tempo, your beat
String teaching for the modern student: a chat with fiddler and instructor Lauren Rioux
Dive deep and get jazzed about your playing: a chat with violinist and educator Christian Howes
Singing and fiddling with passion: a chat with "bad ass" fiddler Laura Cortese
Sound better now!
Eradicate Bow Jitters
Intonation Mastery #2: Tuning Against Open Strings
Intonation Mastery #1: Using Sympathetic Resonances
Warm ups for your body and brain
Tuning by ear for advancing players
Practice Tidbits #4-identify the magic spots
Not all sheet music is created equal
Choosing fingerings
5 reasons to review old repertoire in 2012
Practice Tidbits #3: the "round robin"
So you want to play weddings?
Repertoire for the do-it-yourself beginner, an update
Practice Tidbits #2: strengthening the 4th finger
A mistake that became a song
Better musicianship through "audiation"
Practice Tidbits #1: end your phrases!
Make mistakes!
Rhythm Trainer Series #3: dotted rhythms, triplets, syncopation
Self Hypnosis for Musicians-an interview with Sam Brown
Repertoire for the do-it-yourself beginner
News and Updates March 2011
Practice Tips #5 - Add rhythmic variety
Practice Tips #4 - Avoid flailing! Isolate the issues
Happy Holidays!
Rhythm Trainer Series #2: Quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes
Befriending the "Practice Sabateur"
Practice Tips #3 - practice scheduling
Tips for renting or purchasing a playable instrument
Practice Tips #2: daily jumpstart
News and Updates September 2010
Practice Tips #1: creating your practice environment
Beginner Intonation Workout #1-the second finger
Transforming the Self-Critical
Tuning for Beginners: chromatic tuners
News and Updates July 2010
Intermediate Intonation Workout #4 (violins only): "E" String Finger Patterns
Intermediate Intonation Workout #4 (viola's only): "C" String Finger Patterns
Tuning for Beginners #4 (violins only) -The "E" String
Tuning for Beginners #4 (violas only) -The "C" String
The Excellent Musician: a visualization
Intermediate Intonation Workout #3: "G" String Finger Patterns
Tuning for Beginners #3-The "G" String
Rhythm Trainer Series #1: Whole, Half, and Quarter Notes
Intermediate Intonation Workout #2: “D” String Finger Patterns
Tuning for Beginners #2: The “D” String
Conscious listening for great intonation and expression
Intermediate Intonation Workout #1: “A” String Finger Patterns
Introduction to the Intonation Workouts
Tuning for Beginners #1: The “A” String