Music Lessons in Burbank CA | Los Angeles Music Teachers

What is the difference between violin, viola, and cello?

When you are learning a string instrument in Los Angeles, it is important to know the main string instruments of an orchestra. Despite the fact that all are made from the same material and combination of parts, there are less similarities than differences. Following are the main differences of these, whether you are curious or your child is trying to choose an instrument for her elective:

Size -Violin Viola and Cello

Size-wise, violin is the smallest and cello is the largest.  Although viola is bigger than violin, it is only a slight difference and hard to tell to an inexperienced person. No matter the size of the instrument, your child can learn anything he or she wants! This is because all instruments come in small sizes. I have seen the smallest girls play bass and tallest guys play violin just as successfully!

Range and Strings of each String Instrument

Tuning-wise, violas and cellos are the same (A,D,G,C) and violins don’t have the C and have the E above the A. The strings go from shorter and thinner to thicker and longer based on instrument size. The violin range goes from G3 to A7. The viola range is C3-E6, as well as possessing a deeper tone. The cello range is C2-C6.

Position

The main difference between viola and violin vs. cello is how to hold it. Cello is played sitting down and in between the knees, with the end pin on the floor balancing the instrument. Violin and viola are positioned under the chin. The bow hold is also different between violin and viola vs. cello.

Orchestra role

The traditional melodic instrument in the orchestra is the violin, and the violinist closest to the conductor on the outside is called the concertmaster. This is the most important role in the orchestra, communicating directly with the conductor and helping lead the orchestra. Violas are mainly harmonic instruments, with cellos supporting the upper strings and interchanging between bass lines, harmony and melody.

Advantage competitively

Cello and violin are the most popular instruments. Viola is the hidden gem in the sense that you have an edge if you play it really well. Additionally, violin and viola are easier to play interchangeably so consider adding viola to your list of skills if you are a violinist.
It’s never too late to learn another instrument and Los Angeles Music Teachers is here to help you do that, whether it’s your first or an additional instrument.

You’re looking for your first violin and you have no idea where to start! Don’t worry, we will show you the different levels of instruments. Below are some important pointers you need to know when buying the best violin in Los Angeles:

Size - 1/32, 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 7/8. I will write another more in-depth article about violin sizes, but for now you need to know how to find the right size for your child. Extend their left arm away from the body, and take the measurement from the base of the neck to the center of the palm or the wrist. The size that will be most comfortable is from the neck to the wrist.

New or used? - You might get a better value getting a used instrument or a rent-to-own at a shop. Ask your instructor for music lessons for recommendations on local violin shops.

Quality - Depending on your budget, you may be limited in terms of quality. However, whatever your price range is there are certain non-negotiable things. For example, if there are visible cracks, that’s a big red flag. You won’t know how to determine whether a crack has been well sealed or will ultimately devalue the instrument when you try to resell it, so as a general rule of thumb stay away from violins with cracks.

Price range - Know how much you can comfortably spend on a starter instrument, but realize a very entry level instrument starts at $500 at the bare minimum, plus the bow and case. In addition, you need rosin and a spare set of strings in case one breaks in the middle of tuning or practicing. It will be easier to narrow down your search once you have a specific budget to work with.

There are some key differences between student, intermediate and professional violins. A student violin is probably what you will find online somewhere like Amazon for up to $400. This is a complete waste of money because some of the parts are made of plastic and will eventually require more to repair than you paid for it. If you don’t know whether your child will stick to it, you’re better off renting a decent level instrument.

Intermediate violins range from $400 to $1000 and are your best bet when you are ready to purchase and know your child is committed to it for at least 6 months. Several music stores require a 6 month contract anyway, and you will not lose anything in resale value (as opposed to student level violins which are worth nothing when you try to sell them). When it comes to professional instruments, expect to pay anywhere from $4000 to at least $10,000. Price varies greatly but you will not be disappointed with the high quality parts and hand crafted work carefully done by the luthier.

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I understand how overwhelming it is to raise children. When you start your kid on beginning violin lessons in Los Angeles and you don’t know anything about music, you might think that dropping him/her off at the lesson and picking them up is enough. However, your child will never progress if you don’t help them practice and instill discipline in them at home.

Children will rarely understand the importance of daily practice on an instrument unless pushed on by parents. However, it is not only crucial to instill discipline, but also to make practicing fun. Ideally, you should be sitting in on your kids’ lessons in order to understand how they need to practice at home. You should have excellent communication with the instructor so that you understand the most efficient way to structure their practicing at home. Even if you don’t know how to read music and don’t understand rhythm, your child should be able to instruct you on basic concepts that will allow you to monitor his/her practicing.

You are probably thinking your child is enrolled in way too many activities and you would never have enough time to monitor all of them. Maybe a sport or language isn’t that important to be around for, but when they are starting violin lessons in Los Angeles, it is definitely another story. What you need to understand is that your child is too young to focus on everything their teacher is telling them. The instructor may write everything the kid needs to practice on their music, but your child will never understand what that entails unless they take it step by step - they will be overwhelmed with all the details.

These days, it is hard enough to get children to focus, let alone practice an instrument diligently for an hour or so a day. That is why they need parental structure, meaning parents who are involved and concerned about their progress. You need to monitor their dedication throughout the week to make sure they are on the right track. It is so easy for kids to get sidetracked, if they don’t have a strong parental unit guiding them they will never progress in their lessons.

Thanks so much for reading and please let me know if you have any questions. You are always welcome to call us with any concerns. We will guide you thought the process and make sure you feel comfortable starting your kid on a new instrument.

Starting out as a beginner violin student in Los Angeles might seem like a daunting task. There is so much new information it’s hard to know what to focus on! Rest assured, I’m here to help you break down the barriers and understand how crucial it is to set goals right from the start.

First off, as soon as you feel overwhelmed you should ask your teacher to break things down. As an inexperienced student, you have no idea what the priorities are and how to build an effective practice routine. There are many things that you should discuss with your instructor when you are beginning violin lessons in LA:

• musical interests (could be as broad or specific as you want, your instructor will help you fine tune them)
• general musical goals
• end goal

Discussing your goals at the very first lesson will create a game plan that, if specific enough, could create a structured timeline for the next six months or a year. It would be helpful to have these kinds of meetings with your instructor every few months in order to reassess goals. There is nothing wrong with modifying your goals along the way, as long as you had specific ones to begin with.

Goals are a very broad term and should be split into general musical goals and an end goal, if you have one. I recommend thinking of these before you get to your lesson, as you will save a lot of precious study time. General musical goals are styles of music or songs/pieces you would like to learn. An end goal is a specific level or one piece in particular you really want to learn and would be happy ending lessons if you get to that point. These are all adjustable, because you will soon find out there will probably be many other pieces you want to learn and higher levels you want to achieve. You will become addicted to your own progress and will enjoy showing friends and family what you are able to play on your new instrument!

These are just general guidelines to set you off on the right foot and to expedite your progress right from the get-go. This is also a very useful skill to have in life; start observing the difference between someone who starts a project with a clear end goal and timeline to achieve it versus someone who blindly launches into it. Thanks for reading and good luck!

It might seem daunting at first, but one of the best things for your progress as a beginner violin student in Los Angeles is to perform. I'm sure you probably feel like you're not ready and would get too nervous, but the more you get out there the more confident you will be. You will learn a lot from this experience that you won't get from the practice room or a lesson.

If you have ever been to an open mic, you understand the importance of a supportive community of artists. There is a huge difference between a cut-throat environment where people don't appreciate your art versus a selfless one without a sense of competition. When you are beginning violin lessons in Los Angeles, it is crucial to find the right community to perform in. Perhaps the best way to start would be getting a few friends and family together. If you know any friends who are beginners in other instruments, you will have the first taste of playing with another musician. Be careful, it's very addicting!

Go to open mics or jam sessions first so you can get a feel for what it's like, and stay the whole night. Try to find venues you would be comfortable starting out in. If you think you are ready for your first performance, make sure you play in front of a mirror and record yourself first! Another very convenient way to perform and test your audience is to post on social media. Create your own YouTube channel and make it fun and a reflection of your personality and musical styles. Share videos with your friends on Facebook or Instagram followers. Remember Instagram has a one minute limit for videos. Why not combine your art with the opportunity to do good? Retirement homes and hospitals are a wonderful way to do that.

Remember, when performing, choose a piece that best reflects your abilities at 80-85% of your potential technically. This is because you will naturally get nervous during the performance and you want to maintain a level of control when playing in public. You also want to be able to express the music despite your nerves.

Hopefully you have a teacher who encourages you to perform and helps you find opportunities to do so. This blog should have motivated you to start seeking opportunities on your own and discussing them with your instructor. Thanks for reading!

Starting the violin as a beginner in Los Angeles can seem daunting at first. There are so many details to focus on, you might be feeling overwhelmed and have no idea how to practice. Hopefully, your teacher will guide you in the right direction during your lessons, helping you structure your practice routine at home.

The most essential warm-up exercise for any instrumentalist is a scale, since it is also the most complete. You can work on your tone production, intonation, shifting, vibrato, and bow strokes with scales. The ultimate scale method for the violin is Carl Flesch. You won’t be ready for it as a beginner, but once you are at a higher intermediate level you should definitely buy the Flesch. It features scales on each string with arpeggios and chromatics before the full three octave scale with all its variations, not to mention double stops, octaves, tenths and harmonics.

I like practicing a key I am playing a piece in so it can get my ears and fingers ready for that piece. What is crucial for students to understand is that technique warm-ups like scales will make playing songs/pieces much easier, whereas skipping exercises and diving right into music will only frustrate you in the long run. You will have a lot more difficulty throughout because your fingers are cold, and you won’t be able to express the phrasing because you will be too focused on playing correctly.

I hope you are convinced of the importance of scales for your violin studies in LA! Follow your teacher’s lead as far as technique warm-ups are concerned. It will be hard to have the discipline for it every day, but you will notice improvements right away and will soon be converted into a technique lover! Happy practicing and thanks for reading!

Starting an instrument is always a very exciting endeavor, but in order to be successful you need to have a structured practice routine. Practicing will be more enjoyable because you will notice results a lot faster. Here are some helpful tips on how to become more organized and efficient when practicing violin for your lessons in Los Angeles:

1. Always start with warm-up exercises
Your teacher should give you some warm-ups that are best suited for your development. I usually start my students with open strings and a two octave scale. Open strings should be the first thing you play when you start because you want to start with an exercise that makes you focus on one thing. Gradually, you will add more details to be aware of. You want to start by focusing on sound production before adding notes, because once you add notes you will be concerned with intonation, string crossings, arm levels, and coordination. I like the two octave scale for beginners because it gets you comfortable with your hand position and frame on all strings in first position so you can focus on your intonation.

2. Etudes are helpful
Etudes are the next step up from open strings and scales. They are a great way of learning to be musical in a piece that presents many technical challenges. Once you make an etude sound musical, you are ready for more complex pieces of music which should take the majority of your practice session.

3. Move on to repertoire
You should be warmed up enough that it’s much easier to focus on all the musical details in the pieces you’re performing. Naturally there are certain passages that will require detailed practice, however the majority of your time should be dedicated on making the material as musical as possible.

I hope this gives you a better idea of how to structure your practice sessions. Please give it a try and I would love to hear your suggestions and comments! Good luck on your Los Angeles violin lessons and I wish you much continued success!

​The violin has always been one of (if not the most) popular string instruments of all time. The violin (as well as the cello and viola) in its present state, was born in 16th century Italy. Today's violin has few resemblances with the original instrument. Once its popularity spread throughout Europe, certain families became known for producing quality instruments. These violins are still the most expensive ones to this day.

Throughout its long and fruitful history, the violin has been modified to turn into the instrument it is known for today. In order to capture the details of sound that make it so special, players spend a lifetime dedicated to mastering it. This will be a life changing journey if you or one of your friends commits to taking violin lessons in Burbank.

Our teachers are experts in their field and could not be more passionate about their instrument. From slowly guiding you through the basics and building on technique, they will patiently advance you at the correct pace. With their vast knowledge of repertoire and performing experience, you will not be disappointed. In addition, their teaching methods have been successful for decades. Without a doubt, our lessons are a bargain given the quality of instruction you are getting.

Our lessons are private and therefore our personal touch will not be lost on each student. By choosing to learn the violin with us, here are some of the benefits:
• Hands-on instruction
• Unparalleled support / encouragement
• Constant feedback
• One-on-one personal training
• Goal setting and evaluation

These benefits will make your love for the instrument grow, and you will slowly and steadily progress as you practice.

We have a wide range of experience with violin students of all ages and methods. Our lessons are usually 30, 45 or 60 minutes long depending on your skill level and your goals for taking lessons. We offer lessons in numerous genres and will customize each session to certify that our students meet their goals in a relatively short amount of time. Our lessons are based on fluidity, dexterity, musicianship, tone production, ear training, correct posture and more. Practice at home needs to be consistent, otherwise the improvements will not be seen in a timely manner. In time, a relationship with one's instrument will be formed.

We guarantee student satisfaction. The best private violin lessons in Burbank are an easy phone call away. Call us today so we can get you started on fulfilling your dream!

Getting started with violin classes can feel so overwhelming for those starting out - we have all been there. A violinist needs to engage in regular practice for years before they feel confident and fulfilled with their sound, intonation and shifting. Then comes high positions, vibrato and bow strokes, etc. As a beginner, you have to give extra attention on, and build solidly on the basics. This will help you seamlessly advance on your skills; saving you the stress and frustration of re-learning all the fundamentals again.

When it comes to posture, I am picky with my beginner students in Burbank and Los Angeles. I insist that both hands are correctly placed. Emphasis is also laid on standing straight, reducing any form of tension. Arm levels is another aspect I ensure they always get right. When playing on the strings, there is a standard positioning level for both hands. When the left arm is not placed at the correct level, students will feel frustrated with their results. You will also not get accurate intonation with an awkward positioning. Your right arm will most likely hit other strings, producing an undesirable sound if wrongly placed.

To help my Burbank and Los Angeles beginner violin students build muscle – training their fingers on where to go – I normally place tapes on the fingerboard. Then, we take it a step further. We practice in front of a mirror – the idea is to ensure students can watch themselves play and monitor the movement of the bow. This will help them maintain a parallel position between the bridge and fingerboard.  Playing too close to either side will produce awful sounds.

Does the whole concept of learning the violin seem daunting? Relax. We all had that feeling. However, with proper devotion and a seasoned tutor to take you through the process step by step, you will notice great improvement within a relatively short time. Follow me closely, and you will soon experience a quicker and much easier path to becoming a pro; not just in violin, but as a musician.

For more questions or inquiries contact Los Angeles Music Teachers at (818) 209-2620

I’m sure you’re very excited about starting violin lessons, however there are a few accessories that you need right away. When you’re renting, most of these are included. But it’s always helpful to know what they are so you can make sure they’re in the case. Rosin for the bow is the first thing you should check for. It’s usually in the small compartment inside the case. Next, you should check your case for adjustable backpack straps. It’ll make carrying your violin a lot easier. These are usually in the top pocket of the outside of the case. Hopefully there will be a cleaning cloth inside the case also. You need to clean your strings, the wood of the bow under the hair and the part of the violin under the strings since these places all get rosin buildup and will get gunky if you don’t clean them. Professional cleanings are not cheap and you don’t want a sticky violin. It can get on the fingerboard and make it harder for your fingers to move around.  Cleaning cloths are cheap at the shop or as an alternative you can use a cotton cloth like part of an old T-shirt. One thing that’s definitely not included but you should plan on buying as soon as you can is an extra set of strings. You can snap a string at any moment so it’s important to have a backup so you don’t have to wait until your lesson or to go to a shop. Once you have the extra set, be sure to ask your teacher to instruct you on how to put it on. Be specially careful with the E string; it snaps very easily because of how thin it is. Usually as a beginner you will want to have a shoulder rest for support. The violin is one of the most awkward instruments to hold and the shoulder rest helps you not raise your shoulder. Ask the shop to show you how to put it on.
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As always thank you for watching. Please share with others you know may be interested and hope to see you back here soon!