Simple message today. If you're training vibrato this Spring... keep going. Here’s the Reader’s Digest version of how to do that effectively and without going crazy. To keep going: spend the first and last 5 minutes of every practice playing reps in the sweet spot of your training process. To not go crazy: add one fun, slightly challenging song to your practice. --- Here’s a bit more on how to keep going on your main goal (vibrato if you’re following the current Dojo focus), and why reps are where the magic happens. Quick reminder of the steps: White Belt: prep for movement Blue Belt: lock in one technique Purple Belt: reps Brown Belt: formed brain pathways Resist the temptation to try vibrato in songs (that's a black belt activity) until brown belt is feeling easy, or keep it to a minimum. Since I’ve been working with adult learners for over a decade, all my best tips have come straight from you. One student said something I love: It helps if I change from thinking- “I’m practicing violin” to “I’m training my brain to play violin.” Ok if I get a little nerdy? When we do reps, we’re building new matter and connections to the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for automatic movement. It's crazy - it's a small mini brain looking thing way at the back of our head. (Take a look at the brain diagram attached.) Meanwhile, the parts of the brain we rely on for everyday life like planning, logic, memory... don’t help much here. Which is why this can feel so frustrating. It’s like we’ve spent our whole lives building a beautiful boat… and suddenly we’re dropped on dry land. 🥴 Everything we usually rely on doesn’t help us here. The cool part is, this is exactly why playing violin is so good for the brain, no matter where it leads. One more thought: Remember texting on flip phones with T9? Or pressing the 2 three times to get a C? Then smartphones came along with full touch screen keyboards, and it felt awkward at first. Now look at us go! 😅

Been working on this one again. Just trying the third position shift.

It’s Spring in Austin Texas which means a little bit of everything. Rain, hot, cool breeze… My friend and bandmate Jay used to say, “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, just wait 15 minutes.” Today is rainy with just a peek of sun trying to make its way out from behind the clouds this afternoon. How about where you are? Do we have anyone on the other hemisphere where it’s not even Spring?? I’m wondering who can clock in at the most extreme temps. I’m at 78 degrees F, which I’m guessing is right in the middle. Please drop your temps in the comments and let’s see who it literally THE hottest violinist today. ☺️

We have some new faces here - and a few familiar ones too - so let’s make this our official intro spot. If you haven’t introduced yourself yet (or if it’s been a while), please jump in and share: ~Where you’re playing from ~One piece that made you wanna learn violin ~One thing you’re into besides violin Brand new? Returning after years away? Grinding nonstop? Either way, pull up a chair. (Photos welcome but no pressure!)

Okay… I’ve been quietly building something. First, thank you for all the honest posts lately about what you’re working on and where you feel stuck. The path from intermediate to advanced has some very real challenges, and I’m super into taking that on with you. So this spring, we’re trying something new. It’s called Violin Dojo. Instead of everyone floating in different directions - and instead of you having to constantly decide how to fit everything into your practice - we’ll move through a shared seasonal focus together. Not to compete. Not to be intense. Just to have our heads in the same game, while leaving space for whatever songs and things are most calling to you on your individual hot violinist journey at the same time. Spoiler alert - our first focus will be Vibrato. The real goal? To feel less alone in your practice. To build some friendships here. And yes… to gain some serious skill along the way. More next week. 🎻 Meanwhile tell me in the comments. What fun projects or things are calling your name this spring? Violin or otherwise. For me: Violin: New Dojo videos and visual guides for advancing students Not violin: Repotting my poor neglected plants that I may have saved from the freeze, but definitely cut it a little too close. 😬