Practice Library
Guidance on practice, technique and auditions for string players. Written for the player who wants to know what to fix next.
Auditions
Practice
- How to Use Visualization Techniques to Mentally Rehearse Orchestra Performances Before You Play a Note
- How to Structure Your Daily Practice Session for Maximum Improvement in Minimum Time
- How to Record Yourself During Practice and Use the Playback to Accelerate Your Improvement
- How to Enter a Flow State During Orchestra Performances and Stay Focused the Entire Concert
Technique
- The Complete Guide to Writing Clear Bowings and Markings That Your Section Will Actually Follow
- Sight-Reading Rhythm Patterns: How to Decode Complex Rhythms Instantly in Orchestra Rehearsals
- Mastering Left Hand Shifting: How to Shift Cleanly and Confidently on Any String Instrument
- Mastering Bow Control: How to Get a Bigger Sound Without Pressing Harder
- How to Sight-Read Transposed Parts and Unfamiliar Clefs Without Panicking in Rehearsal
- How to Improve Your Intonation in High Positions Using Targeted Ear Training Exercises
- How to Develop a Versatile Vibrato That Matches Every Musical Style From Baroque to Contemporary
Instrument and setup
Career
- What Every String Player Should Know Before Their First Professional Orchestra Tour
- How to Network Effectively in the Classical Music World Without Feeling Awkward or Pushy
- How to Navigate Your First Season as a Substitute Player in a Professional Orchestra
- How to Navigate Difficult Conductor Relationships Without Sabotaging Your Orchestra Career
- How to Lead Your String Section With Confidence Even If You Are Not the Principal
- How to Build Strong Professional Relationships with Conductors as a Section String Player
- How to Build a Thriving Private Teaching Studio While Pursuing an Orchestral Career
- How to Build a Sustainable Freelance Career as an Orchestral String Player and Find Consistent Work
General
- How to Use Phrase Structure Analysis to Shape Musical Lines Like a Professional Soloist
- How to Use Harmonic Analysis to Make Smarter Phrasing and Dynamic Decisions as a String Player
- How to Recover Mentally After Making a Mistake During an Orchestra Concert Performance
- How to Recover from a Memory Slip During a Solo Performance Without the Audience Noticing
- How to Read Ahead While Sight Reading Orchestra Parts and Avoid Getting Lost in Rehearsal
- How to Mentor Younger Players in Your Section Without Overstepping Boundaries
- How to Instantly Read Key Signatures and Accidentals When Sight Reading Orchestral Parts
- How to Blend Your Sound in an Orchestra Section: The Art of Disappearing While Playing Your Best
Reading about practice is not practising. The teacher listens to you play, names what is wrong, and gives you one fix.
Try the teacher