Category: Contest

Best Way to Learn Violin Notes?

6/19/2020

Giveaway Contest - Win the Fantastic Finger Guides!!!
Entering is easy, scroll down to learn how.

What is the best way to improve student learning

After almost a decade of teaching, Toby Weston, educator & creator of the Fantastic Finger Guides asked himself:

Why do we use finger tapes when first learning to play string instruments such as the violin, viola, or cello?

Is there a better way than finger tapes to get our beginners playing correctly with musical confidence?

Learn more about why using pitches instead of finger numbers is empowering to the learning process below by guest blog post author Toby Weston.

I have learned from teaching middle school music for the past 12 years that the best way to improve student learning is to improve the teaching system.

I wondered if there was a better way to teach than with finger tapes because finger tapes don't provide sufficient musical information to help the student grow musically smarter and they are a very abstract teaching tool.

I was concerned that by using finger tapes, my students were labeling the sound only by its physical location and not coding the actual musical language. At one point I used different color tapes for different locations:
1st finger was red, 2nd finger was white, and the 3rd finger was blue.

After a year of playing, most students using this system will code the location as 1st finger on the red tape on the A string, but not code the letter name nor musical language. By the time these students reached the 7th grade, many had deficiencies in understanding their fingerboard in terms of a musical alphabet.

After years of using finger tapes I had a breakthrough in the Fall of 2017:

Why don't we just put the letter names on the instrument?

How to make more musical violin students

This way the student has the information needed to move forward in the music. When a student practices on their own they build correct muscle memory for spacing and also musical alphabet memory. This leads to gaining confidence in their playing without their teacher present. The student can code the music alphabet as their primary thinking versus finger tapes that are too abstract and don't provide any musical information.

I ended up creating the Fantastic Finger Guides to solve this problem for my students. I created the D Major Beginner Guide for my first-year students and the All Notes guide for my second-year students. When students are beginning to learn the violin, less is better thus the rationale for a more simplified finger guide.

Learn More About the Fantastic Finger Guides HERE

Receive 10% off the Fantastic Finger Guides thru July 31, 2020 with coupon code MFYV2020.
Click HERE to order the Fantastic Finger Guides.

How To Enter the Fantastic Finger Guide Giveaway Contest:

Comment below
State if you are a "STUDENT" or "TEACHER"
Write in your learning preference: NUMBERS (for finger #s) or LETTERS (for pitches).

i..e. STUDENT & Numbers or TEACHER & Letters

145 Comments

End of School Year Giveaway Contest

6/13/2019

11 Comments

Win the book Vio's Violin by Kenesha T. Ryce & a $40 gift certificate to the Music for Young Violinists store.

Entering is easy, scroll down to learn how.

What was the best that happened this past school year?

Wow, just wow! It's so precious to have a moment to reflect on another school year. I just finished nursing school and am one step closer to bridging the gap between the arts and healing. My family is on a plane to visit and celebrate my graduation as I type and I am practicing my self-control by refraining from sampling the cookies I bought for my party.

At the beginning of the school year, I asked:

"What's the best that can happen?"

Now, with another year under our belts, I would love to hear back from you:

"What was the best that actually did happen?"

Please share in the blog comments by the end of this weekend, and you will be entered into a M4YV giveaway contest. The winner will be chosen at random by the end of the day on Sunday, June 16. They will win this fantastic book pictured above to inspire violin practice + a $40 gift certificate to the M4YV store.

Need a little inspiration to keep up the momentum on summer break?

Head on over to the M4YV sheet music store for some instant downloads where everything is 40% off thru the end of the weekend.

11 Comments

Flash Giveaway Contest

12/8/2018

81 Comments

Win a Set of WonderThumbs!!!

Relax your hand and let the music flow...

I recently discovered these neat violin playing aids called the WonderThumbs and really like them. In fact, I am surprised it took so long for someone to create these - thank you Craig!

Lucky for us the creator was kind enough to donate a set to one of our lucky members. If you don't happen to be the lucky duck who wins, you can order these from the WonderThumb website or from Shar Music. They cost $24, and if you are thrifty like me, you may be on the fence for making this investment so I invite you to consider this price in comparison of 4 years of remedial violin lessons ($4,000+) if this is a product that could benefit you, your student or your child. Remedial lessons are costly and honestly, can be treachery for all parties involved. Just some food for thought as you consider this product.

I played around with several different sizes and as a 5"8 female with slightly larger sized hands am probably an L in the WonderThumb sizing. That being said, I tried all the sizes, and I like the XL for using backward which is a non-traditional use of the product, but it worked for supporting the neck of the violin. I also liked the smallest size for taking up as little space as possible. Just some ideas to consider when looking into these.

OK, now onto the FUN STUFF - enter this giveaway contest by saying "Hello" (or "你好" or "Bonjour" or "Dzień Dobry") in the comments below and a winner will be chosen in 24 hours.

81 Comments

Giveaway Contest!!!

11/10/2018

141 Comments

Things 4 Strings® Studio Kit:
Bow Hold Buddies®

Every violinists and violin teacher knows the challenge involved with developing a balanced bow hold.

What if there were a way to have constant guidance supporting correct bow hand technique?

I have good news because this already exists with the Things 4 Strings® product solutions for learning and teaching the violin.

Founder Ruth Brons has generously agreed to share a Things 4 Strings® Studio Kit: Bow Hold Buddies®: Bright Blue ($285 value) with one of the Music for Young Violinists teachers.

Things 4 Strings® accessories allow beginning string players the benefits of a relaxed and effective bow hold right from their very first lesson. Eliminating the need for constant bow hold corrections, these learning aids speed players to better tone and bow control. Made in the USA, these accessories are molded of the finest medical-grade silicone rubber, are durable enough for years of use by many students, and are suitable for all bow and hand sizes.

Launched in 2009, Things 4 Strings® patented accessories have rapidly achieved popularity with studio and classroom teachers worldwide. "Your products are really wonderful. I think the fish is for every beginning student a must!" - Nadya Canahuati, MM in Performance & String Pedagogy with Mimi Zweig

Accessory inventor and studio teacher Ruth Brons has been honored for her work advancing strings education by the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) with the prestigious Kudos Award. “A Things 4 Strings accessory dramatically reduce the time it takes students to master a proper bow hold. Students' energy can be redirected towards other challenges. Better skills, greater joy!” said Brons.

To enter, post in the comments below in 10 words or less your biggest challenge with helping students master their bowhold.

Winner will be chosen at random at the end of November.

Music for Young Violinists is honored to help spread the good news about the work of Things 4 Strings LLC. Learn more about these innovative solutions to support your music making here on their website HERE.

141 Comments

Giveaway Contest

9/7/2018

86 Comments

Win an Entire Set of Poly-Pads

Entering is easy - share in the comments below the answer to this question as it relates to your new school year and/or music making:

"What's the Best that Can Happen?"

Winner will be chosen at random on September 30, 2018.

If you have an extra 20 seconds today, I will value your thoughts on music and money in a 3 question survey. Feedback will be used to better serve the Music for Young Violinists community with future content. You can access the survey by clicking the button below. Thanks! Heather

Music & Money - 3 Question Survey

86 Comments

WIN THESE: a Set of Poly-Pads!!!!

10/27/2016

90 Comments

The Poly-Pads by Michael Kimber are one of my favorite shoulder pads because they have an additional curve in the design that other foam pads do not include and are very economical. Michael runs a great business, they always arrive quickly and he was kind enough to donate an entire set to Music for Young Violinists for our October GIVEAWAY CONTEST!!! When I first moved to Oregon 9 years ago I bought a Poly-Pad in every size and it has been so helpful in individually fitting each student so I know these will be a benefit to 1 lucky violin teacher.

To WIN simply write in the blog comments below what your favorite shoulder pad(s) are and why. Winner will be chosen at random November 20. Thanks!

To Visit the Poly-Pad website click HERE.

90 Comments

"Things I Love" & Giveaway Contest: WIN Ed Sprunger's New Book!

9/15/2016

49 Comments

I love spreading inspiring ideas to violin teachers that help you bring out the best in your students and thrive in the heartfelt work you do. I created a new page here on the Music for Young Violinists project called "Things I Love" as a resource list to share with you things that I have used in my violin teaching over the years and had success with.

Some of the items listed here are things that have stood the test of time and worthy of praise such as my Korg metronome which has been dropped 100 times in 15 years, rarely needs a battery replacement and still works fine. Other resources may be lesser known products worthy of spreading the good word about like the Poly-Pad shoulder sponge. This page will be growing on a regular basis so please check back soon.

Featured on “Things I Love” is Helping Parents Practice (Ideas for Making it Easier) Volume 1 by Edmund Sprunger. This is HANDS DOWN my favorite resource to use in supporting parents practicing with their children. I appreciate this book so much that I have practically underlined every sentence in my copy because it is so clarifying and poignant.

Sprunger combines decades of experience teaching Suzuki violin with his formal training in psychology to offer wise and compassionate perspectives that will elevate a parents understanding of why their child is responding or behaving in a certain way. He also offers solutions that are effective and healthy for addressing these specific situations.

The book is divided into sections by practice topic and then further broken down into 2-5 page solutions for specific scenarios that a parent would encounter while helping their child practice. This concise organization was done with the busy teacher/parent in mind and makes it an especially convenient tool because you can look up your immediate situation without having to read an entire book.

Thank you Ed and please let us know when Volume 2 is available. Learn more about Ed Sprunger and his resources HERE.

To celebrate this new page we are giving away Ed Sprunger’s new book: Building Violin Skills: A Set of Plans Designed to Help Parents and Children Construct Positive Practices.

To enter, just list one “Thing You Love” for your teaching and music making in the comments below. Winner will be chosen at random at the end of the month.

49 Comments

Winner, Winner - We Have a Winner!!! Now, Share Your Wishlist for the Next Giveaway Contest

2/9/2016

4 Comments

Dear Music for Young Violinists Friends,

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic entries in my second giveaway contest and congratulations to Laura for winning the 5 StringVision Bow Grips! It was fantastic hearing from all of you and I especially appreciated the conversations about the pros and cons of this particular bow hold product. Everyone who entered got a little musical gift from me in their email inbox - a sample of my new collection, a rousing fiddle tune arranged for 3 violins and a coupon to the store.

Your excited entries got my mind thinking about hosting more contests and I would love to hear from you about what you want to see offered in the future. Please let me know in the comments below. I can not make any promises but I will do my best to continue this fun tradition that Music for Young Violinists has started.

Here is a short video of me choosing the winner. I have seen other websites do raffles with computer programs but I thought pulling a name out of a bowl would be so much more fun. Happy music making and bye for now, Heather

4 Comments

Giveaway Contest - Win 5 StringVision Bow Grips!!!

1/24/2016

127 Comments

Hello and thank you for visiting me here on the Music for Young Violinists project! I am holding another giveaway contest - thru the end of the month anyone who leaves a blog comment will be entered to win 5 Bow Grips ($50 value) from StringVision. These bow grips are an innovative design originally created as an anti-fatigue device by a string player. I have used these with success for my students who struggle to have a soft bow hand. They are 1 size fits all.

PS- My last giveaway contest of 2 Aloha Tuners only had 2 participants and they both won. We are a small group, your odds for winning are good.