I have started the process of recording a few supplemental video lessons for my students to help aid their weekly practice. I think these videos will be useful in reinforcing concepts I teach during each private lesson. It can be hard to remember everything we touch on, so these can be little reminders during your practice times. If you have requests for video lessons please contact me. Below is a sample of a few lessons I recently recorded to give you an idea of what they look like.
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![]() It is winter in Michigan! Guess what that means? It is cold. This extreme weather can be harmful to wooden stringed instruments. The weather and humidity changes can affect the wood drastically. When the weather is cold the dryness in the air causes the wood to contract and be more brittle which makes it more difficult to keep in tune. The wooden pegs in the peg box do not fit as well as they did in the summer when it was humid out. Winter can cause: -body cracking -pegs slipping -seams separating -bow warping -strings losing tension SOLUTIONS: 1. Do not leave your violin out of its case when you are not practicing. 2. Do not leave your violin in a cold car for long periods of time. (no more than 15-20 minutes) 3. Use a humidifier/hygrometer in your violin case. - The humidity should remain between 40% and 60% to avoid cracking 4. Purchase a dampit to compete with the dry air. A Dampit fits into the f-hole of the violin as pictured. They are usually around $15 at the music store. Below are a few links to where you can purchase them: Dampits.com Meyer-music.com Another and cheaper solution is to keep a damp sponge in a ziplock bag with small holes in it inside your case. If you decide to go with this option, PLEASE be careful that you squeeze the sponge before putting it into the ziplock bag. If any water leaks onto the wood of your violin it will get water damage. With these solutions you can avoid damage and costly repairs down the road. :) All the best! Larissa P.S. Email me with any other questions or concerns. :D |
AuthorLarissa Brooks Follow my studio blog for tips, tricks, & performance updates.
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