Topics Covered in This Course:
- Ear Training
- Rhythm and Metronome Work
- Tone and Intonation
- Fingerboard Geography
- Leveraging Scales and Arpeggios to improve your fiddling
- How to Practice
- Left Hand Technique (pinky, speed, form, vibrato, etc.)
- Right Hand Technique (basic stroke, slurring, frog, long bows, etc.)
- Double Stops Technique
- Posture and Ergonomics
- Improving Your Memorization
- Equipment and Maintenance
You Need This Course If:
- You can’t get your tunes up to speed
- You struggle to learn tunes by ear
- You struggle to memorize and remember tunes
- You know a bunch of tunes but you still sound like a beginner
- You want to learn vibrato
- You have a teacher already but they don’t teach technique
- You are self-taught and need help with technical stuff
- You are not sure how you can improve your fiddling
- Fiddling is causing you pain
Why This Course Was Developed
A highly respected and well known fiddle teacher approached me 3 years ago and suggested that I create this course. She explained:
“Fiddle teachers are masters of their craft. They teach the rich oral tradition of fiddle playing– the style, the lilt, the ornaments, the bowings, the sound, how to make the music dance. But fiddling is not endowed with a well-established pedagogy like classical violin is. It’s just not part of the tradition, thus, even if fiddle teachers have adequate technique….they often don’t know how to teach it.”
Some fiddlers are fortunate enough to achieve good technique naturally. Some are surrounded by great fiddle players from childhood and they just “soak it in”. But the average fiddle player needs to be instructed on the essential techniques, and once they are, the gates to fiddle heaven open!
The short answer: All the technique you need, and nothing you don’t!
The long answer: Lessons will be given on the following topics:
- Ear training and playing by ear basics (choose add-on for in depth lessons on this topic)
- rhythm and metronome skills
- fingerboard geography
- scales and arpeggios
- tone
- intonation
- bow technique: bow hold, basic bow stroke, long sustained bows, how to play at the frog, how to play at the tip, how to slur,
- Left Hand Technique: double stops, left hand form, speed for the left hand, pinky development, finger independence, vibrato basics (choose add-on for in depth lessons on this topic), shifting basics
- posture, ergonomics
- equipment maintenance and tips
- memorization
- and more!
This course includes over 120 lessons before add-ons.
Much of this course has been prepared exclusively for this course, some is re-purposed from other paid courses, and some is even publicly available on my YouTube channel.
Add-Ons provide IN DEPTH study of a targeted topic. Most people know if they have a weakness in a certain area. Because of this, we offer “Add-Ons”, where you can bundle another course to customize this course and target your specific needs. Add-Ons offer IN DEPTH study of specific topics.
For $70 more, you may select an “add-on” to your Essential Fiddler Technique class.
Add-Ons include:
- Ear Training
- Fiddle Secrets
- Vibrato 1-3
- Simple Songs
- Learn to Read Music
Choose your package: Essential Fiddler Technique course ONLY, or choose Essential Fiddler Technique PLUS one add-on. Many people know they need LOTS of help in a certain area. So if you need note reading, ear training, specific fiddle tips, overall flow and refinement, or vibrato, choose the ADD ON option.
The add-on option adds value and saves you money
How it works: This course is designed to be an all-night convenience store with the exact tool you need, available when you need it.
Upon signing up, ALL lessons will immediately be available to you, organized into modules and sorted by topic for easy navigating.
Need to improve your tone? Go to the Tone Module. Need to work on your bow technique? Go to the Bow Module.
Add-Ons: Many people know they need LOTS of help in a certain area. Because of this, we offer “Add-Ons”, where you can bundle another course to supplement your weak spot. This helps to customize this course to your specific needs while also giving you a great discount.
This course includes over 120 lessons before add-ons.
Most people know if they have a weakness or need extra help in a specific technique. Because of this, we offer “Add-Ons”, where you can bundle another course to supplement your weak spot.
This helps to customize to your needs and gives you a sweet discount.
Choose one of the following Add-Ons:
- Ear Training: Nearly 100 ear training lessons and drills in progressively more difficult order ($99 value)
- Fiddle Secrets: Extremely condensed lessons on fiddle bow patterns, left hand ornaments, and playing chords for back-up ($99 value)
- Vibrato 1-3: This popular course is legendary for its effectiveness, and you get all 3 levels. ($99 value)
- Simple Songs: Makes ear training fun! It encourages “musical thinking”, refinement, vibrato, tone, and playing by ear. ($99 value)
- Learn to Read Music: After completing this course, I guarantee you will be a fluent note reader at a very high level. ($99 value)
Choose your package: Just Essential Fiddlers Technique course, or choose Essential Fiddlers Technique plus one add-on.
Choosing an add-on customizes this course to your needs plus it saves you money
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This course does not teach tunes. It teaches you how to go out and conquer EVERY tune.
While I might use a common fiddle tune as an example for learning a specific technique, I do not specifically teach you a bunch of tunes in this course.
I will not be teaching you the difference between Western Swing and Texas Swing. You might be able to explain it better than I can!
This course does not teach bowings and ornaments such as Georgia Shuffle, or Cuts or Trebles. Bowings and ornaments are separate from TECHNIQUE, and they are taught in great depth in the Fiddle Secrets Add-On.
When you have great technique and ear training and/or note reading skills, you have the ability to learn ANY tune you want without limitations!
That is what this course aims to do.
Essential Fiddle Technique ONLY
- Access to all videos for two full years after your last payment
- One convenient lump sum payment
- Technical support
- Help from Lora for one full year
- 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
Essential Fiddle Technique w/Add-On
- Choose from the menu below to purchase Essential Fiddle Technique AND one of the following add-ons:
- Fiddle Secrets, Vibrato 1-3, Learn to Read Music, Simple Songs for Extraordinary Benefits, or Ear Training.
- Access to all videos for two full years
- One convenient lump-sum payment
- Technical support
- Help from Lora for one full year
- 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
- Essential Fiddle Technique + Vibrato:
- Essential Fiddle Technique + Learn To Read Music:
- Essential Fiddle Technique + Simple Songs:
- Essential Fiddle Technique + Ear Training:
- Essential Fiddle Technique + Fiddle Secrets:
What My Students Are Saying
Adult beginners and intermediate players like you are raving about my lessons.
“Lora Staples of RDV is a fantastic instructor! Her easy to use teaching videos cover every topic possible about the violin in a fun but well structured way. The beauty of it is that you can practice via the videos with Lora at a time convenient for you and go at your own pace! You can pause and replay if you didn’t quite catch something or just need to listen again.”
“Lora’s nonjudgmental manners encourage. I even like that she plays on a student violin in her videos. It makes the piece sound achievable. Her lessons are interesting and insightful. There is a sense of achievement after each lesson. They are perfectly paced.”
“WOW, there is SO MUCH value in your videos. I am really learning a lot with each etude. I am so blessed to have found your courses. There are so much more expensive courses out there that give away a lot less compared to yours. This is just a shout to say THANK YOU for your nuggets of wisdom and the amount of detail that you put in for us your students.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a book required with this course?
No book is required for this course.
Can I break up the payments?
I want you to have immediate access to EVERYTHING so you can get what you need when you need it. Therefore, this course is only available as a lump sum payment.
What is your refund policy?
Risk-Free 30-day Money-Back Guarantee: If you are not completely satisfied with this course, you can get a full, no-questions refund just by emailing us at info[at]reddesertviolin.com
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info@reddesertviolin.com.