Music is for Everyone!

We believe that anyone can learn to play the violin, regardless of where they live, even in rural areas or when good teachers are hard to find. Music is for EVERYONE, regardless of family background or social status, and that’s why I created my online lessons to make music ATTAINABLE for every person, including you! Finally! Online lessons for beginners that take you systematically from novice through Suzuki Book 1!

Buy Now: Only $47 per month for 7 months

Don't just play, play well!

Quality Method

A good teacher is made even better when they use a “method” to guide them. It provides structure and a map that helps guide students systematically from the most basic violin skills to the most advanced.

Quality Instruction

It is indisputable that learning to play violin requires reliable, organized, thoughtful instruction. This course adheres to the time-tested Suzuki Method for structure, but draws from years of experience and training to give you the best lessons available.

Quality Practice

The best teaching will do no good without proper, diligent practice. This course takes extra time to teach you how to practice so you get the best results from your time and effort.

Who are online lessons for?

  • Have you struggled to find a teacher in your area?
  • Have you had to cut music lessons from your budget?
  • Are you frustrated with your violin practice, seeming to make no progress?
  • Do you move frequently and have to start over with new teachers?
  • Do you feel self-conscious about your form, tone, or intonation?
  • I know how you feel! That’s why I started Red Desert Violin!

Suzuki Book 1 by RDV will teach you the following skills:

    • Basics: how to rosin your bow, how to tune your violin, how to care for your instrument
    • Violin posture
    • Left hand form
    • Proper bow hold, starting with a beginner’s hold, and then the professional bow hold
    • Ear training
    • Basic theory
    • Scales and arpeggios
    • Beautiful tone production
    • Bow control for dynamics and tone color
    • Ergonomics: choosing a shoulder rest and chin rest
    • Healthy movement: learning to move naturally will foster injury-free playing.
    • Posture and form: Your violin should feel like a natural extension of your body
    • Left hand form: no squeezing, fingers can play various finger patterns

What has stopped you in the past?

Can't find the time!

  • RDV is self-paced; slower learners AND fast learners are both served;
  • Many students need a teacher to repeat the same thing over and over, but they are afraid to ask. Online lessons allows students to repeat as much as needed.
  • Contrarily, some students wish a teacher would move faster. RDV allows students to accelerate their progress (to a degree).
  • Modern life is hectic. People need flexibility, not rigidity. Its very difficult to maintain a regular weekly appointment. RDV online lessons provides the added flexibility for even the busiest of lifestyles.

I'm afraid of the commitment

With online lessons, there is nothing to be afraid of! Give it a shot, overcome your fears, and see if the shoe fits. If it does, dance!

I don't deserve it

This requires some introspection on your part. You probably DO deserve it.

But I might fail!

But you might succeed!

Can't justify the expense

  • RDV is more affordable than private lessons.
  • Students save precious time AND money; if you factor in the time and gas it takes to drive to and from a private lesson, the value of RDV online lessons is emphasized even more.
  • Students have access to the teacher for unlimited questions and support.
  • We have Beth, a dedicated tech person, for all tech issues.
  • Students retain access to their lessons for TWO YEARS after their last payment. After that they can renew access for a nominal fee. Most membership sites require continual monthly payments to retain access.

It feels too risky

With a 30 day unconditional money back guarantee, RDV is 100% risk free.

I don't want to lose my private teacher

Online lessons are a great companion to private lessons. They can amp up your progress with a private teacher, so it’s not either/or, it can be BOTH!

Skeptical about online lessons

Red Desert Violin is among the original online lesson services. You can’t survive that long without being good. We stand behind our lessons with an ironclad money back guarantee. You’ll love the convenience, quality, flexibility, and extreme value of RDV.

I'm too old. Learning violin is for children

This is a misconception based on the wild publicity that the youngest Suzuki students received in the 1960’s. What people do not realize is that Dr. Suzuki required the students’ PARENTS to learn to play violin also to make them better at-home coaches. Music/violin is for every age, and it’s great for brain plasticity.

No time is better than now. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow offers no guarantees. But TODAY is under our control!

My name is Lora Staples, and I will be your teacher and guide through Suzuki Book 1.

I have 30 years of teaching experience, a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Violin Performance, and numerous trainings and certifications in violin pedagogy.

Between my education, training, and performing career, I not only talk the talk, but I walk the walk. I’ve been right where you are, I’ve faced adversity, frustration, and challenges, and I can help you overcome yours. To learn more about my journey, watch the video below.

My Story

Extreme Value

  • RDV is more affordable than private lessons
  • Students save precious time AND money; if you factor in the time and gas it takes to drive to and from a private lesson, the value of RDV online lessons is emphasized even more.
  • students have access to the teacher for unlimited questions and support.
  • We have Beth, a dedicated tech person, for all tech issues.
  • Students retain access to their lessons for TWO YEARS after their last payment. After that they can renew access for a nominal fee. Most membership sites require continual monthly payments to retain access.

Convenience

  • location is a non-issue
  • Lessons are self-paced
  • Rural locations are no longer a barrier to learning music
  • Busy lifestyles are accommodated

Flexibility

  • Self-paced: Slower learners AND fast learners are both served; many students need a teacher to repeat the same thing over and over, but they are afraid to ask. Online lessons allows students to repeat as much as needed. Contrarily, some students wish a teacher would move faster. RDV allows students to accelerate their progress (to a degree).
  • Modern life is hectic. People need flexibility, not rigidity. Its very difficult to maintain a regular weekly appointment. RDV online lessons provides the added flexibility for even the busiest of lifestyles.

Quality

  • Unique delivery model allows Loralyn to teach in great detail, depth, and breadth, unconcerned by the limit of a private lesson time, or the size of a video file. Students get better organization, and much more teacher time using RDV.
  • Loralyn has 2 degrees in music and numerous certifications in pedagogy; she also has a successful career as a performer, walking the walk, so to speak.
  • We are one of the original online providers of music lessons. You can’t stay in business this long if you don’t deliver.

Lesson Videos: Each unit in Suzuki Book 1 is comprised of about 10-12 videos. Some focus on teaching a new song, others work on ear training, others focus on a specific technique.

Practice Coach Videos: A unique feature of RDV lessons, and the thing that I think sets us apart from others is the Practice Coach feature. The Practice Coach is a video of me going through an intense, focused practice session to practice skills for each unit. You can follow along, doing what I do, and you will learn to practice smart, not just hard. And once you fall into one of my traps, you will never forget that technique again! (You’ll have to sign up to find out if you’re smart enough to stay out of the traps!) This is a value you can’t even get from in-person lessons.

Play-along videos: You will have access to videos of Loralyn playing every song at a slow, medium, and fast speed, with a close-up of my hands. Use these after learning a song to add consistency to your playing.

Play-along audio: Download audio of Loralyn playing the entire book with a professional pianist, Jed Moss. Also download audio of the piano only, to use when you are ready to play independently.

Support: Ask Lora as many questions as you like. Ask Beth for technical help any time.

Download: Printed materials, supplements, audio tracks, and visual aids

Red Desert Violin’s DELIVERY MODE is what sets us apart. We are a “membership site” which allows us to provide ongoing support and encouragement to students throughout each class. This membership model also allows Lora to go into GREAT detail without concern for the time limits of a private lesson or how large the video file might be.

Sign-up and Register: Immediately after purchase, you will go to a registration page where you can create a username and password.

Log in: You’ll log into your student portal at www.My.RedDesertViolin.com and view your lessons by streaming them, like Netflix. (but WAY better!) kiss

Payment and Lesson Release: With each monthly payment, you will be given access to three new units, which is about 30 videos. Every 30 days the system automatically opens up the next series of videos to you. The units don’t close, so even if you’re not ready for the next batch of lessons, you can still move at your own pace.

Access your lessons any time you want from your own Red Desert Violin member portal.

Enjoy personal access to my help and technical support for the duration of your membership.

Watch the videos as often as you like, on any device with a fast internet connection.

Download the audio files to play on the device of your choice.

Two Year Access: You will have continued access to your lessons for two full years after your last payment. (that is almost 3 years!) After that, you may purchase annual renewals for $30.

  • What if I take longer than 7 months? That is FINE. You have up to two years to complete this course. I want to PUSH you to avoid “stalling out” or getting stuck. So I want you to push yourself, but also take the time that you need to absorb these important skills.
  • What if my private teacher disagrees with what you teach me? Any good teacher recognizes multiple approaches to common topics. Most teachers will applaud your resourcefulness, because private lessons time is limited, and if you are able to address issues outside lesson time, it leaves more time for your teacher to work with you.
  • Can I go faster than the pace you recommend? Absolutely. My course is structured on the average private student I have witnessed. You may need to go slower or faster for your own needs. Contact me for special handling of an accelerated pace.
  • I am a teacher, and I have a student who needs this course. How should I proceed? I would suggest that both you and your student purchase the course. You will want to have access to the same lessons your student is watching so you can help them. After you go through the course once, you will know exactly how to help future students.
  • What if I don’t have a private teacher? If you need help finding a GOOD private teacher, I can help you. But I have tried extremely hard to make these lessons as good as in person lessons. Stay in close contact with me, and let’s make sure you stay on track!
  • Do I have to buy the book? No, but it is nice to have it in your library. If you purchase the book, get it with the companion CD. It’s not much more expensive, and it gives you one more reference recording besides the one I provide to you. I recommend getting the Suzuki Violin Book 1 2008 revised edition or the International edition.
  • How long will I have access to my lessons? You will have access to all of the lessons for two full years after your final payment. After that, you may purchase extended access annually for as long as you want. ($30/year)
  • Isn’t the Suzuki Method for children? That is a misconception.  Shinichi Suzuki gained notoriety from his young students who played extremely well. But what DIDN’T get publicity is the fact that Suzuki required the parents of those children to also learn violin so that they would be better at-home coaches. Sure it is adoreable to see a three-year-old playing Paganini, but the Suzuki Method is for EVERYONE!

What Red Desert Violin Students Are Saying

People just like you are learning to play the violin with my lessons.

I tried to find out what I was doing with each hand to produce the ugly sound. So I paid close attention to my physical movements. Voila! Several of your lessons flashed before my eyes :). One was the three elements of tone production. Another was the dreaded broken chicken wing. A third was colle and hand. A fourth was left hand death grip. So I took them one by one to see what difference each would make. Again voila! The ugly sound went away. … I can now believe that I actually could get some tunes down well. And a change in a part of one’s limiting belief system is a very big deal from my point of view. So thank you and congrats on finding a way to do that for so many of us.
Jarl N.

Lansing, MI

When I started to play the violin, I tried several things to teach myself how. Traditional lessons were, at the time, completely out of the question since I was a truck driver full time, and out there in The Real World. … What you have is the best, and absolutely perfect, way for me to learn.

You’re fun! You have ways of teaching that suits me and my learning abilities. I can take my time, go at a pace that allows me to have a life also. You know, work and such. If I feel I want to take 2 weeks, or even more, to do a week lesson, well, so be it. You aren’t yelling at me to hurry up and get it already.

I did a lot of research before I settled on you. There are many choices for computer aided violin instruction out there. You were the most human, most fun, most real.

Karis B

Alaska

I am a trained musician, and I have had teachers. Good teachers. But none have pointed out these fun, interesting, and IMPORTANT, tricks, techniques, and exercises like Lora does. When Lora shows something like RINGY NOTES or 3 pig races, or Practice your Bow in a Mirror, for example, and then she sums it up with: Do this every day and it will PAY OFF BIG TIME… or she says: You”ll get Lots of BANG for Your BUCK HERE… well, that motivates me!

And it’s really happening. I actually enjoy practicing for the first time in my life, and I’m 54. LOL It’s because the way Lora breaks it down, it’s do-able. You are able to take each little skill and see how and where you need to fix it. Then all the little skills fit together like a big puzzle that I finally realize is POSSIBLE for me to ACCOMPLISH. This is a very fun approach. THANK YOU

Cyd R

Ocala, FL