This  is the scale sequence I teach for beginning string players through more advanced stages:

1. Monkey Song (also called a tetrachord). This is half of the scale. I usually teach this with a rhythm such as Mississippi Stop Stop on each note.
2. One octave scale starting on open strings. There are three for each instrument. I start by playing it with a rhythm on each string then progress to playing it with quarter notes, half notes, then whole notes on each note.
3. One octave scales starting with a “Ringing Tone.” (This would be a third finger start for violin and viola or a fourth finger start for cello.)
4. Two Octave Scale starting with the lowest open string.
5. One octave scales starting with first finger. There are also three of these for each instrument. I start by playing it with a rhythm on each string then progress to playing it with quarter notes, half notes, then whole notes on each note.
6. One octave scales beginning with Low 2 or second finger for cello.
7. Two Octave Scales that shift third position for violins and violas.
8. Three octave Scale for Violin and Viola Only.
9. All Key Signatures in First position. (From Sevcik Opus 1, Book 1)
10. One String Scales.
11. One octave scales on two strings in all positions.
12. Two octave scales on all four strings in all positions.

The Clef Sign penny charts are very useful for teaching beginning note reading. Initially, I teach about whichever clef the student uses. Next I talk about the five lines and four spaces of the staff. We count them from bottom to top. Next we alternate climbing up and down the lines and spaces with a penny.

After all of that discussion, I talk about placement of the open strings and have students move the penny back and forth between the open D strings and A string with the penny.

Eventually we move up and down to different scales and songs on the lines and spaces with our pennies.

Penny charts for treble, alto and bass clef are available here:

Penny Charts

The following are some supporting web sites that will help students with note reading and rhythm reading on their instruments.

Note Reading for Violin (Beginning)
Note Reading for Violin (G, D, A and E Strings)

Note Reading for Viola (Beginning)
Note Reading for Viola (C, G, D, and A Strings)

Note Reading for Cello (Beginning)
Note Reading for Cello (C, G, D and A Strings)

Basics of Music Theory (All of the “Basics” can be covered on this site.)

Counting Music

To have a greater understanding of the fingerboard, students must also understand the map of the fingerboard. In addition to finger pattern exercises, they should also be using a variety of aids to help learning the theory behind the fingerboard. I have created this chart to help the be able to name and map the fingerboard.

Violin Finger Board Chart (PDF)

In the second volume of the Laoureux “A Practical Method for the Violin,” the first five positions on the violin are covered.

In the beginning, it has preparation for shifting to third position. I like that is quite compacted compared to that in the Whistler “Introducing the Positions.” It also has several exercises and etudes all in third position reminiscent of Wohlfahrt third position studies and the Whistler. I find it more visually pleasing that the whistler book. After a few exercises in third position, it has shifting exercises similar to Yost. Following that are several etudes that shift between first and third position. I like that it doesn’t cover every key signature, it just gets the basics of shifting covered.

After several shifting etudes, it covered the extended fourth finger harmonic. I have recently found a lot students who need some remediation of this extension because they are actually shifting to the position, not extending.

Second position is covered next (not fifth as in many texts). I think it is good to give students an introduction to second position early so they are not afraid of it. Exercises that shift between first, second and third positions follow.

Other techniques addressed in this volume are:

• Octaves (double stops and arpeggios)
• Sixths (double stops and arpeggios)
• All other intervals (double stops and arpeggios)
• Trills
• Fourth Position
• Fifth Position

In my study of violin method and technique books, I have found some use in an old edition of the Nicolas Laoureux “A Practical Method for Violin.”

In the Book I, he begins with some exercises quite like those in the Sevcik School of Bowing Technique. These open string exercises would be great for working on reading of open strings, leveling of the arms, and bow distribution. Next he has slurs across strings.

The next section of Book I works on the left hand including intervals and scales. Next, he works on slurring of fingered notes. There are several etudes with duet parts that help develop the left hand.

Other topics approached in the Book I are syncopation, chromatic scales, martele, grand detache, hooked bowings, arpeggios of chords, difficult intonation, and the springing bow. I like some of these exercises for supplements to other study materials.

You would think students should have developed all techniques necessary for playing the violin in Book I, but Laoureux offers three more volumes. I wish this book was available for viola.

Recently I have been compiling a list of etude materials to help with second and fourth positiions.

1. Sevcik Opus 1, Book 2 covers the second through seventh position including some shifting in between the positions.
2. Sitt Studies for the Violin Part 2 covers second through fifth positions.
3. Whistler’s Introducing the Positions Volume 2.
4. Shradieck School of Violin Technics.

Recently, at the Texas Music Educator’s Association convention in San Antonio, Texas, I had the pleasure of meeting Mimi Butler. Although I can highly recommend her policies, I am not sure that this book would benefit anyone who didn’t have the management skills to operate a studio in the first place. Her first book is called “The Complete Guide to Running a Private Music Stduio.” In the book, Butler goes through various ideas, all of which are practically necessary for running a studio. She covers fees, communication strategies, teaching strategies, and much more. I find that many of the ideas are ones that have already been addressed in my current studio.

In my current situation, I have to schedule 40+ students each week, teach, find locations, have necessary equipment when I travel, book recitals and group classes, and much more. It’s not an easy task, but with good organization skills I am able to manage quite well. This book discloses no secrets. This is what successful studios have to do. Teaching music is a business, but it’s not cutthroat. You have to be careful with your time and energy as a busy studio teacher.

In doing my taxes for the past few years, I have learned a lot about being self employed.

1. If you have a designated home “studio” or office that you don’t use for any other reason, you can deduct it from you taxes. I find it hard to get anything done but teaching and practicing in my studio area, so I think it’s safe to say that is an area I can write off on my taxes. You calculate the square footage of your home and then measure the room and calculate a percentage of that square footage of living area. The rent and utilities are all things that can be deducted, so save your utility receipts and rent receipts.
2. Keep track of expenses for training workshops and conferences. Keep airline fare receipts, ground transportation receipts, and food expenses. You can also claim a per diem for out of town trips for meals and incidental expenses.
3. Keep track of your mileage used on your own personal vehicle to travel to gigs and other events. Mileage rates change from year to year, but keeping track of this expense adds up in the long run if you make many trips out of town.
4. You can write off the depreciated value of your musical instruments used for playing and teaching. It take seven years to depreciate an instrument. This is wise to do for teaching instruments since cheaply acquired student instruments don’t go up in value through the years.
5. Keep track of supplies purchase for the office, recitals, and other expenses related to your studio. Since music is consumable (frequently lost or written in), you do not need to depreciate it over a number of years.

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