How To | Strings Magazine | For players of violin, viola, cello, bass & fiddle

Technique, advice, and tips.

All Motions Great & Small: How to Practice String-crossing Technique for Bariolage

By Laurie Niles | From the January-February 2021 issue of Strings magazine“Bariolage” is a French word for a bowing technique that involves rapid changing ... Read More...

Beyond the Music: Tips on Physical Motion and Pain Avoidance for Adult Amateur String Players

You can have the best instrument, the best bow, and great technique, but it doesn't mean a thing if you can't physically play. That's why it's important to pay... Read More...

adult amateur violin and cello technique

3 Technique Tips Especially for Adult Amateur String Players

Here are a few tips that are not only especially helpful for adult amateur string players, but can help players of all skill levels.

George Walker’s Sonata for Cello and Piano Deserves a Place in the Standard Cello Repertoire

By Seth Parker Woods | From the November-December 2020 issue of Strings magazineHailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace,” Seth Parker Woods... Read More...

How To Master the Legato Bow Stroke (Hint: It’s Harder Than You Think)

By Laurie Niles | From the November-December 2020 issue of Strings magazineFlashy bow strokes, such as spiccato, sautillé, staccato, and ricochet, get a lo... Read More...

Tackling the Beginning of the Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85

By Emily Wright | From the November-December 2020 issue of Strings magazineElgar’s Cello Concerto has everything a player could dream of, with soaring them... Read More...

6 Tips on Buying a Bow For Your Stringed Instrument

1. Type of Material: You'll find there are several choices in materials to consider; each offers a different mix of durability, affordability, and tonal ... Read More...

When Your Instrument Isn’t Sounding Right, Don’t Go for the Soundpost First

If something's off with your stringed instrument, here are some things to check before risking major damage by messing with the soundpost.

How to Lose That E-String Whistle on Your Violin

Understanding more about how bowed strings work can help solve the problem of a whistling E string on violin (it's not necessarily a sign of deficient bow technique!)

Managing the Humidity Level of Your Instrument is a Matter of Balance

By Elizabeth MarshallThough musicians are taught to keep a violin, viola, cello, or double bass properly humidified during the dry winter season, over-doin... Read More...