The Violin Geek Blog Tips, insight, and inspiration since 2007.
Welcome! I'm glad you found me and I hope you'll enjoy my musings, tips, updates, and insights.
Please use the search bar below to sort posts by category or keyword. If you're enjoying a topic, you can also click categories listed below, or the tags listed at the top of a post to organize a new list of posts with the same categories and/or tags. Happy reading!
- christmas music
- encouragement
- fitness
- gear review
- improvisation
- insight
- inspiration
- instrument tips
- interview
- intonation
- music
- music business
- musician tips
- music theory
- new album
- new music
- online lessons
- pedogogy
- performance tips
- practice tips
- recording tips
- repertoire
- stories
- student tips
- teaching tips
- technique tips
- update
- visualization
My year started out great - relaxing after the long tours of last year in a cabin by a lake in British Columbia, starting work on a new album and planning a new show for tours later in the year...
However, soon after, unexpected developments ...
If you are new to music theory and ever wondered what a scale is, or, maybe what are the types, how do we figure out how to play them, and why do we have different ones, this is the podcast for you. I share everything you need to know about scales ...
The map photo pretty much says it all - I’ve been on the road this year!!! A few of the routes were repeated, but for the most part, singer-songwriter Dan Frechette and I did a counterclockwise trek of North America, playing over 120 concerts and festivals, ...
Join host Laurel Thomsen and violinist/author Hilary Orzel-McSherry as they talk about growing up in a family of musicians. They dispel some myths (no "starving musicians" here) and offer insight for those wanting to live a creative life ...
Join Laurel Thomsen and get the blues…a Blues fiddle lesson that is, with singer-songwriter Dan Frechette. Learn the Blues scale in a variety of keys, the Blue notes, different types of Blues rhythms, bowing and note treatment, and how to get not only ...
Every month or two since early 2012 when I was included in a New York Times front page article about teaching music via Skype, I’ve received an ...
Do you:
- have technical issues you want to master?
- pieces needing polish, or a performance or audition to prepare for?
- want a second opinion about where to focus your energy and valuable practice time for the most pay ...
Please email me at laurel@laurelthomsen.com if you have a violin, viola, fiddle, music biz, or practice related question you’d like answered in the blog or on a podcast, have a story or insight to share, or if you’d like to inquire about violin, viola, or fiddle lessons with me, in-person or online via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom.
The Violin Geek Blog is a free resource and always will be. We also don't sell advertising, meaning that everything you read has been a labor of love. If you'd like to support my efforts and help ensure they continue, please consider making a donation. Thanks for your support!
Laurel ThomsenViolin, Viola, Vocals
Performance, Instruction, Recording
Based in Santa Cruz, California
"After the Fire" - released January 21, 2022!
Each song portrays a facet of the journey from setback to reclaimed hope - finding faith in the possibility of LOVE in “Make Me Come Alive,” HOME in “Beale Street,” COMMUNITY in “Together Again” and “Money Shouldn’t Talk That Strong,” and one’s own STRENGTH and FORTITUDE in “If A Wave” and “Hey, It’ll Be OK.”