Why Violin Mastery Doesn’t Work

Believe it or not, there are people who will get nothing from my courses. I hope you’re not to be one of them.

But just for the sake of argument, let me make a case for such a person. Oh yea, I’ll give him a name; how ‘bout Liaf.

Liaf, ‘I believe the breathing exercise is a little weird, and a waste of time. After all, playing the violin is about moving fingers, hands, and arms. Changing my way of breathing and staying aware of it doesn’t seem like it’s going to help me at all’.

Liaf, ‘I’ve done a lot of slow practice over the years. It gets me nowhere.’

Liaf, ‘the counting thing; I tried it for a while, but I keep misspeaking and getting confused. I can’t see as how it will ever help me improve.’

Liaf, ‘and trying to visualize; I should be able to just play. It’s too much work for me to create mental images as I play. When I see great players they make it look so easy. It doesn’t seem possible they are going to such trouble.’

OK, you get the picture. The problem with Liaf – have you read his name backward? – is, he wants some easy answers. Ones that won’t require him to question his fundamental relationship to the violin; toward the process of learning in general.

This takes a great deal of maturity.

The folks that are getting results from my methods, and I trust that you’re one of them, are passionate, committed, and are not resistant to going about things quite differently.

In fact, they’re embracing the challenge of it because they sense long term benefits.

They aren’t hell-bent on playing this or that concerto, they’re interested in deeper, more meaningful relationship with their violin. One that transcends What they’re playing; one that is all about How they are playing.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Just a note. I will only be offering