Instrument-Specific Posts

An Interview with Miranda Bourgeois

by Lia Zito April 14, 2012

How’d you get started playing your instrument? My mom made me start lessons when I was 7. Admittedly it was not a self-motivated desire to start playing the piano but I became hooked instantly. I loved the challenge in reading music, using my brain and moving my fingers. I still can’t shake that desire; precision […]

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A First Guitar – Electric or Acoustic?

by David McCormick January 2, 2011

A frequent question from parents is whether to start children on electric guitars or acoustic guitars. Most kids interested in playing rock will obviously want an electric guitar, but there is a widespread idea that it is somehow better for them to start with a “regular” guitar. I have no idea where this idea started. […]

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Pianos vs. Keyboards

by David McCormick January 1, 2011

Parents and adult beginners often ask whether it’s necessary to invest in an acoustic piano before starting lessons. In our experience, the answer is definitely not. True, nothing beats the sound quality and expressiveness of a good baby grand piano. I know – I used to own one. But I got tired of having to […]

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Choosing an Orchestra Instrument

by admin September 14, 2009

So there I was, a soft-spoken, awkwardly tall sixth-grader sitting amongst a sea of children on the floor of the multi-purpose room. We were there to see a demonstration to assist in our decision of whether to join band or orchestra that year. Standing in front of us were the resident music teachers. Their rivalry […]

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Buying a first violin

by Lia Zito June 21, 2009

I sometimes get sent Craigslist postings from students asking me whether they should buy an instrument based on the label information provided in the seller’s post.

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Playing viola in Irish music

by Lia Zito June 13, 2009

Every so often I get asked to teach a viola player Irish music. I usually talk them into playing fiddle instead, and here’s why: Mostly, this music is pretty much set up around the keys of D and G and their relative modes. To play in those keys on viola involves a lot of stretching to […]

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So you’re left-handed…

by Lia Zito May 29, 2009

If you’re left-handed, should you learn to play an instrument left-handed? Well, no. And I’m a lefty. Being a violin teacher, I come across this idea pretty regularly, since the left & right hands do very different things on the violin (unlike, say, piano). Guitar players also will ask the left-handed question. It’s not quite […]

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Why won’t my instrument stay in tune?

by Lia Zito May 22, 2009

Instruments aren’t built to stay in tune perfectly, and they shouldn’t. Here’s why: all materials change size with changing temperature, and wood is also quite sensitive to changes in humidity. To survive in Alaska, instruments must be able to respond to the changing weather, and this necessarily changes their tuning. Ask any carpenter: wood moves. […]

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