As a longtime violin and viola teacher, I am thrilled to join [my] Talent Forge! By joining this curated online learning community, my accumulated teachings are more available and affordable than ever.
The digital age has profoundly changed the way we can learn music. We now have twenty-four hour access to digital libraries of sheet music, recordings, and tutorials. As a result, we can study in the comfort of our homes without worrying about schedules or geographical access to a great teacher. What’s more, with [my] Talent Forge, you can gain access to an entire team of diverse expert string teachers.
I am particularly happy to align myself with [my] Talent Forge because this site exclusively features musicians with established reputations as outstanding teachers and performers. Without the quality control of sites like [my] Talent Forge, your job of separating the wheat from the chaff becomes prohibitive.
For example, type in “vibrato tutorial” into Google. You get over 386,000 results. Some are laudable, but far too many give horrible or even crippling advice. When I see bad lessons uploaded by amateurs who have no business teaching you anything, it breaks my heart!
In contrast, [my] Talent Forge subscribers learn vibrato from my nine-lesson series of vibrato secrets. You get the best exercises, information, and shortcuts I have gleaned and taught over the past three decades. Step by step, the videos sequentially teach you potent tips that I learned from my Juilliard professors and other legendary string pedagogues.
Given a choice, would you rather get the best vibrato lessons straight from a Juilliard professor, or do you want to try your luck with YouTube’s 103,000+ vibrato tutorials?
My Talent Forge has Zen Bowing Exercises
Some of my videos walk you directly through simple, powerful exercises. When practiced on a regular basis, these routines vastly improve your playing. For example, here’s a lesson that teaches a phenomenal tone production and relaxation exercise that I learned directly from Josef Gingold, Joshua Bell’s teacher:
My Talent Forge Brings Ergonomic Comfort
Other videos give you a few simple tips that instantly improve technique and comfort:
My Talent Forge Perfects Peak Performance
Recently, I’ve begun a whole series of videos to coach you on stage performance, performance anxiety, and peak performance. Ever wonder how to conquer the problem of cold hands? Here’s how!:
Moreover, we continually develop new content according to the needs and requests of the [my] Talent Forge community. I love to respond to questions and custom requests from subscribers. So if you have topics you’d like to see, please leave a comment. I’ll gladly respond.
Ready expand your repertoire and skills? If you are, please join us! Oh, and when you do, use the coupon code DavidWallace for added savings! (Seriously, who doesn’t like a discount code?!). Keep calm, and fiddle on!
-Doc Wallace, January 18, 2014
I enjoyed the 5 minute bow! Yes, at first it seemed extreme but it helped, and will continue to do this method. Thanks for all your advice and for joining MyTalentForge. I do have a wonderful fiddle teacher here in Nashville, Gretchen Priest-May, but that doesn’t mean I can’t benefit from other master players and teachers. I am loving learning the fiddle as an adult, and so grateful that there is a supportive community!
Thanks, Donna! The 5 minute bow works wonders, as do the other strategies and methods for learning tunes at [my] Talent Forge. I’m really glad that you’re in good hands in Nashville and that you’re enjoying learning the fiddle as an adult.
Happy practicing!
-Doc
Your website and blog are really looking good! This project is shaping into something very special! -Kurt 🙂
Thanks, Kurt! It’s been a journey that keeps getting better.
Your scales have been incredibly useful for me. To have the correct pitch available for every pitch anytime I wanted, not just at lesson times has been an especially useful tool for me.
Thanks, Sharon, I’m really glad the scale videos are helping! When I discovered what a great shortcut one-octave modal scales are, it revolutionized my whole approach to technique and practice. I will have some additional videos that expand on the concept and generate some variety so that we keep growing.
You’re right that it really is important to be able to lock into true pitch when mastering intonation and the fingerboard. -And I think that’s one area where the new world of online pedagogy offers us advantages that weren’t there as much when I was learning to play.