ready to go past playing prescribed parts?
Let me guess:
You’re not a typical musician…or if you are, it’s no longer working for you.
I’m not a typical coach.
I mentor musicians who’ve been disappointed by other methods, including:
- Folk musicians told to practice classical etudes or memorize tunes, solos, and licks, without being shown how to backup, improvise, or gain technique in a way that works for them.
- Classical musicians who want to play other styles without being forced into a “Jazz theory box”.
- Adults who don’t want to be taught exclusively via children’s methods or communities
- Teachers who want to teach in a way that is relevant to their students’ interests and needs
- Anyone tired of feeling limited, relegated, and confined to play prescribed parts.
I don’t care about your age, instrument, genre of choice, or learning style.
I like figuring out what works for each student, and finding the best way forward from where they’re at.
Our cutting edge Guided Practice Sessions (Zoom- live and recorded) serve players with at least 2 years of playing experience, including:
- a member of the NY Met,
- a master’s recipient from Juilliard,
- students in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80’s who are self-taught, or with varying levels of experience….
- private and classroom teachers…
- musicians living in Kenya, Japan, St Lucia, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Singapore, Europe, Canada, the US….
Our members gain skills applying across styles including Folk/Bluegrass/Worship/EDM/R&B/Jazz/Pop/Latin, et al.
If you’ve seen my free play-alongs on YouTube, these Guided Practice Sessions go exponentially deeper.
They’re like Yoga or fitness classes because you’ll be practicing (and improvising) the whole time, with modifications provided for all levels of advancement.
These classes can profoundly help you gain enjoyment, confidence, and skills, especially if you come regularly.
You also get:
- 1-1 feedback on your videos, recordings, or questions in our private members’ forum.
- 1-1 coaching during office hours via signup at dedicated times so you don’t have to wait around. (Think “Concierge Service“)
- a free 30-minute private lesson for new members. This gives you clarity and will save time wasted guessing about what to practice. Use it as you like. Otherwise, I charge $300 per hour for private lessons.
In this community, you can get support with technique, harmony, groove, improvisation and musicianship in multiple styles…. as well as career coaching (how to get better gigs, etc..), and/or teacher training.
We provide EFT Tapping classes to help overcome psychological barriers to your growth and enjoyment. Because your psychological well-being is even more important than your skill growth. The goal is to provide you with more productive and enjoyable practice.
With your trial, you can download all (10 ) books and access all streaming courses below.
The price is $57.00 per month. Cancel anytime. I plan to raise this price. If you join today, you will be grandfathered in at this low rate.
If you are economically disadvantaged or experiencing a financial hardship, we have a PayWhatYouCan option. (Email us via the address at the bottom of this page).
Why should you expect this program to help you when other things haven’t?
My perspective draws from expertise in four areas:
- Classical Training (10k hours)
- Eclectic Musical Styles (10k hours)
- Entrepreneurship and Career Coaching (10k hours)
- Teaching and Teacher Training (10k hours)
That’s 40k hours that positions me to help you go past playing prescribed parts, to make music in more creative, varied ways.
Here’s the thing:
Your practice is a vehicle to become a better friend to yourself.
Whether you are focused on your career, teaching, or musical skill development- We focus on cultivating awareness, enjoyment, and self-appreciation through your practice or process.
If you’re tired of feeling limited, unmotivated, negative, and constrained in your practice, teaching, or career- and if you’d like a helping hand from a proven coach inside a diverse community of musicians where every person is valued-
try it today.
At the very least, you’ll receive a private lesson, 10 books to keep forever, and access to everything here for 30 day
Imagine being able to effortlessly create like this:
Imagine being able to effortlessly create like this:
Act today to access ALL premium courses below
“The only course I know to go beyond classical music with elements for the complete understanding of harmony, rhythm, melody, etc.“
Hear what members are saying
What to Expect
I will teach you to improvise and play with confidence in:
- Folk, Latin, Jazz, Pop, R&B, et al (in almost ANY collaborative musical situation).
You'll Also Get:
- Harmony, Arranging, Rhythm and Technique
- Tailored to YOUR level. “It’s powerful that you were able to take high school students so far. Anyone can learn this stuff.”
- Teacher Training- Diversify and teach efficiently using modern frameworks like my studio is built on.)
- Career Mentoring aligned with your values and goals.
- Emotional Support- cultivate safety and self-appreciation, both via Strategy ( mitigating RISK), and practice prompts (think Yoga). We offer sessions in EFT Tapping with a certified practitioner.
Zoom classes are safe. You can remain muted or off camera if you prefer.
Safety and respect for every member of a diverse community is the priority.
Think, “Flesch, Galamian, and Kreutzer for contemporary players“. Scales provided in extended range for violin, viola, and cello in all keys. The forward explains how to optimize scale practice to develop harmonic fluency.
(Sells normally for $19.95
Seventh chords are provided in all inversions and keys for violin, cello, and viola. The forward outlines how to expand your harmonic vocabulary and improvise with comfort and ease.
(Sells normally for $19.95
Packed with practice exercises, a chord glossary, and solo transcriptions. It’s like Paganini for improvisers.
(Sells normally for $29.95)
Plus:
- Several more books like the ones above to download and keep in your library.
- Live Practice Classes on Zoom
- 1 to1 feedback through video/audio/text exchange in our FB Group
- Q & A and live 1-1 coaching Zoom calls.
- Streaming Access to Class Replays and Extensive Course curriculum
- Emotional Survival Tools for Musicians (Course + live with EFT facilitator Evan Gregor)
- Bonus access to Music Entrepreneurship curriculum and live coaching support
- Direct access to me and our supportive and diverse community- This is a Safe space for all.
- Schedule a free private Zoom lesson when you join today.(New students only)
ABOUT ME, CHRISTIAN HOWES
Trained from age 5, I became hungry for new challenges in my teens.
That curiosity- along with some unusual detours- helped me develop the skill to go beyond classical, the freedom to be creative, and insights to teach others.
While an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music, my curriculum was adopted and is used to this day as required study for all string playing majors.
In 2010 I left Berklee on good terms, leaving my elite touring career as a top call improvising violinist in NYC, to go back to Ohio and focus on being a dad.
I decided to create an affordable way for string players to receive my training- and to make my curriculum the most extensive of it’s kind.
Since then, I’ve published over 1,000 free lessons on Youtube, taught at Juilliard, Eastman, and hundreds of colleges, schools, and conferences, while refining my platform and teaching.
Players who credit my teaching include: Michael Doucet (Grammy winner), Aubrey Haney, Leah Zeger (Hans Zimmer), Alex Hargreaves (Billy Strings), Andrea Whitt (Shania Twain), Mia Asano, Jason Anick, Mike Barnett, Rob Landes, Jeremy Kittle, and many more.
I’m equally proud to support amateurs, teenagers, teachers, orchestral players, freelancers, working and retired people with a passion for music outside of their job.
You see…
I used to think my role was to teach “elite” players about Jazz …
I was wrong.
I will teach anyone who wants to learn: the abandoned, unboxed, lost. confused. The beginner. The person who doesn’t fit into the mold.
“Elite” players are often hampered by fear. We need to be surrounded by beginners.
I would rather teach a beginner who is open to learn than an “advanced” player who is not.
What does it even mean, “advanced” vs “beginner”. Honestly these terms are meaningless.
In this community, we are all the same, on a path of growth.
here's what you'll get
- Access to all courses.
- A free private lesson
- personal feedback from me via our private forum and at dedicated times during office hours
- Invites to all live Zoom classes
- Carefully curated, processed, and edited replay recordings that are easy to browse and use
- Downloads of all books
- Support with technique, rhythm, harmony, improvisation, in multiple styles
- Support with your career if you want it
- Support with your teaching
- The support of an appreciative, respectful, and diverse community
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harmony, improvisation & eclectic styles
You may improvise inconsistently if at all. Whether you studied “theory” in or not, you may struggle to hear and apply harmony.
You may improvise inconsistently if at all.
And you may have been led to assume :“If I listen and try harder, I’ll get it.”
****
But this isn’t working, is it?
In response, you likely have tried following every “tip” out there…
practicing too many things.
Which leads to very little progress at all.
***
When you focus on just a few of the right things, in the right order, it will make practice more effortless, productive, and enjoyable.
For example, I might suggest you separate practice into:
– Harmony
– Rhythm
– Creativity
When you place your attention on the right-few- things, you’ll be able to adapt your playing to many styles without memorizing licks or obsessing over stylistic nuances.
***
busting the myth of "having a good ear"
Like most Suzuki trained kids, I was proud of my ability to learn melodies by ear.
But I didn’t know how limited my ears were until I joined a band and discovered that I could not recognize:
- notes outside the register or timbre of the violin
- chords
- melodies that were different than what I had learned
I struggled to apply harmony on my instrument.
When I combined listening with reading, my ears grew faster.
I discovered that visualizing it on paper sped up the process, like training wheels on a bike.
I developed a visual aid to more easily conceptualize and apply harmony on any instrument.
By going through my process in module two: “Easy Tonal Improvisation”)- you’ll never look at harmony the same .
Once you have this framework, I’ll show you how to go further toward mastery of harmony:
- the best ways to memorize harmony without a diagram.
- the ultimate scale and arpeggio hacks
- how to master more complex harmonies
The best part: You’ll accomplish more in less time by integrating improvisation, harmony, rhythm, and technique in your practice.
***
honoring your creative process
You might assume that you need to spend years mastering harmony and learning tunes before you can improvise.
With my Free Improvisation framework (module three), you’ll Improvise immediately, regardless of your technical ability or theoretical understanding.
These simple exercises will help you:
- create something new every time you play
- improvise free from harmonic constraints
- constructively evaluate your performances….
- using the abilities and knowledge you currently have.
***
traditional training provides some good skills...
But it leaves a lot out.
I’ll help you bridge the gap in your musical skills and awareness via three pillars:
-Harmony
-Rhythmic Forms
-Creative Process
Whether you’re beginning to go beyond classical, an intermediate improviser, or an advanced jazz player, you’ll become a more versatile and creative player (or teacher) with access to courses, live or recorded play-along classes, and dedicated 1-1 coaching.
****
all levels and instruments (minimum 2 years experience recommended)
Sells normally for $19.95
Scales in extended range for violin, viola, and cello in all keys. Including how to practice them.
Sells normally for $19.95
Seventh chords are provided in all inversions for the ranges of violin, cello, and viola, in all keys. The extensive forward outlines how to use this book to expand your harmonic vocabulary and improvise with greater comfort and ease.
Sells normally for $50.00
Begin creating now regardless of your current level. Gain concrete steps to help you develop personal sound. Develop a clear value system for improvisation in any setting.
Sells normally for $24.95
For teachers! This series focuses on ways to teach improvisation to students of all ages.
Sells normally for $34.95
The 70-page Violin Harmony Handbook is packed with conceptual, intuitive, and analytical practice exercises, a chord glossary, and solo transcriptions.
(Think “Paganini for improvisers!”)
Sells normally for $45.00
Concepts discussed in the handbook above are demonstrated in this series of videos
Sells normally for $24.95
Great for players with basic reading skills. Using the “chord stacks” diagram, you’ll glide through progressions, literally connecting the dots to form coherent melodies, accompaniments, or arrangements in many styles.
Great for making Youtube covers, looping, and arranging/writing your part in a band.
Sells normally for $24.95
A four-part series related to Bach’s Prelude No. 1 in G Major. Use a loop pedal to create layers of improvisations. Play in odd time signatures and learn to structure varied improvisations.
Sells normally for $24.95
If you want to sound “less classical-sounding”, this will help you play more authentically within Blues-related idioms including Pop, Rock, R & B, Jazz, Gospel, or Hip Hop.
Learn to develop harmonic tension and release by combining two blues scales (most people miss out on this, so their playing sounds homogenous because they’re exclusively using one blues scale.)
Sells normally for $24.95
These traditional forms from Brazil are at the core of more music than you probably realize. You’ll learn how to feel and adapt your melodies to fit the clave. Create solos, accompaniment parts and arrangements in these styles.
These are appropriate if you’re an advanced improviser or you’re interested in playing Jazz:
Sells normally for $19.95
The Diminished scale is an essential sonic color in modern jazz. Get step-by-step exercises to integrate this vernacular into your playing.
Sells normally for $19.95
This will help you play fast streams of 8th notes over jazz standards, sound authentic within the Jazz lexicon, and play over 2-5-1 progressions. The secrets of the bebop scale, known to seasoned jazz musicians, are laid out clearly.
Sells normally for $19.95
The melodic minor scale is one of the essential tools used by expert jazz players to express modern jazz vernacular, and in this series, you’ll quickly understand how to add it to your vocabulary.
New: “Playing Without A Net”- Delve deep into the art of playing unaccompanied.
Sells normally for $125
you'll also discover
- Chopping & Rhythmic Extended Techniques
- improvisation in Rock, EDM, Bluegrass, Folk, R&B, & world music.
- How to break out of playing the same licks.
- 21st Century Classical-sounding free improvisation
- How to use Amplification, Effects, and Looping,
- How to interpret a chord chart at first sight
- Sequencing and randomness
- The secret to performing unaccompanied without sounding boring or like something is missing
- Bonus transcriptions and scores.
If there’s something you want that’s missing (within reason), I’ll create it.
***
"is it right for me"?
If you can say “yes” to any of these questions, you’re perfect for Creative Strings Academy:
- Are you over the age of 12 with at least two years of experience playing?
- Do you teach private lessons or k-12 classroom music?
- Do you have a classical or fiddle or self-taught background?
- Are you a seasoned improviser or jazz player, looking for advancement and depth?
my guarantee:
If you spend as little as one hour per week with this program, you’ll gain takeaways including:
-How to make more of your practice time,
-How to dissect harmonic and rhythmic components of tunes
-How to develop your own personal sound
-How to make sense of different styles of music beyond classical
Teachers– Give your students a new curriculum relevant to their needs
You’ll receive TEN of my most popular downloadable resources and a free 30-minute private with me lesson valued at $150.
what's training like this worth to you?
- You could get somewhat comparable training at top-ranked conservatories for upwards of $50,ooo per year in tuition alone.
- Do research, hire a private teacher in your city, for about $300 per month.
Or, consider everything I’ve shared here, and…
Get it for much less than that
- Enjoy streaming access to all course materials.
- Download all literature (to keep forever)
- Get access to personal feedback from me- literally one of if not the most highly regarded coaches on this subject in the world– on a regular basis
- Come to Zoom Guided Practice Sessions where you’ll practice while I prompt you and hold your hand- where you’re GUARANTEED to get a rigorous practice workout.
- Get 1-1 coaching on your playing, teaching, and/or career and business.
If you’re not thrilled with the value you get from this, simply cancel anytime.
Get Personalized Feedback
When you submit videos or questions, or attend dedicated office hours, I personally coach you
Connect One to One
Schedule a free private lesson, and I’ll suggest ways to grow quickly in alignment with your goals.
Just hit “Subscribe” below and you’ll get immediate access to Creative Strings Academy, all of the current bonuses, access all-area pass to the site for the next 30 days AND a free 30-minute private lesson for new students.
If you stay beyond 30 days, you’ll be charged $57.00 a month. You can cancel at ANY time and keep all of the bonuses you received when you joined. Just cancel your subscription through PayPal or email support@christianhowes.com
****If you are economically disadvantaged or if you are experiencing a financial hardship, we absolutely want to provide this program for you at a price you can pay. Simply email my assistant at info@creativestrings.org and we will find a way to accommodate you.
