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Summer is Coming.................!

May 2, 2012

Become Fluent in Improvisation & Contemporary Styles on Violin, Viola, or Cello

Become a more versatile and creative string player with these courses by Christian Howes.

Whether you’re just beginning to look beyond your classical training, you’re an intermediate improviser looking to expand, or you’re an advanced jazz player seeking more sophistication, expand your musicianship with the resources below suited to your level.  Some of these resources are especially suitable for string teachers.

Easy Tonal Improvisation (Video Series + eBook + Additional Materials)
  • Learn to create melodies, harmonies, and bass lines over the ubiquitous chord progression from Pachelbel’s Canon.
  • Develop the skills needed to arrange, compose, and improvise over triadic chord progressions- the types of skills needed to make your own cover songs
  • This course contains a treasure-trove of materials: 2 videos series, 6 play-along mp3s, a stand-a-lone workbook, and other handouts
  • Written materials utilize our innovative “chord stacks” diagrams which allow you to learn to create lines in a connect-the-dots fashion
  • Skill Level: All levels. Workbook is color-coded to help less experienced readers.
Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
Price: $99.99
Price: $69.95

Jazz Violin Harmony Fundamentals Multimedia Course (Video Series + eBook)
  • Hear and internalize harmony as thoroughly as you do melody.
  • Master skills utilized on a daily basis by top improvising violin players worldwide- skills taught at the Berklee School of Music as part of their string major proficiency requirements.
  • This bundle includes a four-part video series of Chris demonstrating and expanding on key information found in the Violin Harmony Handbook (also included!)
  • Level: Intermediate and Up
Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
Price: $45.00
Jazz Violin Harmony Fundamentals Series (Videos Only - Download)
When Berklee hired me, they asked me to upgrade the proficiency requirements for majors in the string department. The concepts in this curriculum are reflective of the most advanced and current proficiencies for any violinist seeking to internalize harmony on their instrument. When you can do the things in this series, you will be on par with the top improvising violin players worldwide today. The Violin Harmony Handbook is a perfect companion item for this series, as many of the concepts included are all explained and demonstrated in these videos.
Price: $25.00
Blues Improvisation (Video Series + Additional Materials)
  • Learn how to play this bedrock style of contemporary American music from which Pop, Rock, R&B, Jazz, Gospel, Hip Hop, and others draw.
  • Create tension and richness in your playing, both rhythmically and harmonically.
  • This course includes 5 lesson videos, 2 mp3s and a worksheet to get you started on things like:
    1. Translating the blues literary form into effective melodic expression
    2. Generating rhythmic tension through the manipulation of triplets
    3. Creating bass lines & comping patterns in 12 bar blues within various grooves
  • Level: Intermediate and Up.
Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
Price: $24.95
Free Improvisation Master Series (Video Series)
  • Start improvising NOW- without judgement or fear.
  • Develop your own sound and musical signature.
  • Includes two full video series that you can dive into immediately no matter your level of fluency in technique, harmony, and contemporary styles.
  • Skill Level: All levels
  • Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
    Price: $99.99
    Price: $69.95
Teaching Improvisation (Video Series)
  • Teach Improvisation to your students in a clear, easy, all-ages-friendly way.
  • Gain new insights on the nature of improvisation.
  • This series contains 7 lesson videos where Christian Howes’ reveals the secrets behind his unique approach to teaching improvisation.
  • Skill Level: Intended for teachers. Concepts are appropriate for all levels.
Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
Price: $24.95
Price: $18.00
Diminished Scale Master Series (Video Series +Additional Materials)
  • Internalize both the sound and mechanics of the diminished scale on the violin, viola, or cello.
  • Learn how to apply this essential sonic color over dominant chords.
  • This bundle contains 3 lesson videos, one PDF, and one mp3.
  • Skill Level: Advanced.
Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
Price: $19.95
Bebop Scales Master Series (Video Series + Additional Materials)
    Improve your harmonic fluency by adding this common jazz scale to your vocabulary.
  • Increase your comfort and ease playing faster over ii-V-I progressions.
  • This series includes 3 lesson videos, transcriptions in all twelve keys, and worksheets for each video.
  • Skill Level:< Advanced.
Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
Price: $19.95
Melodic Minor Scale Master Series (Video Series + Additional Materials)
  • Add more tonal colors to your improvisatory palate.
  • Evoke the sound of Modern Jazz in your improvisations.
  • This bundle includes: 4 instructional videos and two practice charts.
  • Skill Level: Advanced.
  • Also included in our Creative Strings Academy
    Price: $19.95
    Price: $14.95
All About Eighth Notes (Video)
  • A quick-start, standalone video on different ways to improvise using continuous 8th notes.
  • Skill Level: Anyone who can play eighth notes!
  • Price: $2.99
    Improv Through Variation (Video Download)
    Begin improvising quickly through the use of variation:
    • Change up the melody to familiar songs
    • vary the motifs in common exercises
    Includes ideas for combining improv techniques and technical practice.
    Price: $2.99
    Chord Inversions (Video Download)
    For intermediate improvisers. This lesson demonstrates the importance of knowing how to arpeggiate chords from all four chord tones, the root, the third, the fifth, and the seventh
    Price: $2.99
    Bebop Scale 1 (Video Download)
    For intermediate improvisers. This lesson shows how to create fast streams of 8th notes using the bebop scale.
    Price: $2.99
    Bebop Scale 2 (Video Download)
    For advanced improvisers. A continued lesson of the first lesson of bebop scales, this video shows more advanced ways to use the bebop scale to create fast streams of 8th notes while improvising.
    Price: $2.99
    Jazz Techniques (Video Download)
    Jason Anick shows you useful jazz techniques you can incorporate into your personal style. Includes 4 lesson videos!
    Price: $14.99
    2-5-1 Progression Series (Video Download)
    Learn the basics of improvising in the 2-5-1 progression. Creative String Player Jason Anick guides you through 3 lesson videos.
    Price: $14.99

    Payment Options

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    Not Sure Which Course to Get?

    Schedule a free private lesson with Christian & get streaming access to ALL the above courses via this special promotion.

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