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Don’t miss out: Time-Sensitive Opportunity

Are you 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 have been at least a little bit disappointed by other methods, schools, and teachers, including:

  • Folk musicians told to practice classical etudes or memorize tunes and licks, without being shown how to do backup, improvise, harmonize, 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 within children’s methods or learning communities
  • Anyone tired of feeling constrained and limited in your practice, teaching, or career-  tired of being relegated and confined to play or teach prescribed melodies
 

I don’t care about your age, instrument, genre of choice, or learning style. I help musicians who want to enjoy music and grow in a way that works for them.

I like the challenge of figuring out what works for each different student, and I’m shockingly good at helping students find the way forward from wherever they’re at.

I now provide  Practice Classes live on Zoom at no additional charge to members: players, teachers, amateurs, teens, and pros with at least 2 years of playing experience.

We have a full-time member of the NY Met, a violinist with a master’s degree from Juilliard, people in their 70s and 80’s who have played for a couple years self-taught….private and classroom teachers… A self-taught violinist living in Kenya… A member from Japan who doesn’t speak English…

You’ll gain skills that apply across multiple styles including Folk/Bluegrass/Worship/EDM/R&B/Jazz/Pop/Latin….

If you’ve seen my free play along lessons on Youtube, these classes go exponentially deeper.

I prompt you to improvise the entire class. It’s like a Yoga or fitness class because you’ll be doing your practice the whole time, and modifications are always offered for beginning to advanced levels.

These classes can profoundly help you gain enjoyment, confidence, and skills, especially if you come regularly.

You’ll also have access to our Private Facebook Group, so you can get 1-1 support from me and other members in the form of feedback on your videos, audio recordings, or questions.

Every new member can take a free 30-minute private lesson with me.  (I charge $300 per hour for private lessons.) The lesson can help you gain clarity and save enormous amounts of time and frustration. You can use the lesson time however you like, whether you want to play for me or ask questions, or let me ask you questions.

In this community, you’ll get support with anything that applies to your situation, including musical practice (technique, harmony, improvisation in multiple styles)…. career design (how to get better gigs, etc..),  or teacher training.

You can download all my (10 or 11) books and access my courses below.

When you sign up, you’ll pay $57.00 per month. You can cancel anytime. I plan to raise the cost of this program soon. If you join today, you will be grandfathered in at this insanely low rate. 

If you are economically disadvantaged or if you are experiencing a financial hardship, you can pay what you can afford. (Find the email address to reach out and set that up at the bottom of this page).

Why should this program help you when other things haven’t?

My Perspective: a confluence of “10,000 hours” in four buckets of expertise

  • 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 of expertise that positions me to Holistically help musicians and teachers go past playing prescribed melodies.

Here’s the thing:

Your practice is ultimately a vehicle to become a better friend to yourself. 

The focus for me in this community is on cultivating mindfulness, awareness, enjoyment and self-appreciation through your practice.

If you’re tired of feeling limited, unmotivated, negative, and constrained in your musical practice, teaching, or career- and if you’d like to get a helping hand inside a beautiful diverse community of musicians where Every person is valued- 

 Why not try it out and see what happens?

Imagine being able to create your own works like this:

Creative Strings Academy Membership
Includes:

24/7 Access to all premium courses mentioned on this page

Free, introductory 30-minute private lesson for first-time registrants

Digital Books to download and keep forever including:

  • Easy Tonal Improvisation Workbook
  • Jazz Scales for VIolin, Viola, and Cello
  • Jazz Arpeggios for Violin, Viola, and Cello
  • The Chromatic Universe (Chromatic Etudes and Mini-Pieces)
  • Easy Chords for Violin, VIola and Cello
  • The Violin Harmony Handbook
  • Quartal Etudes (Fourths)

Monthly review or video exchange

Join now, cancel anytime

Price: $57.00

Act now to access ALL premium courses below on this page.

“The only course I know for bowed string instruments to go beyond classical music with elements for the complete understanding of musical activity (harmony, rhythm, melody, etc.)

Hear what members are saying

What to Expect

I will teach you to improvise and play with confidence in:

  • Solo, Duo, Trio, Quartet, and/or almost ANY kind of collaborative musical situation
  • Folk, Latin, Jazz, Pop,  R&B, and more styles

 

You'll Also Get:

⚫ Support in growing your technique

⚫ Harmony, Rhythm and groove

⚫ Most Everything I do holds your hand while YOU practice, and comes with modifications to YOUR ability level. “It’s powerful that you were able to take high school students as far as you did. Anyone can learn this stuff.”

Teacher Training- Supporting teachers in diversifying your skills AND helping you teach more efficiently using modern frameworks (like this:))

Freelance/Business/Career Mentoring- Resources and coaching to help you earn income in ways that are  aligned with your values and goals.

Emotional Support- I focus on cultivating emotional safety and self-appreciation as a part of our practice. I do this both via Strategy (such as helping you understand the levels of RISK in different situations depending on your skill set), and by giving constant reminders and prompts during classes (think Yoga).

 We offer sessions to do EFT Tapping with certified facilitator and bassist Evan Gregor.

All Zoom classes are completely safe, as you can remain muted and/or off camera if you prefer.

The FB Group is also completely safe. The safety and respect for every member of our diverse community is my top priority. 

 

jazz scales for violin, viola, and cello visual icon
ultimate Scales Resource

Think,Flesch, Galamian, and Kreutzer for contemporary players“. Scales provided in extended range for violin, viola, and cello in all twelve keys. The forward explains how to optimize scale practice to develop harmonic fluency.

(Sells normally for $19.95)

arpeggios book icon
ultimate Arpeggios Resource

Seventh chords are provided in all inversions for violin, cello, and viola, in all keys. The forward outlines how to use this book to expand your harmonic vocabulary and improvise with greater comfort and ease.

(Sells normally for $19.95)

Violin harmony handbook visual icon
70-page Violin Harmony Handbook

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)
Creative Strings Academy Membership
Includes:

24/7 Access to all premium courses mentioned on this page

Free, introductory 30-minute private lesson for first-time registrants

Digital Books to download and keep forever including:

  • Easy Tonal Improvisation Workbook
  • Jazz Scales for VIolin, Viola, and Cello
  • Jazz Arpeggios for Violin, Viola, and Cello
  • The Chromatic Universe (Chromatic Etudes and Mini-Pieces)
  • Easy Chords for Violin, VIola and Cello
  • The Violin Harmony Handbook
  • Quartal Etudes (Fourths)

Monthly review or video exchange

Join now, cancel anytime

Price: $57.00
 

About me, Christian Howes:

Trained from age 5, I became hungry for new challenges in my teens.

That curiosity ultimately 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 and method was adopted and is still used as required study for all string majors.

Around 2010, I left Berklee on good terms, leaving my elite touring career as the top call improvising violinist in NYC, to go back to Ohio and be a dad.

I decided to create an affordable way for string players to receive my training- and to make my training and curriculum the best of its kind in the world.

Since then, I’ve published over 1,000 free lessons on Youtube, taught classes at Juilliard, Eastman, and hundreds of colleges, schools, and conferences worldwide while refining my online platform over 15 years.

 STAR Players who credit my teaching include: Michael Doucet (Grammy winner), Aubrey HaneyLeah Zeger (Hans Zimmer), Alex Hargreaves (Billy Strings), Andrea Whitt (Shania Twain), Mia Asano, Jason Anick, Mike BarnettJeremy Kittle

 Forget  the stars. I mean they are all super cool people…. BUT….

I’m equally proud to support amateurs, teenagers, private and classroom teachers, orchestral players, struggling freelancers,  working people and retired people with a passion for music outside of their job…

I used to think my role was to teach “elite” players about Jazz … 

I was wrong. 

My role is to teach Anyone who Wants to learn…

the abandoned. The unboxed, lost. confused. The beginner. The person who doesn’t fit into the mold.

Because the fact is that elite players and teachers- including myself- are often hampered by MORE fear than beginners. We NEED to be surrounded by the courage of beginners to break through our crap.

Now, I would much rather teach a beginner who is open to growing than an “advanced” player or teacher who is not. And the more diversity in our community of musicians the better.

What does it even mean, “advanced” vs “beginner”. To be honest 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

Access to personal feedback from me via our private forum

Invites to our live Zoom classes and Q and A’s

Downloads of all my books 

Support with your musical practice: technique, rhythm, harmony, improvisation, accompanying and soloing in multiple styles

Support with your business or freelance career if you want it

Support with your teaching

The support of not only me, but a loving and diverse community


 

Harmony, Improvisation, Eclectic Styles, & More

Whether we studied “theory” in  or not, many of us struggle to hear and apply harmony. 

We improvise inconsistently if at all. We’re led to assume :“If I listen and try harder, I’ll get it.”

****

We practice too many things.

***

 I separate practice into:

Harmony
 Rhythm
Creativity

You’ll gain the ability 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.

I didn’t know how limited my ears were until I joined a band in high school and discovered that I couldn’t recognize:

  •  notes below the register of the violin
  •  chords
  •  melodies that were different than what I had learned

When I combined listening with reading, my ears grew faster. 

I struggled to apply harmony on my instrument.

I discovered that visualizing it on paper sped up the process, like training wheels on a bike.

I developed a visual aid to help conceptualize and apply harmony on any instrument.

 By going through this process with me- you’ll never look at harmony the same again

 

Once you understand my framework for Easy Tonal Improvisation, I’ll show you:

-the quickest ways to memorize harmony without using the 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, and technique.

 

Honoring Your Creative Process

You might assume that you need to spend years mastering harmony and learning tunes before you can be creative.

With my Free Improvisation framework, you’ll start Improvising immediately, regardless of technical ability or theoretical understanding.

 

My creative exercises will help you:

-create something new every time you pick up your instrument

-improvise free from harmonic constraints

-constructively evaluate your creative works

Using the abilities and knowledge you currently have.

 

Traditional training provides some foundation.

 

 It also leaves a lot out.

I’ll help you bridge the gap in your musical skills and awareness via the three pillars of my approach:

-Harmony

-Stylistic & Rhythmic Forms

-Creative Process

Whether you’re just 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 the courses below, including video, downloadable PDF’s, and backing tracks.

Training for All Levels (Violin, Viola, & Cello)

Jazz Scales for Violin, Viola, and Cello eBook (Download)

Scales in extended range for violin, viola, and cello in all keys.  Including how to practice them.

Sells normally for $19.95

 

 

Arpeggios for Jazz Violin, Cello, and Viola (Download) 

arpeggios for jazz violin cello and viola 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 $19.95

 

Free Improvisation Master Series (Video Download)

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 $50.00

 

Teaching Improvisation Series (Video Download)

Improvisation for classical musiciansFor teachers! This series focuses on ways to teach improvisation to students of all ages.

Sells normally for $24.95

 

 

violin harmony handbookThe 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 $34.95

 

Jazz Violin Harmony Fundamentals Series Bundle (Videos and Handbook )

Concepts discussed in the handbook above are demonstrated in this series of videos.

Sells normally for $45.00

 

Easy Tonal Improvisation (Video Series and Extensive Workbook)

Great for any player with basic reading skills. Using the “chord stacks” diagram, you’ll glide through chord progressions, literally connecting the dots to form coherent melodies, accompaniments, or arrangements in many styles. Great for making Youtube covers, looping, arranging your parts for a band, and more.

Sells normally for $24.95

 

Bach Prelude Loop Pedal Series

Jazz Violin Tutorial w/ Loop Pedal on Bach PreludeA 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 structure your improvisation with more variety.

Sells normally for $24.95

 

Blues Improvisation Series 

 If you want to sound “less classical-sounding”, this will help you play more authentically within Blues-related idioms including Pop, Rock, R and B, Jazz, Gospel, or Hip Hop.  Learn to develop harmonic tension and release by combining two blues scales (most people miss out on this!)

Sells normally for $24.95

 

How to Play Bossa and Samba- While Bossa and Sambas are traditional forms from Brazil, they’re at the core of more music than you probably realize. You’ll learn how to feel the clave and adapt your melodies to fit the clave. You’ll be able to create your own accompaniment parts and arrange in these styles.

Sells normally for $24.95

These are appropriate if you’re an advanced improviser or you’re interested in playing Jazz:

Diminished Scale Master Series 

The Diminished scale is an essential sonic color in modern jazz. One of the most magical scales, you’ll get step-by-step exercises to integrate this Modern Jazz vernacular into your playing.

Sells normally for $19.95

 

Bebop Scales Master Series (Video and Worksheet Download)

This course 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 easily. The secrets of the bebop scale, known to seasoned jazz musicians, are laid out clearly for violinists, violists, and cellists.

Sells normally for $19.95

Melodic Minor Series (Advanced)

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 this sound to your vocabulary.

Sells normally for $19.95

 

 ** New: “Playing Without A Net”- Delves deep into the art of playing unaccompanied.

Sells normally for $125

 

You’ll also discover:

-Chopping & Rhythmic Extended Techniques

-Modal improvisation for Rock, EDM, Bluegrass, & world music.

-How to break out of playing the same licks.

-20th 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, I believe you’re perfect for Creative Strings Academy:

-Are you over the age of 12 with at least a few years of experience playing violin, viola, or cello?

-Do you teach private lessons or k-12 strings?

-Do you have a classical or fiddle background?

-Are you a seasoned improviser or jazz player, looking for more advancement and depth?

My Guarantee:

If you spend as little as two hours per week with this course, you’ll gain takeaways including:

-How to make more of your practice time,

-How to dissect the harmonic and rhythmic components of any tune

-How to develop your own personal sound

-How to make sense of different styles of music beyond classical

TeachersGive your students a new curriculum relevant to their needs

You’ll receive seven 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 a top conservatory paying over $30,000 per year in tuition alone.

-You could do research, hire a private teacher in your city, for about $300 per month.

Or, you could 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 on a regular basis

Schedule a free private lesson with a leading expert.

Come to classes live with me where you’ll practice while I prompt you for 90 minutes 

Take advantage of separate Q and A classes where you can 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 send an email to cancel anytime.

Get Personalized Feedback

When you submit videos or questions, I personally respond

Connect One to One

Schedule a free private lesson, and I’ll point out opportunities to grow quickly in accordance 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

Creative Strings Academy Membership
Includes:

24/7 Access to all premium courses mentioned on this page

Free, introductory 30-minute private lesson for first-time registrants

Digital Books to download and keep forever including:

  • Easy Tonal Improvisation Workbook
  • Jazz Scales for VIolin, Viola, and Cello
  • Jazz Arpeggios for Violin, Viola, and Cello
  • The Chromatic Universe (Chromatic Etudes and Mini-Pieces)
  • Easy Chords for Violin, VIola and Cello
  • The Violin Harmony Handbook
  • Quartal Etudes (Fourths)

Monthly review or video exchange

Join now, cancel anytime

Price: $57.00

****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 Josue at info@creativestrings.org and we will figure out a way to accommodate you.