Lora Staples - beginning violin and fiddle expert
Beginning Violin And Fiddle
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Lora Staples' latest beginning violin and fiddle videos
About Lora Staples
Lora StaplesLora Staples began learning the violin in 5th grade in public school through the traditional system. This system combines reading notes and violin techniques for beginners. Four years later, Lora heard about the Suzuki method and regretted that she hadn't learned the violin using this method. However, this motivated her to practice more to reach the level of and compete with children who had learned through the Suzuki method.
Although music was a challenge to Lora, her father always supported her and told her that if she truly wanted something, she would be willing to work for it. Lora diligently followed this advice, bringing her violin everywhere so that she wouldn't miss an opportunity to practice. She continued her hard work until she received her Master's Degree in violin performance.
Lora was able to achieve her dreams of full-ride scholarships, membership to a professional orchestra as principal second violin, and solos with various orchestras.
Lora received an opportunity to teach another violinist's studio of students. She had to learn the Suzuki approach to teach her new students and became convinced that it is the most effective and advantageous way for beginners to learn music.
The most important advice that Lora learned throughout the years and wants to share with students is that success only comes when you believe in yourself.
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Questions, Comments, Requests:

Vasi on June 23, 2023 @6:03 am PST
Hi Lora,
You mentioned about being in the process of filming Suzuki Bk.3. Do you have videos for Suzuki Book 1 and 2?
Thanks
reply
Lora * VSM MEMBER * on June 26, 2023 @9:32 am PST
Hello Vasi,
Yes! I have since finished Suzuki Book 3, and I have full courses on Suzuki Book 1, 2, 3, and 4. You can find them here: https://www.RedDesertViolin.com Hope to see you there!
Becky * VSM MEMBER * on October 10, 2022 @7:30 am PST
Hi Lora, I started violin in elementary school at the 3rd grade. When I got in 8th grade, we lost out teacher when he moved and I quit playing when the next teacher took our orchestra. So, fast forward a good 50 years or so. I was interested again when I started hearing some popular music with violin/fiddle in it and bought a cheap violin. That didn’t make me like it again so I bought a good quality violin and bow and love it now and I am 76 years old. I couldn’t believe I waited so long to play it again. I took lessons from a girl in high school who graduated after I had taken lessons from her for 2 years. I was using the same Suzuki books she learned with and it was a struggle but I found out how much fun it was to play with others again.
reply
Lora * VSM MEMBER * on October 10, 2022 @9:11 am PST
Becky! I am so happy to read that you have reunited with your dear old friend, the violin, after all these years! So glad that you found a teacher to help get you re-started. If you need further guidance, I can help you find a local teacher, or you can also come to my website (RedDesertViolin.com) to find online instruction. Happy music making to you! --Lora
Mimi on August 15, 2022 @12:14 am PST
I am 58. Never touched a violin in my life. Have been learning to play the piano for 2 years. Struggling still. Would it be too much to learn how to play the violin too? Am I over-challenging myself??
reply
Lora * VSM MEMBER * on August 29, 2022 @1:31 pm PST
Hi Mimi! It's so nice to hear from you!
58 is STILL SO YOUNG!!! I do agree that it can be harder for adults, especially the older we get....I don't want to mislead you into thinking it will be a walk in the park. But the metric I use when advising adults is: how many GOOD years do you have left? If a 70 year old is in great health, their mind is sharp, and their joints are flexible, then they probably have at least 7-10 good years left....possibly even more. No one can say with certainty.....but I will tell you: playing violin only makes your joints and your mind BETTER. So, at age 58, if all goes to plan, you should have many many good years to come, and that is enough time for you to really attain intermediate or advanced levels. GO FOR IT! Let me know if I can help you further!
Mimi on August 29, 2022 @6:04 pm PST
Thank you Lora. I will give it some careful thoughts before deciding.
Denise Kennedy on October 29, 2021 @9:48 pm PST
I am a 5 feet tall adult. I have a (slender and short) shoulder surface and with a droop. (Very similar to yours)
I am looking for the best shoulder rest and chin rest combo... any particular suggestion you can make?
Ravindra n on August 3, 2021 @12:18 am PST
Hi Lora.
My daughter is learning violin for last 3 years, Just want to understand, what is the better way to learn staff notation. She is much interested in staff notation learning.
reply
Lora * VSM MEMBER * on August 4, 2021 @10:34 pm PST
Hi Ravindra
Many teachers use the book "I Can Read Music" by JoAnne Martin. It is very simple because it separates rhythm from pitch at first....so you learn them as separate skills first, then combine them later. But that book requires a teacher or parent who can explain.
I happen to have a online class which explains everything very well, especially for violinists.
If you want more info its called "Learn to Read Music" and can be found at www.reddesertviolin.com
You might also ask Fabrizio (the owner of Virtual Sheet Music what resources he has for learning to read music. I bet he has tons of helpful tools! Good luck to you and your daughter!
Lora
RL on May 19, 2021 @8:19 am PST
Hello :Lora. Just wondering what the best order is to go through the pages as they don't appear to be in any particular order...or am I missing somehting?
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Loralyn - host, on June 28, 2021 @8:56 pm PST
Hi RL.....help me out. What are the pages? Are you referring to speed and dexterity exercises? Or...? I'll be happy to guide you if you help me understand what you are referring to. (more details are better than fewer details)
Augustine violinist from Malaysia on October 25, 2020 @2:15 am PST
Good evening Lora nice to meet you today by your website and had read your biography how you became as great violinist until now to be appreciated your interest and hard working as well your beloved father's guide
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Lora * VSM MEMBER * on November 7, 2020 @2:40 pm PST
Thank you, Augustine! It is very nice to hear from you. Keep pursuing your passion of violin! You are making use of online resources, and that is WONDERFUL. Let me know if you have any questions. I'm a little slow to reply....but I DO GET YOUR MESSAGES! -)
Julius Pallof * VSM MEMBER * on April 2, 2020 @4:50 pm PST
love your fiddle music collection. Looking forward to your teaching presentations. I am sure I will learn a lot.
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Loralyn Staples - host, on April 4, 2020 @11:26 am PST
Thank you, Julius. I appreciate your kind words. I love ALL the experts here on Virtual Sheet Music! (I watch them too!)
MELIN, on September 19, 2019 @5:57 pm PST
Hi Laura, by reading the questions, comments and request below i think all that i need to ask is indeed answered.
i thank you for your great passion in teaching and playing the violin. May God bless you with good health, mind and body.
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Loralyn Staples * VSM MEMBER * on September 22, 2019 @8:14 pm PST
Hi Melin,
Very sweet of you! Thank you so much!
Best of luck in your violin studies!
RENNIE on May 4, 2018 @10:06 am PST
Hi Laura,
I am 20 years old and I am from India. It has just been 3 months from the day I started my violin playing. I really don't have a Western classical violin teacher. The major problem which I am facing is that my bow is bouncing and shaking. I improved a bit by viewing some youtube videos. But, still I find my bow shaking especially when i do down stroke. So, please give me a perfect solution for this. If you had already posted videos on this please send me the link and thank you for all your videos and support.
reply
Lora * VSM MEMBER * on September 5, 2018 @10:04 am PST
Hi Rennie,
Here is a youtube video I did on that concept. Have you already viewed it?https://youtu.be/PSBMI1ITe6U
But here are some other thoughts. (I am VERY familiar with this problem, because I struggled personally with it even into my years of playing professionally. It was so frustrating.
Here are two things that contribute HUGELY to the unwanted bounce, (and both of these things are new discoveries since I did the video)
1) too hard of an attack on down bow (it causes your bow to "pop a wheelie"Winky Face
2) too stiff of a bow hand (our curled fingers and colle' motion helps to cushion the down bow attack)
Things you can do to help, specifically on the down-bow strokes:
1) Use colle' (but not TOO MUCH....too much will also cause a spastic bow change and will cause the bounce)
2) Learn to engage your pinky at the frog....pinky adds balance and prevents those klutzy bow changes
3) Tilt the bow as you approach the frog (just from the lapping to the ferrule). As you change from up-bow to down-bow, the tilted bow gives you a nice blade of hair, and a little bit of cusion, AND IT PUTS YOUR PINKY ON TOP, which assists you with #2 above. This also prevents the problem of too hard of an attack.
Rennie, I think these tips will TOTALLY solve your problem.
Please keep me posted. (I am sorry for the delayed reply! The owner of VSM just emailed me to tell me you had written....I missed the notification)
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