What to Teach – Technique

Technique is an important factor of playing any instrument.  This should form a major part of your lesson.  Why? Because technique is the foundation on which we build our playing.  Because every piece we are going to play is going to contain technical elements and if you can isolate and perfect them, then playing the piece is going to be a million times easier.

Each instrument has different technical exercises designed specifically to get the best from the instrument.  You will have a stockpile of these from when you were learning.  If you need more, or need some fresh ideas, ask someone else you know who teaches/plays your instrument.

It’s best to not introduce too many technical exercises at once. It can get too confusing to work on scales and bowing and vibrato and posture and intonation and breathing and fingering and pedalling and sticking and embouchure all in one lesson.  So just stick with one.

Make sure the technique you choose to work on is related to the piece you’re working on.  There’s no point in spending 15 minutes of a half hour lesson on scales in thirds if the piece is based on chromatic scales.