tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:/blogs/musician-s-code?p=9Eric Mrugala Blog2023-06-10T08:16:27-04:00Eric Mrugala falsetag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/72029302023-06-10T08:16:27-04:002024-03-10T16:41:48-04:00How Long Do Thomastik Dynamo Strings Last?<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ZJyPwIPEXfc" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJyPwIPEXfc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>Playing the Dynamo strings is kind of like eating at a Michelin star restaurant. You get the best ingredients, you have a full course meal with all the different flavors. It's a work of art on the plate.</p><p>I don't know if you're into fine dining, but that's how I feel about the Dynamo strings. The Dynamo strings are kind of like a Michelin star restaurant because you have the finest ingredients to eat and you are given this wonderful artistic presentation of the food in front of you and Dynamo tends to be in that category. But, they're expensive and they don't last as long as you think.</p><p>First thing to note, Dynamo strings are excellent strings. You get all the colors that you want, the playability is just remarkable, the different types of colors that you can get out of your instrument has really pushed my instruments boundaries and I can do so much more with just a set of strings.</p><p>For a period of time I was thinking about actually buying a new instrument because I felt like I needed more out of my instrument. But, I didn't want to have to spend another twenty thousand dollars on a new instrument by a luthier or maybe a fine Italian instrument. So, I was thinking, “Okay, let me give these Dynamos a go.” The people at Thomastik-Infeld were generous enough to me to try an entire set of strings.</p><p>I've played these strings for about two months and I've tried them in different settings. I've been playing approximately four hours a day (this does not include any potential gigs that I had). I'm a full-time violin teacher as well, so I've been playing on my instrument and I've been performing in various settings like musicals,and in orchestral settings.</p><p>I'm not gonna go into the specs of the strings because that's something that I've already talked about in one of my other Dynamo strings videos <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/L9MKXt-SrRM" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">so take a look at that when you get a chance here.</a></p><p>In my opinion, the Dynamos are not for the beginner or intermediate violinist. They are more so for the advanced to professional violinist who is looking more out of their instrument someone who is consciously aware of the different colors and how to use different technique to get those colors out of an instrument. That is what these strings are designed to do and if you don't know how to do that then these strings are not for you.</p><p>However, the strings have a good lifespan for a professional string in this category. In my experience with other violin strings in this price category, they last about a month and a half to two months. If you are a soloist, you might be really encouraged to hear that because you might be changing strings once a month maybe once every two weeks so if I were you I would buy maybe 10 to 20 sets for the entire season and then see how they last with all the performances and all the practice so that way you have a fresh set of strings every time you play. But I find that the sweet spot for these Dynamo strings happen around the fifth day, around day five and day 14 out of these strings because you can get a good idea of the tuning stability maybe 24 hours after the string is settled onto your instrument and then pretty quickly these strings settle in but then like the sweet spot for you to really understand the potential of the strings and depending on your humidity depending on your instrument I found that between day five and day 14 when the strings have really really come to its own. </p><p>There's very little to be disappointed about these strings I have found them to be reliable and wonderful to play. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/71729702023-03-17T08:50:00-04:002023-05-16T23:24:59-04:00Thomastik Infeld Dynamo Strings - Full Review<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="L9MKXt-SrRM" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L9MKXt-SrRM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><h2> </h2><h2>Dynamo Violin Strings Review</h2><p>The newly announced Dynamo violin strings from Thomastik-Infeld are a new line of strings that offer a violinist musical and techinical capabilities that you don't see in other strings. </p><p>For its price tag (as of this writing) $142 USD, these strings are not cheap. However, the Dynamos are not meant for every violinist. </p><p>Let me explain.</p><p>For an average beginner violinist, they would not be able to hear or understand the difference between a set of $40 strings versus $142 strings. </p><p>The Dynamos were designed for the player who wanted to expand their musical colors, and have more verstaility in their playing. </p><p>Check out my full YouTube review on the Dynamo strings. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/71694972023-03-11T10:09:09-05:002023-03-11T10:09:09-05:00Everything You Need To Know About Apple Music Classical - FULL BREAKDOWN<div class="video-container size_xl justify_right" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="B1XB_qabZBc" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B1XB_qabZBc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><h2 style="text-align:center;">Apple Music Classical - Everything You Need To Know</h2><h2 style="text-align:center;"> </h2><p>Apple just announced that it will be releasing its brand new music app called Apple Music Classical. This isn't news to anyone and it has been rumored that the new music app will be available sometime in 2023. </p><p>After its acquisition of Primephonic in 2021, Apple has been secretly working on this classical music app that will allow Apple Music subscribers to listen to Puccini's <i>La Bohème </i>all day long. </p><p>If you're like me, a classical musician and consumer of classical music, this is an exciting announcement for a few key reasons:</p><ol>
<li>Implementing Apple's Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos into Apple Music Classical will allow the listener to feel like they're in the seat of an actual concert hall</li>
<li>High quality audio - Apple Music Classical will stream at 192khz/24 bit hi-res lossless audio</li>
<li>Getting beginner classical music listeners an opportunity to learn more about the art form</li>
</ol><p>Let's talk about the technical side of the equation,</p><h3>Apple Spatial Audio & Dolby Atmos</h3><p>I've been eagerly waiting for the announcement for this reason. After Apple introduced Spatial Audio, I've always felt that it could have an amazing potential in classical music. There is a nuiance to classical music that you don't get in other music genres. But, with the combination of Spatial Audio and it's next amazing feature, this will go in direction competition with Idagio Music</p><h3>192khz/24 bit hi-res lossless audio</h3><p>In my opinion, we have entered a new age in digital classical recordings with the likes of Apple Music Classical and Idagio. As an audiophile, it's always great to hear sound engineers be creative with how they place microphones in front of an orchestra. With modern tech evolving in the sound engineering space, it's clear that combining all the elements of Apple Spatial Audio, and hi-res lossless audio will make the experience of listening to tiniest details even more enjoyable. </p><p>Call me crazy, but I want to hear the bits and crackles of rosin hitting the violin string and getting the precise sound of the orchestra. I get goosebumps just writing about it. </p><p>And Lastly…</p><h3>Classical Music for Beginners</h3><p>There is no question that Apple has a major influence on tech around the world. With its massive fanbase with the iPhone and Mac, it gives the Apple lover another reason to love the brand even more. The accessibility to Apple Music Classical will be incredibly easy to listen to for anyone with an Apple Music subscription. (At this time of writing, Apple Music Voice plans are not currrently compatible for Apple Music Classical. </p><p>But most importanly, the conversation around the classical music community is reaching a wider audience for people to appreciate the art form and to buy a ticket to go see a classical music concert live. I think this will benefit the consumer, solo artists, and larger orchestra organizaitons to reach more people. </p><p>What are some things you're looking forward to with the Apple Music Classical App?</p><p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/71097302022-11-25T00:00:00-05:002022-11-25T00:00:06-05:00Best Black Friday Deal for Musicians 2022<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="le6VpjcM6yw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/le6VpjcM6yw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/le6VpjcM6yw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The Best Black Friday Deal For Musicians 2022</p>
<p>Black Friday is a great way to spend less on music necessities and also give an amazing gift to the musician in your life. </p>
<p>I'm happy to partner with Tomplay on their amazing Black Friday sale. </p>
<p>For a limited time, Tomplay is offering <strong>40% off</strong> an annual subscription for their interactive sheet music platform. With over 40,000 pieces of music content to choose from, the musician in your life will have music all year long. If you're not sure, just see for yourself in a demo video just above here. </p>
<p>You can get <strong>40% off </strong>Tomplay by clicking the banner down below, or by <a href="https://tomplay.com/premium-trial?ref=ericmrugala">clicking here.</a> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://tomplay.com?ref=ericmrugala&tap_a=120556-d1bba5" rel="nofollow" target="_BLANK"><img src="https://static.tapfiliate.com/635fca701248d623784498.png?a=120556-d1bba5&s=3185089-50b2c8" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/70730892022-10-02T17:59:21-04:002022-11-05T15:17:35-04:00Here Is How I Performed 65 Events in 2 Years<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="kRTH33UB5D8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kRTH33UB5D8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kRTH33UB5D8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Here is how I played 65 Events in the last two years </h2>
<p>In today’s video I want to share with you how I was able to perform 65 events in the last two years. </p>
<p>I wanted to share this with you because I know some of you in this community look for ways to increase your musical presence and to get hired for events, performances, and more. </p>
<p>If you’re new here, consider subscribing for more related content on violin tutorials, and music business videos. </p>
<p>These 65 events were split in a few ways </p>
<p>Musicals <br>Classical Performances (orchestras) <br>Non-classical performances <br>Wedding Events </p>
<p>The 65 Events did not include rehearsals for these performances and there could have been more but because of COVID the entire music scene evaporated for 4 or 5 months. </p>
<p>Musicals are great because you have multiple shows in a given amount of time and that can typically happen in the winter or the summer performance season. </p>
<p>Classical music performances in the northern hemisphere usually have between September and May. </p>
<p>Wedding Events happen all throughout the year but for me, I find that most weddings happen between May and October. </p>
<p>Non Classical music like pop, and world music can happen at any time of the year because these performance usually involve large venues. </p>
<p>I’m glad I’m able to diversify at this stage of my career because when I was in college, I thought I was going to audition for orchestras and only stay in the classical music scene. But I think there is a limitation to sticking to just one genre of music or one type of performance engagement. That’s why I like to play in other settings like musicals and non classical music performances because it gives me diversity in my music career. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Beethoven, but it’s nice to be able to play other styles outside the genres. </p>
<p>By the way, what are some tips you can suggest to the community for getting performances and events? Let’s have a conversation in the comment section below. </p>
<p>One of the core foundation to getting these events and performances was having the musical ability and performing at the highest level you possibly can. This means you have to put in the practice and improve on every performance or practice session. By doing so, music directors and contractors will notice and mark you down for their call back list. </p>
<p>I believe this is important because if the same people are calling you back for performances multiple times a year, that means there is also an income that can be more predictable in your music season. This may be the case if you are part of a regional orchestra and you have services that are guaranteed to you for the season. </p>
<p>If you’re interested in more music business videos, check out some of my other popular videos that will help you get ahead in your music career.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/70477242022-08-29T17:01:38-04:002022-08-29T17:01:38-04:00The San Antonio Symphony Turns Into The San Antonio Philharmonic <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="XR7f7Mr36FM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/XR7f7Mr36FM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XR7f7Mr36FM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The San Antonio Symphony Turns Into the San Antonio Philharmonic</h2>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/70308012022-08-20T09:00:00-04:002022-08-28T09:16:01-04:00The Secret To Your Music Success<p>Any professional musician knows that your online presence is crucial to connecting with your audience. </p>
<p>But oftentimes you see a talented musician connecting and interacting online, but monetization isn't part of the equation until later on. </p>
<p>To me, it's important to have musical goals, and financial goals when you pursue a music careers. This helps you be clear with your goals to turn your passion to a full blown career. </p>
<p>It's not bad to have a dollar amount value to your music, your merchandise, your lesson fee, etc. The diversification of income helps keep your feet in many places. </p>
<p>You can do all of these by using a music website hosting service called <strong>Bandzoogle,</strong> which is the service I'm using now to write this blog!</p>
<p>I like using Bandzoogle and partnered with them on my YouTube channel because you have more control of your career, brand, and monetization capabilities, especially for classical musicians. </p>
<p>Sign up for a full year of Bandzoogle using my promo code <strong>ERICVIOLIN</strong> and get 15% off your first year!</p>
<p>Classical musicians, you have a voice and you can monetize it. Diversify yourself and provide value to your audience!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/70307702022-08-06T21:00:00-04:002022-08-07T11:33:14-04:00A New Way To Invest In Musical Instruments? - Thoughts on Strumenti<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="1LCqs6qWb-A" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/1LCqs6qWb-A/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1LCqs6qWb-A?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><i>The following blog post is not financial advice. The information in this article is used for entertainment purposes only. </i></p>
<p>Many violinists cannot afford the tools of their trade. </p>
<p>A lot the famous musical instruments made by Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati, and Vuillaume, are too costly and out of reach for most musicians. In fact, there are very few violinists that own their Strads outright. This begs the question, <i>"Will I or can I own a sliver of a rare instrument?".</i></p>
<p>Well the people at Strumenti believe you can. Think of it like a mutual fund for the string instrument world.</p>
<p>Strumenti's goal is to allow people to invest in shares of rare stringed instruments, and make an impact on the career of a musician. </p>
<p>Strumenti takes elements of purchasing a portion of a mutual fund, where you can have partial ownership of your favorite instrument like owning your own Bored Ape Yacht Club image, to owning a share of a valuable instrument in real life. </p>
<p>And Strumenti consider this as a long term investment. (Definitely do not think of this as a get rich quick quick opportunity.)</p>
<p>The company argues that investing in an instrument long term offers great returns than the stock market that historically average <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042415/what-average-annual-return-sp-500.asp">between 7% to 12%</a>. When you invest, you become what's considered a patron investor and have to fall under the requirements of the SEC. (securities and exchange commission)</p>
<p>To me, this is a forward thinking idea would consider this a long term initiative like real estate. </p>
<p>Historically, real estate values have only gone up except for one time and that was the 2008 crash in the US. Musical instruments and buying musical instruments have been considered a part of the luxury item market. many of these instruments are sold in auction by the highest bidder. When these instruments continue to go to auction, the values continue to increase over time based on the value in which it was purchased at auction. However, when there is an instrument produced by a living maker, the value of the instrument is based on whatever the maker is selling it for. </p>
<p>The problem for a long time was that many institutions, banks, and foundations with lots of capital were able to pay for these instruments in cash outright and end up going into museums or private collections. Musicians never get a chance to perform on these rare instruments, and that is why Strumenti was created. </p>
<p>The only downside I see with Strumenti at the moment is that you need to be able to make a minimum investment of $10,000 and hold that investment for a minimum of 5 years. Which is still not AS approachable of an investment to the common person. </p>
<p>This is an intriguing idea and I want to get your take on this in the comment section below!</p>
<hr><p>Subscribe to Eric Mrugala Violin on YouTube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/70149092022-07-16T09:00:00-04:002022-07-16T09:00:01-04:00How Musicians Can Prepare For An Upcoming Recession <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Hd2FZGQSoaE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Hd2FZGQSoaE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hd2FZGQSoaE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">How Musicians Can Prepare for A Recession</h2>
<p>We are in the midst of a global recession. With rising cost of gas, groceries, and other living essentials, a situation where decline in work and rising inflation can really effect the music economy. In today's video, I will talk about how musicians of all genres can prepare for a recession. </p>
<h4>What is a recession?</h4>
<p>- A recession is when the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fall for two consecutive quarters.</p>
<p>This was bound to happen due to supply chain issues. Because of supply chain, there isn't enough people to go back to work to fill up the demand from before the pandemic. Then, at the same time, the cost of making a product and the cost of material has gone up</p>
<p>From a musician's perspective, <em>have you noticed the cost of strings going up?</em></p>
<p>All of this can be overwhelming. I want you to take a deep breathe, and tell you that everything is going to be fine. </p>
<p>I have some tips and suggestions how musicians can prepare for a recession:</p>
<h3>Be a part of a community</h3>
<p>When I first started my YouTube channel, my goal was to provide content for people who needed help with their violin playing. </p>
<p>Little did I know that I would form a community of all levels of violin playing talking about various music topics. With a recession on the horizon, it's important to have people in your corner to get through a stormy season. I invited you to be a part of this community <a contents="by subscribing to the channel.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">by subscribing to the channel. </a></p>
<h3>Income Diversification </h3>
<p>When I was in my Bachelor's program, I was training to become an orchestral musician. but then I realized towards the end of my degree that I didn't want to pursue that career track because I would be limited to only one income stream. Also, around that time many orchestras were going on strike and I thought that the typical orchestra job may provide a "sense" of security, but that security like that is an illusion. </p>
<p>That's why I want you to think about other ways to diversify your income if there was a recession. Here are some ways you can do that:</p>
<ul> <li>Teaching</li> <li>Part Time Service Orchestra</li> <li>Wedding Duos/Trios/Quartets</li> <li>Organize chamber music concerts in your community</li> <li>Work in a public school music program</li> <li>Host a workshop in your community</li> <li>Grants</li> <li>Sell Music</li>
</ul>
<h3>Keep Spending to a Minimum</h3>
<p>Living on a less than you make is sound financial advice from any wise advisor. As I mentioned before, the cost of painting our instruments have gone up. The rates for gigs are going up, but they're slow to catch up. </p>
<p>Be <em>mindful</em> of your spending habits in your music business. If you're low on a cash, then you might consider purchasing a lower level string set rather than a $100 set you're used to getting. Maybe it's getting a cheaper re-hair at another shop that the shop you usually go to. </p>
<p>Another thing you might want to consider the time it takes to drive and perform a gig. </p>
<p>Here's an example:</p>
<p>Let's say a local orchestra manager calls you and offers you to perform in their cycle for $450. The cycle is 5 services plus a one hour dress rehearsal. Each rehearsal is about 2.5 hours long with a 15 minute break in between. </p>
<p>The total cost per service would be $90, or $36/hour. </p>
<p>But, the gig is about 40 mile drive away and you would drive close to an hour. A roundtrip would result in an 80 mile roundtrip and a total of two hours of driving per gig day. </p>
<p>This means that your $36/hour gig drops if you include the time to travel and from the gig to <strong>$20 per hour! </strong>That's a <strong>$16/hour </strong>difference in your take home pay. And we haven't even considered the cost of gas right now in the current economy. </p>
<p>Hypothetically, let's assume a gallon of gas in your area costs $4.50. For round numbers, you have a car that carries a 10 gallon tank and your gig mobile gives you 40 to the gallon. </p>
<p>For this gig alone, you will be driving 400 miles (200 each way). You would have spent close to $50 for gas in a real life condition including traffic, stop lights, etc. </p>
<p>All of a sudden, your gig went from $450 to <b>$400. </b></p>
<p>Also, let's not forget that many of these performances are usually self employed income and you have to take out money out of that paycheck for your quarterly taxes (these are numbers are just an exercise and would be best to consult with your tax person).</p>
<p>Normally you would put aside 25% to 30% of your income to pay for self employed taxes. </p>
<p>So this let's do the math:</p>
<p>$450 x .30 (30%) = $135 that you have to put aside for taxes</p>
<p>$450 - $135 = $315 </p>
<p>$315 - $50 = <strong>$265 profit</strong></p>
<p>That $265 profit doesn't look so sweet anymore compared to the $450 that you could have gotten. </p>
<p>The point of this exercise is to show you that you need to be smart with how you use your time, your energy, and your money when there is a recession looming. A $450 gig may look attractive, but it may not be worth it in this context. </p>
<p>Be <em>smart</em> with your work. During a recession you want to have many options open to you. Mom musicians are freelancers and are in the gig economy so having flexibility will be a major plus. </p>
<p>All in all, be wise with your financial decisions in relation to your musical business. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/70019492022-06-26T09:24:07-04:002022-07-14T16:27:51-04:003 Things I Want In The Apple Classical Music App<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Q-R77AVFa58" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Q-R77AVFa58/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q-R77AVFa58?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">3 Things I Want in the Apple Classical App</h2>
<p>Hey there, </p>
<p>With the recent acquisition of Primephonic back in the Fall of 2021, we are starting to see glimpses of Apple making moves towards the release of its very own dedicated classical music streaming app. </p>
<p>This comes as no surprise as MacRumors.com found the coding in the recent iOS 15 update. I anticipate this classical music streaming app to be released in Fall 2022 right before holiday season, and right around the same time Apple could announce new headphones and earphones. </p>
<p>Hypothetically, let's imagine that there is a clean slate for Apple to redesign the UI and service for their classical app. If I were in the room with the thought leaders and engineers, here is what I would want as a classical music lover in the app. </p>
<h3>High Quality Loss 16 bit 44.1 kHz Audio </h3>
<p>Apple has always thrived as a hardware company. With the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max currently on the market, these headphones offer what no other headphones can do well, <em><strong>spatial audio.</strong></em> </p>
<p>Spatial Audio helps give the depth of classical music that it was lacking for such a long time. If you add the 44.1 kHz audio with this, instrumental music will sound lively and in the same room. </p>
<h3>Easy Composer Search & Metadata </h3>
<p>This, to me, is the primary reason Apple acquired Primephonic in the first place. Instead of building something from scratch, Apple bought Primephonic because they see a potential in this market and the only way to get ahead is to use the user interface that Primephonic already established. T</p>
<h3>Classical Music Livestream Concerts </h3>
<p>This will be very interesting to see if Apple decides to incorporate this feature. Its now rival, Idagio, does this very well. There are different tiers of pricing and subscription offerings that gives the listener or viewer an opportunity to watch concerts. While Idagio is based in Europe and focuses a lot on European orchestras, it would be nice to see Apple Classical have livestream concerts of US orchestras.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala<br>Violinist</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/69920522022-06-11T20:21:26-04:002022-11-05T15:17:35-04:00iOS 16 + Classical Music App UPDATE<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="tMWfm2FD_CY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/tMWfm2FD_CY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tMWfm2FD_CY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">iOS 16 + Classical Music App UPDATE</h2>
<p>Apple's 2022 WWDC event showed us some great updates in the upcoming iOS 16 update. </p>
<p>However, what excites me most is that Apple is finally making plans from its purchase of Primephonic, the classic music streaming service. </p>
<p>In today's video, I dive in to this specific update and how it relates to Apple's potential classical music app.</p>
<p>Watch above!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/69831062022-05-30T21:00:00-04:002022-05-30T21:00:01-04:00Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein - REACTION<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="O8117gt5YIw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/O8117gt5YIw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O8117gt5YIw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein</h2>
<p>Netflix just released some photos of Bradley Cooper in <em>'Maestro'</em> depicting the late Leonard Bernstein. Here are is my reaction in today's video. </p>
<p>Leave your comments down below, what do you think of the transformation?</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/69594862022-04-28T20:18:25-04:002022-04-28T20:18:25-04:00Easy Violin Warmup Exercises<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="6htSK1a6-FU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6htSK1a6-FU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6htSK1a6-FU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Easy Violin Warmup Exercises</h2>
<p>In today's video, we're going to be talking about some simple violin exercises that you can apply today in your practice.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, here is what you're going to get out of this video:</p>
<ol> <li>A simple left hand exercise from Schradieck's op. 1</li> <li>Right hand bow exercise to strengthen the side of your hand</li> <li>Posture</li>
</ol>
<p>You can find the time stamps in the YouTube video if you want to skip around. </p>
<p>These are three things I share with all my students because they're SIMPLE. </p>
<p>Let me know in the comment section if you liked this video. If you're not a subscriber, please subscribe to the YouTube channel for more violin videos!</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE BELOW</p>
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<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/69563142022-04-25T11:37:43-04:002022-04-25T11:37:43-04:00Shure MV51 vs Earthworks Audio ICON - Battle for best USB Microphone<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Nq_CchRyaTw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Nq_CchRyaTw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nq_CchRyaTw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Shure MV51 vs Earthworks Audio ICON</h2>
<p>Today, we are going to compare two really good microphones, the Earthworks ICON, and the Shure MV51.</p>
<p>These are two USB mics that are on the market and are actually two of my favorite microphones that i like to use. I am going to gonna put these two microphones to the test in today's video.</p>
<p>Check out the video above to watch!</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>If you like this video, subscribe to the YouTube channel!</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.youtube.com/emrugala" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/emrugala</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/69427342022-04-07T11:37:39-04:002022-04-08T10:16:44-04:00How to Perform at Carnegie Hall <h2 style="text-align: center;">How to Perform at Carnegie Hall</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="e340PpT6WtU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/e340PpT6WtU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e340PpT6WtU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Last week I was in New York City to perform at what is one of the most exclusive classical music venues in the world, Carnegie Hall.</p>
<p>I'll be answering one question today, "How do you perform at Carnegie Hall?"</p>
<p>Here was the schedule for the entire cycle I played with in this fun Opera/Pop crossover group:</p>
<p>Tuesday Rehearsal - 2 hours<br>Thursday Rehearsal - 2 hours</p>
<p>Saturday </p>
<p>6:30 AM - wakeup<br>8:00 AM - Bus Pickup in New England<br>11:45 AM - Arrive in New York<br>2:30 PM - Rehearsal <br>5:00 PM - Dinner Break<br>7:30 PM- Performance in Zankel Hall<br>10:00 PM - Back on the bus</p>
<p>Sunday </p>
<p>1 AM - Drop off in New England</p>
<p>You might be thinking, "That is quite the schedule all in a day's work to perform at Carnegie Hall..."</p>
<p>When you're on tour with a group, this is a typical schedule that you might experience. Luckily this was a mini-tour down to NYC so it wasn't a commitment for months at a time. But many musicians who are on the road have a pretty similar schedule compared to the one I outlined above. </p>
<p>The opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall is a dream that many classical music students aspire for.</p>
<p>We've all heard the famous story. How does one get to Carnegie Hall? "Practice, practice, practice!"</p>
<p>This is a pretty simple answer. But having been out of music school for some time now, I realize that getting to perform at Carnegie Hall requires a combination of three things (one of them includes practice, but I will get to that in a moment.)</p>
<h3>1) You need to be passionate about music</h3>
<p>What does being passionate about music look like? Everyone has a different idea in their had about what that means. For me, it's knowing that I can't imagine myself in any other profession than the one I'm in right now. I knew early on in my life that music was a major part of who I am. It's a part of my identity. </p>
<p>My guess is that if you're thinking about performing at Carnegie Hall one day, then you're serious about becoming a professional musician. Here is the thing, you need to be so passionate about music that you live and breathe it every day of the week. If all you think about is playing your instrument or wanting to get better at playing your instrument, then you're on the right track. </p>
<p>Now, I'm not saying you go bonkers and obsessive about the whole process. This is, of course, a balancing act with you mental and emotional well being. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/813988ba743fb140c06509477fddd3a2c591f15f/original/freda-world-music-130.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">PC: Julia Cumes Photography</p>
<h3>2) Love the process of being a musician</h3>
<p>There is one thing about being passionate about music, but it's also the process of being a musician. What does that look like?</p>
<p>- Do you enjoy practicing?<br>- Do you enjoy going to rehearsal?<br>- Do you feel excited or energized after performing or attending a concert?</p>
<p>If you said yes to all of them, amazing!</p>
<p>If not, then I would ask yourselves these questions and see if you can find the underlying problem. While I'm here to tell you my three points about getting to Carnegie Hall, it's not all glamorous as one thinks to get to perform there. </p>
<p>There will be days where you do not want to practice. There will be days where life throws you a monkey wrench and you don't have enough time in the day to get your practicing done. </p>
<p>To me, I feel my happiest when I'm holding my instrument. I remember working non-musical jobs to make ends meet that didn't require holding a violin. It made me upset whenever I couldn't play my instrument, even if it was for 5 minutes. </p>
<p>However, the love I have for music help understand that this whole process is a marathon and not a sprint. Even if it means touching my violin for 5 minutes, it's 5 minutes more than practicing 0 minutes. </p>
<h3>3) Practice doesn't make perfect</h3>
<p>Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes <strong>permanent</strong>. </p>
<p>This does not only pertain to violin playing, it's also your behavior towards having a music career. </p>
<p>If you make a conscious effort to apply the needed skills that will help you succeed on a daily basis, then you will create success for yourself as a musician.</p>
<p>Aristotle says this, <em>"Excellence is not an act, it is a habit."</em></p>
<p>Practice isn't a one time act, it's a daily reminder that there is always something to improve in ourselves as violinists, and as people. Being perfect is impossible, but <em><strong>striving</strong> </em>for perfection what we ought to always aim for. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>I hope this blog post was valuable and if you liked what you read or watching, subscribe to my YouTube Channel down below for video tutorials, vlogs, and more!</p>
<p>YouTube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/emrugala">https://www.youtube.com/emrugala</a> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/68610122022-01-16T08:00:00-05:002022-01-16T08:00:01-05:00Fix Your Shaky Violin Bow FOR GOOD<h2 style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="FHtty14Bz1Q" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/FHtty14Bz1Q/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FHtty14Bz1Q?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Fix Your Shaky Violin Bow FOR GOOD</h2>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/68610112022-01-15T08:00:00-05:002022-01-15T08:00:01-05:00Left Hand Violin Thumb Placement <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="b0TYcDZpaGU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/b0TYcDZpaGU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b0TYcDZpaGU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Left Hand Violin Thumb Placement </h2>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/68610012022-01-09T10:00:00-05:002022-02-06T14:34:45-05:00The Secret To Good Violin Sound, It's Not What You Think<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="GWO-lgyEt4w" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/GWO-lgyEt4w/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GWO-lgyEt4w?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/68609952022-01-06T12:12:54-05:002022-01-06T12:14:59-05:00What kind of strings did Jascha Heifetz play on? - Tricolore Strings Unboxing<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ZzfHZZYbCU4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZzfHZZYbCU4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZzfHZZYbCU4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">I Bought Strings Heifetz Used To Play On</h2>
<p>A little while back on the YouTube channel, I said that I want to switch out my Dominant Pros. I actually went to the community board on my YouTube channel to say,</p>
<p>"Hey, I want to switch on my Dominant Pros, what string set should I get? What should be my next string set?"</p>
<p>I have delivered on the strings, and I'm so excited to be sharing these strings with you today. Because after the poll on the community board, 41% of you wanted me to surprise you. Well, I feel like I have done just that.</p>
<p>Now before we get into the string set that I bought, we need a little background on these strings. There really isn't an official strings review of this string set on YouTube and I figured, you know, I might as well be the first one or one of the first few if there is a string set review of these strings then i have not seen it. But I figured I'm goin to serve you guys and I want to try these strings for myself so that way you can make an opinion whether or not you want them or not.</p>
<p>I've been playing on synthetic core strings for pretty much a very, very long time. I have dipped my toes in the water for gut strings and a hybrid of gut and synthetic strings. I played on the Passione by Pirastro and the Passione Solos, and those were great. But the problem is is that they don't last very long. About a month long depending on how much playing you're doing. I usually navigate away from gut strings because gut strings tend to get out of tune really easily especially with the repertoire that I play, especially when I do recording sessions. As I was deciding my strings, I looked back to what the old timers used to play on. I started a Google search and started a YouTube search:</p>
<p>"What kind of strings did Jascha Heifetz play on?"</p>
<p>I present you the Tricolore strings. Almost the exact strings that that Heifetz used to play on. These strings are the exact strings that Jascha Heifetz used to play on in the 20th century. A man in Minnesota bought a machine that creates the exact specifications of the strings Heifetz used to love playing on, and the e string is the only thing that is a little different about this set.</p>
<p>The e string is complete steel, but the A, D, and G strings are completely gut. (CORRECTION, G string is Silver).</p>
<p>Just to give you some parameters that A string is at .78 millimeters, D string is 1.06 millimeters, and the G string is .80. I bought this set for $102.75, and that's with the shipping and that is also with the varnishing of the strings.</p>
<p>If you ever play on gut strings and if you tend to sweat a lot while you play, that'll actually ruin the string over time. So what this does with the varnishing of the strings is that the strings will not absorb the moisture when you're sweating while you're playing and will last longer over time.</p>
<p>Strings are competitively priced at $102.75 for the total package because the Dominant Pros cost $99 (that's without shipping and handling) and for a little more for $114 dollars you can get the Rondos. So this is competitively priced these strings.</p>
<p>I will post upcoming videos about the Tricolore strings in upcoming videos and blog posts!</p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67881502021-10-31T10:00:00-04:002021-11-04T09:06:09-04:00Perfect Violin Bow Hold For Any Violin Player<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="QxZbFJXV7A0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/QxZbFJXV7A0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QxZbFJXV7A0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Perfect Violin Bow Hold For Any Violin Player</h2>
<p>hey youtube violinist in today's video we're going to talk about how to set up the perfect bowl hold stick around to the end of the video i'm going to go step by step on how you can play with a good bow hold if we're meeting for the first time my name is eric i'm a violinist thanks so much for coming across this channel i do a lot of violent content and violent tutorials such as this one if you haven't done so already please make sure to hit the subscribe button hit the bell notification so that way you get notified for when new videos come out it also helps me out as a content creator to provide more videos for you in my previous video we talked about setting up the left hand but in today's video we're going to be setting up the right hand we're going to go step by step as opposed to going straight into you know the final step and how you can achieve a good bow hold i have various bow tutorials and boho tutorials on this channel but they really don't go in depth as this video so i encourage you to watch until the end i go step by step which finger goes where and why holding a violin bow doesn't have to be a difficult thing we just go through a series of steps so let's say we have a violin bow in our hand assuming they have a violin bow and you want to make sure that your violin bow is vertical and we're gonna go step by step and right over here you see that there is this a silver uh wrapping of uh on the on the bow and you also have this thumb leather but we're also going to use this index finger to help grip our index finger over here so that is your first point of contact right over here and then the thumb goes underneath and i want to be clear that the thumb it does not go sideway you might notice that my thumb knuckle does not go all the way to the left it goes a little bit downward because that'll make space for the rest of the fingers to to be nice and relaxed let's go back to step one that index finger goes right over here the second finger the thumb goes underneath and then this second finger makes contact with the thumb that's important and a lot of times i teach my beginners that you know the little bunny ears suzuki violin teachers have you ever done the the bunny ears yeah they're really cute but anyways understanding and establishing that contact with the with the thumb and the middle finger right over here and making sure that the there's a bump in the thumb and the curvy second finger or middle finger per se that is what we want because eventually this bow hold this invisible boho that you see it's going to turn out like this so back to the vertical bow we have the first finger we have the second finger and we have the the middle finger so right now it should be something like this all fingers should be curved now you might notice on your bow you have this little circle we call this the eye with my beginners so i like to put my ring finger over this eye and then last but not least i have the pinky and the pinky should be curved also now a lot of times when we go horizontal you may notice that my fingers become a lot straighter and my knuckles are up so that's why it's important for when you establish this bow hole you put the violin up on your shoulder and then you put the bow on the string because that way as you can see the fingers are nice and curvy because once because if you go from here to here then the student is trying to hold the bow for dear life and then all of a sudden you have a bunch of bad things like the banana thumb right over here which is no good you have a straight pinky um you have a index finger that's like kind of very pronated which is not a bad thing you know russian bow grip is very pronated like this that's something that i don't teach because it makes the child very uncomfortable from my experience it may be different for you but again that is a completely different conversation so let's review the steps so we got the index finger right over here the second finger and then the the middle finger over here the ring finger covers the eye the pinky is curved it's very important that it's curved now a lot of students will try to do this way you want to make sure that the pinky is bent put the violin on the shoulder and then that's your bow hold very very clean beautiful bow hold and you see that there's this curve of the pinky i'll go in a little closer nice good curvy pinky and that's pretty much it you know those are the steps of establishing good bow hold because this boho the belgian franco boho will establish a lot of flexibility going up and down the string and in my next video we're going to be going off of this video and talk about bow crossings and smooth bow changes so use this video as a reference for you to use in the next video which will be released later so if you like this video please make sure to hit the subscribe button hit the bell notification so that way you get notified for when new violin tutorials like this come out make sure to hit the like button because that helps me out to create more content like this for you so again stick around on the channel because i'm going to be releasing smooth bow changes and string crossings in the next video thank you so much and see you next time</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67881492021-10-30T10:00:00-04:002022-02-01T15:44:06-05:00RELAX Your Left Hand On The Violin! <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="FTg9KjIyTIs" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/FTg9KjIyTIs/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FTg9KjIyTIs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">RELAX Your Left Hand On The Violin! </h2>
<p>In today's video, we are going to be talking about relaxing the left hand stick around to the end of the video you don't want to miss this.</p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67881482021-10-27T08:17:49-04:002021-10-27T09:40:36-04:00G Model Ultralight Violin Shoulder Rest - First Impressions<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="jLqlNwoP7TM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/jLqlNwoP7TM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jLqlNwoP7TM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Most INTERESTING violin shoulder rest?<br>G Model Ultralight Violin Shoulder Rest</h2>
<p>We have a very special first impressions video of the G model ultralight shoulder rest. It's one of the most interesting shoulder rests that I have come across in today's market.</p>
<p><em>Before we get to the first impressions i just want to thank violinists Giora Schmidt and Marcelo Gonzalez who have kindly sent me this wonderful ultralight shoulder rest for me to review.</em></p>
<p>Now, a few impressions of this really cool and different shoulder rest is that you notice that there aren't any handles that would grip the violin.</p>
<p>We're going to get to that in a second because in my previous video which I have deleted i actually installed the shoulder rest wrong so as a courtesy I want to make sure that all of you are getting the most out of this video so that way it's installed correctly when you first open (the shoulder rest) in the box.</p>
<p>I was able to look at Giora Schmidt's videos on his website which helped me a lot but I want to make sure that this community gets the proper installation.</p>
<p>The Ultra Light shoulder rest comes at just a few grams (20/21 grams to be exact) and it is very very light. You can see that this is Giora Schmidt's new logo that he recently announced on his instagram, and we have, of course, the logo of the ultralight shoulder rest. Again you don't see so much of the the grip and the handle and again we're gonna get to that but let me tell you what the shoulder rest comes with.</p><!-- Start Virtual Sheet Music Code -->
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<p>It comes with a special non-harmful glue.</p>
<p>And I know what you're thinking glue, "I'm not going to put glue on my instrument!"</p>
<p>Well, this isn't that kind of glue and i'll explain why.</p>
<p>It also comes with this with this elastic band and it also comes with these little these little plastic circles.</p>
<p>I'm really liking how light this shoulder rest is. What i'm also enjoying is how thin the foam is on the shoulder rest. Something a lot of shoulder rests lack is like a proper cushion. The Kuns and the Everests, they tend to have a nice cushion but sometimes it's a little too much. I want to feel more of my instrument. I want to feel more connected with my instrument and this shoulder rest does the job.</p>
<p>A couple of fun facts about this shoulder is that it's designed out of the the fibonacci sequence (the golden ratio) so the maker of the Ultra Light has really thought this through so that way the the golden ratio proportions are laser etched out of this really beautiful Chilean wood.</p>
<p>I also want to mention that these corks are non-removable as far as I know but you can order the corks in different heights so that is a plus. If you have a longer neck or if you have a shorter neck and you have a different body build then that's good news for you because you can order the corks pre-made, unfortunately. You cannot replace the cork easily and I think the cork comes designed with the shoulder rest so. That i would say is something that you have to just order in advance. You have to make sure that you measure yourself out before you get the shoulder rest.</p>
<p> <a href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/instruments/strings-sheet-music/900119?aff_id=687531"><img src="https://assets.sheetmusicplus.com/banner/Strings_AF_468x60-v2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sheet Music Plus Music for Strings" /> </a></p>
<p>You will also notice is that there's a small circular foam on top of the cork, this is where we get into the conversation of this non-harmful varnish glue. You're going to use some of this glue and you're going to apply it right on the top of the foam. I applied maybe five or six coats and as when i talked to the the maker of the shoulder rest it is normal for you to apply five to six coats or as many coats as you need. But, in my experience I was able to put this on in about five coats. Ideally what you want in what Giora Schmidt explained in his video is that you want a shiny surface and that is when you know you are allowed to install the shoulder rest so when it comes to the actual installation of the shoulder rest the way you see the logos is actually the way you install it.</p>
<p>There's no gripping of the sides or the corners of the instrument so my violin actually resonates more while not interfering with the actual acoustics of the instrument. So that is a plus, kudos to this team for really thinking this through and designing this.</p><script type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.refersion.com/creative.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.refersion.com/creative.js"></script><script>$rfsn_creative.generate('refersion_client/28747/creatives/dynamic/36152-d702ae8c14255ce26e3bac97525617df.json', {
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<p>Let's say you have this glue at home where you're at a gig or you're performing somewhere. Well, have no fear because this is where these elastic bands come in. so i'm going to install these very quickly on the violin and this is what it looks like from the from the back of the violin so the way i installed it with the elastic is these little loopholes are designed to be at the corners of the instrument and then i would put the big the big elastic circle on the button down here</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What do you think of this shoulder rest? I'm curious to know your thoughts! </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67807852021-10-19T16:55:37-04:002021-10-27T11:53:54-04:00Left Hand Articulation on the Violin - Violin Lesson - Violin Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="TDMO8PjSgSI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/TDMO8PjSgSI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TDMO8PjSgSI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Left Hand Articulation</h2>
<p>In today's video, we're gonna be talking about one specific topic that you have requested in the community board on my YouTube channel, and that is left hand articulation. We're gonna go deep into left hand articulation what you need to do with the left hand what you need to do with the right hand ensure good clear uh articulation on the left hand. </p>
<p>In this video specifically we're going to be talking about left hand articulation under a slur because you might notice that in pian in piano music we have long long slurs in the piano music however those are not technically slurs right because how can piano slur doesn't make any sense but those are actually phrase markings the musical markings as to what the composer wants the phrase to do in comparison to the violin we have let's say we have a bunch of </p>
<p>We have a bunch of different left-hand articulation techniques that we can do under a slur so one of them let's say let's take a Schradieck exercise, for example. </p>
<p>you might notice that as i am i'm articulating that left hand as i go up the string so if i go up the note you hear that little bit of that little bit of uh sounding as i me pounding on the fingerboard actually it's not that much though there are a couple things that you need you need speed and agility of the finger so depending you can't if you have slow fingers you're not going to get a sound from the left hand but if i do </p>
<p>if i have a little bit of speed and agility onto the string right then i will get that really um pounding sound on the left hand now eric what about when you're going down the scale like for instance well in this case i we want pluck this left hand string </p><!-- Start Virtual Sheet Music Code -->
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<p>there's also left hand picado for those of you who are new to us on the on this channel and we have you notice how there's a bit of clarity while i'm plucking the string cellos also do this if they wanna if they really wanna get a clear sound from their c string or their g string they would actually pluck the string as the bow move so that way they get a nice clear uh beginning of the note so but in our case </p>
<p>you want the speed and the agility of the fingers of the left hand to articulate the sound but then on the way down you can't really re-arc you can't really re-pound the the fingers like because then you will end up playing three notes right so when we have pluck the left hand or try to do this exercise on e string and then you know there's that famous uh </p>
<p>you know round of the goblins kind of excerpt and that will that'll help you get that nice clear you will build some calluses and it will hurt a little bit at first but i guarantee you that you're gonna build a lot of clarity under slurs this is also clear in like eight the fourth movement of beethoven's opus 18 number one right so the first violin </p>
<p>you know that entire movement is full of these kinds of slurs if i do it without the pizzicato the left-hand pitcher </p>
<p>i can do it it'll sound okay but if i'm trying to project each single note and make sure that each single note is clear in a big large concert hall of course i'm overdoing it to make a point right i would not that's too much right but if i do a little just enough then i'm gonna get that really nice clear sound out of my slurs another example of this is mendelssohn's violin concerto first movement first page so we have </p>
<p>all of that is underneath the slur so check this out i'm pulling the fingers to create that articulation and then </p>
<p> <a href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/instruments/strings-sheet-music/900119?aff_id=687531"><img src="https://assets.sheetmusicplus.com/banner/Strings_AF_468x60-v2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sheet Music Plus Music for Strings" /> </a></p>
<p>all of that requires plucking of the left hand so it is something that you have to practice and it will be painful because you have to build calluses under your left hand and it'll create a lot of strength to be able to do that and once you establish that then you've unlocked another level of your vile implant because then you're gonna have nice crisp clean sound and notes that are really articulated underneath the big slur another one is schubert's </p>
<p>bumblebee so all of that i'm pulling the string i have my you know a sharp as an anchor </p>
<p>you can hear that there's that clarity there's a you know that crisp clarity that comes from the left hand if i do i'm not gonna get that clear sound if i only rely on the speed and the agility of my left hand if i combine the three the left hand picado and i also combine the the jilly and the speed and then you sound really really good and if there's anything that i want you to take out of this video is that three things you need speed agility and the left hand pizzicato from uh from your left hand because once you start incorporating that in your practicing especially in your scales and in your strategic and your ceph check all of that is really really beneficial because if you work on that you know outside of the music you really get to focus on what needs to be done with the left hand how do how does my hand feel how is my hand shaped is it more this way is it more that way and i have a bunch of other videos on the on the youtube channel that addresses you know left hand posture and position so that you can you can you can rely on those on the youtube channel i hope this video helped you when it comes to left hand articulation and i hope it answered any kind of burning questions that you've had about left-hand articulation leave a comment down below was this video helpful and what do you do to ensure left-hand clarity and left-hand articulation i want to know your thoughts i want to get a conversation going down below thanks so much for watching this video i hope this video helped if it did hit the like button and if you're not subscribed please make sure to hit the subscribe button hit the bell notification so that way you get notified for when new videos come out especially violin videos and it also helps me out as a content creator to provide more videos for you check out some other violin videos that i have on the channel and i hope that they will be helpful for you thanks so much and i'll see in the next video</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67450412021-09-13T19:44:48-04:002021-09-13T19:45:48-04:00How Do I Get Into Music School? - 5 Things To Look For In The Audition Process<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="DkSrlCTILaY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/DkSrlCTILaY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DkSrlCTILaY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br>In today's video, we're going to be exploring the college audition process. It could be a little nerve wracking, it could be a little scary. But, I want to share my tips and tricks on how you can have a good college audition season this year. </p>
<p>Today we're going to be talking about five things for you to take note as you dive into college audition season. And it can get a little nerve wracking because you're all of a sudden making a very big life decision to get into music (and congratulations on making that decision!). It's a huge step forward and I know that a life full of music and studying music at the collegiate level is a very rewarding experience so I applaud for taking a big leap of faith. </p>
<p>Looking back on my experience into the whole college audition process, the first thing that I did that you should do is talk to your teacher. Your teacher (your private teacher) knows you the best in your private lessons. You've been with him or her for the last few years, they know how you play, they know what level you're at, and they might make some suggestions as to what kind of repertoire you might want to play for the college audition process. </p>
<p>So I would recommend talking to your instructor, your violin teacher, to get the best opinion on what you should do to prepare for this process. </p>
<p>Once you've had that conversation with your teacher, then you want to do your research. </p>
<p>Researching different institutions around the world is a good next step to really take note of this college audition process. </p>
<p>This is an overwhelming step 2 I would say. For me, when I was doing this college audition process, the second step of trying to find which music school is the right fit was actually really overwhelming for me. So, when you do your research, I want you to notice a few things. </p>
<p>I want you to notice, is there a lively music community in this school and in this area that you're going to be going for. Because if you're going into school for performance like I did, you want to make sure that there are performance opportunities, right? Not just inside the school, but also outside of the school. So that way you can build your professional experience in and out of school. And I think it is super valuable that we're starting to see more even in the job market. Right now in 2021, Fall of 2021, we're experiencing a large, large pool of jobs being open right now. And this is a great opportunity to be marketable in your field. And people are going to recruit you depending on how much experience you have. </p>
<p>The next thing I would research is the course load. What does the course load look like? What do the classes look like? What kind of topics will you be exploring? What topics are required out of your performance degree? Each conservatory, each music school has a different set of classes that are more or less aligned with the same kind of topics. But there might be some electives that will help you get to the next step. So yeah, I would do your research on those courses and on those electives. </p>
<p>Something that I would also do your research on (something that helped me as a musician) is diversity of the student body. If you have a lot of diversity you will learn a lot more from your peers. So, that is kind of like a little bonus tip that I want to add for you. Is that you have a diverse student body coming from different countries and it's very international, you're going to learn a lot more than you have a specific kind of student body. So I would really encourage you to explore that as well. </p>
<p>This next step be kind could be 2B but I'm making this a separate step because it's so important. It's to find the right teacher. </p>
<p>You want to find a teacher that will align with your goals, will align with your playing style, because many different teachers have different teaching styles. Even though this person may be (that you're researching) teaches at a good institution (or what you might THINK is a good institution) that teacher may not be for you. It doesn't matter what the institution is, what matters is the teacher. And if the teacher and the institution both match what you want out of your collegiate education in music, then that is what you should be going for. </p>
<p>You want to make sure that you can hit two birds with one stone. That the university or the college or the conservatory is really good, and also the teacher is very good. So that is a very big step 3. </p>
<p>In addition to that, I would add that if you have the opportunity, if you have the ability to have trial lessons with these teachers, <br>I would recommend that you do so. So that way you're not at the audition and then requesting a trial lesson because at that point you're in audition mode and you're traveling to different places around the country and around the world. It can get very exhausting and it could be very tiring. So I would recommend getting a trial lesson with a teacher before your audition so that you can get a better idea whether or not this teacher is the right fit for you. </p>
<p>I remember thinking there's this one school that I got into and I was like, "Oh this is a great institution!" But the teacher, you know, doesn't really align with my goals or my values. So I actually chose another institution another school and the teacher and the school really meshed well together and my values actually aligned with the values of the school. That's something that I would really encourage you to explore. </p>
<p>So, we did research, teachers, classes, the next one is the goals. You have to make sure that your goals align with your teacher's and your goals align with the institution. You're going to be spending 4 years practicing in the school and in ensembles. You want to make sure that these 4 years are well spent. So, are these goals of the institution align with your goals? Do the goals that you have align with the goals of the student body? </p>
<p>This is crucial because you don't want to make a decision in the first year and all of sudden be like, "Oh my gosh, I made a mistake. I made a huge, huge mistake. I actually don't want to go to school." </p>
<p>Keep in mind that if you want to transfer schools, a lot of these credits in conservatories and music colleges are not transferrable. Some of them are, but a lot of them aren't. You're going to have to start from square one from freshman year. Like, if you finish your freshman year, your full freshman year and you're like, "I don't like this institution" and you apply somewhere else, it's very unlikely that they will accept you as a sophomore. You will have to go back through their system, through their curriculum as a freshman. And that can be very frustrating so I encourage, I implore you make sure that your goals are aligned. </p>
<p>Last but not least, and this is a big one. Check the price of the school. We're kind of in an epidemic of student loan debt in the United States. It's really bad. You want to have good value in your education and of course if you are at a level where you're able to get a scholarship, get as much scholarship as you can. Try to negotiate! Checking the price of the institution is actually very, very, very, VERY important. Because sometimes schools are going to overcharge for education. And you're not going to get that much value out of that education. Or, there are some institutions that offer the price, and they offer the result and that's what you pay. But, check the price on what you can afford. </p>
<p>I feel like the number one reason why musicians don't find success after school is because they're in student loan debt. I can't tell you how many people that I know who are struggling with student loan debt in the music field and they have dreams, they have goals like recording an album or starting a chamber ensemble. Student loan debt is a crisis in the United States. So if you can avoid student loan debt at all costs, do so. Because it's going to help you. </p>
<p>And the reason why I say this is because orchestra jobs are becoming less and less available around the country of the United States. When I was auditioning for orchestras there were maybe 50 full-time positions available out of a pool of enormous amount of violinists. Kind of like what my former violin teacher said, "If you win an orchestra job, it's kind of like winning the olympics." And it's very very difficult to achieve. </p>
<p>However, musicians are going to be natural entrepreneurs after they graduate from school. So you're going to be spending a lot of time away from your instrument instead of practicing so that you can form something of your own like a non-profit, etc. </p>
<p>If you can avoid a student loan debt to focus more energy and more time into your goals and into your craft and into your music, that is a huge thing. </p>
<p>Let me know in the comment section. What are you nervous about or what are you excited about in the college audition process? I want to know your thoughts and I want to get this conversation going down below. If there's any video that you would like me to make, please post it down in the comment section below that way I can make a video about it or respond to you. </p>
<p>And if you liked this video and you liked the content that you found in this video, please make sure to hit the subscribe button, hit the like button, and hit the bell notifications so that way you get notified for when new videos come out. Again it helps me out as a content creator to provide more videos for you. And be sure to check out other violin tutorial videos on the channel right here and right over here to get started on some more violin videos. Thanks so much and I'll see you in the next one!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67436912021-09-12T07:38:05-04:002021-10-27T11:55:17-04:00How To Play The Violin With A Long Neck - Violin Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="yfn8RZmIJ1I" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/yfn8RZmIJ1I/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yfn8RZmIJ1I?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">How To Play The Violin With A Long Neck</h2>
<p>Hi violinists!<br><br>In today's video, I'm going to address exactly a common issues amongst violinists. How do you play the violin with a long neck? We will be taking a closer look. </p>
<p>And if we're meeting for the first time, thank you so much for coming across the channel. My name is Eric and I'm a violinist. I do a lot violin tutorials such as this one and other classical music videos. If you haven't done so already, please make sure to hit the <a contents="subscribe button" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">subscribe button</a>, hit the bell notifications so that way you get notified for when new videos come out. It also helps me out as a content creator to provide more videos for you. </p>
<p>Let's address the long neck problem.</p>
<p>"Do I need a high chin rest and or do I need a high shoulder rest?"</p>
<p>Well, probably neither of the two. Because, I'll tell you a little story before we get to the whole tutorial. I actually got injured by adjusting my chin rest and adjusting my shoulder rest. And, it got so bad where you know your feet fall asleep you get the needle feeling in your feet? </p>
<p>Well, I was feeling that in my fingers. It took my about a year in music college to really find, while working with a professor, figuring out how I'm supposed to hold my instrument and how I can avoid injury for the future. </p>
<p>And by then I had a very tall chin rest, and a very tall shoulder rest. Because my neck is kind of tall and it's kind of long and all of a sudden I put my violin on my shoulder and I have so much space left.</p>
<p>And you're probably thinking,<em> "Should I, even myself, need a high chin rest?"</em></p>
<p>That's actually not the case.</p>
<p>A lot of students and a lot of teachers who teach oftentimes say, "Okay since you have a tall neck let's raise the shoulder rest, or raise the chin rest." If I had to choose one of the two, I would lift the chin rest a little higher and not the shoulder rest.</p>
<p>Let me tell you why.</p>
<p>Because, when I lift the shoulder rest up my angle on my shoulder is actually going to be a lot higher and I'm actually going to experience a lot of pain in my shoulder. </p><!-- Start Virtual Sheet Music Code -->
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<p>So, when I am relaxed, the whole point of my setup right is so that I can play for long periods of time. I teach for 6 or 7 hours every day, and I want to make sure that I have enough space for me to move my head, for me to have a lot of weight down on the string. </p>
<p>If you're a beginner watching this video, you don't need to slouch, you don't need to have a high shoulder rest or a high chin rest. All you need to do is that your head is relaxed, because your head is quite heavy.</p>
<p>You don't want to be too much at an angle if you can see by my neck. (check out the video above for more) If I do this, this is no good. If I do too much straight, then it's also no good because my head has no contact with the chin rest. I want to be able to have the luxury of lifting my head off if I get tired. But also I have to avoid bending my neck at an angle. </p>
<p>So, I want the violin to be as close to me and as snug to me as possible to me so that way all I have to do is rest my chin on the violin. I have a couple videos regarding some shoulder rests that you can use like the Kun, and the Mach One, and the Bon Musica. So, whatever floats your boat, whatever helps you get the best result, that is a shoulder rest that should be good for you. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Take note that we want the violin to be close to the head as possible. When our neck high is too high, we want to rest it down just a little bit. Because then we're going to injure our shoulder and parts of our neck just enough so you can lift your head up, and you can move around as so. </p>
<p>I like this approach because it allows for a lot of relaxation in the neck, and also a lot of flexibility you can adjust your head movements accordingly. And that's pretty much it! It's a short video, but there's actually not much more to it!</p>
<p>Number one thing you should achieve as a violinist is to relax. When we're playing the violin, there will be tension in other places of the body. The head and the neck should be relaxed as much as possible.</p>
<p>--</p>
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<p>Check out my free Intro to Violin Course -<a contents="&nbsp;https://violin-academy-online.thinkific.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://violin-academy-online.thinkific.com"> https://violin-academy-online.thinkific.com</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67436872021-09-12T07:19:57-04:002021-10-27T12:19:03-04:00Apple Acquiring Primephonic, Good or Bad for Classical Music?<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hnXlx3okuDk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/hnXlx3okuDk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hnXlx3okuDk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Apple Acquiring Primephonic, Good or Bad for Classical Music?</h2>
<p>Apple made a very interesting purchase. Let's talk about it.</p>
<p> If you haven't heard, Apple decided to purchase a classical music streaming service called Primephonic. There's a competitor out there called Idagio, but we'll get to that in a second.</p>
<p>Apple Music bought Primephonic. Didn't say for how much according to the Verge article that's down in the description below </p>
<p>Yeah, I have some thoughts about it. Let's dive right in! </p>
<p>So for those of you who are into tech and into tech news, let me give you a run down on of what Primephonic is (Or was). Primephonic was a classical music streaming service that was created three years ago in Europe. And what Primephonic did really well that the other streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services that didn't do well, was they didn't do classical music well. </p>
<p>Because classical music is not just AN artist and the name of a song, right? There's a lot more than that. </p>
<p>There's a lot of metadata that goes into classical music such as the composer, such as the conductor, such as the orchestra, the pieces that the orchestras are playing, all of that stuff that Apple Music, Spotify, all the streaming giants really couldn't do well. And Apple knew that they couldn't do that well.</p>
<p>So... [Apple] found an opportunity to buy Primephonic, and so they did. </p>
<p>In this game, cash is king and Apple has a ton of cash that they're sitting on. </p>
<p>So, I think that this is a good decision for Apple. I think from a business perspective, obviously this is the most correct decision that Apple can make right now. They just introduced Dolby into their ear buds, and they're having a lot of success with that. And my two cents is that they're going to try to expand that technology into the classical music streaming world. Which I'm excited about as a consumer. </p>
<p>It's going to be really really great to have that spacial audio experience in my ear/earbuds. Because that was something that was really lacking in classical music streaming services. Is to have that technology where I honestly felt like I was sitting in the concert hall. THAT is a very unique experience. </p>
<p><em>Sidenote: If you're a concertgoer, or if you're not a classical music goer, I encourage you to go, by the way, support your classical music orchestras in your city or in your home town. They're really struggling right now, and they need someone like you to support them by attending a concert.</em></p>
<p>So again, from a business standpoint, this makes a whole lot of sense for Apple to acquire Primephonic. </p>
<p><em><strong>However,</strong></em> there's also another streaming service called Idagio. And I'm curious, was Idagio ever in the conversation? Idagio also had the same goals as Primephonic maybe they wanted to maybe not be a part of the Apple Music ecosystem and they wanted to be their own thing. </p>
<p>But Primephonic, in their statement on <a contents="primephonic.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.primephonic.com" target="_blank">primephonic.com</a> they announced that to "gain a wider audience, to get a bigger audience, the most obvious decision for them is to be a part of Apple Music."</p>
<p>Which, again, makes sense they want classical music to be in the masses. So, Apple Music swooped them up kind of like Apple Music or Apple as a company swooped up Beats by Dre. Same kind of situation. </p>
<p>Will Primephonic still be its own app? </p>
<p> <a href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/instruments/strings-sheet-music/900119?aff_id=687531"><img src="https://assets.sheetmusicplus.com/banner/Strings_AF_468x60-v2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sheet Music Plus Music for Strings" /> </a></p>
<p>No, it will not. </p>
<p>According to Apple, they are going to have an Apple Music Classical app specifically for classical music which I'll be very interested to try out and give my honest opinion and feedback once that app is released. </p>
<p>Will it be the same pay structure as Apple Music, or will it be different? </p>
<p>Well, who knows. We have no idea about that. </p>
<p>But for people who are now enrolled in Primephonic, they were given a certain expiration date, and they're also going to be given 6 free of Apple Music, courtesy of Apple, you know, gratis, for free. So that's kind of nice that Apple Music is able tot take care of the Primephonic customers. </p>
<p>However, there are no new Primephonic customers as of today. You cannot go on Primephonic.com to become a new member. Just can't do it anymore. </p>
<p>Now, that's from the <em>consumer side. </em> That's from the consumer side, me wanting to purchase an experience with the Dolby Audio Experience and all that, I get it, that's fine. </p>
<p><em>But what about the artist's perspective? </em></p>
<p>What about the people who are putting music on Primephonic and on these classical music streaming platforms, </p>
<p><em><strong>What's going to happen with their pay? </strong></em></p>
<p>The reason why Primephonic was so beloved by the classical music community is that they paid their artists fairly. </p>
<p>You're starting to Apple Music and Spotify streams costing less and less and less as time goes on. To me, I feel like there is a slippery slope even though Apple is acquiring Primephonic for the benefit of the consumer, and the benefit of their company to let's face it, increase subscribe numbers and increase revenue from subscriptions, and money and all that good stuff, will that mean the same for classical music artists? For classical music artists such as myself do I trust Apple to have the same pay structure as Primephonic did or Idagio? </p>
<p>That is not in the Verge article and if you have more details about that or Apple, if there's an executive watching this video please email me because I would love to have a conversation with you how this is going to benefit musicians. </p>
<p>The pay structure, is getting less and less and less for classical musicians. We're struggling right now with orchestras and concert halls not being open. What is Apple going to do to help the artists? </p>
<p>That's a big question for Apple. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Subscribe on YouTube - <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67080102021-08-20T08:00:00-04:002021-09-12T07:03:29-04:00Here Is How You Make Your Violin Sound Good<h2 style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="yUcuXUjKcgA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/yUcuXUjKcgA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yUcuXUjKcgA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Here is how you make your violin sound good</h2>
<p>Hi there violinists of YouTube, in today's video we're going to be exploring how to get a good sound on the violin. I'm going to guide you step by step on what I think should be a good sound and my approach to providing and creating a good sound. Stick around to the end of the video for this tutorial. </p>
<p>Also if you're new to my community, my name is Eric and I'm a violinist. I do a lot of violin content, classical music videos on this channel. And if you're not subscribed, I encourage you to <a contents="subscribe" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">subscribe</a>, hit the bell notifications so that way you get notified for when you new videos come out. </p>
<p>Making a good sound is not as hard as you think. Usually a lot of violinists (a lot of beginner violinists) they try too hard to make a good sound on the instrument. However, less is more and if you feel more relaxed, the louder your sound will get, the better you'll actually play your instrument. </p>
<p>The first thing I want to talk about is your <strong>posture. </strong></p>
<p>Having good posture while you're playing the violin is very important. And typically speaking, when you lift your shoulder up in various ways it's not the most natural way to stand up. So you want to make sure, that you are being as natural as possible and all you do is put up the violin as so. The more you move, the more you try to fix the violin posture, the worse it's going to get. So see if you can talk to you teacher and use this video as a reference to figure out what is the right posture for you. </p>
<p>Once you figure that out, I want to put your violin up and I want you to relax your hand and the bow on the string. A lot of times beginners will think, "Oh! I need to make sure that I'm holding the violin bow as tight as I can so that I can keep it afloat." As a matter of fact, if you really think about it, the bow is falling down on the violin, and the violin is breaking the bow's fall. So as long as you're providing enough grip, not grip as in tension, you're just holding the bow in a way that will let the bow rest on the string, then you're going to get a nice good sound. </p>
<p>One more thing that I want to encourage you to do is to breathe during the process. Inhaling and exhaling. It is not natural to hold your breathe while playing the violin because tension builds up in this area here, in the upper torso. If you're not breathing, and you're just trying to play, the body will feel tense. Not just your upper torso, but everywhere else. </p>
<p>Let's move on to the next thing. We got the posture, we got the ability to hold the bow, hold the violin up. Now I want you to bend your knees and I know you can't see my screen of course. You should have a nice, relaxed, balance on both legs. And you don't want to squeeze your knees so much. That will actually help you stay grounded and for you to provide a good sound. And once you have established that when you actually make a sound, you want not just to breathe in, but to breathe out. Exhaling will release all the tension in your body for you to create a nice beautiful sound. </p>
<p>Now, let me demonstrate how this process works. It kind of happens all simultaneously and I'm going to do this a couple times for you to actually follow along. So what I do is once I have my violin in place, I have my fingers set on the left hand and the right hand, I take a deep breath and I let my knees help me with the process of pulling a sound.</p>
<p>Now, I want you to notice that I used the word, "pull'. I did not say, "press". If we press, we are going to get a very aggressive sound and that is no good. And what I'll do is I'll use the gentle cushion of the bow hair to provide that sound. You can definitely use more bow hair if you're playing something loud, such as a concerto or you need to project inside a big concert hall, you use a lot of hair. But in this case for this exercise, you might be able to see it here, there you go there's my angle, it's not so much where the stick is over the bow hair, but ever so slightly so you get that edge, you get the nice cushion. And I want you to bounce, that bow hair on the string. We are going to rotate our shoulder in an oval motion. And then in combination. with the good posture, and the breathing, and the cushion of the bow hair, we're going to play a note. </p>
<p>The reason why soloists have this beautiful sound is because they have perfected this. It's just a bunch of basics that they have perfected throughout a long period of time and there's no reason why you can't either. </p>
<p>Let's review, make sure that you have good posture with the violin. Make sure you have a good bow grip so that way you're not squeezing or tensing or doing anything crazy like that. Make sure your knees are bent. Use your right shoulder to create an oval motion to create a nice beautiful sound. And, last but not least, this isn't something that I mentioned before but the sound of the violin goes upward. It does not go sideways That's why we're trying to teach you how to create that motion of the bow going up and that is going to help you get a lot more resonance, a lot more volume into the concert hall. </p>
<p>I hope this video helped you, thank you so much for watching! Leave a comment down below, what are some of your struggles in creating a beautiful violin sound? I want to get a conversation going in the comment section. I respond to every single comment so please feel free to leave a comment and I will definitely respond back. Please hit the subscribe button because that helps other people like you find what the video is all about and to help them and subscribe, hit the bell notifications so that way you get notified for when new videos come out. </p>
<p>Also, I'm offering a free 'Intro to Violin' Course down in the description below. It is free all you got to do is sign up for your first, last name and your email for you to get a hold of this course. And what this course does is explain what it takes to actually start the violin. It's not a violin playing course per say. But you get the tools on how to find a good teacher, whether you should rent or buy a violin. So that way you're not making a wrong decision. You're probably on the fence and you want to start playing the violin full time or you want to get more interested or more serious, I hope this course will be for you. I'm always looking for suggestions, so please email me or leave a message on my website at ericmrugala.com/contact and I'll hear from you. Thanks so much and again if you're new to the channel please make sure to watch other videos that are here to help you. Thanks so much and I'll see you in the next video.</p>
<p>Subscribe on YouTube - <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>
<p>Intro to Violin Course - <a contents="https://violin-academy-online.thinkific.com&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://violin-academy-online.thinkific.com">https://violin-academy-online.thinkific.com </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67080092021-08-17T08:00:00-04:002021-09-05T21:05:57-04:00The WORST Classical Music Job EVER<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="2y6dzzemJ7c" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2y6dzzemJ7c/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2y6dzzemJ7c?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The WORST Classical Music Job EVER</h2>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67080082021-08-13T08:00:00-04:002022-02-01T15:44:25-05:005 Classical Music Jobs For Any Classical Musician<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="xP51ANO-VtU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/xP51ANO-VtU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xP51ANO-VtU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">5 Classical Music Jobs For Any Classical Musician</h2>
<p> </p>
<p>Hey classical musicians of YouTube! </p>
<p>In today's video, we're going to talk about </p>
<p>five different jobs that you can </p>
<p>get in the classical music industry. </p>
<p>stick around to the </p>
<p>end of the video, you don't want to miss this. And if </p>
<p>you're new to the </p>
<p>channel, please be sure to hit the subscribe button, </p>
<p>hit the bell notifications so that way you get </p>
<p>notified for when you new videos come out. </p>
<p>I do a lot of violin content, </p>
<p>Do a lot of classical music videos on this channel, </p>
<p>so please consider subscribing. </p>
<p>We're going to dive in right away, </p>
<p>and what I'm going to do is state the three most obvious </p>
<p>jobs that you can get in classical music. </p>
<p>So, number one is to teach. </p>
<p>Teaching provides a very steady income </p>
<p> if you have built a reputation in your community </p>
<p>and you are a renowned name, </p>
<p>you can make upwards of fifty to sixty thousand dollars a year. </p>
<p>Depending on how much you charge, </p>
<p>depending on your education, and etc. There are so many different </p>
<p>factors that go into how much you charge for a private lesson. </p>
<p>For me, I have close to thirty private students, and the range of lessons are </p>
<p>thirty minutes, to one hour, or forty-five minutes. </p>
<p>These all vary depending on the location and school where I'm teaching at. </p>
<p>And luckily, I'm able to make a good living by teaching. </p>
<p>So that is my bread and butter. And I recommend anyone who is a classical musician, </p>
<p>or any other instrumentalist for that matter, </p>
<p>to take up teaching to have that steady income coming your way. </p>
<p>The next obvious choice is to perform. </p>
<p>Performing is an essential part of being a classical musician </p>
<p>because you are going to school to perform. </p>
<p>And you're going to school to learn these masterworks </p>
<p>and to be able to perform this masterworks. </p>
<p>Also, compose and play new music. </p>
<p>A common job is an orchestra job, you can get a string quartet job, </p>
<p>you can be a recitalist and a soloist. </p>
<p>There are many areas where you can perform and </p>
<p>I encourage you to take up performing if you're not a performer. </p>
<p>Try to get your feet, you know, deep into the deep end and see if you can start performing </p>
<p>doing local concerts in your community. </p>
<p>The third obvious way to make a living a as a classical musician is by selling recordings, by making music! </p>
<p>You can put it on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora. </p>
<p>You know, you can put your music on various streaming platforms. So that you can get some revenue </p>
<p>on that. You can make recordings and simultaneously promote a tour with that recording. </p>
<p>With that CD, with that album, that you just released. </p>
<p>So, you can put those two categories together simultaneously. </p>
<p>You can do step one, performing, step 2A or completely step two make an album, and step three perform with </p>
<p>whatever music you recorded. </p>
<p>So that way when you're selling merchandise and selling albums at performances, you can generate more revenue. </p>
<p>Now let's go into the two not so obvious ways to earn a living as a classical musician. </p>
<p>The first one is to start a music business. </p>
<p>Wait, Eric. What do you mean by starting a music business, </p>
<p>isn't teaching, isn't performing, isn't all of that a music business? </p>
<p>Yes, but I'm talking about in the more literal term. </p>
<p>By starting an LLC, by starting a music store, or a music rental shop, andor a sheet music store. </p>
<p>Those are various ways that you can continue generating revenue. </p>
<p>Or you can completely ignore the performance and the teaching side of things and just generate revenue </p>
<p>by creating a sheet music store, </p>
<p>or even a general music store where you can sell strings where you can sell, you know, instruments and various accessories. </p>
<p>Or, if you're a violinist (or not a violinist) but you want to expand outside of your instrument, </p>
<p>you can definitely start a music school and that also lies into the music business part. </p>
<p>Because starting a music school in your local area can be a wonderful way to generate revenue when there is not a music school for you to compete with. </p>
<p> That is something that I encourage you to try. </p>
<p>If you love classical music, or if you're not a performer and you didn't go to school for performance and you genuinely love classical music, </p>
<p>then I recommend that you get a job in music administration.There are orchestras and music organizations and music non profit organizations constantly trying to find quality candidates for them to do development, fundraising, marketing. There are so many ways for you to be on the business and behind-the-scenes side of things rather than being on stage. </p>
<p>There you have it! Those are five different jobs that you can get in the classical music industry. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/67080072021-08-10T08:00:00-04:002021-08-11T19:28:46-04:00Here Is How You Play Fifths On The Violin<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="kqnZSefvqDk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kqnZSefvqDk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kqnZSefvqDk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Here Is How You Play Fifths On The Violin</h2>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66555562021-06-25T08:00:00-04:002021-06-25T08:00:15-04:006 Reasons Why Playing The Violin Is So Hard <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="gO72OBAgSr4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/gO72OBAgSr4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gO72OBAgSr4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>6 Reasons Why Playing The Violin Is So Hard </h2>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66567372021-06-23T09:00:00-04:002021-06-23T09:00:11-04:00Henry Schradieck Violin Left Hand Warmup Exercise<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="iiQ4-7NBg1A" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/iiQ4-7NBg1A/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iiQ4-7NBg1A?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Henry Schradieck Violin Left Hand Warmup Exercise</h2>
<p>You're probably a beginner violinist trying to look for some warmup exercises on YouTube and then came across this video. I want to share with you one easy warmup exercise that you can use today. You don't want to miss this quick tutorial.</p>
<p>Let's talk about a very easy warmup exercise that you can use today. This is for beginners advanced, intermediate, um, pretty much all in any genre, right? So, and I'm coming from a classical music background, but I'm sure that if you're a Fiddler or for jazz musician, you could easily. Do this, and this comes from the book of Henry Schradieck. </p>
<p>And this is dexterity in the left hand, the very first line of the very first page. So I'm all tuned up. So what I would like you to do, I would like you to focus on a couple of things. First of all, I would like you to focus on your sound. And then the second thing is your intonation. And if you combine those two in a very slow manner in a, in a warmup fashion, then you're going to be in good shape when you're warmed up. </p>
<p>So let's go ahead. We're going to be in first position right over here. And it's, if you notice my hand is twisted in to the fingerboard and it's not out here because I'm going to utilize all four fingers right over here. And if the moment I do this, notice how my pinky. Is all the way out in no man's land. </p>
<p>We want to make sure that risk is twisted. And so that way, when I'm ready to put the fingers on the fingerboard, they're all ready to go. So I want to do the simple and B C sharp, D E four finger on the a D </p>
<p>And we're going to repeat this. Many many, many times. And you could also do this in a variety of rhythms. You can work on this with your teacher in different rhythms and different slurred bowings, whatever the case may be. I take them to the Schodack books, so, you know, whatever floats your boat. So the way that the exercise is supposed to sound, we want to make sure again, good sound good intonation. </p>
<p>So I'm going to do it slowly so I could hear every single note that's happening and I'm using four notes per bow. That way I can warm up my instrument, warm up my hands, make sure that the joints are working exactly the way they're supposed to. </p>
<p>You can do this exercise in a variety of speeds and on different strings of the violin. So it's not like you're limited to just the A string, you can do it on the E string, the D string and the G string, all in first position. Pretty simple! And if you're not warmed up by doing it slowly, then I encourage you that you start slowly. </p>
<p>And then once you start slowly getting. More warmed up. Then you play faster because you don't want to play too fast just because your joints are not warmed up. And that could also cause a lot of pain later on and eventually you'll be able to do shrouded first-line </p>
<p>And then you could also do it on </p>
<p>and then on the g-string </p>
<p>And lastly on the E string</p>
<p>You might notice maybe the mic is picking it up, but I'm also articulating the fingers on my fingerboard. And you don't have to do this all the time. You actually want to try doing it a bunch of different ways. You can try relaxing the fingers as they go down on the fingerboard, like, </p>
<p>or you can do something more articulate. Such </p>
<p>and the action on the hands are a little bit higher up and I'm really going down on the fingerboard. So whatever works for you, you know, for me, I start slowly and then I go faster. You don't want to go too fast because you don't want the intonation to kind of be like a blur. So the slower, the better. </p>
<p>You get nice resonance out of your instrument, you are setting yourself up, whether it's for a rehearsal, for a lesson for performance, you're setting yourself up for success, not just with your violin, but also with your mindset. Because if you have a good mindset towards intonation and good sound production, then you'll achieve your goals faster. </p>
<p>You'll have more success in concerts and rehearsals and lessons, whatever the case may be. I hope this found value. Please make sure to hit the subscribe button, hit the bell notification. So that way you get notified for when new videos come out. It also helps me out as a content creator to provide more videos for you. </p>
<p>There are videos over here and right over here for you to take a look at if you haven't done so already, and I will see you in the next video.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66555462021-06-18T08:00:00-04:002021-06-18T08:00:14-04:00Practice DOES NOT Make Perfect<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="V8Kbb42wSgY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/V8Kbb42wSgY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V8Kbb42wSgY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Practice DOES NOT Make Perfect</h2>
<p>You're probably a musician or violinist coming across this article for the first time, or maybe you're a returning subscriber and you might've heard me say this maybe once or twice in my YouTube videos. </p>
<p>Practice does not make perfect because there's no such thing as perfection. We're human and, you know, we are constantly making mistakes on our instrument.</p>
<p><em>Believe me,</em> I'm making mistakes on my instrument all the time! Even professional violins disguise their mistakes here and there. But, they mistakes are at such a micro level that we don't even get to hear that onstage because we're just focused on the music.</p>
<p>So I want you to remember this in this very short YouTube video, practice does not make perfect.</p>
<p><strong>Practice Makes Permanent!</strong> </p>
<p>I can give you an example of the practice makes permanent model that I have with all my students. This past semester, I had a student who was working in Suzuki book one (this is for violin) and I was actually kind of struggling to teach the student because the student had a good attitude coming in to the lesson, but then the moment they started playing, they were not having a lot of success. But, because I teamed up with the mom and the entire family was behind this one student, he was able to really succeed! And the moment we were doing this online zoom recital that we just had just a couple of weeks ago, he played amazingly!</p>
<p>The recording with the pianist was phenomenal! I spoke to him afterwards and asked him, "I'm like, was that a lot of work?" He goes, "Yeah, that was a lot of work!"</p>
<p>One of the things that I want you to take from my students story is that he was practicing consistently every single day. It's the mentality and the dedication that you put into any kind of craft, not just music, but anything in life, and what it comes down to is the ability to practice and consistently practice so that this habit makes it a permanent endeavor for you every single day.</p>
<p>The moment you take your instrument out, you're constantly repeating the process and repeating a habit, a healthy habit of practicing your violin. And that's what I explained to my students. I have a lot of youngsters. I also have some advanced students and they understand the, the importance of consistency. Similarly to what I've been doing with this YouTube channel that I've been doing. </p>
<p>I started about a year ago over a year ago, I started making YouTube channels. And because of that consistent upload schedule that I've had for the last year and like a month or so, I'm able to grow up to like over 700. You know, 30 subscribers, which is unheard of. It's so great! </p>
<p>If you consistently practice, you do the right thing, you know exactly how to practice and you're doing all of these things on a daily basis. You are going to find success. Not<em> just </em>in violin playing. That's why I love playing the violin because w we're not just diving into music, we're diving into history. We're diving into. Developing good habits and maintaining these good habits to be better people.</p>
<hr><p>Subscribe to Eric's YouTube channel for more violin videos: <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66555442021-06-15T08:00:00-04:002024-03-10T00:06:32-05:00Is It Too Late To Start The Violin? <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="yDhbzjmdYoQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/yDhbzjmdYoQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yDhbzjmdYoQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Is It Too Late To Start The Violin? </h2>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66555422021-06-11T08:00:00-04:002021-06-11T08:00:16-04:00What's In My Violin Bag?<h2 style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="KROxiHBJVY8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/KROxiHBJVY8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KROxiHBJVY8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></h2>
<h2>What's in my violin bag?</h2>
<p>In today's short video, I had some time in between students to do a quick video on what's in my violin bag! What kind of treasures do I have in there?</p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66489242021-06-04T08:00:00-04:002021-06-04T08:00:02-04:00Leatherwood Bespoke Rosins Review - Crisp & Supple<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="iiKoKpv99sY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/iiKoKpv99sY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iiKoKpv99sY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66276432021-05-18T08:00:00-04:002021-05-18T08:00:07-04:00Why Practice With A Metronome?<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="0gi-2JV4DZo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/0gi-2JV4DZo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gi-2JV4DZo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's been a lot of talk about using a metronome in this Facebook group called the violin and you'll have like 41,000 members. And there've been like over 140 comments on this one post. Should you be practicing with a metronome or should you teach using the metronome? </p>
<p>I'm torn between this conversation of, should you use a metronome? Should you not use a metronome? Because, I am a firm believer of the metronome.</p>
<p><strong>Here's why you need to practice with the metronome people.</strong></p>
<p>You don't practice with the metronome just to get it right.</p>
<p>You practice with the metronome so that way you can <em><strong>never get it wrong!</strong></em></p>
<p>I think <em>that's</em> the most valuable lesson that you can get out of practicing with the metronome.</p>
<p>People come from different schools and whether you're a fiddler, classical musician or a jazz violinist, I think there's something to be said about having a good internal pulse and the only way to really learn about having that internal pulse is by using a metronome. </p>
<p>I use this in with every single student and every single lesson. And some of them are like, no, I hate the magic. No, but no, you need to practice with it Metro, because it's for your own. Good. And then once you become pro and once you become, um, more, uh, in sync with like your, your rhythm inside your body, and you can really, really feel that rhythm, then you are at a point where you can be a little bit more flexible. </p>
<p>Right. That's why in like the old international additions, you don't have just like one time. Strict tempo, unless like the composer said them themselves, but sometimes the editor would be like between like ADB, like 80 beats per minute, or the coroner will be like between 80 and 95 because the temple does fluctuate and does become more fluid. </p>
<p>Once you become more comfortable with collaborating with another artist or a quartet. I agree that not every single piece of music out there needs to be like completely metronome driven. You know, if you're playing solo more like sonatas or chamber quartet, You want to have that sense of pulse, but then you're given a little bit of Liberty as to how you can utilize that tempo, how you can utilize metronome practice to help you play better. </p>
<p>On the contrary, if you are an orchestral musician or you're preparing excerpts like orchestra excerpts, or if you're a young beginner student trying to learn the ways of the metronome gods, you want to be able to, you know, master practicing with the metronome.</p>
<p>Again, you want to practice with the metronome, so that way you can never get things wrong. </p>
<p>Once you become a professional and play in an orchestra or if you become a professional violinist playing sonatas/chamber music, nobody wants to play with anybody who's out of tune, and nobody wants to play with anybody who has no good sense of tempo and rhythm. </p>
<p>Those are the three pillars for me, as a violinist, and as a collaborator, I search in and kind of choose my coworkers wisely in that sense. I want to make sure I'm playing with reliable people who have good rhythm, good intonation and good tempo.</p>
<p>So, should you practice with the metronome?</p>
<p><em>Absolutely!</em></p>
<p>Do you also have the liberty to not practice with the metronome?</p>
<p>Yes! Because you want to be able to internalize the metronome inside you. You can't rely on the training wheels all the time. There's something to be said to have the metronome constantly in your practice regimen and be a presence in your practicing. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more violin content - <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/66180092021-04-30T08:23:16-04:002021-04-30T09:32:49-04:00BEST WAY TO GET VIOLIN STUDENTS - 1 Easy Way<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="NICqwvPYXjA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/NICqwvPYXjA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NICqwvPYXjA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Best Way To Get Violin Students</h2>
<p>You're an aspiring violin teacher qho's wanting to grow your violin studio, get more students and retain students. I want to share with you one really excellent marketing strategy on how you can get more violin students into your violin studio. It's not Instagram, it's not Facebook. It's not even your website!</p>
<p>So you're a violin teacher. You might have a studio of maybe two or three students, and you're looking to expand more around 15 to 20 students. Right now, I have currently have a studio of about <strong>30 students.</strong></p>
<p>For me, the last five years has been a lot of emphasis on making sure you have a good social media presence, making sure you have a good website, making sure you're active on Facebook. </p>
<p>However, there's one excellent strategy that I want you to implement today. That you can use to help get a violin studio in bigger numbers. And do you know what that is?</p>
<p><em><strong>Word of mouth</strong></em></p>
<p>It is the age old marketing strategy when it comes to getting more business.</p>
<p>You have a violin studio and you are trying to generate more revenue into your violin studio. Hence, you need to make sure that you're getting more students.</p>
<p>But the way you get those students is through <em>word of mouth. </em></p>
<p>If you think about it, kids talk to other kids, parents talk to other parents. If you really have a good service, providing good service and you're providing quality results with with your violin students and they're playing it very well, then that is one great. Excellent strategy that I want you to implement today.</p>
<p>Of course it's easier said than done.</p>
<p>But you want to make sure that you are setting yourself for the longterm it's okay. That you only have two to three violin students. What matters is that you retain the students and then you grow your studio throughout the years. </p>
<p>You don't want to end up with only two to three students in just a couple of years.</p>
<p>You want to be consistently<em> <strong>growing.</strong></em></p>
<p>You want your name to be thrown around through the students and to the parents, because if you're achieving good results and if the students feel like they're improving and the parents see that their child is improving, then that is the BEST kind of marketing that you could possibly do as a violin teacher. </p>
<p>Word of mouth is so strong! Because you are getting information from a reliable source, your friends, your family. If you get recommended, that is the highest possible chance that you are going to get that business. </p>
<p>Another wonderful thing about word of mouth is that you do the work in the classroom, and then the parents and the students are naturally going to be recommending other students and parents into your studio.</p>
<p>I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a lot of students just because of word of mouth. And also if there is an older sibling and they're doing a good job, all of a sudden the younger sibling sees that the older siblings are doing a good job, then they're going to want to sign up for violin lessons. </p>
<p><em>That </em>is word of mouth.</p>
<p>The younger siblings see the result, they see the progress, and they see the joy that they're having with violin lessons. And that is what I want you to take home with you. </p>
<p>This is <em><strong>not</strong></em> a quick fix strategy by the way. You want to continue doing the excellent work day in and day out for the next year and a half to two years.</p>
<p>I guarantee you you're going to get results and you're going to get more students. </p>
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<h2>Smooth String Crossings</h2>
<p>Today's video is all about achieving smooth string crossing so the violin. Check out the video above for the tutorial. </p>
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<h2>How To Get Violin Students</h2>
<p>If you're a violin teacher or private studio teacher, you're in the business of getting new students, especially violin students. Today, I want to share four tips on increasing your violin studio and getting more income into your pocket.</p>
<h3>1) Change Your Mindset</h3>
<p>You have to make sure you're adjusting your mindset because the reason why you might not be getting students is because <em>you</em> might be the problem. Not because your personality is not good or anything, but you cannot expect parents and students to flock over to your violin studio.</p>
<p>The fact is, is that there are a lot of violin teachers out there with a lot of great reputations. So you need to change your mindset. You kind of have to adapt to how you're going to get the students. Are you going to be teaching online are going to be teaching in person?</p>
<p>Also, you have to make sure that you are constantly reaching out to different people to help expand your studio. Whether they are parents, friends of parents, by changing your mindset you're going to have a better chance of getting more students by actually trying to find those students.</p>
<h3>2) Think Local</h3>
<p>Right now, the students that you've probably been teaching have been online. The trend is to be able to teach online lessons with pretty much anyone around the world. You can have someone from the other side of the world to get lessons with you in a different time zone. </p>
<p>However, I truly believe that for you to increase your income and for you to get a better chance of retaining, keeping students and expanding your student studio is to think <em><strong>local</strong></em>.</p>
<p>And if you're just starting out, see if there's a way for you to get in touch with local high schools, local middle schools, local elementary schools in your area. Because they might not have a music program, but you could be the solution to a problem where teachers, parents are looking for violin teachers and music teachers in their area. YOU could be that solution. </p>
<p><em><strong>ACTION ITEM</strong></em><br><br>My action item for you. Find teachers, local teachers, elementary school, middle school. High school teachers, or even programs or music programs who are in need of violin teachers, because that is going to help you expand your studio. I would also think of some options to collaborate with the schools so that way you can retain, and you can keep them as your student. By teaching locally, you will have that advantage of having that community. </p>
<h3>3) Define Your Niche</h3>
<p>I'm a classical violinist. If someone contacts me to give them fiddle lessons, I just simply can't provide fiddle lessons just because of the fact that I cannot play, you know, fiddle music. I can play classical music, western classical music to be specific, but I can't play the fiddle as well as other fiddle teachers can. </p>
<p>So you have to be able to define your niche. You have to make sure that you are also <em>promoting</em> your specific niche.</p>
<p>You don't want to scatter yourself in terms of the genres. If you're trying to be everything you'll end up serving no one, if you think you can teach jazz fiddle classical, you're actually providing a disservice to you because you can't be too many things at once. </p>
<p>See if you can specialize in one genre. Whether it's western classical music, bluegrass fiddle, or jazz violin, see if you can define your niche and then you will have a better idea of what your demographic is in your area and how you're going to get more students coming to your studio. </p>
<p>Because that way you will have finally defined your target audience. And if you say I'm going to be teaching this kind of violin style, or say, "This is the result that you can expect from taking lessons with me", then you finally have created your target audience. </p>
<p>So you cannot be too much of everything. If you try to serve everybody, you'll serve no one. You want to serve a niche that you are passionate about and a niche that you are good at. The students are going to come to you. The parents are going to start reaching out to you to get more violin lessons.</p>
<h3>4) HM30s</h3>
<p>Last, but not least in terms of getting violin students and also creating an income for violin students, I want you to think about reaching out to HM30s. What are <em>HM30s</em>? </p>
<p>This is a term that I learned back when I was selling <em>knives</em>. </p>
<p>I was selling this kitchen cutlery and they used this terms HM30s. What does that mean?</p>
<p>It means <strong><em>Homeowners their thirties. </em></strong>Homeowners in the thirties are generally family people. They have a house, they have kids and they probably research what kind of activities they want for their children. One of them could be violin lessons.</p>
<p>You want to make sure you're reaching out to certain different community centers. Or different places where HM30s hang out.</p>
<p>Do they hang out at the grocery store?</p>
<p>Do they hang out at the violin shop?</p>
<p>Do they hang out at the elementary schools or at the soccer games, you know, you want to make sure that you are reaching out to that specific audience, because that way you can have a more guaranteed income, as well as keeping those students and retaining those students. </p>
<hr><p>Subscribe to my YouTube channel - <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a> </p>
<p>Facebook - <a contents="https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala">https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala</a></p>
<p>Instagram - <a contents="https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist">https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist</a></p>
<p>Twitter - <a contents="https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala">https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65726432021-04-13T08:00:00-04:002021-04-13T08:00:01-04:00Bow Hold Buddy Unboxing and Review - Honest Thoughts<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="4iweFIl4ULk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/4iweFIl4ULk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4iweFIl4ULk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Bow Hold Buddy Unboxing and Review - Honest Thoughts</h2>
<p>Bow Hold Buddy - <a contents="https://bit.ly/2PqfIbg" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/2PqfIbg" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2PqfIbg</a> </p>
<p>Behold my favorite tool to use with violin beginners for a perfect bow hold and that is the Bow Hold Buddy by Things 4 Strings. </p>
<p>I was actually fortunate to have an interview with the creator of the Bow Hold Buddy, and also the co-founder of Things 4 Strings on the Violin Podcast, which is right over here --> <a contents="https://www.violinpodcast.com/episodes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.violinpodcast.com/episodes" target="_blank">https://www.violinpodcast.com/episodes</a> </p>
<p>I decided to purchase the blue Bow Hold Buddy. I've tried this on a couple of students and I am just a firm believer in this product. </p>
<p>What's really cool is that it's supposed to be a fun tool for any musician of any kind, whether you're a beginner at four years old to an adult beginner. </p>
<p>Thanks so much, if you found value in this post, please be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more violin video content. </p>
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<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65758772021-04-08T09:56:15-04:002021-04-30T09:34:54-04:00Parents, Here is How To Help Your Child with Violin Lessons in 5 Steps <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="qvvy0AQeLHY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/qvvy0AQeLHY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qvvy0AQeLHY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Parents, Here is How To Help Your Child with Violin Lessons in 5 Steps </h2>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65758782021-04-02T08:00:00-04:002021-04-30T09:35:45-04:00How To Take Your Chin Rest Off Your Violin<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="-STQU37xqC8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/-STQU37xqC8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-STQU37xqC8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65726422021-03-30T08:25:00-04:002021-03-30T08:40:02-04:00Curvy Pinky On Your Violin Bow Hold - DON'T MAKE THIS MISTAKE<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="-i9m37VLl_8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/-i9m37VLl_8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-i9m37VLl_8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65726412021-03-26T08:00:00-04:002021-04-08T10:33:55-04:00How to Hold The Violin With The Left Hand - Easy Violin Tip<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="u83Uq39OdeE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/u83Uq39OdeE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u83Uq39OdeE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>How To Hold The Violin With The Left Hand - (1 Easy Tip)</h2>
<p>I'm going to be sharing my thoughts on how you can place your left hand on the violin, especially with how we can get the knuckles above the fingerboard and in the right placement, alongside the neck of the violin. </p>
<p>There are different methodologies and ideas as to how to put the left hand, close to the neck of the violin. I'm going to be exploring that with you. So follow along if you have your instrument. We're going to try doing this together. </p>
<p>First and foremost, we want to take a look at our hand. You know, every violinist or beginner student, whatever it may be, has a different size hand. However, there's a great outline in which we can kind of lay the neck of the violin next to our violin shelf (click on video above for visual) </p>
<p>So you might notice that over here, we have a bunch of different lines. </p>
<p>If you want to take a look at your own hand, that's, that's perfectly fine too. And I like to use this middle hand right over here. And this, when I follow this line all the way to the edge of the knuckle, this is ideally where we want to put that neck of the violin. I have a large hand, so it might be different for you and for somebody else. </p>
<p>That way you have a lot more control of your intonation. You'll have a lot more control of the finger placement. And if you haven't watched that video of fingertip placement, there will be a link below so you can click on that and get an idea of how to place a finger on the string. </p>
<p><strong><i>Finger Tip Placement on the Fingerboard - <a contents="https://youtu.be/XB86o6ETXiA" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/XB86o6ETXiA" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/XB86o6ETXiA</a> </i></strong></p>
<p>So again, you have this line, you put the neck right above this line, and then we are going to let that violin sit on the first knuckle. </p>
<p>Grab your violin and we're going to apply that line on your palm which I call the 'lifeline'. A student of mine actually explained this to me earlier. "Like, yeah, like, this is your, this is your lifeline, you know?" And I was like, "Oh, that's really cool." And I should do that with beginner students. </p>
<p>As a matter of fact, right before I made this video I had a couple of students that really helped them set up their left hand. </p>
<p>Another student was like, "What are you, a Palm reader? What is this nonsense?" So, so every student's going to react a different way, but anyways, we're going to apply that line. </p>
<p>Or if you had like a little marker, you could apply a little marker if you're a parent or a student, uh, and then you need something visual. I like to kind of put a little dot near the, um, near that little line. So that way the students. No, where to place that neck. So now here we go. We go into first position and I'm going to look at my little hand and you see that line over here. </p>
<p><em>(for the rest of the article I recommend going to the video above since everything I'm about to explain will help you visually) </em></p>
<p>And this is where the neck and the line kind of meet. And I'm going to go a little higher. Um, Right over here. And of course, this is different than having the violin down here. And this is where the problems begin. If you don't really take this into account that if the student goes down here, the students will have a tendency to go below the fingerboard, have all the knuckles below the fingerboard. </p>
<p>And of course we don't want that because it causes all sorts of problems such as when you start using fourth finger. Instead of going from top to bottom, you're going from the bottom up and that's going to cause a lot of strain and a lot of tension in your arm, in your Palm. And we don't want that. This is one way to go about, this is again to have that neck of the violin aligned with that little lifeline. </p>
<p>And all of a sudden I have a nice curvature. I can finally put all my fingers down on the fingerboard and I can achieve better intonation this way.</p>
<p>Speaking of intonation, if you haven't checked out my video on first position intonation, I'm going to leave another card right up here, and you can easily use this video in relation to that video because I go in depth in how I achieve good intonation in first position, especially if you're a beginner. </p>
<p><em><strong>FIX YOUR INTONATION --> <a contents="https://youtu.be/1sn_Em6ohdw" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/1sn_Em6ohdw" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/1sn_Em6ohdw</a></strong></em></p>
<p>Let's go over the steps again, take your hand. See if you can find that little line in the middle of your Palm and see if you can determine where that line finishes in the Palm, and then you want the neck to be right up here and in demonstrating this on the violin, I want to, I'm going to look at my line, see where it lines up, and then I'm going to twist my wrist inside. </p>
<p>And then all of a sudden, my fingers. Are above the fingerboard. My knuckles are above the fingerboard and I have more control over everything I do over the fingerboard. It may take some time because you're, you're probably instilled in the beginning stages of how to hold the violin, how to make sure you have good posture, how to place the fingertip on the string. </p>
<p>This is just one out of. All the steps that you need to do to help you become a better violinist. If you're a teacher, I highly recommend you share this video with anybody who might need help with this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Subscribe to my Channel! --> <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65646762021-03-23T08:00:00-04:002021-04-16T08:52:17-04:00How To Get A Straight Left Wrist On The Violin - [1 EASY TIP]<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="p61I0SZ_bdc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/p61I0SZ_bdc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p61I0SZ_bdc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>Straight Left Wrist Using Your Left Thumb</h2>
<p>Are you struggling to keep a straight left wrist? I’m going to explore one little thing that is probably causing you to not have a straight wrist. So stick around to the end of the videos and you don't want to miss this. </p>
<p>But today we're going to talk about the left hand, and the left thumb. The left thumb actually plays a huge role in the way we hold our instrument. </p>
<p>The thumb plays a huge role in how we hold the violin, how we approach the violin and how we approach intonation. </p>
<p>Check out the video above to watch and observe how the left thumb plays a big role in keeping the left hand straight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel for more violin tutorials!</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65646782021-03-19T08:00:00-04:002021-03-19T08:00:04-04:00How To Play Spiccato On The Violin - [3 QUICK TIPS]<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="pbAkM8qhpGA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/pbAkM8qhpGA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pbAkM8qhpGA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Spicatto<br><br>How do you play spiccato? I'm going to share my thoughts on how you can play spiccato and some easy tips for you to kind of keep in mind in the practice room.</p>
<p>Let's define spiccato.</p>
<h3><em>What is Spiccato?</em></h3>
<p>Spiccato is in same family of bow strokes like staccato. However, the difference between staccato and spiccato is that spiccato you still grip the string, but you you take the bow off the string as you play. (refer to video above for demonstration)</p>
<p>With staccato, you play on clearly stopping in between each note, depending on whatever the music it is. And with spiccato, it's the same stroke, but we lift the bow off the string. There are a few key elements that I want you to keep in mind as we work on spiccato together. The similarity between staccato and spiccato is that you have to grip this string as you are playing. </p>
<p>But in the world of spiccato, we have to set from the string and then <em>pull </em>the string. This is happening on a micro level. And then when we play a little bit faster, you might hear a little bit of me gripping the string the little sound and on a micro level. </p>
<p>My second piece of advice that I would give you is the spiccato motion. It is not a horizontal motion like it is staccato. With spiccato, we're going to be using more of a U shaped motion with the right hand and the forearm. </p>
<p>So I would like to grip each bow stroke whether it's a down bow or an up bow bow, and this helps by having a U shape. Not to mention that you will achieve a nice resonant sound out of your instrument if you do it the U shape. Because sound does not travel horizontally. It travels <em>vertically!</em></p>
<p>If you think about it, if we want the sound to go horizontally, the F holes would be right on the rib of the violin, but it's not. It's on the top of the instrument, which allows the sound to go upwards. So this is why a lot of the bow strokes that I teach on the channel really making sure that the bow has this upward motion. </p>
<p>So the third tip of the video is making sure that your fingers are engaged in spiccato. So it's not enough just to kind of get the bow. And the U shape and trying to grip the string. If I allow the fingers to move, I use all the joints of all my fingers, including my thumb here to grip the string. </p>
<p>I can get a more articulate sound by activating the motion of the joints in my right hand fingers.</p>
<p>So to recap, Make sure that you are gripping the string as such, make sure that you have a nice. A U-shaped motion so that way we get a nice sound while we do spiccato. Last but not least is to use the fingers to help activate all those sounds.</p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65646742021-03-16T08:10:00-04:002021-03-19T11:49:10-04:00How To Play The Violin With Good Posture - [3 QUICK TIPS]<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="z6zvpXyEilw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/z6zvpXyEilw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z6zvpXyEilw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>How to Play The Violin Sitting Down and With Good Posture - [3 QUICK TIPS]</h2>
<p>Are you having trouble with violin posture? Today, I'm going to discuss on how to have good posture while playing the violin. </p>
<p>In today's example, I'm sitting down. But, this applies to every scenario if you're standing or if you're sitting. In this case, I'm sitting down and I'm going to share with you my thoughts on how to have good posture in a few easy steps. </p>
<h3>Make Sure That Your Neck and Spine Are Aligned</h3>
<p>So the first step is just to make sure that you are, um, that your neck and your spine is aligned in a straight line. This means that your neck is not doing anything funny and you're not slouching. That's the number one culprit of having bad posture is just having to slouch the entire time.</p>
<p>There are a few reasons as to why you shouldn't slouch...</p>
<p>You get a lot of aches in your body and you get a lot of back pain, especially if you're playing an instrument if you slouch your back. So I don't recommend that. </p>
<h3>Soft Shoulders</h3>
<p>I would also recommend that you have soft shoulders. What I like to do is just make sure that I roll my shoulders back by shrugging them up, and rolling them back.</p>
<p>I learned this from an Alexander Technique person that if you roll your shoulders back, you get into your natural posture. By rolling your shoulders back before playing the violin will help bring our chest. Then, we can finally place the violin on our shoulder. </p>
<h3>Strong Back & Strong Stomach</h3>
<p>Lastly, if you have a strong stomach and a strong back, you'll be all set. (Use those 6 pack abs, violinists!)</p>
<p>Playing the violin is a full body experience. It's not just about keeping our upper torso in tact. Good posture, in my view, brings a positive energy and positive experience to playing the violin. We went to make violin playing as approachable as possible so focusing on these tiny details can help with your posture. (I've even corrected my posture many times while I was writing this blog post!)</p>
<p>Granted, there are many ways to play the violin and many violin traditions around the world. This post is for anyone who is learning music and playing the violin in western-classical tradition. </p>
<h3>BONUS TIP</h3>
<p>What I would add as an additional tip is to avoid having your body surround the violin too much. You want the violin to come to the body. This is something that I've learned from my Alexander technique friends as well as just my own personal experience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL --> https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65646732021-03-09T08:00:00-05:002021-04-30T06:53:20-04:00How To Play First Position In Tune on the Violin - [3 QUICK TIPS]<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="w6KR6s9xgnU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/w6KR6s9xgnU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w6KR6s9xgnU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65646712021-03-05T08:00:00-05:002021-03-05T08:00:06-05:00How To Practice On The Violin - [5 PRACTICE STRATEGIES] <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="vU-i0FjeGVw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/vU-i0FjeGVw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vU-i0FjeGVw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65439392021-03-02T08:00:00-05:002021-03-04T08:09:21-05:00Top 5 MOST EXPENSIVE Violin String Sets<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="VktfiQ1xl08" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/VktfiQ1xl08/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VktfiQ1xl08?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><br>In this video, I'm going to share with you the five most expensive violin string sets you can buy. <br><br>⬇️ violin strings mentioned in the video ⬇️</p>
<p>➡️ Pirastro Oliv Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/2Z3bMhW" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/2Z3bMhW">https://bit.ly/2Z3bMhW</a></p>
<p>➡️ Pirastro Passione SOLO Violin Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/2N8KxA6" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/2N8KxA6" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2N8KxA6</a></p>
<p>➡️ Thomastik Peter Infeld (PI) Violin Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/2Z2vcnm" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/2Z2vcnm">https://bit.ly/2Z2vcnm</a></p>
<p>➡️ Pirastro Passione Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/3jx9TDP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/3jx9TDP" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3jx9TDP</a></p>
<p>➡️ Pirastro Perpetual Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/2N72Fu2" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/2N72Fu2">https://bit.ly/2N72Fu2</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER</p>
<p>Links in this description may earn a commission through affiliate marketing.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65588372021-02-25T18:50:52-05:002021-05-10T12:58:43-04:00NEW Dominant Pro Violin Strings from Thomastik-Infeld Reaction Video<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ve86q_tUMIA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ve86q_tUMIA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ve86q_tUMIA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>Here are some of my thoughts on the newly announced Thomastik-Infeld Dominant Pro Strings. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>NOW AVAILABLE for PRE-ORDER Dominant Pro Violin Strings - <a contents="https://bit.ly/3qXIjlU " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/3qXIjlU" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3qXIjlU </a></p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65438762021-02-23T03:45:00-05:002021-03-04T08:09:59-05:00Violin Strings Under $30<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="6U7ye1VQjWo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6U7ye1VQjWo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6U7ye1VQjWo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In today's post, I share some of the cheapest violin strings that you can buy under $30. </p>
<p>In this video, I'm sharing which violin strings you can buy for under $30.</p>
<p>⬇️ violin strings mentioned in the video ⬇️</p>
<p>➡️ D'Addario Prelude Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/36Uw7KD" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/36Uw7KD" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/36Uw7KD</a></p>
<p>➡️ D'Addario Helicore Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/3jyZ9Vm" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/3jyZ9Vm" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3jyZ9Vm</a></p>
<p>➡️ Pirastro Tonica Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/2YXwQGG" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/2YXwQGG">https://bit.ly/2YXwQGG</a></p>
<p>➡️ D'Addario Ascente Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/3rFoEHE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/3rFoEHE">https://bit.ly/3rFoEHE</a></p>
<p>➡️ Thomastik Alphayue Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/2Lz3Fqj " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/2Lz3Fqj">https://bit.ly/2Lz3Fqj </a></p>
<p>➡️ Corelli Crystal Violin String Set - <a contents="https://bit.ly/3aHRsIk" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bit.ly/3aHRsIk">https://bit.ly/3aHRsIk</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER</p>
<p>Links in this description may earn a commission through affiliate marketing.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65438422021-02-16T03:00:00-05:002021-02-16T03:00:04-05:00How to find Orchestra Jobs in 2021<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="TSl6ZtEIUCU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/TSl6ZtEIUCU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TSl6ZtEIUCU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In today's video, I'm going to share with you a couple of websites where you can find orchestra jobs in 2021. </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL<a contents=" https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1"> https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65295462021-02-12T03:00:00-05:002021-02-12T03:00:06-05:00How to Reduce Shoulder Pain When Playing The Violin - EXPLAINED<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="am0R32DfWUU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/am0R32DfWUU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/am0R32DfWUU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In this tutorial, I share my thoughts on releasing tension from your shoulder while playing the violin. Playing the violin is not something that we were built to do. Our bodies were not designed to hold a wooden instrument on our shoulder. However, with hundreds of years after the invention of the violin, we've learned how to play without experiencing pain.</p>
<p>Now, a full disclosure. I am NOT an Alexander Technician that is an expert on anything related to the body. I'm sharing my own experience in hopes that it may help you or someone you know deal with these kinds of issues. This post will be talking specifically about releasing tension from the shoulder while you play the violin with a shoulder rest.</p>
<p>This is<em><strong> not</strong></em> a video of releasing tension while playing without a shoulder rest.</p>
<p>Holding the violin should be effortless and you should have too much thought into the process. Holding the instrument on your shoulder without any tension should be your first goal.</p>
<p>Secondly, a lot of the tension comes from by pressing too firmly on the chin rest with our head. Our head is heavier than we think. I like to say that it's not a chin "grab" to my students.</p>
<p>In addition, having an aligned neck while keeping your head relaxed will help keep your posture in good form. Lastly, talk to a violin pedagogue and see if you can work with them on the kind of shoulder rest you should be using. There are plenty of violin shoulder rests to choose from and could benefit you. I</p>
<p>hope this was helpful! Please share the video to anyone who might find this information useful. If you liked the video, please be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel where you can find similar videos such as this one.</p>
<p>Subscribe to my channel! -- <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65295322021-02-09T13:29:32-05:002021-02-09T13:29:32-05:00My YouTube Journey - 10 Months Later<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="8jSegSqNHG0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/8jSegSqNHG0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8jSegSqNHG0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>My YouTube Journey - 1 Year Later</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65295332021-02-09T13:27:58-05:002021-02-09T13:27:58-05:00How to get started on YouTube as a musician in 2021<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="i2-E4pFPTzU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/i2-E4pFPTzU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i2-E4pFPTzU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>How to get started on YouTube as a musician in 2021</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65373022021-02-09T13:26:42-05:002021-02-09T13:26:42-05:00Zoom Music Setup - Update 5.4.9<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="bS5P-AwSCiU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/bS5P-AwSCiU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bS5P-AwSCiU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoom Music Setup - Update 5.4.9</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65295472021-02-09T09:29:02-05:002021-02-09T09:29:02-05:00How To Put On A Violin Shoulder Rest - Violin Tutorial for Beginners<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="NHKhc1YswT8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/NHKhc1YswT8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NHKhc1YswT8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> </p>
<p>If you're a beginner, putting on a shoulder rest the right way can be confusing. In today's video I share with you how to put on any shoulder rest on your violin. </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65111832021-01-29T06:00:00-05:002021-02-02T10:49:31-05:00Double Stops On The Violin - How to play Double Stops On The Violin - Violin Lesson<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="-3v2rl7A27Y" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/-3v2rl7A27Y/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-3v2rl7A27Y?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Double Stops On The Violin - How to play Double Stops On The Violin - Violin Lesson</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65206292021-01-22T06:00:00-05:002021-01-22T06:00:06-05:00Vibrato vs No Vibrato - Violin Lesson - How To Decide On When To Use Vibrato on the Violin<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Vh0wTbhLEQE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Vh0wTbhLEQE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vh0wTbhLEQE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here's a question, to vibrato, or to NOT vibrato? In today's video I will be exploring how to make informative decisions on when it is appropriate to play with vibrato, and moments where you don't want to use vibrato.</p>
<p>We have to understand what the purpose of vibrato is before we start applying it to every note on the face of earth. </p>
<p>Vibrato can be used in several ways:</p>
<p>1) Vibrato can be used as to increase the overall resonance and volume of the given note</p>
<p>2) Vibrato can be used as a form of expression or provide more emphasis to a note</p>
<p>We must make educated decisions on when to use vibrato.</p>
<p>Vibrato wasn't commonly used as it used today. Vibrato, as some baroque violinists might tell us, was used as an ornamentation. Also, the technology of the violin and the bow was somewhat limiting to what it is today. </p>
<p>For instance, baroque violins had a shorter finger board, and used gut strings. The modern design of the bow that we play on now is thanks to Francois Tourte, but the 17th century bow design did not allow for sustaining notes. </p>
<p>We must ask ourselves when we should apply vibrato. I've narrowed it down to a few questions I ask myself and my students:</p>
<p><strong>- When was the composition written?</strong></p>
<p><strong>- Who is the composer?</strong></p>
<p><strong>- Why do I want to use vibrato?</strong></p>
<p>If we ask ourselves these 3 questions, we'll get a clearer idea on when to use vibrato. Let's start with the first:</p>
<h3>When was the composition written?</h3>
<p>You would think that the first question you'd ask is, "Who is the composer?". I believe the first question we should really ask is, "When was the composition written?" because knowing <em>when</em> a composition was written gives us a lot of context based on the trends of the time period. However, you can use this interchangeably with "who is the composer"</p>
<p>Although we play 17th century partitas and sonatas with vibrato in the 21st century, baroque violinists would argue that you should use minimal vibrato. Or, if we play violin concertos and sonatas from the 20th/21st century, it is accustomed to play this music with vibrato. It all comes down to the style and trends that were common then. </p>
<h3>Who is the composer?</h3>
<p>Knowing who the composer is the next item on our agenda to figure out when we should use vibrato. Let's go to someone like Pyotr Tchaikovsky, for example. Playing his violin concerto would be quite unusual to play without vibrato given the context in 19th century. Similarly to the violin concerto of Johannes Brahms, the D-minor violin concerto would be, let's say, 'different' without vibrato. </p>
<p>As I said before, vibrato can be used as a form of expression. In the 19th century style, the romantic style was all about self-expression. Using vibrato, this case, is a tool to not only enhance the resonance of one's sound, but also the message of the violinist is trying to portray in the context of the music. </p>
<h3>Why do I want to use vibrato?</h3>
<p>Good question, right? When you asked the two previous questions, it's now up to YOU to make your decision. In the practice room, we are constantly making decisions about our playing. </p>
<p>Am I using too much bow? Should I play a different dynamic? Does vibrato make sense here?</p>
<p>I challenge my students to think as to why music needs to sound a certain way. Why should I use vibrato in this passage? Would this passage sound nice if it did? Asking these questions will give you a lot of clarity as to why you are using vibrato. </p>
<p>I want to quote a friend here that I had on the Everyday Musician Podcast. We were talking about the different styles of Bach throughout the last two hundred years or so.</p>
<p>He said, "As long as you make it musical, then it will make sense".</p>
<p>I might be paraphrasing because that interview happened a little over a year and half ago, but he's right! You can us vibrato to make it musical, or you can use no vibrato and STILL make it musical. These are you choices. As long as you take ownership of those choices, vibrato will become a friend. </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65239392021-01-19T06:00:00-05:002021-01-19T06:00:07-05:00'Soul' by Disney & Pixar - Musician Review<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="yzOafpIFrYo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/yzOafpIFrYo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yzOafpIFrYo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Disney's 'Soul' is an interesting depiction of how the life of a music educator in New York City takes an unexpected turn. Here is my honest musician review of 'Soul'.</p>
<p>If you haven't seen Soul by Disney and Pixar, then DON'T WATCH THIS VIDEO UNTIL YOU DO! There will be spoilers ahead.</p>
<p>After a handful of recommendations given by my students to watch 'Soul', I decided to take an evening to watch the movie. Man, Disney and Pixar movies make me cry all the time!</p>
<p>'Soul' is about the life of a music educator in New York City who gets the gig of his life, but then his it then takes a but takes an unexpected turn when he falls into a sewer and is taken to the Great Beyond.</p>
<p>As a music educator, I really resonated with this film because it discusses the most common problem that every music educator faces, "Will I have time to perform in addition to teaching?"</p>
<p>It's a tough question. Many violin professors that I know manage to balance both their performance career, and their teaching career. There are only a handful of artists out there that can do both VERY well. I know in my experience, it's a difficult task because not only are you planning your days for what you will teach, but you have to put in the extra practice hours to make sure you're still playing at a high level.</p>
<p>Or, one could argue that one practices while they teach. Mr. Itzhak Perlman says so himself! To become a better player, one must teach. I feel that this is the case.</p>
<p>Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is taken to the Great Beyond because of his unexpected death by falling in a sewer in New York City. Once Joe realizes he's going to the Great Beyond, he manages to get himself out of the line and go to the Great Before; a place where new souls are born and trained before they go to Earth.</p>
<p>Joe Gardner then goes to the You Seminar where he replaces another soul as a mentor for 22, the 22nd soul ever created who has never been approved by the administrators of the Great Before to go to Earth. Joe's ticket to get back to Earth is by helping 22 get her Earth badge. Knowing that Joe's gig is later that evening, he tries to figure out a way to get back to Earth without getting the Earth badge for 22. With the help of 22, they go back to Earth, but end up switching bodies. Joe's soul is in a cat's body, and 22 is in Joe's body.</p>
<p>Once Joe figures out how to get back into his body, he makes it to the gig and plays with the band. After playing the gig, he realizes that he didn't feel as fulfilled as he had hoped.</p>
<p>Joe then goes back to the Great Before to help 22 receive her Earth badge, and then goes to the Great Beyond. The administrators of the Great Before give Joe the unique opportunity to go back to Earth to give him a second chance.</p>
<p>As a music educator and violinist, it's easy to be caught up in the daily life as a performing artist. 'Soul' teaches us that there is more to life than music. There is! Once you take music out of the equation, what then? Life is a journey, enjoying the simple things helps us appreciate what is around us instead of just one thing.</p>
<p>--</p>
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<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65112142021-01-15T06:00:00-05:002021-01-15T06:00:02-05:00Musicians, DON'T DO THIS!! - How to be successful in the music industry<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="gfRMhu8dE1A" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/gfRMhu8dE1A/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gfRMhu8dE1A?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Musicians, DON'T DO THIS IF YOU WANT TO GET MORE WORK. This tiny tip will help you be more reliable and be called back for gigs.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65111812021-01-12T06:00:00-05:002021-01-12T06:00:11-05:00How To Play With Good Intonation On The Violin - BONUS TIP - Violin Lesson - Violin Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="1sn_Em6ohdw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/1sn_Em6ohdw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1sn_Em6ohdw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<h2>How To Play With Good Intonation On The Violin - BONUS TIP - Violin Lesson - Violin Tutorial</h2>
<p>Intonation is like having a best friend, you will struggle to maintain the friendship. But if you set your ego aside, and take good care of making it work, then you two will get along just fine. </p>
<p>Intonation on the violin takes a lifetime to master. Even to this day, I pay attention to intonation. </p>
<p>You stumbled upon here for some answers on intonation and we'll dive into some basic principles. Here we go!</p>
<h3>Intonation Practice</h3>
<p>Did a professor ever ask you, "Why are most violin concertos composed in the key of G, D, and A?"</p>
<p>This is a question I ask my intermediate to advanced students. Usually I give them about a week to figure it out. </p>
<p>The answer is it is because these keys have are utilizing more open strings than any other key on the violin. G Major is a perfect example. In the western classical music tuning system, the key of G on the violin utilizes all 4 open strings in a G scale. </p>
<p>Why is this relevant? Because using open strings to your advantage will increase your resonance, your tone, and your overall intonation depending on the key. This way, you are working alongside the resonance of your instrument This gets a bit more complicated when you're using different tuning systems such as Just Intonation, Equal Temperament Intonation, and Pythagorean Intonation (also known as melodic intonation). But for sake of this article, we're just talking about some practice tips on common intonation problems. </p>
<p>On the contrary, a key like E-flat is one the most difficult keys to pay in tune because there are no open strings available to you in the scale. This is why many orchestras require Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 39th symphony because the primary key is E-flat Major. </p>
<p><i>But Eric, how do you practice a key if there are no open strings available to use your reference?</i></p>
<p>Read on, and I'll show you the way... (Mandalorian fans, anyone?)</p>
<h3>Drones</h3>
<p>Another way to improve your intonation is to practice with drones.</p>
<p><em>Wait, drones? Like the ones that fly in the sky?</em></p>
<p>No! Not those. c<strong>ello drones.</strong></p>
<p>I like using cello drones because it's easier to match the timbre of another cello than a violin. You can also practice your scales with drones in your ear by using a headphone or an earbud. The goal of course is to eventually transition out of using cello drones and hear the intonation in your head while you're playing. This takes many years to master, but have no fear! Slow and steady. </p>
<h3>Etudes</h3>
<p>Lastly, another way to fix your intonation is to practice etudes. An etude is a short composition that is designed to help the player improve their technique. Etudes help with all sorts of technical issues. Etudes also help shape the left hand in a specific key so you're saving yourself some practice time when you transition into real repertoire. </p>
<h3>Check out Eric's content on other platforms</h3>
<p>Subscribe on YouTube: <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65111982021-01-08T06:00:00-05:002021-01-08T06:00:06-05:00Will A.I. Take Over the Arts Industry? - Here's what Elon Musk says about the job market in 2022<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="1JmxCUATb1o" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/1JmxCUATb1o/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1JmxCUATb1o?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Artificial intelligence is taking over the job market at a rapid pace. But will artificial intelligence take over the arts industry? Elon Musk explains the state of AI and where I think the arts fits into this conversation.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/65111802021-01-05T06:00:00-05:002021-01-07T14:41:34-05:00Violin Bow Articulation - Easy Tips for Cleaner Violin Sound - Violin Lesson - Violin Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="QH-aWIqNv7E" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/QH-aWIqNv7E/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QH-aWIqNv7E?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Violin Bow Articulation </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64987862020-12-15T06:00:00-05:002020-12-31T19:50:30-05:00EASY Violin Bow Hold - Violin Tutorial - Violin Lesson - How To Hold A Violin Bow - Violin Tips<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="-Oji6YJqmqA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/-Oji6YJqmqA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Oji6YJqmqA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Here are some basic principles on how to make the best use of this exercise:</p>
<p>1. Have a pencil</p>
<p>2. Put the pencil on the second, third, and fourth distal of your right hand.</p>
<p>3. Place the thumb over your middle finger at an angle</p>
<p>4. Place your pinky on the tip of the pencil</p>
<p>5. Rotate your wrist 180 degrees with the back of the hand facing upward.</p>
<p>Subscribe to my YouTube Channel! --> <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64277362020-12-13T22:51:46-05:002020-12-31T19:49:49-05:00Hilary Hahn Suzuki Violin Method Book Recordings - REALLY GOOD<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="cRvafw7GCFg" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/cRvafw7GCFg/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cRvafw7GCFg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Violinist Hilary Hahn released recordings of the Suzuki songs in the Suzuki Violin method.</p>
<p>You can find links to the Suzuki Method recordings below:</p>
<p>https://www.alfred.com/suzuki-violin-overview/</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>Subscribe on YouTube --> <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64907212020-12-08T00:00:00-05:002020-12-08T00:00:06-05:00How To Play Sautille On The Violin - Violin Tutorial - Violin Bow Stroke<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="5e4fs-Vs13Q" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/5e4fs-Vs13Q/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5e4fs-Vs13Q?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br> </p>
<p>How To Play Sautille on the Violin - Violin Tutorial - Violin Bow Stroke <br>https://youtu.be/5e4fs-Vs13Q</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64907152020-12-04T00:45:00-05:002021-01-22T02:06:27-05:00How To Play Octaves On The Violin - Violin Tutorial<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="MMmih9AtRp0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/MMmih9AtRp0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MMmih9AtRp0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br>How To Play Octaves On The Violin - Violin Tutorial - Violin Octave Lesson <br>https://youtu.be/MMmih9AtRp0</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64784032020-12-04T00:00:00-05:002020-12-04T00:00:09-05:00How To Get Your First 200 subscribers On YouTube as a Musician - 3 Tips<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="vGmLXMBuvDo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/vGmLXMBuvDo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vGmLXMBuvDo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>When I first started my YouTube journey in the beginning of 2020, I didn't know what to expect from the process. I knew I had some experience making videos but I didn't know how I would keep up knowing that I have a lot of other music engagements like teaching and being the host of the Violin Podcast.</p>
<p>Anyways, I decided to give it a try and have been enjoying the process so far. I found that by staying with a specific niche, having a consistent upload schedule, and enjoying the process of making YouTube videos will help you get to you first 200 subscribers!</p>
<p>Now who am I kidding. I'm just a small violin YouTuber who started making violin videos to help his students be successful during the COVID-19 pandemic. I've gotten a positive response from my students and now they have an entire channel of violin videos that they can take advantage of and refer to those videos wherever they want, whenever they want.</p>
<p>Don't be afraid! Go out there, record some videos, and make a difference! I know that every number that is subscribed to my YouTube channel is an individual, living person who found value in my content. For that I'm very grateful!</p>
<p>Take a look at my YouTube Channel and subscribe for violin videos! --> <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64733202020-11-20T00:00:00-05:002020-11-20T00:00:19-05:00Loop Ear Plugs - Box Opening And First Impressions - Are These The Best Musician Earplugs?<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="rF7j35a5oiM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/rF7j35a5oiM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rF7j35a5oiM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I walked in to a CVS one day getting supplies for my violin students and I came across an aisle that had three boxes of the Loop Ear Plugs. I thought, "Oh, I saw these on Instagram." I wonder how well they work and decided to purchase them at the store for $30. I realized later that I could have bought the ear plugs for 6 dollars cheaper but would have had to pay for shipping so I guess it all evens out in the end.</p>
<p>Hearing loss in musicians is a major issue that we are continuingly dealing with as we age. We forget too that even major urban settings have a large amount of noise pollution. This is important because even major music institutions are in major metropolitan areas so it's important for music students and professionals alike to protect their hearing.</p>
<p>The Loop ear plugs come in a nice box that shows the elegance of the ear plugs. These are meant to stand out from any other traditional ear plug. When you slide the black box, you're greeted with the golden earplugs on top and some accessories on the bottom. The loop ear plug accessories include a small carrying pouch, silicone ear tips similar to what you may find in in-ear headphones, and foam tips. When I first touched the loop ear plug foam tips, they felt like leather! They do feel like the same material that you would find in any ordinary ear plug that you find in a pharmacy or convenience store. The Loop music ear plugs cancel out 20db of noise which is enough to protect your ears from loud concerts or symphony halls. I can even picture myself using these earplugs for everyday commuting on a subway. I can hear just enough sound in my surroundings to make it worth keeping them in my ears.</p>
<p>However, I did test these ear plugs in a room where no one else was around. I'm curious to test the Loop ear plugs in a real world setting like an orchestra or chamber ensemble. I guess I'll just have to test them out and see if they can cancel out the noise from my upstairs neighbor.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64734752020-11-17T00:00:00-05:002020-11-17T00:00:12-05:00Fun Exercise For A Straight Violin Bow - Violin Beginner Lesson - Suzuki Method<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="keoyLmBwO6k" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/keoyLmBwO6k/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/keoyLmBwO6k?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Today's exercise is all about having a straight violin bow! We'll also talk about the importance of having a straight violin bow and how that effects the tone production.</p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64728092020-11-13T00:00:00-05:002020-11-16T07:26:15-05:00Straight Wrist When Playing The Violin - Fun Tip<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="V3UrH3NbWNs" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/V3UrH3NbWNs/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V3UrH3NbWNs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Having a straight left wrist when playing the violin helps in the long run because it helps with your intonation when putting fingers down on the fingerboard. Today, I'm gong to show you a fun little idea that you can implement with your students if they're having trouble with their left wrist.</p>
<p>Subscribe to the YouTube Channel! - <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64608872020-11-03T00:00:00-05:002020-11-03T00:00:12-05:00Violinist Explains How To Shift On The Violin - Violin Basics - Violin Shifting Tutorials <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="G7peNxjEoy0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/G7peNxjEoy0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G7peNxjEoy0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In this video I show some basics steps on how to shift on the violin. Understanding some basic principles will allow you find success with shifting to higher positions on the violin. Don't forget to hit the like button and subscribe to the channel!</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Shifting on the violin can be a little challenging at first if you don't know the proper steps.</p>
<p>1) Make sure that you have good posture</p>
<p>2) Bring your left elbow closer into your body to create a pathway for your wrist to shift up the neck of the violin</p>
<p>3) Be sure to keep your "violin shelf" aka your left knuckle and thumb from the left hand in contact with the neck of the violin.</p>
<p>4) BONUS - be sure to relax the knuckle closest to the finger tip as you shift up and down the fingerboard.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64608082020-10-30T00:00:00-04:002020-10-30T00:00:13-04:00How To Earn Money As A Musician 2020 - 3 Things You Can Do Today To Start Earning Income In Music<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="bp3ybwYTsnc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/bp3ybwYTsnc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bp3ybwYTsnc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>There are many ways to earn money as a musician online in 2020. Here are 3 things you can do TODAY to start start earning money in music. I also add an extra bonus tip to help you along your journey.</p>
<p>Here are 3 ways you can earn money as a musician in 2020:</p>
<h3>1) Teaching</h3>
<p>Now I know what you're thinking. Teaching in 2020? What are you thinking? Hear me out. Teaching still provides musicians a stable income in addition to any other side gigs. Asking your friends or your friends' kids if they're interested in violin lessons can be another potential income stream during this time.</p>
<h3>2) Performing</h3>
<p>Performing is another way to put money in your pocket. Even during the midst of a pandemic, musicians are creative in how they're earning with online concerts. Livestreaming has become a new norm while concert halls are completely shut down. Even orchestras are adapting to using different social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube to showcase their musicians. But the real profit is when you organize the concerts yourself and you keep 100% of the commission. Bandzoogle can do just that for you. Scroll down to get my affiliate link to try Bandzoogle free for 30 days.</p>
<h3>3 Grant Writing</h3>
<p>Writing grants is a another way to get your projects funded and provide another income stream for you as an indie artist, or solo musician. 501(c)3 non profit organizations in the United States get grants from local governments, or private foundations. There are grants out there from local governments that are accessible and available to individuals if you look hard enough.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>
<p>Bandzoogle 30 days free - no credit card needed - <a contents="https://bandzoogle.com/?memref=r3a7a2" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bandzoogle.com/?memref=r3a7a2" target="_blank">https://bandzoogle.com/?memref=r3a7a2</a></p>
<p>--</p>
<p>AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER</p>
<p>Links in this description may earn a commission through affiliate marketing.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64597472020-10-27T00:00:00-04:002021-09-28T16:00:34-04:00Violinist Reviews Bandzoogle - Honest Thoughts<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="7guaylsJx1I" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/7guaylsJx1I/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7guaylsJx1I?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bandzoogle is one of the few website creator platforms out there that is designed to create success for musicians around the world. In this short tutorial, I share the user experience on Bandzoogle and how it can help you online.</p>
<p>Bandzoogle is one of the smartest ways to build a website as a musician. Whether you're a solo artist, or a band, Bandzoogle is a great tool to build your online presence and control the fan experience. I've been using Bandzoogle for a few years now and as a violinist, it has been really easy to blog, upload music, upload content, and send out emails for my mailing. Bandzoogle is a great way to build a website for someone who is an absolute beginner.</p>
<p>Use my link to get started! <a contents="https://bandzoogle.com/?memref=r3a7a2" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bandzoogle.com/?memref=r3a7a2" target="_blank">https://bandzoogle.com/?memref=r3a7a2</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER<br>Links in this description may earn a commission through affiliate marketing at no extra cost to you.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64493412020-10-23T00:00:00-04:002020-10-23T00:00:02-04:00Violin Vibrato - How To Play The Violin With Vibrato? - Violin Tutorial - Violin Basics With Eric<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="riXvPsZN7UI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/riXvPsZN7UI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/riXvPsZN7UI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Violin vibrato, what a mystery it is! I was always afraid to post a video on vibrato because I was always self-conscious about it. In the last installment of Violin Basics with Eric, we talk about vibrato, the different kinds of vibrato, and how to use the previous videos to help get the sound you want.</p>
<p>Before watching this video, review the other videos in the "Violin Basics with Eric" Series:</p>
<p>How to place the finger on the violin string - <a contents="https://youtu.be/XB86o6ETXiA " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/XB86o6ETXiA" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/XB86o6ETXiA </a></p>
<p>Violin Finger Weight - How do you press your finger on the violin string? <a contents="https://youtu.be/eBSX_cpGpG0" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/eBSX_cpGpG0" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/eBSX_cpGpG0</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64493822020-10-20T00:00:00-04:002020-10-20T12:55:16-04:00Violin Finger Weight - How do you press your finger on the violin string? - Violin Basics with Eric<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="eBSX_cpGpG0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/eBSX_cpGpG0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eBSX_cpGpG0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>Violin finger weight is different than finger 'pressure'. I never want to encourage words like 'pressing' or 'squeezing' because it can imply that there is tension while playing the violin. In this video, I'll be talking about how to use the natural weight of your arm to put your finger on the string. This will give you an organic sound that you're proud of.</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64493712020-10-16T00:00:00-04:002020-10-16T00:00:09-04:00Violin Finger Tip Placement - Violin Lesson - Violin Beginner Lesson - Violin Basics with Eric<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="XB86o6ETXiA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/XB86o6ETXiA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XB86o6ETXiA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Knowing how to place your finger on the violin string is one of the key elements to bringing you success. In this video, I share my tips on how to put your finger on the violin string to help avoid any pain, or discomfort.</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64546352020-10-13T12:39:19-04:002020-10-13T12:39:19-04:00Musician Deals for Amazon Prime Day 2020 - Top 5 List of Discounted Music Deals Online<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="UGNfxsOkfZQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/UGNfxsOkfZQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UGNfxsOkfZQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Today is Prime Day 2020! </p>
<p>Which means that Amazon is having MASSIVE sales for the next 48 hours. </p>
<p>But are there any deals for musicians like you and I? Well in this video I’m going to be talking about the top 5 products you can find for Amazon Prime Day. </p>
<p>If you’re a pit musician, a stand light is an absolute MUST. So for our first item on the list is the Professional Musician 3000-6000k Super Bright Stand Light. This stand light has 9 different settings for your needs such as adjusting the color temperature, and the brightness of the light. What’s also cool is that it’s very portable, and can easily charge the stand light using a USB port; which means no more batteries. </p>
<p>This stand light is available as a <a contents="Prime Day Deal $18.39 plus tax, down from its original price of $22.99 plus tax.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K8FQFN8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07K8FQFN8&pd_rd_w=OKmXM&pf_rd_p=7d37a48b-2b1a-4373-8c1a-bdcc5da66be9&pd_rd_wg=HLQY2&pf_rd_r=APCC28VSJ8WARGY83NNJ&pd_rd_r=4ca05de1-37a0-4cc3-a139-c2281cbca01f&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVEIyQVExVUZZSjRDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTgwMzk2M0xaVDJBQ0xMRko4MCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjYwOTU1MzhWNVY5WjBOMkdETyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=&linkCode=ll1&tag=erm729-20&linkId=692400f9926428cc07ffb78dcb5f81a8&language=en_US" target="_blank">Prime Day Deal $18.39 plus tax, down from its original price of $22.99 plus tax. </a></p>
<p>Number 2 on our list is the Easter Metal Music Stand. What’s great about this stand is that it’s portable, has a traveling case with it, it comes with a music clip to hold your music from flying off the stand, and some bunny ear stand lights. </p>
<p>This set is available as a <a contents="Prime Day Deal for $26.39 plus tax down from its original price of $32.99 plus tax.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CWMJTP6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07CWMJTP6&pd_rd_w=OKmXM&pf_rd_p=7d37a48b-2b1a-4373-8c1a-bdcc5da66be9&pd_rd_wg=HLQY2&pf_rd_r=APCC28VSJ8WARGY83NNJ&pd_rd_r=4ca05de1-37a0-4cc3-a139-c2281cbca01f&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE1M0Y5QzVPR0o2MFYmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTEwMTQ1NzkxT0tKRDVSRUs2WU5QJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwNDAyNzVHRVQ2RDdHSlM0RDAmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&linkCode=ll1&tag=erm729-20&linkId=183257c4e137dd92787ebe1f863227a4&language=en_US" target="_blank">Prime Day Deal for $26.39 plus tax down from its original price of $32.99 plus tax. </a></p>
<p>Now if you’re like me, you’re probably stuck at home the last 6 months or so, creating more content for your audience. Now more than ever musicians need a decent mic for collaborations, music lessons, and performances. Number 3 on the Amazon Prime Day list of musician goodies is the Zingyou Condenser Mic Bundle. </p>
<p>This bundle is perfect for the musician at home who isn’t looking for something that’s fancy, but gets the job done. What you get in the bundle is a professional mic, an adjustable scissor arm stand, Shock mount, and a pop filter. A bonus perk is that it comes in different colors! </p>
<p>This bundle is a <a contents="Prime Day Deal for $34.29 plus tax, down from its original price of $42.99 plus tax.&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/ZINGYOU-Microphone-Professional-Adjustable-Broadcasting/dp/B07HG8CG7W/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=A63Q1UP65IDV&dchild=1&keywords=music+studio+desk&qid=1602598572&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=music+s,mi,173&sr=1-27&linkCode=ll1&tag=erm729-20&linkId=fd8d67eb883aab4cca6775f32ddafdae&language=en_US" target="_blank">Prime Day Deal for $34.29 plus tax, down from its original price of $42.99 plus tax. </a></p>
<p>Number 4 on our list for Prime Day Deal is KLIQ MetroPitch. This little guy is a 3 in 1 device that has a tuner, a metronome, and a tone generator which makes it the perfect practice companion at home or in your studio. It looks easy to use and it comes in different colors. I recommend having a metronome at home and getting one should be a no-brainer. <a contents="This deal is a Prime day deal at $16.63 plus tax, down from its original price of $26.97 plus tax.&nbsp;&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/KLIQ-MetroPitch-Metronome-Instruments-Chromatic/dp/B00YNVCXUW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=metronome&qid=1602599656&s=musical-instruments&smid=A333XI0EKPKMDZ&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyWFkyTjMyMzBRMkZQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTkxNTIxV1JPSkxWQ0M0REdWJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3MTI1MDUyN0FGT04wUkVUVzRGJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==&linkCode=ll1&tag=erm729-20&linkId=0fa223a3bc57b829d798c28cdb122cfc&language=en_US" target="_blank">This deal is a Prime day deal at $16.63 plus tax, down from its original price of $26.97 plus tax. </a></p>
<p>The last deal that you’ll get on Amazon, is not actually a Prime Day Deal. However, this deal is too good to pass up on and if you’re one of the more serious violinists who needs a better instrument. For number 5 on our list, we have the DZ Strad Model 220. This set comes with Dominant strings from Thomastik, a bow, a case, rosin, and a shoulder rest. </p>
<p>Now USUALLY I’m hesitant to suggest violins on Amazon, but if you’re a hobbyist or an amateur, this could be a solid choice for you. <a contents="The original price of the violin with the accessories is $689 plus tax, down from its original price of $999." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Strad-Model-Full-Violin-Clear/dp/B0773W8WF3/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=violin&qid=1602599250&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-32-spons&psc=1&smid=A3IC7YNSYCN4WI&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFWVUkzUElHT1A4TFImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1NTYyNTAzNjg4STZHRjk5RlkyJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4MTI2NzcyMVJVU0wwTUZCWlEzJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYnRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==&linkCode=ll1&tag=erm729-20&linkId=b41b541d82510e0ce24e4cab17ba1276&language=en_US" target="_blank">The original price of the violin with the accessories is $689 plus tax, down from its original price of $999.</a> </p>
<p>There you have, these are the best Amazon Prime Day Deals that I can find for you. There are more products out there but these are the ones that I would pay attention to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER- The links in this post may have affiliate links that earn a commission at no extra cost to you. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64493612020-10-13T00:00:00-04:002020-10-13T00:00:05-04:00Violin Bow Weight vs Pressure - Violin Tutorial - Violin Beginner Lesson - Violin Basics with Eric<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="FuHLHVBOaIE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/FuHLHVBOaIE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FuHLHVBOaIE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Violin bow weight is different than pressure. I set the record straight in this video and explain step by step why bow weight is better than bow pressure. </p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education. </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <br><a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64493602020-10-09T00:00:00-04:002020-10-09T00:00:03-04:00Violin Bow Contact Point - How To Change Your Sound With Your Violin Bow - Violin Basics with Eric<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="kPB6NP0sXfA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kPB6NP0sXfA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kPB6NP0sXfA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In this video, I talk about how to change the quality and color of your sound from the contact point of your bow to your string. Subscribe to the channel to be updated on this mini-series, "Basics with Eric the Violinist" </p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education. </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <br><a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64493592020-10-06T00:00:00-04:002020-12-03T04:55:52-05:00How To Hold A Violin Bow - Step By Step Tutorial for Violin Beginners - Violin Basics with Eric<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="rNRqssLKzes" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/rNRqssLKzes/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rNRqssLKzes?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Holding the violin bow as a violin beginner can be a frustrating task. In this video I go step by step on how to hold a violin bow. </p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education. </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <br><a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64350202020-09-29T00:00:00-04:002020-10-01T14:27:45-04:00Mach One Violin Shoulder Rest - Review After 10 Years of Playing<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hH7ewOeVeP0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/hH7ewOeVeP0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hH7ewOeVeP0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The Mach One Violin Shoulder Rest has been around for a long time. I've used the Mach One for the last 10 years and want to share my thoughts on what I think after 10 years.</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64349252020-09-25T00:00:00-04:002020-09-25T00:00:02-04:00Bon Musica Violin Shoulder Rest Product Review - Tall Violin Metal Shoulder Rest<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="gLqPZ6fJfJ8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/gLqPZ6fJfJ8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gLqPZ6fJfJ8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The Bon Musica violin shoulder rest is a $50+ shoulder rest that will help you find comfort in your violin playing setup. But is it worth? Watch the full product review.</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64111752020-09-22T00:00:00-04:002020-09-22T00:00:19-04:00Violin Up Bow Staccato Exercises - How To Play Up Bow Staccato On The Violin - Violin Tutorial<p>Up bow violin staccato is one of the most difficult violin techniques to master. In this video, I share some easy exercises and tips on how to achieve a consistent violin up bow staccato.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="1AzX8zwk7t4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/1AzX8zwk7t4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1AzX8zwk7t4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Watch the Video --> <a contents="https://youtu.be/1AzX8zwk7t4" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/1AzX8zwk7t4">https://youtu.be/1AzX8zwk7t4</a></p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL--> <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64231792020-09-18T00:00:00-04:002020-09-18T00:00:03-04:00Kun Original Violin Shoulder Rest - Honest Review for $25 violin shoulder rest<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CZyxFheF5Bc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/CZyxFheF5Bc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CZyxFheF5Bc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shoulder rest, or no shoulder rest? If you're in the market for a violin shoulder rest, the Kun Orginal violin shoulder rest is a great entry level product for anyone who wants more comfort.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64339462020-09-15T08:05:07-04:002020-09-15T08:05:07-04:00To The Gig - Episode 1 - Wedding Edition<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Exyypw8uVfo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Exyypw8uVfo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Exyypw8uVfo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>To The Gig is a special mini-series where you get to join Eric Mrugala on his gig adventures. This week, Eric Mrugala does a wedding gig in Massachusetts with a few of his buddies.</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>
<p>Facebook: <a contents="https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala">https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala</a></p>
<p>Instagram: <a contents="https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist">https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist </a></p>
<p>Twitter: <a contents="https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala">https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala</a> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64243252020-09-08T08:18:33-04:002020-09-15T08:07:33-04:00High Fidelity Audio Mode - Zoom Update 5.2.2 <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="QO9Zd8FGiw0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/QO9Zd8FGiw0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QO9Zd8FGiw0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Today is an exciting day!</p>
<p>I just discovered that Zoom just came out with an update that now includes what's called <strong>High Fidelity Audio Mode<em> </em></strong>in the new update of the zoom software. </p>
<p>THANK YOU. </p>
<p>This was the moment we've all been waiting for. </p>
<h4>What is High Fidelity Audio Mode?</h4>
<p>According to the Zoom website, "The option in Advanced Audio enhances 'Original Audio Mode', allowing for disabling echo cancellation & post processing, while raising audio codec quality to 48khz, 96kbps mono/192kbps stereo for professional audio transmission in music education and performance applications. Professional audio interface, microphones, and headphones required."</p>
<p>Setting up High Fidelity Audio Mode is actually very simply. Here is a step-by-step guide that takes you through:</p>
<h4>Step 1: Download Zoom update 5.2.2</h4>
<p>Zoom did a 'soft' launch on the update so it's not really advertised everywhere. You will have to go to the Zoom download center to get the updated version of Zoom. Click here to be redirected --> <a contents="https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201361953" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201361953" target="_blank">https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201361953</a> </p>
<h4>Step 2: Scroll down to the Current Release section </h4>
<p>Once you click the link step 1, scroll down to the where it says <strong>Current Release</strong>. This shows you the current version of Zoom. <em>Be sure is Zoom update 5.2.2</em></p>
<h4>Step 3: Click Download Center next to 'Download Here'</h4>
<p>Click on the Download Center link. This will redirect you to update</p>
<h4>Step 4: Download the update</h4>
<p>Downloading the updated Zoom software should take you no more than 5 minutes if you already have Zoom downloaded on your computer. If you don't, the download will take a little longer. </p>
<p><b>Step 5: Open Zoom Software and click the gear icon on the top right corner of the the Zoom Window (zoom home)</b></p>
<p><b>Step 6: Click 'Audio' on the left side of the window</b></p>
<p><b>Step 7: Once you click 'Audio' go to the bottom right of the window to click on 'advanced'</b></p>
<p><b>Step 8: Click on 'High Fidelity Audio'</b></p>
<p>By clicking on the high fidelity audio, you are telling the software to use more bandwith for high quality audio to come through the zoom meeting. It will help if you also click on the echo cancellation. </p>
<p>But wait, <em><strong>we're not done yet!</strong></em></p>
<p>Just because you clicked on the High Fidelity Audio setting, </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64016262020-09-08T00:55:00-04:002020-11-19T21:20:37-05:00How To Get Rid Of Shaky Violin Bow<p>When starting out on the violin, beginners may experience what I like to call, "shaky bow syndrome'. It happens to the best of us. I see this happen in beginner students and wanted to create a video that explains why this happens, and how to fix it. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="WwXtO6WWsMI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/WwXtO6WWsMI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WwXtO6WWsMI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>WATCH HERE --><a contents="&nbsp;https://youtu.be/WwXtO6WWsMI" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/WwXtO6WWsMI"> https://youtu.be/WwXtO6WWsMI</a></p>
<p>Subscribe to my YouTube Channel --> <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/64222392020-09-02T12:19:56-04:002020-09-02T15:54:38-04:00Is It Safe to Fly During COVID-19? <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="So3dkgtAZKA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/So3dkgtAZKA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/So3dkgtAZKA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="540" width="720" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In today's vlog post, I hop on an airplane for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic started in the United States. The main questions I asked where:</p>
<ul> <li>Do I feel safe in the airport?</li> <li>Do I feel safe on the airplane?</li> <li>Do I feel safe when interacting with the flight attendants?</li>
</ul>
<p>3 really simple questions that I get answered. Click on the link right here --><a contents="&nbsp;https://youtu.be/So3dkgtAZKA" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/So3dkgtAZKA" target="_blank"> https://youtu.be/So3dkgtAZKA</a></p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63834332020-07-14T09:15:00-04:002020-09-02T16:01:44-04:00My Music Story - My Journey as a Musician<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="0_GQz-kEbKY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/0_GQz-kEbKY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0_GQz-kEbKY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In this vlog, I share my music story, and my journey as a musician. Everything happens for a reason and I'm glad to be sharing this with you.</p>
<p>CHECK OUT THE VIDEO: <a contents="https://youtu.be/0_GQz-kEbKY" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/0_GQz-kEbKY">https://youtu.be/0_GQz-kEbKY</a></p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63770292020-07-09T06:00:00-04:002020-09-02T16:00:46-04:00Artino Violin Practice Mute - Is This The Best Violin Practice Mute? - Product Review<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CTNSKe9A85c" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/CTNSKe9A85c/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CTNSKe9A85c?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Is this the best violin practice mute? In this video, I review the Artino Violin Practice Mute and see if this is, in fact, the best violin practice mute to buy. Check out the link below:</p>
<p>YouTube Link: <a contents="https://youtu.be/CTNSKe9A85c" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/CTNSKe9A85c" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/CTNSKe9A85c</a></p>
<p>Artino Practice Mute: <a contents="https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUHQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=486HEAMUZPY8&amp;dchild=1&amp;keywords=artino+practice+mute&amp;qid=1594003986&amp;sprefix=Artino+,aps,174&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=violinpodcast-20&amp;linkId=747cd78865410755ca051b9a9b6c68f7&amp;language=en_US " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUHQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=486HEAMUZPY8&dchild=1&keywords=artino+practice+mute&qid=1594003986&sprefix=Artino+,aps,174&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=violinpodcast-20&linkId=747cd78865410755ca051b9a9b6c68f7&language=en_US">https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUHQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?crid=486HEAMUZPY8&dchild=1&keywords=artino+practice+mute&qid=1594003986&sprefix=Artino+,aps,174&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=violinpodcast-20&linkId=747cd78865410755ca051b9a9b6c68f7&language=en_US </a></p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based in Amherst, Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63770232020-07-07T06:00:00-04:002020-09-02T16:02:40-04:00How To Stop Violin Pegs From Slipping [ONE SIMPLE STEP] - How To Violin Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="FAJiIAQUiHM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/FAJiIAQUiHM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FAJiIAQUiHM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Slipping violin pegs can be a pain when dealing with the change in seasons. In this video, I show you how to use peg dope on your violin pegs to prevent pegs from slipping.</p>
<p>YouTube Link: <a contents="https://youtu.be/FAJiIAQUiHM" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/FAJiIAQUiHM" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/FAJiIAQUiHM</a></p>
<p>Check out the peg dope I use on Amazon down below:</p>
<p>Peg Dop: <a contents="https://www.amazon.com/HILL-Original-Peg-Compound-HILL-ZW-97/dp/B01BESKXAS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&amp;keywords=violin+peg+dope&amp;qid=1594002724&amp;sr=8-2&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=violinpodcast-20&amp;linkId=2b9c3e4240e12ec096aecedebe6eb274&amp;language=en_US" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/HILL-Original-Peg-Compound-HILL-ZW-97/dp/B01BESKXAS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=violin+peg+dope&qid=1594002724&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll1&tag=violinpodcast-20&linkId=2b9c3e4240e12ec096aecedebe6eb274&language=en_US" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/HILL-Original-Peg-Compound-HILL-ZW-97/dp/B01BESKXAS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=violin+peg+dope&qid=1594002724&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll1&tag=violinpodcast-20&linkId=2b9c3e4240e12ec096aecedebe6eb274&language=en_US</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63679532020-06-30T06:00:00-04:002020-09-02T16:03:11-04:00How To Clean Your Violin [EASY] - Violin Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="u9MzpWPoyPY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/u9MzpWPoyPY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u9MzpWPoyPY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In this video I go step by step on how to clean your violin as easy as 1-2-3. To clean your violin, you need to have a couple tools prepared before you get started. In this video I also talk about what NOT to do when you clean your violin.</p>
<p>FULL VIDEO: <a contents="https://youtu.be/u9MzpWPoyPY" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/u9MzpWPoyPY" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/u9MzpWPoyPY</a></p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE :<a contents="&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank"> https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63679502020-06-26T22:14:07-04:002020-09-02T16:03:43-04:00Violin Infinity Bow Challenge (IMPOSSIBLE BOW TRICK EXPLAINED) - Violin Bow Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Ah4X_jdIMVc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ah4X_jdIMVc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ah4X_jdIMVc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In this video, I show you how to do THE INFINITY VIOLIN BOW TRICK. It's a fun little trick for you to try at home to release tension in your violin bow arm.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL<a contents=" https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank"> https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63455812020-06-23T06:00:00-04:002020-06-23T06:01:15-04:00Amcrest AWC201-B Unboxing (Is this the best webcam for Musicians Using Zoom?)<p>In this unboxing video, I take a look at the Amcrest AWC201-B and see what this new webcam is all about, and see if it's good for zoom music lessons.</p>
<p>CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO <a contents="https://youtu.be/CxHfICw75fU" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/CxHfICw75fU">https://youtu.be/CxHfICw75fU</a></p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based in Amherst, Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63544722020-06-18T06:00:00-04:002020-09-02T16:04:24-04:00How To Tune Your Violin [For Beginners And Parents] - Violin Tuning Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="FHdBUX5ubvc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/FHdBUX5ubvc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FHdBUX5ubvc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In this video, I go step by step on how to tune your violin using your pegs. This tutorial is for parents who need to tune their child's violin quickly and effectively.</p>
<p><a contents="https://youtu.be/FHdBUX5ubvc" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/FHdBUX5ubvc" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/FHdBUX5ubvc</a></p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based in Amherst, Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL<a contents=" https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank"> https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63409212020-06-16T04:00:00-04:002020-09-02T16:05:19-04:00Learn How To Play Ricochet Bow Fast (2 BONUS TIPS) - Violin Bow Tutorial<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ntLXa7vWUOQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ntLXa7vWUOQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ntLXa7vWUOQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In this video, I take you through a step by step process on how to play ricochet bow on your violin. This violin bow tutorial will help you get a controlled ricochet violin bow in just a matter of steps.</p>
<p>YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK: <a contents="https://youtu.be/ntLXa7vWUOQ" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/ntLXa7vWUOQ" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/ntLXa7vWUOQ</a> </p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1 </a></p>
<p>SAY HELLO!<br>Website: https://www.ericmrugala.com<br>Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala<br>Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist<br>Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63456292020-06-11T06:00:00-04:002020-06-11T06:00:45-04:00Classical Music After COVID-19 [What’s Next?]<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/i3nPo5Da038"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/e68086b07c91398f3dfde9f4765b3bcf6205637d/original/maxresdefault-7.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p>Predicting what the classical music world will look like after COVID-19 is a daunting task. In this video, I share two photos I found on social media that gives us a glimpse as to what big classical music organizations are doing to keep audiences and musicians safe.</p>
<p>VIDEO: <a contents="https://youtu.be/i3nPo5Da038" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/i3nPo5Da038" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/i3nPo5Da038</a></p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based in Amherst, Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63455542020-06-09T06:00:00-04:002020-09-02T16:05:56-04:00Sight reading Solo Violin Arrangement to Erlkonig (CLASSICAL MUSIC FAIL)<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Y3mFo9kJX6s" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y3mFo9kJX6s/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y3mFo9kJX6s?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In this video, I take my sight reading skills and put them to the test! I attempt to sight read the violin arrangement of the grand caprice to Schubert's Erlkonig. Do I make it to the end?! Watch until the end of the video to find out!</p>
<p>CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO: <a contents="https://youtu.be/Y3mFo9kJX6s" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/Y3mFo9kJX6s" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/Y3mFo9kJX6s</a></p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63359792020-06-04T06:00:00-04:002020-06-07T17:22:43-04:00Finding A Good Violin Teacher (4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW) - What To Look For In A Violin Teacher<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/af8019d9fa6621fbbc54605fd662df438b2102ce/original/maxresdefault-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In this video, we'll take you step by step with the 4 things you need to know and look for when searching for a violin teacher.</p>
<p>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based in Amherst, Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a><br><br><a contents="https://youtu.be/T_B1RCOlFKs" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/T_B1RCOlFKs">https://youtu.be/T_B1RCOlFKs</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63359782020-06-02T06:00:00-04:002020-09-02T16:07:34-04:00Suzuki Violin Book 1 (WATCH THIS BEFORE STARTING!) Things You NEED To Know about Suzuki Violin<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ZYhPUPEHc00" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZYhPUPEHc00/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZYhPUPEHc00?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In this video, I share my thoughts on the Suzuki Violin Method Book 1 and why it's a great violin method for any beginner who wants to start learning the violin. </p>
<p><a contents="https://youtu.be/ZYhPUPEHc00" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/ZYhPUPEHc00">https://youtu.be/ZYhPUPEHc00</a></p>
<p>Suzuki Book 1: <a contents="https://amzn.to/2XgmIZx" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amzn.to/2XgmIZx">https://amzn.to/2XgmIZx</a><br><br>Eric Mrugala is from Chicago, IL and started playing the violin at the age of three. He is an active performer and teacher based in Amherst, Massachusetts. Eric is dedicated to erasing lines between audiences and music through performance, and education.</p>
<p>SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/user/emrugala?sub_confirmation=1</a></p>
<p>AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER Links in this description may earn a commission through affiliate marketing.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63359702020-06-01T06:00:00-04:002020-07-25T06:48:53-04:00Eduardo Ortiz on the Everyday Musician Podcast<p>This week on the Everyday Musician Podcast, tenor Eduardo Ortiz, a musician based Western Massachusetts and Connecticut. We talk about about Opera, and have a conversation about how his mentors guided him into pursuing music as a career. Listen to Eduardo's episode on the <a contents="Everyday Musician Podcast here." data-link-label="Podcast" data-link-type="page" href="/podcast">Everyday Musician Podcast here.</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63321872020-05-28T07:27:42-04:002020-09-02T16:06:34-04:00What's In My Violin Case? - Hidden Violin Treasures<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="VH2d0eAl6g4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/VH2d0eAl6g4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VH2d0eAl6g4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="335" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>In this video, I share what's in my violin case, and some other hidden violin treasures that help me with my teaching and performance career.<br><br><a contents="https://youtu.be/VH2d0eAl6g4" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/VH2d0eAl6g4" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/VH2d0eAl6g4</a></p>
<p>ITEMS IN MY CASE </p>
<p>Hill The Original Peg Compound: <a contents="https://amzn.to/2ZItpp5" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amzn.to/2ZItpp5">https://amzn.to/2ZItpp5</a><br>Prokofiev Violin Sonata 1 (International): <a contents="https://amzn.to/36yfuTS" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amzn.to/36yfuTS">https://amzn.to/36yfuTS</a><br>Kun Legs: <a contents="https://amzn.to/2ZOsoMh" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amzn.to/2ZOsoMh">https://amzn.to/2ZOsoMh</a><br>Mach One Shoulder Rest: <a contents="https://amzn.to/2zADj1f" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amzn.to/2zADj1f">https://amzn.to/2zADj1f</a><br>Bam Violin Case: <a contents="https://amzn.to/2XCSXkC" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amzn.to/2XCSXkC">https://amzn.to/2XCSXkC</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Afiiliate Disclaimer:</p>
<p>Links in this blog post may contain an affiliate commission when products are bought. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63321062020-05-27T13:51:49-04:002020-05-27T13:51:49-04:00Gwendolyn Matias-Ryan on the Everyday Musician Podcast<p>This week on the Everyday Musician Podcast I have Mexican-American violist Gwendolyn Matias-Ryan. Gwendolyn earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in viola performance from Baylor University and an Artist Diploma from University of Michigan. Ms. Matias-Ryan is the co-founder and artistic director of the Sa'Oaxaca Strings International Music Festival based in Oaxaca, Mexico. <a contents="Listen to her episode here.&nbsp;" data-link-label="Podcast" data-link-type="page" href="/podcast">Listen to her episode here. </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63207172020-05-18T08:24:40-04:002020-07-11T06:55:18-04:00Matthew Lowy on the Everyday Musician Podcast<p>This week on the Everyday Musician Podcast I have New York-based pianist, composer, and orchestrator, Matthew Lowy. Matthew has toured nationally and internationally in various musicals as a pit musician and music director. He shares his time on tour, traveling, and his interest in composition. Listen to the podcast now available wherever podcasts are heard. Use the links down below to listen to the episode! </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/754468f25286c2268a81f0c790e2c61bd323720f/original/from-tim-fuchs-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br>Photo by Time Fuchs</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Everyday Musician Podcast interviews local musicians doing amazing things in their communities. Subscribe to podcast or visit the <a contents="podcast page" data-link-label="Podcast" data-link-type="page" href="/podcast">podcast page</a> to listen to current episodes. </p>
<p><a contents="Apple Podcasts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-musician-podcast/id1395689120">Apple Podcasts</a></p>
<p><a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6XcaeM689H5PL7bRShMAa0">Spotify</a></p>
<p><a contents="Google" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/If5xzfasjsumznwfneg2xgikkri?t%3DEveryday_Musician_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16">Google</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/63091692020-05-08T13:34:55-04:002020-05-08T13:34:55-04:00New Podcast Venture, Violin Podcast<p>Podcasting started out as a hobby and has now become something I've been really passionate about. </p>
<p>I've learned so much through the 42 episodes I've done on the Everyday Musician Podcast so far and I'm excited that I have started a new podcast that specifically pertains to my profession, and that is the Violin Podcast. </p>
<p>The Violin Podcast is where I get to talk to violinists from around the world, and also give valuable marketing tips for musicians online. </p>
<p>It would mean the world to me if visit the podcast at <a contents="https://anchor.fm/violin-podcast&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://anchor.fm/violin-podcast" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/violin-podcast </a> and listen to a few episodes. </p>
<p>Many thanks!</p>
<p>-EM</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/62588952020-03-23T07:11:22-04:002020-03-23T07:11:22-04:00New Episode of Everyday Musician Podcast<p>I hope this message finds all my followers healthy and safe during the COVID19 pandemic. </p>
<p>That being said, I'm going to continue providing everyone with as much content as possible. The Everyday Musician Podcast will continue releasing episodes every week as usual. </p>
<p>Stay tuned for more updates on the website. </p>
<p>All the best,</p>
<p>Eric</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/62466062020-03-12T12:44:57-04:002020-07-16T01:04:33-04:00Sacred Pause May 2020 Concerts postponed<p>Hello Everyone, </p>
<p>My colleague and Joshua Jandreau have made the difficult decision to postpone the Sacred Pauses project due to the COVID-19 virus. Please check back in at a later time for updates regarding this project. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>All the best to you all in stay safe! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/62204802020-02-19T14:49:58-05:002020-02-19T14:49:58-05:00Eric Mrugala in the Times Observer<p>Eric Mrugala has been featured with violinist Cody Hiller for his Warren, PA debut. Check out this article by the Warren Times Observer.</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.timesobserver.com/news/community/2020/02/briefs-530/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.timesobserver.com/news/community/2020/02/briefs-530/">https://www.timesobserver.com/news/community/2020/02/briefs-530/</a> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/62018262020-02-03T13:06:46-05:002020-08-20T01:50:06-04:00Everyday Musician Podcast in "Top 5 Violin Podcasts of 2020" List by Feedspot<h2>Everyday Musician Podcast in "Top 5 Violin Podcasts of 2020" List by Feedspot</h2>
<p>This is the moment we've been waiting for! After 32 episodes, the<a contents=" Everyday Musician Podcast" data-link-label="Podcast" data-link-type="page" href="/podcast"> Everyday Musician Podcast</a> has been listed in the Top 5 violin podcasts of 2020 by <a contents="Feedspot" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://blog.feedspot.com/violin_podcasts/" target="_blank">Feedspot</a>!</p>
<p>I'm glad that the podcast has earned some recognition. I'm honored to have interviewed so many interesting musicians so far on the podcast and I can't wait to continue this journey with all my listeners. </p>
<p>If you haven't done so already, go ahead have a listen on my<a contents=" podcast page! " data-link-label="Podcast" data-link-type="page" href="/podcast"> podcast page! </a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/986f260cfe838005aa47697e7f2d6d8f12f18ec8/original/everyday-musician-itunes-logo.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/61970882020-01-30T11:21:08-05:002020-01-30T11:21:08-05:00How I approach a busy Spring 2020<p>There was a time where I would be hunting for performance opportunities anywhere I could find them. This season I'm grateful that I'm a part of many wonderful projects. That being said, it can also feel overwhelming at times in addition to my teaching commitments. Below, I list somethings that help me get thorugh a busy performance season:</p>
<h4><b>Meditation/Visualization</b></h4>
<p>I find a lot of value in meditation. Meditation helps me relax and think about my music. As a matter of fact, I like to practice in my head while I meditate. I practice visualizing my performances in my head. It helps me stay on top of my music at a high level. </p>
<h4><strong>Listening to other music</strong></h4>
<p>There are moments in the year where I'm excited about the music I'm playing and I'm totally invested in and performing it to the best of my ability. But there are also times where my brain needs a break from the music I'm around every day. I listen to other genres to take my mind off things or to find inspiration. </p>
<h4><strong>Learning repertoire at a faster pace</strong></h4>
<p>In a busy season, the most obvious thing is to learn repertoire at a faster pace. using a metronome, practicing slowly, and getting enough rest so that my mind has room to process that information helps me stay on top repertoire for the season. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/61761342020-01-27T08:31:12-05:002020-01-27T08:31:12-05:00"I'm a beginner violinist, should I use finger tapes?"<h2>"I'm a beginner violinist, should I use finger tapes?"</h2>
<p><i>This article was originally posted by <a contents="ViolinPodcast.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://violinpodcast.com/2020/01/27/im-a-beginner-violinist-should-i-use-finger-tapes/" target="_blank">ViolinPodcast.com</a> by Eric Mrugala where he is a contributing editor. </i></p>
<p>Finger tapes on the fingerboard can be extremely valuable when starting out on the violin </p>
<p>As a teacher, I recommend putting finger tapes on the violin. Beginners might feel that they can go ahead and play Paganini Caprices right away (unfortunately this happened to one of my colleagues). When you’re starting out, it’s a good idea to put them even when you start your musical journey with Suzuki Book 1. </p>
<p>I do this with all my students ages 4 and up. By putting finger tapes on the violin, you’re teaching your mind and body to accurately put fingers in the correct place. In addition, the motion of your left hand fingers approaching the fingerboard is equally as important as placing them on the fingerboard correctly. </p>
<p>Another reason I suggest putting finger tapes on your instrument is because you’re training your ear to listen for the same pitch over and over again. I believe all students can achieve this with proper practice. </p>
<p>Eventually you’ll get to a place where you’re confident in your ability to place the fingers down while playing the violin. Don’t feel discouraged when you feel like you’re not getting it right away. It takes practice and lots of repetition!</p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/61761252020-01-27T08:00:22-05:002020-01-27T08:00:22-05:00Violinists Are Athletes<h2>Violinists Are Athletes</h2>
<p>Growing up, I enjoyed playing many sports. I played basketball, volleyball, and was an all-conference track and field athlete in high school. I also enjoy running and swimming in my spare time. </p>
<p>My experience as an athlete helped me become more conscious of the things I'm doing with the violin. A lot of what I do as a pedagogue is teach injury prevention techniques with the violin. </p>
<p>Violinists play with tension all the time. But to create longevity in one's performing career is to learn how to<strong> release</strong> tension. </p>
<p>Playing with tension is never a good thing and it's important to know this early on before you get yourself into an injury. </p>
<p>All in all, violinists are athletes and we should take care of our bodies as such. Understanding your body while playing the violin will help prevent future injuries. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/59585442019-12-02T06:00:00-05:002019-12-02T06:05:17-05:00Personal and Professional Goals 2020<h4>Personal and Professional Goals 2020</h4>
<p>It’s that time of year again where we’re all thinking about how to be better in the New Year. Looking back on 2019, I was able to accomplish most of my goals despite the obstacles life threw at me. It’s been a journey so far and I look forward to the following things in the year ahead:</p>
<h4>1) Become a better teacher/performer</h4>
<p>2019 was the ‘year of teaching’ for me. I’m grateful for the many teaching opportunities that came my way and hope to continue growing in these areas. In addition, I want to continue performing at a high level. It may sound simple, but I’ve noticed that it’s very easy to lose sight of your goal when you try to coordinate schedules with students while organizing concerts at the same time. <br> </p>
<h4>2) Continue growing the Everyday Musician Podcast</h4>
<p>Starting the Everyday Musician Podcast has been a blessing in disguise. I wanted to do something different that will encourage music lovers to learn more about the amazing things musicians are doing in their communities. The goal is to grow the podcast to more listeners around the country and around the world. Listen to recent episodes of the Everyday Musician Podcast by <a contents="clicking here.&nbsp;" data-link-label="Podcast " data-link-type="page" href="/podcast">clicking here. </a><br> </p>
<h4>3) Getting Out of My Comfort Zone</h4>
<p>I admit, the last couple of months have been a struggle professionally. All the things that I wanted to do creatively did not see the light of day due to my teaching engagements. However, I am determined to continue into this musical path and complete my goals. </p>
<h4>4) Create Music Products for students</h4>
<p>I believe that there is possibility in everything we set out to do; that is if we have the proper guidance. One of my goals for 2020 is to create products for students that will help their violin ability and music business mindset at an affordable price. Stay tuned for that!</p>
<h4>5) Record an Album</h4>
<p>Recording an album in 2020 will be a big milestone. I am eager to get into the music studio to record music that I believe in for everyone to hear. I look forward to sharing that with you all!</p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/58803242019-09-06T08:00:00-04:002019-09-06T08:01:03-04:00Everyday Musician Podcast Season 2<h3>Season 2 of the Everyday Musician Podcast premieres September 9th!! </h3>
<p>I’m looking forward to premiering the new season of the Everyday Musician Podcast! This season I’ll be speaking to composers and instrumentalists discussing various topics and I hope you can join me for the ride. Episodes will start on September 9th and will premiere every Monday on all major podcast platforms. </p>
<p><a contents="Listen to recent episodes of&nbsp;the Everyday Musician Podcast&nbsp;" data-link-label="Podcast " data-link-type="page" href="/podcast">Listen to recent episodes of the Everyday Musician Podcast </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/58802262019-09-04T09:43:20-04:002019-09-04T09:43:20-04:002019 Back-To-School Violin Tips<h2>2019 Back-To-School Violin Tips</h2>
<p>It’s officially September and Back-To-School season is underway. Every year I get excited for the potential that my students have when they play and perform their violins!</p>
<p>For parents reading this post, Back-To-School can be overwhelming also. With regular supplies like the standard notebooks, pencil case, and textbooks, those are pretty easy to figure out because they’re one-size-fits-all supplies. With the violin, getting the wrong item or not getting the right violin teacher can slow the process down for you or your child. Here are a list of suggestions to make sure that you are starting the 2019-2020 calendar year right:</p>
<h3>Get a qualified violin teacher</h3>
<p>If you already have an awesome violin teacher, then you can skip this step. That means you’re already ahead of the game! </p>
<p>This point is number one for a reason. If you’re a new student or a parent searching for a violin teacher for their child, it’s important that you find a teacher with a music education background or performance degree from a credited institution. (this information goes for non violin students also)</p>
<p>Even starting the search for someone with a pedagogy degree can help narrow the search in your area. </p>
<h3>Trial Lesson</h3>
<p>You’ve found a great violin teacher in your area, excellent! The next step is to make sure that this teacher is a good fit for you or your child. I highly recommend any new student to have what’s called a Trial Lesson. Trial lessons are exactly what they sound like, you’re having a sample lesson with the teacher to make sure that it will be a good fit between the two parties.</p>
<p>You’ll be investing your time, energy, and hard earned dollars for violin lessons. You want to make sure that your teacher is transparent, and is dedicated to your goals. </p>
<h3>Supplies</h3>
<p>SUPPLIES, the dreaded “s’ word for parents and students. For the parent reading this, it means budgeting for the extra costs associated with violin lessons.I’m going to make it simple for you by providing this list of supplies you absolutely must get:</p>
<p>1. Sheet Music/Books</p>
<p>2. Extra set of strings</p>
<p>3. Rosin</p>
<p>4. Correct violin and bow size from a reliable rental shop in your area. </p>
<p>These four things should get you going and are pretty much the bare minimum of what you need for the school year. Talk to your teacher as to what kind of books you should get. If you already bought sheet music/books in the past, there’s a likely chance you can check that off your list. </p>
<p>In regards to violin strings, they can get really expensive really fast if you don’t know what you’re shopping for. I recommend my students Pirastro Tonica violin strings because they’re in the $35-$40 range (as of the date of this article), they feel nice under the finger when press down on the finger board, they have consistent tuning stability, and the strings sound great for the price. Talk to your teacher about what which strings might sound the best for your instrument. Many rental shops prepare the violin rentals with new strings so you may not have to purchase them anyway. If you purchased your instrument, you’ll be responsible for the strings that you buy.</p>
<p>Also, selecting the right size violin is important so you can prevent injuries (yes, violinists can get injuries). Make sure to consult with the experts at the rental shops to discuss how big or how small your violin should be. </p>
<h3>Extra Tip</h3>
<p>As an extra tip, another thing you could ask your violin teacher about is violin set up. What does that mean exactly? Different teachers and pedagogues come from different schools of learning how to play the violin. There are many traditions and not just one way to play. Some teachers prefer to play without a shoulder rest or they might like to use a sponge instead of a traditional should rest. That’s what I mean when I say that playing the violin is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Ask your teacher to get started on the right foot.</p>
<h4>Last thoughts</h4>
<p>Of course there is a lot information out there and many more questions you can ask, but at least with this article you can have a basic idea of how to start the school year right! Comment below if you have any questions or thoughts!</p>
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<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/58323492019-07-22T12:38:53-04:002019-07-22T12:38:53-04:00Collaboration at Fresh Inc Festival Part 2<p>Thank you Karjaka Studios for capturing these amazing moments from a couple world premieres at Constellation Chicago. </p>
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<p>Pictured: Eric Mrugala, Kate Barmotina, Eunjin Lee, Alex Goodin, Herine Coetzee Koschak </p>
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<p>Pictured: Eric Mrugala, Charlene Kluegel </p>
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<p>Pictured: Eric Mrugala, Kate Barmotina, Eunjin Lee, Alex Goodin, Herine Coetzee Koschak </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/58194032019-07-09T22:41:22-04:002019-07-21T16:53:09-04:00Collaboration at Fresh Inc Festival<p>I'm happy to have been a part of Fresh Inc Festival where I got to work with living composers and meet new musicians from around the country. The festival took place at the University of Wisconsin - Parkside for two weeks and it was an intense, and inspiring festival to be at. There were a lot of interesting ideas that people shared at the festival that sparked everyone's imagination. My colleagues and I were fortunate enough to have collaborated with composers Sebastian Quesadas, Chris Karminski, and Ai Daixuan. In addition I was able to play <em>Concerto Grosso</em> composed by Michael Foumai with other members of the Fresh Inc Festival, and Fifth House Ensemble. Videos and recordings will be available soon! </p>
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<p>Photography by <a contents="Karjaka Studios" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.karjaka.com" target="_blank">Karjaka Studios</a> - Pictured Eric Mrugala (violin) Eunjin Lee (piano) Tyla Axelrod (cello) Sixto Franco (viola) </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/e0f111085a6107f76a28bb5e2014c7de7a8b99c3/original/66582297-2107407369369357-6066739428422844416-o.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_left border_" /></p>
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<p>Photography by <a contents="Karjaka Studios" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.karjaka.com">Karjaka Studios</a> - Pictured Eric Mrugala (violin) Eunjin Lee (piano) Tyla Axelrod (cello) Sixto Franco (viola) </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/7b452488b002b3fcef42acbd15139b1d23fb8eb2/original/66251727-2107413769368717-5547375413006696448-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_left border_" /></p>
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<p>Photography by <a contents="Karjaka Studios" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.karjaka.com">Karjaka Studios</a> - Victoria Calderone (Flute) Grace Hong (Oboe) Luke Ellard (Clarinet) Momoko Hasselbring (Horn)<br>Katherine Peterson (Piano) Eunjin Lee (Piano) Charlene Kluegel (Violin) Claire Nederberger (violin) Eric Mrugala (Violin) <br>Kate Barmotina (Viola) Herine Koschak (Cello) Tyla Axelrod (Cello) Alex Goodin (Bass) </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53959972019-06-20T13:59:10-04:002019-06-20T13:59:10-04:00What Does It Mean To Be A Musical Entrepreneur?<p>What does this mean for classical musicians in 2018? We're experiencing a shift where musicians want to create and not be binded by the politics of an orchestra. There are more talented and dedicated musicians out there than ever before. Every single musician has an equal opportunity to grab a music lover's attention.So then we beg the question in the beginning of this post, what does it mean to be a musical entrepreneur and <strong>how</strong> do you become one?</p>
<p>I can share some good news and say that you already have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. You have <strong>discipline,</strong> a <strong>good work ethic</strong>, and you <strong>set goals</strong>. You can use these three things to help create your opportunities. But to be an entrepreneur is not only about creating opportunities, it's also using these as a way to create a business. After all, the very definition of an entrepreneur is someone who creates a business opportunity for themselves. </p>
<p>You have the tools already at your disposal, use them to your advantage to create and do more! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/57552622019-05-15T09:22:49-04:002019-05-15T09:22:49-04:00How to Earn a Living as a Classical Musician<h2>How do you earn a living as a classical musician?</h2>
<p>Read my interview with The Music Industry Insider to get a glimpse of how to earn a living as a classical musician.<br><br><a contents="http://themusicindustryinsider.com/the-everyday-violinist/&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://themusicindustryinsider.com/the-everyday-violinist/">http://themusicindustryinsider.com/the-everyday-violinist/ </a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/51780262019-03-13T10:51:56-04:002019-03-13T10:51:56-04:00Is Talent Enough?<h2>Is Talent Enough?</h2>
<p>"Eric, you're talented. But, talent is not enough"</p>
<p>Those words have defined who I am and how I wanted to be portrayed for the last 8 years.</p>
<p>Nowadays it's important to know that playing the violin very well isn't enough to have a sustainable music career. </p>
<p>Here are some of the things I think about as a violinist:</p>
<h3><em>Building Relationships</em></h3>
<p>For musicians, building relationships are something outside the practice room that we need to get comfortable knowing how to do. We practice countless hours perfecting our craft, and it would be a shame if we don't get to share the same passion as other musicians! Building relationships allow you to collaborate with people you may never expect. </p>
<h3><em>Understanding Your Audience</em></h3>
<p>As co-artistic director of the <a contents="Chicago Chamber Music Project" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.chicagochambermusicproject.com">Chicago Chamber Music Project</a>, my colleagues and I are always trying to learn the needs of our audiences. People want different things and it's up to us as artists to understand what they want! Researching trends and talking to audience members are only a couple of simple ways for your audience to attend concerts. </p>
<h3><em>Making Mistakes</em></h3>
<p>This point is the most important one of all. Classical musicians work hard every day and face rejection countless times in the course of their careers. What's important is that a musician needs to be comfortable with being rejected because rejection gives room for growth. A musician's goal is to grow every time they pick up their instrument.</p>
<p>I hope that these quick tips give you ideas to create a fearless musical entrepreneur mindset. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/67be672817f86ab783919bd89c2b830257cc8ba7/original/eric-mrugala-91.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></p>
<p>Eric Mrugala, violinist<br><br> </p>
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<hr><p>Like Eric Mrugala on Social Media</p>
<p>Facebook: <a contents="https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala">https://www.facebook.com/eric.mrugala</a></p>
<p>Instagram: <a contents="https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist">https://www.instagram.com/erictheviolinist</a></p>
<p>Twitter: <a contents="https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala">https://www.twitter.com/ericmrugala</a></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/56704352019-03-05T23:28:39-05:002019-03-05T23:28:39-05:00Happy Birthday Prokofiev<h2>Sergey Prokofiev</h2>
<p>Today is Sergey Prokofiev's Birthday, I'm glad that I'll be performing his first violin sonata in April. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/56358512019-02-10T00:25:57-05:002019-02-10T22:41:41-05:00Rebranding the Podcast<p>Dear Friends, </p>
<p>After considerable thought, I have decided to rebrand the ETV Podcast into the <strong>Everyday Musician Podcast. </strong>I've realized that the name can be confusing for people who don't know me but want to learn more about the everyday lives of musicians. The format will be the same as usual! Here is the new logo!</p>
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<p>Stay tuned for this week's episode of the Everyday Musician Podcast where I get to interview a cellist in Boston. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/55949962019-01-14T12:24:56-05:002019-01-14T12:24:56-05:00Personal and Professional Goals 2019<h2>Violin Goals 2019</h2>
<p>Happy New Year!</p>
<p>I'm glad to get back into the swing of things now that I'm fully rested and ready to go. I reflected on 2018 and am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that came my way. 2019 will present its own challenges. Here are some things I'm thinking about for the new year:</p>
<h3>1) Grow the <a contents="Grow the Chicago Chamber Music Project&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.chicagochambermusicproject.com" target="_blank">Chicago Chamber Music Project </a>
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<p>This year my colleagues and I gave our inaugural concert as an official group, the Chicago Chamber Music Project. This year I want to expand the project into a two-city tour. We're looking into making this a reality! Check out the project at www.chicagochambermusicproject.com </p>
<h3>2) Exercising more and eating well</h3>
<p>The past year I haven't had much energy to go to the gym. But I can't make that into an excuse. Everyone is busy. My goal is to get into the gym at least 3 times a week in addition to my violin schedule. </p>
<h3>3) Growing the <a contents="ETV Podcast" data-link-label="ETV Podcast" data-link-type="page" href="/etv-podcast">ETV Podcast</a> </h3>
<p>Podcasting has been an interesting medium that's allowed me to tap into the lives of everyday musicians doing amazing things. I have learned so much on how to get better at my communication skills with my audiences. My goal is to grow the ETV Podcast so that it's available for people who aren't musicians but are interested in the life of a musician. </p>
<h3>4) Staying Focused</h3>
<p>This year of all years will be an interesting year because of the amount of work that needs to be done. Staying focused on the bigger picture is my goal for 2019. I was at the end of ropes in 2019. My body was so exhausted from the year that I got sick and couldn't recover as quickly as before. Managing my time well will be important.</p>
<p>What are your 2019 resolutions? Leave your comments below! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/55833512019-01-07T22:35:30-05:002020-10-20T22:01:59-04:00Southwest Airlines Instrument Review 2019<h2>Southwest Airlines Instrument Review - 2019</h2>
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<p>It seems like musicians are having airline troubles more and more these days. I'm on a mission to help people who are always on the move and flying with their instruments so they make an educated decision when they purchase their next flight ticket somewhere. </p>
<p>To make my airline reviews simple, I created 6 categories:</p>
<ul> <li>Check-In Process</li> <li>Social Media Response</li> <li>Boarding Process</li> <li>Overhead Bin Space</li> <li>Flight Quality</li> <li>On Time Arrival</li>
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<p>I think that these 6 things are important to every musician traveling. I'll be using a 5-star system in each category and then average the score towards the end. Let's get right to it! </p>
<h3><strong>Check-In Process - 5/5</strong></h3>
<p>The check-in process on Southwest was good. I tried checking in and retrieving my boarding pass on the mobile app but it looked there might have been a glitch on my end. Nonetheless, it was fine. I was able to get my boarding pass at the airport. What I'm impressed with is the complimentary check-in bag with each ticket. With airline check-in bag fees going up, it's refreshing to see that an airline is treating their customers well. This is also important because other customers who are checking in their bags for free means that there is more space in the overhead bins. </p>
<h3><strong>Social Media Response - 4/5</strong></h3>
<p>Musicians use social media all the time to spread the word about everything. I thought if I were heading to a gig and a flight gets canceled, or a worker at the front desk is giving me a hard time for not allowing my instrument on board the aircraft, what would be the quickest way to get a hold of management? Twitter was the first thing that came to mind. Luckily I didn't have any problems with the flight so I didn't have anything negative to tweet at Southwest Airlines. But if I did, how quick would they respond in that very moment?</p>
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<p>I was happy to see that Southwest replied to my tweet. If I were to get picky though, I thought the response rate could have been faster. If I was having trouble and needed help right away then a quicker response would've been helpful. </p>
<h3><strong>Boarding Process 4/5</strong></h3>
<p>Out of all the airlines I've flown in the US, Southwest has the most unique boarding process I've seen to date. Each boarding pass gets a boarding section and a number. The employee near the gate door announces boarding groups A and shows 1-30 on the screen. There are silver pillars that have numbers on both sides depending on the number you have and they go in 5 number increments. You would go to the side that displays the group letter and stand in the section where your number is. In this case, I was in boarding section B and number 43. I was pleasantly surprised by how efficient it was. Everybody was standing in a single file line and walked straight onto the plane.</p>
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<p>However, the one thing that could make or break a cellist from buying a ticket on Southwest is that there is no assigned seating. Some musicians like to bring their cellos on board having the guarantee of having a seat assigned to it. The flipside is that for a small fee you can do early boarding and choose your seats. But, a cellist could have a delay on another connecting flight and will barely make their connection. If the connecting flight is fully booked flight, then you're in trouble. </p>
<h3><strong>Overhead Bin Space 5/5 </strong></h3>
<p>No complaints here. Because of Southwest's awesome free 1st checked bag policy, the overhead bins were free. Here's a picture of the amount of room I had after the plane landed at my destination. </p>
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<h3><strong>Flight Quality 5/5</strong></h3>
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<p>For my first Southwest Airlines flight, I was pleased to be greeted on board by a friendly flight attendant. A nice smile and friendly customer service. As the plane reached cruising altitude the flight attendants started taking orders for drinks and provided us with snacks. It made me smile that their snack was a plane-shaped cracker.</p>
<p>I appreciated the attention to detail. Good job, Southwest! </p>
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<p>A common trend in the aviation industry is that airlines are no longer putting screens in front passengers. Instead, airlines are offering passengers WiFi access to their library of TV shows and movies. Southwest even had live tv. I was impressed by how fast the live tv started playing on my device. This section easily gets a 5/5.</p>
<p>Lastly, the flight was smooth as butter. I'll admit that the plane is a little on the older side because of how loud it was in the cabin. If you're trying to sleep on Southwest flights, I don't recommend it unless you have earplugs or headphones in to consume your media. </p>
<p>The seats were comfortable and had plenty of leg room. If you're an oboe or clarinet player it's easy to put your instrument under the seat in front of you. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/e8ddb30fd79108c066cb6fbe51add70aa0aa36d7/original/img-8162.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
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<h3><strong>On-Time Departure/Arrival - 5/5</strong></h3>
<p>Again, no complaints here. The plane left the gate on time and landed on time. Exactly what a musician needs when they're in route to and from a gig. </p>
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<p>Tallying up Southwest's score....drumroll, please!<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>28/30! </strong></span></p>
<p>I hope this review is helpful for all instrumentalists out there looking for a painless way to fly. Comment below and share on Facebook or Twitter (@ericmrugala)</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/55566592018-12-16T16:41:01-05:002018-12-16T16:43:51-05:00Happy Birthday, Beethoven!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/aff16104da8c0ac2a2f4951ac96f964ec755349e/original/beethoven2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>He is the man that perfected the symphony, and the string quartet. A man whose innovation has inspired generations of composers to innovate. <br>Happy Birthday, Ludwig! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/55527842018-12-13T16:27:04-05:002018-12-13T16:31:58-05:00Best gifts to give string players in 2018<h2>Best Gifts To Give String Players In 2018</h2>
<p>'Tis the season to be jolly!</p>
<p>This year we have a lot to be thankful for, why not get that special classical musician in your life a gift that they need? Here are my recommendations for making your classical musician happy that will help them for 2019:</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Strings</h3>
<p>First and foremost, I think that buying a set of strings for any classical musician who plays the violin, viola, cello, or bass would make them the HAPPIEST person on the face of the earth. Strings do tend to get pricey once you factor in the amount of times they have to switch a frequent basis. I can't speak for the lower strings on this one, but here are some strings that I use. </p>
<p>Warm Sound</p>
<p><strong>Obligato</strong> from <strong>Pirastro</strong></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B000NFWB18&asins=B000NFWB18&linkId=5c98ce797006151c5dc87b229964417b&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe></p>
<p>Stable tuning</p>
<p><strong>Dominant</strong> by <strong>Thomastik Infeld</strong></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B000E1TJDE&asins=B000E1TJDE&linkId=a1b35c424490e3acfa06c98fbc4050cf&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe></p>
<p>Articulate and loud sound</p>
<p><strong>Vision Solo</strong> by <strong>Thomastik Infeld</strong></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B002PMQFMI&asins=B002PMQFMI&linkId=8e2955e200196919f6df5391370f2c64&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Strings on a budget</p>
<p><strong>Tonica</strong> by<strong> Pirastro</strong></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B003LRVVWA&asins=B003LRVVWA&linkId=2f5723a231726e4f2580583bb5e35d92&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe></p>
<h3>Books</h3>
<p>People who know me know that I like reading a lot of music business books. Inspire the classical musician in your life to do what they love and create a business out of it! I recommend the <strong>Entrepreneurial Muse</strong>. I've taken away a lot of interesting points the author makes that helps musical entrepreneurs like myself find success in the classical music business:</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0190630981&asins=0190630981&linkId=9e5109a683dcc612f25f70229fb482d0&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe> </p>
<h3>Recording Equipment</h3>
<p>An absolute essential for all musicians! We all know that the smartphone recorder app can all get us so far. I've been using the <strong>Shure MV51</strong> for the <a contents="ETV Podcast" data-link-label="ETV Podcast" data-link-type="page" href="/etv-podcast">ETV Podcast</a> and for my other side projects. I love how versatile this mic is for the price. It comes with two separate cables, a micro USB to lightning for iPhone, and microusb to USB for your computer. They have a great promotion going on until December 31st so you don't want to miss out on that! You can check out the quality of the mic by listening to ETV 17. </p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B010W6WFEA&asins=B010W6WFEA&linkId=b8cc3dbc4ea51bf684901a9ea708f500&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe> </p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Accessories</h3>
<p>Last but not least, we need to give our string player some accessories to help them dominate 2019! Here are some accessories I can't live without:</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B014F1UKI6&asins=B014F1UKI6&linkId=b99aceee09891a4f2325daa566d77a60&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=erictheviolin-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0002FOBJY&asins=B0002FOBJY&linkId=2bde1d9806c4c93c0d840723f7311120&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="width:120px;height:240px;"> <br> </iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/54856402018-10-25T09:32:33-04:002018-10-25T09:32:33-04:00Why we're going back on tour to Chicago <p>Last year's Indiegogo Project enabled my colleague and me to start what we hope will be a long-term endeavor; to create a chamber music series around the Chicago-land area that audiences can get excited about! </p>
<p>Chamber music is what we love to do because it enables us (the musicians) to perform music that has stood the test of time. </p>
<p>Furthermore, we believe that Chicago is a world-class city that is open to projects like this. Our group, the <em>Chicago Chamber Music Project, </em>aims to target audiences who enjoy classical music in various settings. Our vision includes commissioning works by living composers, performing different genres of classical music, and exploring various chamber music works. </p>
<p>We hope to see you in the concert hall and experience Mozart, Piazzolla, Beethoven, and Fuchs with us!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53960612018-08-22T22:00:00-04:002018-08-22T22:00:26-04:00Why I don't practice 7 hours a day<h2>Why I don't practice for 7 hours a day</h2>
<p>Well, I used to practice 7 hours a day in my youth. Although back then I didn't really know how to practice efficiently. </p>
<p>In high school, I was practicing hard and not getting the results I wanted. It was until I reached college where I realized that practicing smart and establishing a daily routine can be better for me in the long run than playing mindlessly for 7 hours. </p>
<p>Here's why I don't practice 7 hours a day</p>
<h3>It's physically exhausting</h3>
<p>It's physically exhausting for me to practice 7 hours a day. Also, practicing that long might lead to injuries as a result of overusing your muscles and joints.</p>
<h3>I lack focus after the 4th hour</h3>
<p>Have you ever felt that you do something repetitive for many hours that your mind starts to wander? That happens to me ALL the time. You're not alone! I even tell my students that it's better to divide up your practice into sections if you have the time. My mind isn't focused if I've been at it for 4 hours straight (with breaks). For me, taking breaks and letting my mind rest from the daily exercise I do with my instrument helps me stay on track .</p>
<h3>Staying in a practice room won't teach you about the secrets of music</h3>
<p>Music helps us understand our humanity. Being a good player is not enough. Knowing the history behind the music, studying the score, and being curious about the composer's life are just a few things that practicing won't help. </p>
<p>Now, there are people who are capable of practicing 7 hours a day. But I encourage anyone who wants to tackle a extensive practice regimen to draft a practice plan to prevent injuries and have smart, focused practice. </p>
<p>I'm gonna go practice now :D </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53960382018-08-21T15:21:09-04:002018-10-25T09:32:49-04:003 Things you might not know about me <p>Things you might not know about me:</p>
<p>1) I'm a HUGE Marvel Movie fan. </p>
<p>2) When the world cup is around, I stop everything and watch the games (or practice while watching, although I don't recommend it)</p>
<p>lastly, </p>
<p>3) Fried pork chop with co slaw and mashed potatoes on the side is my absolute favorite dish. Mom makes it best ;) </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53470862018-07-15T09:51:21-04:002018-07-15T09:51:21-04:00Collaboration<p>I'm just bouncing off a gig in Maine and I want to write this all down for you while it's still fresh in my mind. </p>
<p>This weekend I traveled a thousand miles by car, performed in two states and played over 2 hours of music 4 times. </p>
<p>However, this time around these performances was different than anything I expected. They were special because of the musicians in the group. It's what made it an incredible experience. </p>
<p>Collaboration is what we do on a daily basis. But in order for collaborations to work, there needs to be mutual respect amongst your colleagues. When people are prepared to do the job right, it makes the process so much more enjoyable!</p>
<p>That's when you can truly make amazing music together. Today, I'm off to Europe to embark on another musical journey in Italy. </p>
<hr><p>Find Eric on iTunes by <a contents="clicking here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/etv-podcast/id1395689120?mt=2" target="_self">clicking here</a> to hear the latest on the ETV Podcast and subscribe! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53277072018-07-03T08:00:00-04:002018-07-03T08:01:22-04:00Conceptualizing Sound<h2>Conceptualizing Sound</h2>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/3ee06a353a003bfc49e6e09c61cfe0468c1a1131/original/acoustic-art-blur-165973.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sound. What do you think of when you think of sound when you play the violin?</p>
<p>We listen to music and sound differently then we used to 40 years ago. I bet you watched a bunch of different violinists on YouTube and thought,<br>"Wow, I want to sound like that."</p>
<p>Every musician on the planet has their opinion on sound. This leads me to a question on my mind, what determines a good sound from a bad sound? </p>
<p>Is it their violin, bow, or strings? Perhaps it's a combination of everything? </p>
<p>what would you say if I told you that achieving your next level sound is all in your head?</p>
<p>Every string player's instrument is going to sound different. And you know what? Thank GOODNESS for that! If we lived in a world where we all sound the same, it would be, simply put, <strong>boring.</strong> </p>
<p>Listening to your sound in your head before you play helps you think critically about what you want to produce.</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em><strong>It's a state of mind</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Conceptualizing your sound for the music that you're playing will make you sound the way you want to sound. </p>
<p>Now, another question to ask is, "How do I do this as a violinist?" </p>
<p>You can achieve this goal by simply going back to the basics and focusing on your violin technique. Another great and simple way to see how you're doing is by recording yourself. this will let you stay grounded and very much aware of the sound you want to get out of your instrument. </p>
<hr><p>Like what you've read Leave a comment & share!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53180252018-06-26T10:26:10-04:002018-07-02T13:14:59-04:00Finding The Special Sauce<h2>Finding The Special Sauce</h2>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/b6cdf226fdba3bd91d7f68d873368a401f7bf8aa/original/basil-cook-cooking-691114.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_xl justify_left border_" />(2 min. read)</p>
<p>The picture above is EXACTLY what I'm looking forward to eating when I step off the plane. Some fresh tomatoes, basil, and pasta from the town of Piobicco. Also on the to-do list, drink a quality cup of Italian espresso every morning no matter what! </p>
<p>While all of this sounds amazing, my duo partner and I are working hard to make sure that we perform well at the festival in preparation for our tour to Italy,. We talk about making sure that we perform at a high level, but also making sure that our musicality isn't bland. </p>
<p>I mean, how many different interpretations can you have for a Franck sonata? (I've heard hundreds) </p>
<p>You play music that has traditions that go along with it and generations of violinists have said the same thing about how to make the sonata sound good, what kind of vibrato was appropriate at the time, interpretation, history, etc.</p>
<p>That is the case with most instrumental music out there. </p>
<p>We talk about finding special qualities in a piece all the time during rehearsal, and I call this process, <strong>finding the special sauce. </strong></p>
<p>Is it vibrato? Is it your interpretation of the music? Is it your research that influence both? Communicating these to your audience verbally or through performance is important because many people in your audience are going to sit there and not know the music, the history, and the traditions that come along with it. </p>
<p>Your audience will remember the special ingredients that you share with them and will want to be coming back for more for your artistry. This will take a little bit of thought as to how you're going to do it. But if you cook up an amazing dish, your voice will be heard. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53154882018-06-25T13:16:32-04:002018-12-31T13:04:30-05:00Practice Performing<h2>Practice Performing</h2>
<h2><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/dc05df4570b9ab0671627120b56974f90676c5d8/original/img-5049.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_xl justify_center border_" /></h2>
<p>Classical musicians that I've talked to recently say that the older they get, the more difficult it is to handle their nerves on stage. </p>
<p>Why is that the case? Is it due to the lack of performance opportunities or the amount of pressure that we put on ourselves when we perform in front of an audience?</p>
<p>It may be a combination of both. </p>
<p>That's why it's important to know your tendencies and learn how to control them. </p>
<p>Each performer has their pre-concert rituals that help ease their sweaty palms and twitchy fingers. But there will be a performance where you won't have the luxury of your pre-concert ritual. </p>
<p>What will you do then?</p>
<p>What it comes down to is the amount of time you practice and perform. We're so concerned as musicians to get everything perfect in the practice room that we forget that we actually need to get comfortable performing in front of people. </p>
<p>If you're a conservatory student, then one of your options is to play in front of your colleagues in a studio class. Or, maybe you practice performing behind closed doors and you perform for your friends. You have the control of the venue. it doesn't have to be anything fancy! </p>
<p>The only way you get better at it is by doing it more. It's also important to know that you shouldn't be thinking about perfection. You should focus on playing your absolute best in different settings. </p>
<p>Performing doesn't need to be scary. Performing more gets you out of your shell and will help you improve on the bigger goal: sharing music with others. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/53003662018-06-17T12:43:46-04:002023-05-16T23:24:59-04:00Top 10 things You Need If You're A Freelance Musician<p>When you gig so frequently, you learn and make mistakes on the job. It's perfectly normal, but you want to avoid making mistakes as much as possible. Even if it's a simple wedding, or you're asked to fill in for someone the day before, you need to always be ready.</p>
<h3><span class="font_large">Here are the top 10 things every freelance musician needs to have a successful gig:</span></h3>
<h2>Your Equipment is Ready To Go</h2>
<p>Going to a gig or a rehearsal with your instrument sounding bad will not give people the best impression of you. Make it a daily habit to check if your equipment is in good shape so that you continue sounding awesome. </p>
<h2>Have A Sturdy Music Stand</h2>
<p>During wedding season, you're most likely going to be playing outside and possibly a windy area. Make sure to find yourself a sturdy stand for outdoor gigs and events so that you don't run the risk of having your music fall off while the bride is walking down the aisle. That's a no-no.</p>
<h2>Keep an Extra Set of Strings Handy</h2>
<p>This one's a given, but always worth mentioning nonetheless.</p>
<h2>Sheet Music/Know the music</h2>
<p>Again, really obvious, but make sure you or someone else at your gig has the music. </p>
<h2>Contractor/Coordinator</h2>
<p>Knowing who the contractor and coordinators are for the event will help make your life easier. It's also not a bad idea to get their email or phone number just in case something happens. </p>
<h2>Address</h2>
<p>Know where you're going? Good, double check to make sure you arrive in plenty of time. </p>
<h2>On-time arrival</h2>
<p>Don't be the last one showing up for the gig. The rule of thumb is that if you're on time, you're late. Always arrive a little before the call time. It gives a bad impression if you're late. Always communicate with the coordinator your ETA. Oh, and make sure you have enough gas in the car. </p>
<h2>Business Cards</h2>
<p>You never know who you're going to meet so it's always a good idea to have business cards, make the investment to get high-quality cards, that will leave an impression. </p>
<h2>Professionalism </h2>
<p>People never forget first impressions. Make sure people perceive you as a professional. In addition, It's also important to make friendly conversation so that people know you're human. </p>
<h2>Have a good time!</h2>
<p>I can assure you that by achieving these 9 steps, then you'll have a smooth gig experience. </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/52527772018-06-04T08:58:53-04:002018-06-26T10:28:56-04:00Music Is Not JUST A Profession<h2>Music Is Not JUST A Profession</h2>
<p>The life of a musician can be tricky.</p>
<p>Any job someone takes in the music industry can be exhausting and even frustrating. That's why music is more than just a profession, it's a <strong><em>lifestyle. </em></strong>Vienna is arguably the classical music capital of the world. To the Viennese, music is embedded in their culture. They can't live without and breath without it. The Viennese put a hierarchy on music over sports. Can you imagine?</p>
<p>Of course, it would be unfair to compare sports and music. They're entirely different things. If you're reading this, you're probably a teacher, orchestra performer, quartet member, or all three. My friends, you need to know how to do everything in this field. And isn't it amazing that we have the chance to do everything? </p>
<p>I'm so grateful that I have variety in my career. Music to me is much more than a profession. Taking my life into various settings and playing music continues to be a joy to me and I never get tired of it. The countless hours of practice and dedication we put if you don't love what you're doing then why bother?</p>
<p>You go to the practice room and I get frustrated if I'm having a bad day. I get it, it stinks. I've been there and I know you've been there too. But the feeling when you go on stage and make music with the right people at the right time, it's priceless to me. And those are the moments I live for. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/52668612018-05-31T23:11:48-04:002018-05-31T23:11:48-04:00How to learn repertoire quickly<p>I'm heading into the summer with a lot of new repertoire to learn and trying to learn this violin rep as well as I can so that it's performance ready. </p>
<p>There are many ways to learn rep but I hope that this post will help you get an idea of how to reach our violin goals faster. </p>
<p><em><span class="font_large"><strong><a contents="Click Here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.ericmrugala.com/blog/blog/sticking-to-a-practice-routine" target="_self">Click Here</a> to check out my practice tips</strong></span></em></p>
<p>Before we dive in, I want to address that not all of these things may work for you. But I hope some of them will and get to use these in your daily violin practice.</p>
<h2>Stick to a system</h2>
<p>Violinists want balanced and organized practice sessions but hardly ever achieve them. </p>
<p>Why is that?</p>
<p>Systems work because they give us structure. However, you need to be diligent and motivated in order for a system to work. By establishing a system, you improve your playing and learn repertoire faster. </p>
<h2>You can't play well if you don't feel well</h2>
<p>Let's face it, you can't play if you're sick. That's a given...</p>
<p>What I mean is that you should put yourself in a position where you can feel confident about your playing. Lack of confidence won't help you learn rep quickly, it will instead make you spiral down into a hole making it impossible to get out. Putting yourself in a position for success will help you get results. </p>
<p>and finally...</p>
<h2>Rest</h2>
<p>I've talked about rest before. Not only do I love to sleep (haha) I think that sleep is probably the most important out of all three points here. WIthout rest, you can't do the other things on this list. Getting good quality rest will help you accomplish your goals because you won't run the risk of mindless practicing. </p>
<hr><p>So there you have it!</p>
<p>3 things I swear by to help me get better at the violin. </p>
<p>Have any practice tips? Leave your comments below!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/52441012018-05-22T19:36:29-04:002018-05-22T19:36:29-04:00Gratitude in the Freelance Community<p>An important thing I've noticed in music recently is that it's important to treat your colleagues the way you treat yourself. Gratitude in a competitive gig/freelance economy comes a long way if you're trying to make it. </p>
<p>When you're performing in a violin section, your stand partner is going to forgive you if you miss a note in a performance. We're only humans and it happens. Yes, you and your violin playing make an impression. But gratitude will help you continue getting work as a violinist.</p>
<p>There will be a moment where you'll have too many gigs and don't want to run the risk of double booking yourself. All of a sudden you're in a position where you have the opportunity to help contract gigs!</p>
<p>I recently handed over a violin gig to a colleague recently and I'm glad this person was able to take it. A few years ago when I was trying to get my name out in the Boston freelance scene, there were people who believed in me and believed in my potential even when I was starting out.</p>
<h2><em>It's all about giving gratitude to the people around you and believing in them</em></h2>
<p>It's a reminder that we're all in this together. If we <em><strong>help</strong></em> instead of compete then we create an awesome musical culture that will help violinists continue getting work in a communal effort. In the end, we'll continue doing what we love and make our audiences happy. </p>
<p>The music world is small and people are watching whether you like it or not. Pay the gigs forward and good will come your way! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/52201352018-05-07T13:36:31-04:002018-05-07T13:36:31-04:00What kind of musician are you?<hr><p>When you walk around each corner of Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, you can't help but run into people with guitars, violins, cellos, and keyboards on their backs and under their arms. This is the exact thought that comes to my head while sitting at the Starbucks sitting across the street from the Berklee College of Music tower moments ago.There's a bit of nostalgia just sitting here where I used to do my music theory, and study my orchestra music with my earbuds in. Life as a student was good. </p>
<p>There are SO many of us in this town. A few of you are going to graduate in the next week from universities and conservatories, and you're going to have NO IDEA what to do. </p>
<p>Believe me, I was there. </p>
<p>I wasn't really sure what my direction was for a couple years after I graduated. All I knew was that if I relied on my network and connections, I'll get by. I had a full time music job working 40 hours close to minimum wage in addition to gigs. I learned a lot from this job and made friends that I still talk to, but it got to a point where I wasn't happy. </p>
<p>I wasn't happy because I wasn't performing as much. If I wanted to, but my superiors wouldn't let me take the opportunities to do so.</p>
<p>So, I left the job. </p>
<p>As a recent grad who had bills to pay, I had a car, a violin, and no full-time job. Great, right?</p>
<p>Thankfully, leaving the job allowed me to take some more performing opportunities and ACTUALLY enjoy what I do. </p>
<p>With all that's going on in the media these days about the lack of funding for the National Endowment of the Arts, not enough full time orchestra jobs, you would think that my argument of becoming of a musician would be torn to shreds by now. </p>
<p>What if I told you that's not the case?</p>
<p>Being a violinist in a vibrant musical city as a student is one thing. Being a violinist in that setting as a professional is another. The struggle was real. </p>
<p>I had to narrow down what my priorities in music were, what my professional goals are as a violinist, and try to envision a life in music that will make happy, and importantly, <strong>stay happy</strong>. That's when I realized that the only way to take control of my life was to create opportunities for myself and for my friends was to go all-in as a heavy freelance entrepreneur violinist. </p>
<p>Becoming a musical entrepreneur gives you the opportunity to choose. It gives you <em>freedom</em>. Most importantly, you find purpose. You get to choose what kind of musician you want to be once you made it clear for yourself that you're not willing to accept the status quo, and create a path for yourself. The moment you become transparent about the type of musician you are and what you want to be, then congratulations! You've answered a very difficult question that musicians have trouble with. </p>
<p>The life of a musician is already difficult as it is. Knowing who you are takes you one step closer to finding what your strengths are, and finding your niche. </p>
<hr><h3>Like this article? Leave a comment below and share it with a friend! </h3>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/51964692018-04-22T20:15:19-04:002018-06-26T10:31:06-04:00Curiosity Sparks Imagination<h2>Spark Of Imagination</h2>
<hr><h4><span class="font_large"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/3f52314fd365c0ff71a732033a13a073b4945775/original/img-4548.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_" /></span></h4>
<p>It's fascinating to me as a violinist when I look at a piece of music for the first time and try to find something (or many things) interesting things about it. When I'm curious about something, I get inspired to grow this idea!</p>
<p>I try to get to know a piece of music not just by practicing my violin. Some of those things include basic things like learning the score to a piece or getting interested in the history of the music. That's the stuff that excites me! You can learn a lot about what the composer was thinking about during the time of when the composition was written by asking some of these questions:</p>
<p>Is the music trying to say something specific?</p>
<p>How does the composer want <em>me</em> to play their piece?</p>
<p>Once you've answered these questions, then it's time to expand your creativity and play the piece through your voice. That's how you stand out from everyone else.</p>
<p>Audiences come to listen to music, sure.</p>
<h3><em>But they also come to a concert to see and hear you, the performer. </em></h3>
<p>People want to hear what you have to say and they'll be coming back for more. Give them the opportunity to transcend into a different world if they have never experienced your music before. Let your audience be curious. Show them that playing the violin, or any instrument for that matter, gives them the opportunity to dream with their eyes and ears. </p>
<p>Audiences want to be inspired</p>
<h3><em>Why not you be the first one to give them that gift?</em></h3>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/51404952018-03-21T17:42:33-04:002018-03-29T09:44:58-04:00Biggest lessons from our violin/piano tour<h3><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/97429e5cfec9c7061e8c69bfc21f6bf1db2a502f/medium/igg-fundedwithbadges-gogentaoutlined-rgb-rectangle-1afa4a1d054f9e78965a40f34276122ef85b1d64636c0625c3fbff669101f849.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></h3>
<h3> </h3>
<h3> </h3>
<h3> </h3>
<h3> </h3>
<h3><span class="font_large">We did it!</span></h3>
<p>We crowdfunded our Indiegogo campaign, and we organized the performance in a city that we had to fly to. </p>
<p>While we found a lot of success from the tour, there are a few bumps along the way. Many of the things that happened to us were unexpected, unpredictable, and out of our control. Here is a list of things that my colleague and I learned that we hope you can keep in mind when you set up your tour:</p>
<h3>When you're flying for your tour, make sure you have a Plan A, B, and C. </h3>
<p>Even we planned our flight schedule 3 months before our tour. What we didn't plan for was a Nor'easter flying out of Boston a week and a half before the first day of Spring. Thankfully, we got the last flight out of Boston, but we were trying to come up with other solutions to get to Chicago. Whatever the situation is, <strong><em>expect the unexpected!</em></strong></p>
<h3>You don't always have the luxury of rehearsing.</h3>
<p>We're grateful to have friends in Chicago helping us borrow and volunteer their space to rehearse. But, what if there was no space to rehearse? As a violinist, you have to always be ready. Which leads me to my next point...</p>
<h3>You don't have the luxury of changing the conditions of the venue.</h3>
<p>If it's too hot, too cold, too bad!</p>
<p>Not enough time to get used to the space? Sorry...</p>
<p>Each venue has their own rules about using their space for dress rehearsal. They didn't make an exception for us and treated the duo as if any other performer was about to give a recital days before. We had to be flexible and adjust our ears to the acoustics quickly. Some parts of the performance were successful, and some weren't. But you have to move forward and make the most of the situation. </p>
<p>Lastly...</p>
<h3>Trying to overcome travel fatigue. </h3>
<p>This was a big one for us. With traveling back and forth from space to space, we spent a lot of time in the car in Chicago traffic. (The kennedy-edens merger will always continue to be the worst merger I know of in highway architecture). More in the time + less time practice room = lots of stress. </p>
<p>We'll learn from this experience to make it an even <em>better</em> tour later 2018! </p>
<hr><p>I hope our experience will help you avoid a lot of the trouble's we faced. Liked what you read? Get the conversation going! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/51087972018-03-20T20:34:27-04:002018-03-20T20:34:27-04:00Brady vs. Beethoven<p>Brady vs Beethoven, an overview of Tom Brady's <em>Tom vs Time</em> and a closer look at the relationship between sports and music. </p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/15a9f9dcd58db67a2c7ee6814bedba93f42df832/medium/img-4168.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" />There's a certain truth when it comes to playing the violin. If you want to find success in music, there's a lot of work and sacrifice you need to make. People are going to start with you at the beginning of your journey, but there's no guarantee that everyone will make it to the end with success. </p>
<p>In the spirit of this past Super Bowl, the release of <em>Tom vs Time, </em> a documentary giving the world a closer look into the life of Tom Brady, a quarterback for the New England Patriots. Brady reveals to the world of his views on parenthood, a role model to the world, and the daily routines that help him become the greatest American football player of all time. </p>
<p>With five NFL championships under his belt, he could've easily retired by now. Yet, he's playing well (if not better) than he did when he was in his twenties. <em>Tom vs Time</em> shows Brady's devotion to the sport. We learn through these episodes that he strives for greatness because of his work ethic, his mental toughness, and we learn most importantly, that he's never satisfied. He's always looking for ways to be better every day. </p>
<p>Now, <strong> wh</strong><strong>y on Earth would I bring a violinist's attention to Tom Brady?</strong></p>
<p>Violinists and athletes share a lot of the same qualities in their careers. While violinists spend hours practicing, researching and score studying, athletes like Tom Brady are analyzing each play they made the week, and in years past. Athletes, study, practice, and need rest as violinists do. </p>
<p><strong>Would it be fair to compare Tom Brady to Beethoven?</strong></p>
<p>Musicians can learn a lot from athletes because, in many ways, we <em>are</em> athletes. The number of hours athletes and musicians spend training for their next event are countless. Malcolm Gladwell's theory that it takes ten thousand hours to perfect a skill is a good theory to compare to. But if you're able to watch the Facebook episodes, you see Brady spends a lot of time off the field studying defenses similarly to violinists and all classical musicians alike to prepare for an audition with an orchestra score in front of them. </p>
<p>Brady, like Beethoven, is never satisfied. We know Beethoven was always trying to improve his music. He was constantly searching for the meaning of life through music. Through five different Facebook episodes released earlier this year, while all of New England called him the <em>Greatest of All Time, </em>we see a man trying to find balance in his life between career and family. Something violinists can learn from this documentary is the work ethic</p>
<p>What can classical musicians (particularly violinists) learn from Tom Brady and his journey in <em>Tom vs Time?</em></p>
<ol> <li>Playing the violin is a physical and mental game</li> <li>To a part of the game, being social is</li> <li>Violinists work with their emotions</li> <li>Music, in many cases, helps us grow spiritually. </li>
</ol>
<p>Beethoven had many struggles along the way. That didn't stop him from composing. Just like Tom Brady, he won't stop because of failure. It doesn't stop him from pursuing his passion. </p>
<hr><p>Liked the read? Share it with someone who you think might need this. </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/51111382018-03-04T23:16:29-05:002018-03-04T23:16:29-05:00The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly<p>3 min. read</p>
<hr><p>In the freelance circuit, you're going to meet a lot of different people. </p>
<p>You're going to meet different musicians with personalities that are the good, the bad, and the ugly.</p>
<p>As a violinist, sometimes I don't have to luxury to choose the people I play with. If you're in a contracted gig, and you're there with a person you know has a reputation of showing up late and shows a lack of effort, you have to try and make the most of it. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to making it work. </p>
<p>Each problem is unique and each situation has its good and bad. So as a violinist, what do you do? </p>
<p>For starters, you can approach the person in charge or a person you know you can trust that's not in your current situation or in that group of people like a manager, colleague, mentor, etc. They can always give you an unbias overview of your situation and they can give you some advice. It's important to get advice from someone who's been in the business for a long time and may have had a similar experience.</p>
<p>If option 1 doesn't work, then you go to option two: <strong>you go with it. </strong></p>
<p>You're going to be in a situation where you won't get along with our stand partner, or your contractor. If you have a temporary contract, then stick to it. Be patient, and play well. You never know if that person you sat next to has the power to give you a gig in the future. The people around you are going to see how you portray yourself and you <strong>always</strong> want to present yourself in the best possible light. </p>
<hr><p>Like this article? Share it with your friends and join the conversation. What was your worst gig experience? #myworstgig </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/50500312018-01-31T22:34:56-05:002018-01-31T22:34:56-05:00You vs. You<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/1dfbc6136e5579467d66b17734cc0d72c80fcf53/medium/img-3812.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As classical musicians, we live in an age where we compare ourselves to others. </p>
<p>When I went to school for music, there was a competitive feeling that you couldn't escape. I was trying to prove myself to the world. Now, competition is good because there's an opportunity for you to learn and </p>
<p>After living in a bubble of good players in a small community for a few years, I noticed that I couldn't focus and play as well as I wanted to. </p>
<p>I didn't believe in myself. </p>
<p>Musicians of all genres constantly go through this cycle. </p>
<p>From, "I don't know if I can do this" to, "They're better than me" to plain old, "Nope, better to save myself from embarrassment."</p>
<p>You're lying to yourself if you're reading this blog post and saying, "This has never happened to me and haven't experienced this at all." Everyone will see through this. </p>
<p>I've been playing the violin all my life, and I still get the nerves.</p>
<p>I'm probably preaching to the choir to some of you. To those of you who just came across this post, I'm here to tell you that there is <strong>no competition.</strong></p>
<p>That's right, <strong>zero. </strong></p>
<p>You've been given a shot to make the most out of your music career, take advantage of it. The soloists out there probably started out where you are now, unsure of where to go in music. the moment you switch your mindset as a musician/entrepreneur, creating opportunities for <strong><em>you</em></strong>, then a lot of the pressure is off your shoulders. </p>
<p>It's <b>You vs. You. </b></p>
<p>Block the noise...You got this. </p>
<p> </p>
<hr><p style="text-align: center;">Was this helpful? Leave me a comment below! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/50374602018-01-22T18:03:57-05:002018-08-29T20:12:49-04:00Be Nervous, But Don't Be Afraid<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/3f89fb4dd9e4f86add0cf74897b62c93cad574de/medium/attachment-1.jpeg" class="size_m justify_left border_" />Performers and artists alike have to be fearless. But we constantly go through stages in our careers where we get nervous. </p>
<p>Why do we get nervous? We practice our music, we know what it needs to sound like...</p>
<p><em>So what's the problem?</em></p>
<p>Is it because you care what other people think your playing? Is it because we care a lot? </p>
<p>We all want to present ourselves in the best possible light.</p>
<p>My friends, it's because we hate this thing called <strong>failure. </strong>Not to mention, if we fail publicly, then there's a level of humiliation that might be connected to that. </p>
<h2>
<em>"Let that failure be a gift to you</em>"</h2>
<p>If you think about the reasons why we are where we are in the year 2018, it's because people before our time took risks, and they failed; sometimes, they failed spectacularly! People, I fail <strong>every day. </strong>But if you want to be successful, regardless of profession, you need to think like a marathon runner, not a sprinter. </p>
<p>If you're a 100 meter sprinter, the objective is to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. A sprinter wants to get from point A to point B as fast as possible but a long distance runner's way to victory is strategy, endurance, and patience. </p>
<p><strong>These 3 things help you win <em>your </em>game</strong></p>
<p>In a marathon, you may trip, fall, and you can give up right there, while other people run by you as you watch and stare. </p>
<p>You made a mistake, but only <em>you</em> can make the decision to get up and finish <em>your</em> race. It's you against yourself. </p>
<p>You're going to be nervous when you try something new, or experiment with an idea. Let that failure be a gift to you. Get back up and start running again. </p>
<p>When you miss a note, don't let that be the deciding factor of you giving up. I can tell you from personal experience that I get nervous because of the same reasons as you. I want to do well and play my best. But don't let the nerves distract you from the overall goal:</p>
<h2><em>Be nervous, but don't be afraid</em></h2>
<p>It's you against <em>yourself.</em> Once you realize this, nothing will stop you. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/49424202017-11-21T09:35:12-05:002017-11-21T09:35:12-05:00When You Get The Call, Always Be Ready<p>(3 min read)</p>
<p>I remember when I was in my youth and got offered to play a run of <em>Thoroughly Modern Millie</em>. It was one of the first times I got asked to do a paid opportunity, let alone a musical. </p>
<p>Even thought it was my first paid opportunity, I was making excuses; "The cues aren't clear", or "the part is so marked up from the previous player and I can't read it" </p>
<p>Back then, I didn't realize the importance of getting called the week prior to a piece you never played before. Sometimes, you don't have the luxury of learning your part weeks in advance. In the freelance circuit, you're given the music the day of the gig and you have to sightread it well.</p>
<p>It happened to me this past weekend, actually. </p>
<p>I got a call from a contractor to play a cycle of Elgar's <em>Enigma Variations</em> and Amy Beach's 2nd Piano Concerto.</p>
<p>These aren't pieces I played before and I was up for the challenge on such short notice. When you get a call last minute, and the dates of a performance work for you, you're now in a position where you get to cram music in and force yourself to perform at a high level. </p>
<p><strong>Sometimes the best experiences come to you as a surprise</strong>. <strong>You need to be ready, always.</strong></p>
<p>If you show up to a gig prepared on short notice, the contractor will notice and you'll get called again. If you don't, then everyone around you sees your lack of preparation and will not want to work with you. </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/49163872017-11-09T10:58:10-05:002017-11-10T13:31:18-05:00Virtue in the Artist<p><strong><span class="font_large">Thought of the Day</span></strong></p>
<hr><p>When people say that a piece of music is virtuosic, or a player demonstrates virtuosity, what does that really mean? What does it mean to be <em>virtuosic</em>?</p>
<p>Virtuosity comes from the French, <u>Virtu<i>, </i></u>and is defined as the the behavior of showing high moral standards. Being virtuosic doesn't just mean that one needs to be technically brilliant at their instrument. Yes, being an exceptional player helps, but it isn't enough in today's music economy. It's 50% of the job. Playing well is just one of the basic ingredients that contributes to your success. It's the ability to show one's own ethics on stage that turns a musician into an artist. It's the way you interact with your audience and transcend our music. </p>
<p>Whether you're in this industry or not, every time you go out there, we should present ourselves in the best way we can; with or without our instrument. You never know who's watching that has the connection and the power to change your career. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Works of Art make rules; rules do not make works of art" - <em>Claude Debussy</em></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48929902017-10-15T22:10:06-04:002017-10-15T22:50:41-04:00The Beauty Is In The Details<p>Think about the last time you went to a concert.</p>
<p>Did you have a good time? </p>
<p>If so, <em>w</em><em>hy </em>was it a good time?</p>
<p>What was it about the venue, the musicians on stage, the people around you that made the experience memorable?</p>
<p>As a performer, I'm in the practice room and in rehearsals every day working on little things so that when you, the listener, drives out to see a show, I will do my very best to make the performance <b><i>special</i></b>. </p>
<p>In music and in business, paying attention to the small things is important.</p>
<p>Because <strong>the beauty is in the details. </strong></p>
<p>Taking a step back and regrouping from the bigger picture helps you take note of the subtle nuances of your performance as an instrumentalist and as businessman. Noticing the nuances helps you stand out from the crowd. (<i>For reference, check out my blog <strong><a contents="Standing Out in a Crowded Performance Scene." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.ericmrugala.com/blog/blog/standing-out-in-a-crowded-performance-scene">Standing Out in a Crowded Performance Scene</a>)</strong></i></p>
<p>I bet you that the performer you went to go see took the time to think about the concertgoer's experience from beginning to end. Why? So that you come back wanting more of their music! They invested the time and energy to make sure that you leave the venue saying, "Wow, that was amazing". For a performer, that's exactly what they want to hear. The details are what will get you noticed, remembered, and invited to play again.</p>
<p>The idea is similar in a business setting. For instance, the company you're interested in working may not want to hire you because you may not see the subtleties of the market, and what your competitors are doing. You'll achieve a greater level of success by seeing what others can't see. </p>
<p>Being the person who pays attention will get you that next important gig of your career. It will help you <strong>earn</strong> the connection you've been wanting for a while. </p>
<p>There's always room for improvement in every aspect of a business, and every part of your playing. See the details, and you'll put yourself in your very own category where people want more of your knowledge, your intellect, your skill set. </p>
<p><strong>The Beauty Is In The Details!</strong></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48829512017-10-08T23:20:01-04:002017-10-08T23:20:01-04:00Taking a Breather<p>As you can see from my previous post, a lot of music came way recently. </p>
<p>I'm thankful that I'm a part of many great projects that include a lot of great music. But I really want to emphasize one thing that we forget about when we approach a busy performance and teaching schedule:</p>
<p><strong><em><span class="font_large">Rest</span></em></strong></p>
<p>Recently in the past week I've been coming up with some pain in my right forearm. Most of it has to do with adjusting my technique to accommodate different styles, and long hours in rehearsals from quartets, to orchestra, and duo rehearsals. </p>
<p>There comes a point where an instrumentalist <strong>needs</strong> to take a break. My body was telling me to slow down and regroup. Thankfully, the long weekend helps with that. If a player pushes through the pain, your odds of a severe injury increase. </p>
<p>Though, it's not all about physical rest, it's also good to take a <strong>mental </strong>breather. </p>
<p>Allowing your mind to rest will give you a moment to step back and approach your music with a fresh mind. </p>
<p>We're humans, not robots. It's important to make sure that as musicians we make an effort to take care of ourselves so that way we can perform to the best of our ability for others. </p>
<hr><p>Leave your comments below!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48828222017-10-08T20:58:18-04:002017-10-08T20:58:18-04:00What's On My Music Stand?<p>My schedule is becoming super hectic these days, but I'm making the most of every piece of sheet music that comes my way. I'm playing a lot of Mozart and Brahms this Fall, super excited to be a part of these opportunities with amazing people. </p>
<p>- Brahms op. 40<br>- Britten Saint Nicholas <br>- Rode Caprices<br>- Mozart K.427<br>- Beethoven Violin Sonata<br>- Mozart K. 590<br>- Brahms op. 100 </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/d65dee86716c8a585a40c8374a94e748322f60f8/medium/img-2657.jpg?1507509193" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48666432017-09-26T21:40:13-04:002017-09-26T21:42:34-04:00Play As If It's The Last Time<p>As a musician, I realized early on that what I do is different.</p>
<p>I'm thankful to have traveled the world sharing music with people and share precious memories with people who hold dear to me. </p>
<p>One memorable experience I have is with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra many years ago.</p>
<p>We went on tour at the end of our inaugural season to the Netherlands presenting Mahler's 2nd Symphony, and Strauss's<em> Ein Heldenleben</em> in towns like Maastricht, Haarlem, and Rotterdam. Our last performance, however, was in no other place than at the Royal Concertgebouw. </p>
<p>Playing that concert was a surreal experience. </p>
<p>We performed for a sold out crowd and in the end we were treated with a standing ovation by the audience. </p>
<p>The orchestra had an encore ready to play, and our conductor, Benjamin Zander, had us perform a movement from Elgar's <em>Enigma Variations; s</em>pecifically, "Nimrod". </p>
<p>The moment the first violin section introduced the theme, I felt this indescribable feeling between my stand partner, my colleagues in the orchestra, and the people in the audience. I felt the presence of the bass section that was located on the opposite side of the stage, right next to me. I felt the woodwinds breath. Together, we made a rich, and organic orchestral sound. </p>
<p>The orchestra played as one organism. We moved the same, we breathed the same, and musically, we acknowledged whoever had the leading melody to let them shine. This as all after playing an hour and a half Mahler symphony. </p>
<p>All of us were focused; giving it all that we have as if there's no tomorrow.</p>
<p>Back then, I didn't know when would be the next time I'd play in the Concertgebouw.</p>
<p>None of us did.</p>
<p>Make the most of every moment. Make the most of the music you're performing and play it as if you won't live to play another note. Don't worry about the technique, that's stuff you can sort out in the practice room. Every single note, played with purpose, with meaning, with integrity. </p>
<p>Think about the message you want to say in your performances, and do that.</p>
<p><strong>Every Time</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"To play a wrong note is insignificant, to play without passion is inexcusable"<br><em>- Ludwig van Beethoven</em></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48639752017-09-25T09:51:23-04:002017-09-25T17:44:34-04:00Don't Forget Your Career At Home<p>(2-3 min. read)</p>
<p>I'll never forget one of my very first recording sessions.</p>
<p>I sat next to the concertmaster of the session (who's now a colleague and friend) realizing that I left my pencil case at home. I didn't have a pencil with me! I panicked. I knew that first impressions mattered, and I was off to a bad start. </p>
<p>Embarrassingly, I asked the concertmaster, "I'm sorry to ask, but do you have a spare pencil? I left mine at home."</p>
<p>She says, jokingly, "Dear, why did you forget your <strong>career </strong>at home?"</p>
<p>I was startled! It was the first time someone said that to me.</p>
<p>But the reality was, <strong>she's right</strong>.</p>
<p>There's a lot of truth to the statement. Beyond playing your instrument, there's a certain nuance you need to understand in order to succeed in the industry. If you show up to rehearsal without a pencil, not prepared to write down what the conductor or composer has to say, it looks like you don't care. It shows that you'd much rather spend your time somewhere else. This is true when you're sitting principal in an orchestra, if you're a member of a quartet, or even if you're still in school sitting in class.</p>
<p>To some, that's all it takes when you make a first impression. It'll lead to more performance opportunities because you'll show up looking like a professional. Don't make an effort, and you won't get a call at all. </p>
<p>If you show up like professional,</p>
<p>act like a professional,</p>
<p>and play like a professional,</p>
<p>musicians with the same mindset will hire you; leading to better paid performance opportunities.</p>
<p><strong>It's that simple.</strong> The devil is in the details, folks. If you plant the seed early on and develop good business habits, then your odds of succeeding increase. </p>
<p><strong>Don't forget to bring your <em>career</em> to work!</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48467322017-09-12T14:49:45-04:002017-09-12T15:16:15-04:00Standing Out In A Crowded Performance Scene<p>(5-6 min. read)</p>
<p>There's a lot of noise out there and there are good players everywhere with opportunities out there for the taking. I'm here to tell you that there are ways to get even more interest towards your playing, and your personal brand. </p>
<p><em><strong>How do you stand out in an increasingly crowded performance scene? </strong></em></p>
<p>Here are three things that come to mind in order to stand out and help you get paid gigs. So many, in fact, that you may have some to offer to somebody! </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><em><strong>Be Busy, Organized, and On time</strong></em></span></p>
<p>My colleagues who have careers in classical music are the busiest people I know. Keeping busy in a fast-paced music scene helps you get your name out there. The more your name gets thrown around by word of mouth, the more opportunities you'll get to perform.</p>
<p>Also, I may be preaching to the choir, but being organized with your schedule is key. A contractor doesn't hire you because of your reputation of being late! </p>
<p>Granted, there will be situations that are just out of your control. But you make the most of them because the people who contracted you for this gig may be facing similar circumstances if they're playing with you. They're human too. If you have a history of good on-time performance, then they'll give you a pass because you've built good rapport as a good coworker. </p>
<hr><p>There are two other points I want to make that will help you get calls for performances on a regular basis that are unrelated to the logistical part of standing out. </p>
<p>It's about<span class="font_small"> </span><span class="font_regular"><em><strong>Genuineness</strong> </em></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">What do I mean by this?</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">It means that the people you perform with and your target audience can see right through you. </span></p>
<p>Part of the job as a performer is interacting with musicians (aka your coworkers) and your fans. You're most likely going to be getting performance opportunities from other musicians. It's always in your best interest to be real upfront than to have someone find out later you're not as authentic as you said you were.</p>
<p>Authenticity goes a long way in the music industry. But that shouldn't be just associated in the way you interact with your colleagues. Genuineness can be translated in your playing too.</p>
<p>This leads me to my last point..</p>
<p><em><span class="font_regular"><strong>The Spark</strong></span></em></p>
<p>That special playing quality will make you stand out as a player. </p>
<p>Getting fans and keeping them are two separate things. You need to have that special something for your brand or your playing for fans to engage with your music.</p>
<p>Personally, when I explore new repertoire, I do what the composer asks me to do. But, I also try to make the performance my own and play the way I fee</p>
<p>Having the spark allows audiences to connect with you. They'll leave your concert inspired, and wanting more. If you have something amazing to offer, people will respond! Guaranteed.</p>
<p>There are so many things that make a good musician, a <strong><em>great</em></strong> musician. You're closest friends, you're colleagues, and your audience will respond to your actions either way. I encourage you to keep these three things in mind the next time you play your gig, orchestra performance, house concert, etc. You never know who's watching that has the power to change the course of your music career. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48354242017-09-02T09:04:37-04:002017-09-02T09:04:37-04:00Sticking to a Practice Routine<p>(2-3 min. read)</p>
<p>Ahh...the leaves in New England are starting to change colors, and the air is getting crisp.</p>
<p><em><strong><span class="font_large">Fall is upon us!</span></strong></em></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Many of you will be going back to school with lots of ambition and goals. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Great! I'm so glad to hear this.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">But here's what I want to tell you, folks. Your goals will not be achieved overnight, and you won't reach them unless you put in the work. You need to ask yourself how much time are you willing to put into practicing. Are your goals so far out there that they almost become realistic? Well, that's up to you and your teacher to decide. I'll tell you that with a consistent practice regimen, your goals won't seem so distant. </span></p>
<p>You have your goals set in your mind, but don't know how to execute?<em> Let's break it down. </em></p>
<p>First..</p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">Ask your teacher</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">There is really no better thing to do first than to have coffee or tea with your teacher, and discuss your goals. They know your playing better than anyone else. They will give you an opinion about which goals are realistic to achieve in the upcoming school year. </span></p>
<p><em>Next..</em></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">Create a practice regimen</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">As a student or even as a professional player, you need to make a game plan to help you achieve your goals. From my experience, I like using a weekly planner that has<strong> appointment time slots</strong>. It allows me to stay organized while showing me other rehearsals or performances I have scheduled.</span></p>
<p>Lastly...</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Make yourself accountable</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">It's good that you have goals, but no one is going to accomplish them for you. Like I said earlier, you need to be willing to put in the work. If you say didn't have time, then <strong>I don't believe you. </strong></span></p>
<p><em><span class="font_regular"><strong>Make time! </strong></span></em></p>
<p>Mark your practice time in your calendar, write your goals down, <b>pen it in!</b> Only you can force yourself to put in the extra effort. Teachers will always remind you to practice, but it's <em>your</em> drive that'll determine your success.<br><br><span class="font_large">Go out there, practice smart, and starting checking those goals off your list.</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">It's <em>you</em> against yourself</span></strong></p>
<hr><p>Have a favorite practice routine you like to share? Leave a comment below! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48316712017-09-01T14:57:34-04:002020-11-05T05:27:25-05:00Leadership & Teamwork in Music<p>Teamwork is a crucial part of your success in the music industry because you're in many settings where you'll have to collaborate with people.</p>
<p>Teamwork in music is like teamwork in basketball. In basketball, there are five people on the court, and usually the player that is in the Guard position usually calls the plays because he helps lead the team to score points. The four remaining players can't execute the play call if they don't listen to what's happening on the court. <strong>Even though we need leaders in both music and basketball, a leader is no one without the support of his/her teammates. </strong>Similarly to an orchestra, the conductor (like a coach) puts faith in their players. When there's leadership, it helps create an amazing culture around an organization that can lead to success. </p>
<p>Individual artists working with orchestras, conductors, or chamber music societies have to be able to work in a team. If you're a soloist collaborating with an orchestra, the goal for both you and the orchestra is to lead the team towards its best outcome. Similarly, in chamber music, each instrumentalist has a responsibility to lead their team to a memorable performance . Every single voice in a quartet is equally important. Everybody is in it together and that's what makes it a <strong>team effort</strong>. The moment somebody goes on a different path and the goals are no longer aligned, that's when the team disintegrates. Even in a small setting like a duo, you can't play a duo without your partner, therefore you can't play a concerto without its orchestra, and you can't play a quartet with only three people. </p>
<p>Teamwork applies to music business as well; ESPECIALLY if you're someone running a label or a recording studio. If you're working in that field, it comes down to being able to work efficiently and productively with the people around you. If you're the CEO or the person in charge, people will look up to you for leadership and and it's up to you to guide the team like a coach or a conductor. If you lead with confidence and certainty then you my friend will have an <strong>amazing experience</strong>.</p>
<p>We're more involved in a team than we think. It's good to remind ourselves that an effective<em> </em>team brings success to you and to those around you.</p>
<p>Leadership and teamwork leads to amazing experiences, and more opportunities. </p>
<hr><p>Comment below for any future topics you would like me to talk about! Let me know your thoughts!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48219982017-08-22T16:03:28-04:002017-08-22T16:03:28-04:00Your Network Is Your Career<p>(7 min. read)</p>
<p>If you're still in school or just stepping into the real world, this article is for you. I hope that my experiences and observations will help you make the decisions that are right for you to help you go in the right direction. </p>
<hr><p>Surrounding yourself around successful people is a way to improve your network in the music industry. </p>
<p>Utilizing your connections and effective marketing can help you get more work as a musician. It will you help you get hired by other music professionals and non musicians. Because to make it as an entrepreneur musician, you need to realize one thing, </p>
<p><strong><em><span class="font_large">Your Network Is Your Career</span></em></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Depending on the type of music work you want to do, you should be surrounding yourself with those types of people.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">If you want to be an orchestral player, great! Surround yourself with people who are better than you who have mastered orchestra excerpts. If you want to do session work in a studio, AMAZING! Give business cards to people who are already in the recording scene or invite them out for lunch to get to know what that kind of work is like. If you want to open up your own private studio, wonderful! See who's teaching in your area and observe what they're doing to attract more students. In many ways you can see what they're doing and ask for some advice. If they're not willing to give you advice, then those are not the types of people you should be around anyways. </span></p>
<p>The people you surround yourself with will help you get into the work that you're aiming for. Your future colleagues will have an important role in giving you success. They're not just your colleagues, but they're your friends that want to see you succeed! Having that support system behind you will contribute to your success in the real world. If there are people that come into your life and aren't helping or inspiring you to do better, then don't mind them. Focus on being the best entrepreneur YOU can be.</p>
<p>People who talk poorly about you is just noise. Channel it out. <strong>If you're not worth their time, then they're not worth yours. </strong></p>
<p><em><strong><span class="font_large">Surround yourself with people you respect and admire the most.</span></strong></em></p>
<p>Establishing your own strong network can get you opportunities that you may never have thought of getting and get you the opportunities that you DO want to get. That network acts as the foundation to your success and will help you have the career you want. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48166512017-08-19T13:10:54-04:002017-08-19T13:10:54-04:00What does it mean to be a musician today?<p>A lot of people go into the music industry anticipating that they're going to make it big.</p>
<p>They have a dream, and they're willing to risk it all to pursue that dream. But in reality, people only see around five to ten percent of what a musician actually does. </p>
<p>They don't see the hours of practice you do every day. <br>They don't see the research you've done of the music, <br>They may not understand the reason behind your performance, or your music.</p>
<p>So why do it?</p>
<p>Why go through all the trouble to put in the effort if your audience is going to see only ten percent of it?</p>
<p>This is the question I want to address in this post:</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong><em>What does it mean to be a musician today?</em></strong></span></p>
<p>This information can be applied to any genre of music. </p>
<p>Musicians have a bigger responsibility than just to compose, write, and perform music...</p>
<p><strong>It's to express, share experiences and emotions to enhance the human condition.</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16.8px;"><b><i>What does this mean?</i></b></span></p>
<p>Showing expression makes us vulnerable. As a musician you put yourself out there every day to express yourself to others. You never know that you may touch someone's heart with your lyrics, play or sing a certain way, or produce a specific sound that made someone remember something personal and unique that happened to them in their life. </p>
<p><span class="font_regular">We share our experiences because music is an outlet for us to make connections between others. </span>Music is our way to heal the spirit and it's a way to a person's well being. It improves our quality of life. </p>
<p>At the end of the day, music chooses <strong>you.</strong></p>
<p>It's up to you how you use your musicianship to change the world. <br> </p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/48065702017-08-08T09:33:13-04:002017-08-08T09:33:13-04:00Performing Under Strange Conditions<p><span class="font_regular">Just a few days ago I had the opportunity to play for a Chinese American cultural exchange. My colleague who was flying out of the country couldn’t make the performance and was asked to sub for her. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">The gig was given to me a week in advance, and I normally have performances scheduled a month to two months in advance. I took the gig because I thought it would be a good opportunity to be challenged and play in a venue I wasn’t used to for the first time on such short notice. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">I arrived at the venue plenty of time before my call. I figured I’d go backstage and ask the manager if I can get an idea of acoustics before they open the house. The lady said, “I’m sorry but we can’t do that...” </span></p>
<p>In my head I go, <span class="font_large"><strong>“ARE YOU SERIOUS?!” </strong></span></p>
<p>I walked away towards the green room, shook my head, took a breath, and started to warm up. </p>
<p>To be honest, I told myself, <strong>“I don’t have control of the situation, so I might as well make the most of it.” </strong></p>
<p>Amazingly, the tension and nerves that I usually get before a performance decreased dramatically. It was great! I’ll tell you why. </p>
<p>It was one of the few occasions where I had the chance to play a couple movements of Bach and play for people who weren’t familiar with his works. This was an opportunity to experiment with my interpretation of the E-Major Partita I chose to play. </p>
<p>It was interesting. I stood up straight, I played with confidence, and I took risks. I didn’t know anyone in the audience, and maybe that played a part in this experience because I wasn't trying to prove myself to a colleague or a friend. I was playing to prove to myself that I can do it. </p>
<p>Then I started noticing how I felt after the performance. I kind of kicked myself a little bit because I made some musical decisions that led to intonation issues, but I wasn’t upset at myself. </p>
<p>Again, they didn’t allow me to have a sound check, get a feel of the stage, nothing! </p>
<p>I just did the best I could, forgave myself for any mistakes I would make on stage, and focused on sending a message through to the audience. </p>
<p>So, what’s the moral of the story? </p>
<p>When you perform, sometimes you're not going to have the luxury of a sound check. You may not even have the luxury to warm up! If you perform, you always need to be ready. An important audition may be brought to your attention last minute, or someone important who's well connected in the music industry discovers your playing. Whatever the situation may be, you need be ready to deliver. I guarantee you’ll always leave the experience learning something, and it could actually change the course of your life just by doing. One experience, one decision. That’s all it takes. </p>
<p>Go out there and perform in a place that makes you uncomfortable. You’ll gain a unique experience and gain exposure that will help you in the long run! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I’ll leave you with a famous quote by Leonard Bernstein, </p>
<p><strong><em>“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time” </em></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Share your comments down below!</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/47990622017-08-01T15:17:26-04:002017-08-06T09:49:31-04:00Practice Efficiency<p><span class="font_regular">All of us live in a 24/7 society now. Sometimes it's difficult to find the time to sleep!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">But despite the crazy schedule I have, I'm all about getting results in a timely manner. By creating an efficient practice regimen, I believe you can achieve your technique goals. </span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">What are the things you should consider for quicker results? Here's a quick list:</span></p><!-- more -->
<p><strong><span class="font_xl">Metronome</span></strong></p>
<p>Practicing with a metronome should be your bread and butter. Having one on your music stand gives you structure in your practice time because no matter what, it will always tell you the truth. If you don't have one, there are so many apps out there in the App Store or Google Play Store and download one. It's quick, it's easy, and it's free! No excuse.</p>
<p><span class="font_xl"><strong>Sound Production</strong></span></p>
<p>Finding ways to produce a specific sound should always be in the forefront of your practice regimen. What I mean by this is that by observing how you attack the string can help you achieve different sounds. Composers oftentimes don't give markings on the sound they want you to produce. Do your research on the stylistic ways of different time periods. There are different qualities of sound and I encourage you to explore that along with your metronome practice. </p>
<p><em>Lastly...</em></p>
<p><span class="font_xl"><b>Practice slowly </b></span></p>
<p>And with a metronome! (You see how this metronome theme keeps coming back?)<br><br>Practicing slowly can help you notice problems in your playing. It'll also help you think of solutions to help solve your playing problems by approaching them slowly rather than playing fast like lightning. Focus on your bow hand, the way your left hand is positioned, think of the way your finger tips are approaching the string. Ask yourself, "How can I improve? What can I do to prevent the mistake and have the solution stick with me?" These are questions I ask myself every day in the practicing room because with a demanding performance schedule, sometimes you don't have the luxury to be practicing long periods of time. I also don't recommend you do that because once you practice for more than 4 hours at a time, then you're prone to getting injured. It won't make the journey and experience fun anymore. But that's a whole other blog post! :-)</p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">So there you have it!</span></strong></p>
<p>It's all about how mindful you can be when you practice. If you can find ways to do that, then you're golden. </p>
<p><span class="font_regular">What's your favorite practice method? Share your comments below!</span></p>
<p> </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/47897392017-07-23T20:58:54-04:002017-07-23T20:58:54-04:00Working with Performance Anxiety<p>Have you ever felt that you couldn't play to your full potential during a performance?</p>
<p>You did a wrong bowing during an orchestra concert or you played a wrong note. Then you hit another wrong note. It throws you off. All these little mistakes slowly get into your head and when they add up, your brains shuts down on you. </p>
<p>You know what I do when I perform my first mistake? I celebrate it!</p>
<p><em>"Wtf Eric, don't you want to play everything perfect?"</em></p>
<p>Of course I do. But that's not the point. I celebrate the first mistake because I got it out of the way! I can finally relax and focus on the music in front of me. I know for myself that I actually focus better after that mistake's been made. The moment you start fighting against your body's natural reaction is when you won't play your best. I've experienced that more than a handful of times and I'm sure I can speak for some of my colleagues out there. </p>
<p>But, there are times where are so many things happening in your life that the stress overwhelms you which can harm your performance. If you're one of those people, then this blog post is for you and to overcome performance anxiety.</p>
<p><span class="font_xl"><em><strong>Fight Or Flight Response</strong></em></span></p><!-- more -->
<p>Let's define what the fight or flight reaction actually is. For thousands of years, humans were given this God-given ability that if there's a threat coming our way, we either run, or fight. Unfortunately, as humans evolved this fight or flight response encoded in our DNA is stuck with us. Let's explore some ways to work <strong>WITH</strong> this response (notice how I didn't write <b>AGAINST</b>)</p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">Breathe</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Learning how to breathe in stressful situations can help ease the tension in our body. You need Oxygen to relax. Personally, I found that meditating in a quiet room or doing yoga is very helpful. I'm a fan of yoga because not only does it help you focus on your breathing, but it teaches you to find your balance in different poses.<br>(ALL HAIL THE TREE POSE) </span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">Visualize Your Performance </span></strong></p>
<p>Do you ever take a moment to think about what your performance is going to be like? Do you imagine how big or small the hall will be, the creaks in the floors, the way you're going to bow to your audience, and the moment you play your first note? Visualizing these detailed moments can help you perform your best it reduces a layer of anxiety before you walk out on stage and you've already envisioned yourself in that scenario. You'll walk out on stage with more confidence!</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Set Small Short Term Goals</strong></span></p>
<p>Now that you're on stage, let's focus on how to manage the fight or flight response while you're performing. Believing that you can achieve a number of smaller goals than to achieve one BIG goal can bring success. Why do I say that? Because when you have 1 very specific goal that you want to accomplish, then you feel like an automatic failure and the rest of your performance will suffer because it didn't work out That's 0/1 goals achieved. <strong>0% accomplishment</strong></p>
<p>But let's say you're playing a three movement sonata and you give yourself a goal of 7 tiny achievements in each movement. That's 21 goals that you have and if you mess up two things, who cares! 10 out of 21 goals achieved is better than 0 out of 1!</p>
<p><strong><em><span class="font_large">Practice makes permanent</span></em></strong></p>
<p>There is no such thing as a perfect performance, ever. We will always make mistakes.All of the things I listed above can't happen if you don't practice it. Practicing only once will not reduce your performance anxiety overnight. It takes time. And with that I want to leave you with a quote by Henry Ford:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><span style="color:#7f8c8d;"><em>"If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right" </em></span></span></p>
<p>The moment you believe, is the moment you'll succeed</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16.8px;">Leave comments below!</span></p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/47590262017-06-27T15:01:51-04:002017-06-29T13:18:38-04:00Manifesting in the things you want most<p>I'm dedicating this post to my sister, for giving me exposure to new ideas and always encouraging me to think outside the box to form new concepts and expand on my ideas. </p>
<hr><p>I just flew back to Boston from a recent visit to Chicago, the good ol' Windy City! </p>
<p>Chicago is home to me. It's always wonderful to see family and friends I haven't seen in a while to catch up. And it's good to check in every once in a while with your family to see what they're doing and how they're doing. My sister and I recently started making a habit to check in with each other. Even if it's not every day, we tag each other in posts on Instagram or share an inspiring quote with each other to stay connected. </p>
<p>I enjoy talking to my sister because we're both in the entertainment industries and we exchange ideas on what works and what doesn't. However we respectfully disagree at times, and that's okay. Because people are different. People who are different from you can offer knowledge and information for you to learn. That's what my sister did during my visit. She said something to me that was similar but new:</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong> "envision and manifest in the things you want most in life and it will come true". </strong></span></p>
<p>I relate to it because it's something I do frequently as an artist. Part of my performance ritual is to close my eyes and imagine myself on stage playing the music I'm performing. This helps reduce performance anxiety and play my best, manifesting in that situation. </p>
<p>But my sister was talking about manifesting in the grand scheme of things. If you think about what you want, envision what you want, and believe that it will happen, then it WILL happen. Like Yphrum's law, everything that can work, will work. </p>
<p>So, I encourage you to believe. Write that song you've been putting off for a while, have a friend make you accountable if you get lazy, manifest in the things you want most.</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><b>Do it!</b></span></p>
<p><strong>Believe in yourself,</strong> believe that you can do it. Whatever "it" is, pursue your dream. We live in a society where big corporations make you forget about your dreams with a dollar amount. Don't be that person. Do what you love, love what you do, and believe that you can do it. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/47523282017-06-21T08:57:00-04:002017-06-21T08:57:00-04:00Flying with your instrument<p>It’s difficult for musicians to travel with their instruments on major US airlines. How do you go about it? Here’s a list that will help you plan for your next tour or gig when flying: </p>
<p>Before booking your ticket, check the airline’s instrument policy </p>
<p>I’ve flown on almost every airline in the US and I still make myself check each airline’s instrument carry-on policy. Every year or couple years, airlines change their policies so it’s important that you stay up to date and stay familiar with the airline you fly. Here's what you can do to prevent stress at the airport:</p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Check the plane model </strong></span></p>
<p>Now that you’ve checked the policies and have your airline preference, now it’s important to figure out if your instrument or case will meet the requirements of the plane you’ll be flying in. I know from personal experience when I boardedd a small plane and my case couldn’t fit in the overhead bin (I have a BAM oblong case). By checking the dimensions of the overhead bin in your aircraft, you’ll save yourself a lot of headache knowing that your case will fit. </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Boarding the plane </strong></span></p>
<p>Many US airlines have the option for their flyers to buy pre-boarding along with your ticket. This is probably your safest option when you travel with your instrument. However, there are musicians out there who are still in school and are traveling across the country for music festivals and auditions. Students, I feel your pain. I’ve been through it too. I was in Boston traveling home to Chicago once and the worker at the counter said that I won’t be able to fit my instrument in the overhead because the flight was fully booked. Before I get into telling you how to deal with a situation like that, let me give you some tips: </p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">Early bird gets the worm </span></strong></p>
<p>Every single airline I’ve flown you’re able to check-in for your flight 24 hours in advance. In my experience, the earlier you check in, the better chance you have in getting an earlier boarding group like group 2 or 3. Group 1 is usually for First Class flyers, airline credit-card holders, military personnel, families young children, etc. </p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">Being nice goes a long way </span></strong></p>
<p>There were times when I forgot to check in exactly 24 hours before my flight. Instead of boarding group 2, I got boarding group 4. I know whenever I receive boarding group 4 on my mobile boarding pass, I get stressed about the whole flying experience. You start thinking about every possible scenario if the workers won’t let you in the plane because by the time your boarding group is called, there may not be enough room in the overhead bins. But you get to the gate and you find out that there’s a full flight to your destination, what do you do? </p>
<p>Whoever is working at the counter, I go up to them around 30 minutes before boarding begins and explain my situation. I usually say something like, “Excuse me, I’m traveling with my instrument today. Is it possible to get on the flight in an earlier boarding group?” Most of the time, the airline staff is happy to accommodate. If you’re nice to them, then they’ll be nice to you. </p>
<p>Now, what happens if the worker is threatening you to check in your small instrument, even though it meets the requirements of the overhead bin? </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Section 403 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act </strong></em></span></p>
<p>There will be times where airline workers are difficult to deal with. If they’re giving you a hard time about bringing your instrument on board, you can inform them that it’s the law for US airlines to accommodate musical instruments in the overhead cabin with Section 403 in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act. Believe it or not, there are airline workers that may be unfamiliar with this law. Click Here to see a copy of the document on the US DOT’s website. I recommend that every musician carries a copy of this in their case while traveling in the US. You can also use Twitter and Facebook to complain to the airline and receive a very quick response from them if the people you’re dealing with is giving you a hard time. </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><em><strong>My instrument is too big, do I need to check it in?</strong></em></span> </p>
<p>This is a tricky subject for many. I’ve had a colleague that was forced to check in her cello. The airline wasn’t careful with handling her instrument and they destroyed her cello. Ideally, musicians with valuable instruments want to have their instrument on board the cabin. A solution to this problem is to buy another seat for your instrument. It’s not the best answer out there, but it’s better than having to check your instrument in, have it potentially damaged, raise money if it gets damaged (if you don’t have instrument insurance already) and go through the long process of finding another instrument. </p>
<p>Have suggestions on flying with your instruments? Leave a comment below.</p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/47332792017-06-04T17:32:29-04:002017-06-04T17:32:29-04:00Artists Are Society's Leaders<p>Musicians and artists are society's leaders because they're able to show what's going on in the world. The events that we've been going through in recent months feels like we may be losing all hope around us. But, with the power of art and the power of community, artists have the ability show leadership. We bring awareness to encourage people to think differently. We are the artistic expression to those who don't have a voice, sometimes we don't know how to put our emotions in words, but we can <strong>show</strong> people how we feel through music. </p>
<p>So, why are artists leaders and what can we do to be leaders?</p>
<p><strong>We start by engaging in our communities</strong></p>
<p>In order to create change, starting small and engaging the arts in communities can create an amazing movement. This can be done in the classroom, in museums, libraries, hospitals, etc. Bringing the music to where people need it most is a way to contribute to your community with people.</p>
<p><strong>Using music as a tool to heal</strong></p>
<p>As you know, the recent terrorist attack in Manchester and in London recently are a series of horrific, and tragic events. Out of every pop star that I can think of, Ariana Grande knows the value of using music to heal. Her ability to reach out to the music world to perform a benefit concert for the victims of the terrorist attack shows the world that music brings people together to overcome fear and to heal. An artistic voice helps the world become more united on issues that we're divided on. </p>
<p>Lastly, <b>we as artists must inspire those around us </b></p>
<p>Leaders in every medium inspire others to bring value to the world. Whether it's in tech, health, or any industry for that matter. Leaders see a problem and they seek solutions that can help inspire others. Musicians do just that. </p>
<p>With times like these, it's important now than ever to make sure artists' voices are heard. Play your instrument like it will be the last time you'll ever play. Lead your community with a big heart and an open mind. That's how we as artists lead and that's how we'll bring people together. </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/47173632017-05-24T15:21:02-04:002017-05-25T14:44:42-04:00Looking at the bigger picture<p>There are times when I'll be having a bad day and am in bit of funk...</p>
<p>Vibrato is inconsistent, intonation is suffering, the whole 9 yards..! </p>
<p>The reality is that those days are going to happen. You're going to feel like giving up, but that shouldn't get in the way of pursuing your dreams. This should go for anything in life. When things get difficult, you don't want to just give up, do you? Often times the best things in life are the most difficult to achieve because they're the most rewarding. Don't let a couple small things get in the way of the bigger picture. Keep things in perspective. </p>
<p>Life is tough to those who dream. Keep doing what you're doing and those little things will add up in big ways! </p>Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/46979302017-05-11T13:56:51-04:002017-05-11T13:56:51-04:00Taking Risks In Music<p>We're taught at an early age to make everything perfect in the practice room; every single articulation, every fingering you write in your sheet music, etc. I can tell you that this is something I think about often and it can stress me out more than it needs to. Taking risks while you perform is an important part of a musician's development because it's what makes it human.<br><br>Musicians who take risks don't let little things get in the way of the bigger picture. But on occasion, it happens to the best of us. We work very hard for a performance, to try and make every little thing perfect, and we do a tenuto or glissando to a note and end up falling flat on our face. And you know what, that's okay! People much rather see you and hear you perform as a human being rather than a robot. But at the end of the day, your friends, family and audience, they're there to support you. They want to see you succeed! Mistakes on stage shouldn't matter because at the end of the day your audience is there to listen to what you have to say. </p>Beethoven said, "To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable". Sure, risks opens up more opportunities for mistakes. But, it makes a performance more human and that's where you find beauty in music, the imperfections are what makes it perfect. <br> Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/46435852017-03-23T21:59:39-04:002017-08-10T15:13:03-04:00What's on my music stand?<div>Recently I've been caught up in a lot of projects. I want keep you all in the loop and what I've been working on.<br> </div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/239522/f887233f6008492bc48fb5de34de0b86ef6894df/original/img-0573.jpg?1490320416" class="size_l justify_left border_" />Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/46301992017-03-15T00:09:36-04:002017-03-15T00:09:36-04:00Classical music continues to keep its relevance<span class="font_regular">You've probably heard it before, "classical music is dying". <br><br>I respectfully disagree. <br><br>Classical music has thrived in the past decade and continues to thrive thanks to the perks of living in the 21st century. Having access to music is no longer an issue. Knowing about performances in your community is not problem. It's never been easier for artists to share to perform.<br><br>The question people need to continue to ask is, why do we need to keep its relevance?<br><br>A couple things come to mind:<br><br><strong>Music Education</strong><br><br>If you look at research around the world in the past decade, kids who have access to music programs in their community have higher success in the classroom. This is of course a BIG positive because a higher success rate in the classroom leads to better grades, better test scores helps a student get into a good university, and eventually lead to a good job as an adult. Music activates all parts of the brain.<a contents=" Click here " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2014/11/20/365461587/musicians-brains-really-do-work-differently-in-a-good-way" target="_blank"> Click here </a>to see NPR's video on how a musician's brain works. It only proves my point that music education in every culture, in every community, is a necessity for growing our communities.<br><br><strong>Easy access</strong><br><br>Music has become so accessible with the rise of Spotify and Apple Music. It's so easy to consume music digitally and sure enough classical music has adapted to the 21st century listener. Major orchestras are teaming up with record labels to bring classical music to the masses through streaming services and it's working. It's easier to listen to classical music outside the concert hall when people don't live in the same country as some major orchestras do. But when we have the luxury of attending a performance, I sit down with a sigh of relief. Which leads me to my next point...<br><br><b>It takes us to a place where we forget </b></span><br><br>In an interview with Stephen Colbert on <em>The Late Show , </em>Malcolm Gladwell mentioned that when he was creating his podcast <em>Revisionist History, </em>he was inspired by the idea of providing knowledge to people using the sound of his voice instead of reading words on a page. I'll never forget what he said, "We think with our eyes, and we feel with our ears". I feel classical music does just that. It can take us places where we never expect. Whenever I have time out of my performance schedule I go to a performance , I close my eyes and absorb the sound of the music. When we close our eyes and listen, then we can forget about our problems. You can listen to something, have it take your breath away, and completely forget the thing you were mad about before that performance. It's amazing.<br><br>I can go on all day to tell you why classical music continues to be important. If there isn't a big classical music community in your town, I encourage you to start one. Start making it a priority to put music in schools, make it easier for kids to get access to that kind of education. Easy access to performances and education grows a community. With a strong community, you can do anything. <br><br>I encourage you to take a moment out of your day and listen to Jean Sibelius' 5th symphony. To me, it's a masterpiece and a significantly underrated piece of music. Close your eyes. Listen. You'll thank yourself for it, I promise you.<a contents=" Click here " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIIfMjRMqRs"> Click here </a>for the link. <br><br><br>Interested in getting yourself into the music business? Check out my blog at <a contents="Moderno Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.modernomusic.com" target="_blank">Moderno Music</a> which is set out to be a resource for the entrepreneur musician. <br> Eric Mrugala tag:www.ericmrugala.com,2005:Post/46112672017-02-28T23:56:51-05:002017-02-28T23:56:51-05:00Why Music Always Wins There were two moments in my adolescence where I had to make difficult decisions with music. My mother enrolled me at the Chicago Suzuki School at a very young age and enjoyed it as a child. At age 7, I was still enjoying music but didn't want to practice (a common dilemma). I remember sitting across the table in the kitchen with my parents in my childhood home, asking me if I still want to play the violin. It was an odd question for me. I liked playing the violin and it made me feel good. It made people around me happy. However, my parents wanted me to make a decision by the next morning because it was a major expense for them at the time. I went upstairs to my room and I layed on my bed staring at the ceiling, wondering what I'm going to say the next morning. The choice was clear to me. I told them at breakfast that I was sticking with music. At that point I took violin more seriously and took regular private lessons, and played in local competitions.<br><br>Fast forward 10 years later, and I face the same problem. <br><br>It was my junior year of high school. I was sitting concertmaster of my high school orchestra, and performing regularly with my violin group. Things were going great, until I had the college talk with my mom. Everyone in my family was nervous about me pursuing a music degree. A couple of my family members were conservatory musicians but struggled for a very long time before they made a steady income. I went to my college guidance counselor to ask for advice on colleges and offered me schools I never even heard of. I asked for some brochures from a couple schools and wasn't really sold. A colleague of mine told me about a summer festival that I should consider applying for. The idea was new to me. I never attended a summer festival so I had no clue about the process. The festival accepted me into their 6 week orchestra program and changed my view of orchestral music. It was the first time I was a part of a great orchestra and it was an experience of a lifetime. The festival had a college fair that helped me get a better idea of my options for conservatories. I auditioned to several programs and landed in Boston. I'm fortunate for my training thanks to my mentor and get support from colleagues that helped me learn. <br><br>So there you have it. Two important moments of my life that I've shared with you. But why bother sharing all this?<br><br>There were (and still are) many moments in my life where I ask myself why I went into music. I could've been an IT professional, or work as a consultant at a tech firm. But every time I open my case and pick up my violin to practice, I remind myself of the the memories that I share with my colleagues from around the world. I remind myself of the feeling of great satisfaction after practicing your butt off and standing in front of an audience who attended your performance to hear what you have to say in your playing. These are the greatest feelings in the world to me and I'm grateful that I get to share this with people. <br><br>As Robert Blocker said once in a lecture he gave in Burlington, VT, "You don't choose music, music chooses you". No matter where you are in life, music will always be there for you in your highs and your lows. You can always rely on it. At the end of the day, music is the biggest win anyone could ever ask for. <br><br> Eric Mrugala