Welcome to the JamWithLauren Blog

Many of these articles are inspired by questions from our JWL students. If you can’t find a post that digs into the issues that are plaguing you, consider signing up for lessons with Lauren. When you sign up you will gain access to her amazing curriculum and be able to ask Lauren questions. Who knows, maybe your question will inspire the next post!


 
Harnessing the Power of the Pinky: Left Hand Fiddle Technique
How To, Practicing, Technique Lauren Rioux How To, Practicing, Technique Lauren Rioux

Harnessing the Power of the Pinky: Left Hand Fiddle Technique

Many fiddlers grumble about using their pinkies while they play. I’ve met lots of students who always prefer to play an open string rather than nervously attempt a potentially out-of-tune pinky. But seriously, why limit your hand to three fingers when you’ve only got four (no thumbs on the fingerboard please) to begin with?

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Understanding Bow Direction and Why It Matters: A Fiddler’s Guide
How To, Practicing, Technique Lauren Rioux How To, Practicing, Technique Lauren Rioux

Understanding Bow Direction and Why It Matters: A Fiddler’s Guide

The bow sets the fiddle apart from all other instruments. With the bow, a fiddler can emote like a vocalist and groove like a drummer. Bowing styles can help listeners identify the musician from a single phrase- perhaps even a few notes. On the flip side, the bow can be a source of aggravation and keep fiddlers from unlocking their full potential.

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How to Start Improvising on Fiddle Tunes
How To, Technique Lauren Rioux How To, Technique Lauren Rioux

How to Start Improvising on Fiddle Tunes

I’ve always been nervous about improvising solos. If you’ve been in a band with me or perhaps been a particularly observant audience member, you know that I usually pass on the opportunity to step up to the mic and bust out a dazzling solo. But, something shifted when I had kids…

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How (And Why) To Practice Scales
How To, Practicing, Technique Taylor Morris How To, Practicing, Technique Taylor Morris

How (And Why) To Practice Scales

As a young student, I remember teachers making me play scales. I never wanted to play them, but I always had to play them for school orchestra tests and youth symphony auditions. To make things worse, I didn’t understand why I needed to learn scales. Or even how to practice them. Why would I work on something if I didn’t understand how it could help me or how to practice it? I only wanted to practice things that were fun!

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How To Improve Your Groove
How To, Jam Session, Rhythm Isa Burke How To, Jam Session, Rhythm Isa Burke

How To Improve Your Groove

Groove is such a difficult concept to pin down in words. And I already knew this because I try to talk about it on a regular basis! I talk about it with my bandmates, with my students, and with my musician friends, and we often find ourselves struggling to articulate what exactly we want to say. Groove is mysterious. Groove is what makes music and people dance.

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How To Sing While Playing A Bowed Instrument
How To, Practicing, Harmony Lauren Rioux How To, Practicing, Harmony Lauren Rioux

How To Sing While Playing A Bowed Instrument

Your voice is perhaps the most natural melodic instrument you’ll find, and the most portable! We were all born using our ‘pipes and chords’ and I urge you to sing, especially if for some reason you think you can’t. Because you can. Everyone can sing. It just takes practice. Like everything in life, amirite?

In this post, I’ll discuss ways your knowledge from your instrument and hands can help guide your voice to improve, and then vice versa.

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How-To Prevent Music Related Injury: Small Muscle Athlete Edition
How To, Practicing, Beginner, Technique Callie Brennan How To, Practicing, Beginner, Technique Callie Brennan

How-To Prevent Music Related Injury: Small Muscle Athlete Edition

We rely on our body to respond with speed, precision, flexibility, and consistency. We train, practice, study, repeat - until we’ve perfected a technique to such a degree that we simply can’t get it wrong. We ask our bodies to execute any kind of acrobatic episode, from up-bow staccato, to triple-tonguing, to playing the upright bass (which is an athletic event all on its own).

But no one warns you about this side of musicianship - the physicality of musical instruments is rarely taken into account, let alone recognized by non-musician folk.

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