Christian Howes

Announcing an exceptional learning opportunity for Adult Amateurs this week: Eleven Classes on Zoom with Eleven Teachers.
I'll be teaching along with several of my colleagues.
It's free.

Learn more and register here:
https://hi.switchy.io/Practice_Summit

A new AI tutoring app for classical music students allows them to record excerpts and receive immediate assessments on rhythm, intonation, and supposedly "expressiveness".

So... an AI tutor could soon replace me—
The one sitting beside my son, listening to every note as he practices?

But I know my son.
I know when to say something and when to stay quiet.
When to let six missed notes go, and gently point out one.

How will the app know that?
If an AI tutor can do all the work, what's left for a teacher?

It may allow teachers to take on the role of “guide.”
Or more community building, relationship building, character building....

In my conversation with Jessica Amir (below), she shares insights that helped me to think about building community and relationships- things which are harder for AI to replace.

And if AI tutors can assess rhythm and intonation, what about creativity?
Teachers- If you'd like to teach improvisation and eclectic styles, take a look at the new Eclectic Styles Method/cohort for this fall.

Let's normalize This for musicians

We say, "Support the arts!" but feel shame discussing money.

We hear, "Music is essential." But the second we talk about pay or quality of life? Suddenly, it’s a passion, not a profession.

We hear, "Be grateful for your cush teaching job and stop complaining."

We’d pay a plumber $350 for an hour but feel bad charging $100 for a two-hour gig with a long drive.

Let’s normalize talking about money. Because without resources, no one can make music.

The Music Career Problem

Once you accept that it’s okay to want to build a career that serves your needs, the main problem for so many self-employed musicians is indecision.

Circling between different strategies and goals—never landing on a clear action plan.

Meanwhile, money, time, and opportunities stay the same.
Sound familiar?

One right action can change everything. The hard part is choosing and following through.

That’s where coaching comes in.
If you were my mentee, I’d help you sort through the noise and focus on what will move the needle.

Examples of how one decision changed things for my coaching clients:
-Letting go of a gig/job/client blocking a better opportunity.
-Realizing they were offering their services to the wrong people.
-Raising their rates.
-Learning how to sell their services in a way that felt authentic.

So, let me ask you (hypothetically):
-If getting help could gain money, time, or alignment, would you want it?
-Is there one thing you’d like to implement in your career?
-One thing you’d like to let go of?

If you answered yes to any of these, join me tomorrow (Thurs) at 7 PM EST.
Can’t make it live? No problem—you’ll get the recording.
​Buy your ticket here:

Career Mastermind for Musicians, Teachers, and Creatives This is for serious professional musicians who want more money, time, or alignment.

If youre going to do it, might as well Put something on the line:)

Jacob Collier Challenge ( 3 violins) Mi Corazon- Christian Howes

Jacob Collier Challenge ( 3 violins) Mi Corazon- Christian Howes My attempt on the challenge by and Camilo :) Want to become a more functional musician? subscribe to Creative Strings Academy: www.ch...

String Players- Get your ticket to join us for the Creative Strings Workshop and Festival in Switzerland before prices go up this Sunday.

For years, I bought into this popular-yet-contrarian advice:
“If you want to save money, don’t give up your coffeeshop lattes. Treat yourself—it’ll make you feel good, and you can use that good feeling to go out and do better things.”

The positioning as contrary to traditional advice—(save every penny, including on daily $5 coffees)—made it compelling.

But yesterday, my son boldly asserted that I spend too much money on coffee.

Since I make it a point to listen to my kids, his comment prompted me to revisit the question.

And in doing so, I discovered something new.

Yes, making coffee at home might only save $2 a day, but it also saves 20–30 minutes—the time spent going to the coffeeshop.

While I may never master our fancy espresso machine or even the old drip coffee makers gathering dust, one simple solution came to me as if from heaven:

French press.

Easy to use, easy to clean, and it makes perfectly acceptable coffee.
Plus, it saves money and time—small optimizations that add up to big wins over time.

Which brings me to my point:

Tiny optimizations are all that are needed to greatly increase the quality and efficiency of whatever we want to do, create, achieve, or feel.

Whether it’s saving time, improving focus, or simply making things more enjoyable, each small change creates a ripple effect, which can lead to a virtuous cycle.

For me, today’s ripple starts with a French press.
For you, it might be something else entirely.

If developing your musical skills is important to you—whether as an amateur, pro, teacher, or freelancer—our Guided Practice Sessions are designed to provide those optimizations.

They help you:

-Save time
-Increase skills
-Build consistency and momentum in your practice.

If you identify as a practicing musician—or wish to—attending our sessions can help you step more fully into that identity.

And that confidence will ripple out into other areas of your life, leaving you more time and space to enjoy life’s simple pleasures—like a coffee with a friend or a moment of quiet satisfaction.

The Creative Strings Academy is entering a new era today after wrapping up Accelerator.
If you'd like to take advantage before tomorrow's opportunity comes and goes, now’s the perfect time to join and set your next ripple in motion (for less than $2 a day):
​Join here​:
https://hi.switchy.io/Guided_Practice

I used to think where you live doesn’t matter, but it kind of does.

For example, the hang is an undeniable perk when you live in a place like NYC.

A typical day in the city might include two recording sessions, a meeting, and a late-night club gig—each in a different part of town. Leave the apartment in Brooklyn at 10 am, get done at 1 am.

But the real highlight? The after party.

An intimate diner hang in the West Village, after-hours jam session at a Harlem jazz club, or a casual gathering at an apartment in Brooklyn.

No matter how prestigious the gigs were, getting an invite to an after party felt truly special, because it was like someone wanted me to be a part of their community and inner circle.

The after party was the reward after an epic day of subway rides, long walks, carrying 3 violins strapped to my back.

I don’t get that living in the mountains as much. And that’s okay—there are undeniable perks here too.

Where you live makes a difference. But finding joy in your tradeoffs and feeling whole about them is essential. Luckily, there are ways to have it all—travel, for example, and technology like Zoom.

Speaking of Zoom, I thought hosting an after-party would be cool, and you’re invited.

After Party Details 🎶
When: Tomorrow at 11 am EST
Where: Zoom: https://hi.switchy.io/After_Party​ (no registration needed)

What:
-AMA (ask me anything about music, teaching, career, et al).
-Play for feedback if you’d like.

It’s a casual way to celebrate the end of the Creative Strings Accelerator cycle and connect with musicians worldwide.

Preparing and presenting this intensive cycle to 452 registrants has been both exciting and challenging:

Now, the future is ours to create. I’d love to hear from you:

-What questions, goals, struggles do you have, whether in your practice, teaching, or career?

-How could I and/or the community serve you?

If you weren't able to join Accelerator, joining our practice community now could be the perfect next step to support your growth.

Join: https://hi.switchy.io/Guided_Practice

Curious whether it's relevant to your experience level and goals? Check out this collection of four masterclasses—spanning advanced and intermediate levels, and covering a range of styles- it's free:

​Free Preview Masterclasses​: https://hi.switchy.io/Masterclasses

Mark your calendar for tomorrow at 11 am EST and join the after party here: ​https://hi.switchy.io/After_Party

For Musicians who want to break free from the "never good enough" mindset

In this new interview for Creative Strings Podcast clinical psychologist and author Dr. Ellen Hendriksen shares how to overcome perfectionism as musicians. Whether you're a performer, teacher, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to help you:
Understand the roots of perfectionism in musicians. Differentiate healthy striving from destructive self-criticism. Navigate the pressure to link self-worth to performance. Cultivate self-acceptance while maintaining high standards.

Dr. Hendriksen, author of How to Be Enough: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfectionists, shares powerful strategies for breaking free from the "never good enough" mindset. Learn how perfectionism affects musicians, teachers, and creatives alike, and how to balance excellence with self-compassion.

https://youtu.be/WdO95zbBakA?si=GPia60aIZxZlq8eE

Many thanks to Electric Violin Shop for supporting Creative Strings Podcast. Call them at the phone number on their website ElectricViolinShop.com to speak w a human about your needs related to all things electric strings

How to Overcome Perfectionism as Musicians with Dr. Ellen Hendriksen Chris interviews clinical psychologist and author Dr. Ellen Hendriksen to explore how to overcome perfectionism as musicians. Whether you're a performer, tea...