Develop your creativity, confidence, and musical voice with violinist and educator Christian Howes.
This channel helps violinists, violists, cellists, fiddlers, and string teachers move beyond simply playing prescribed notes. Explore improvisation, harmony, rhythm, ear training, bowing technique, arranging, accompaniment, and creative musicianship across jazz, blues, bluegrass, folk, Latin, pop, and other contemporary styles.
You’ll find guided play-alongs, lessons, teacher resources, performances, interviews, and music-business guidance. The channel serves adult learners, classically trained musicians entering improvisation, fiddlers expanding their skills, educators seeking creative approaches, and experienced professionals pursuing greater depth and freedom.
Christian is a former Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and founder of the educational nonprofit Creative Strings.
Explore courses, workshops, Creative Strings Academy, and more:
www.christianhowes.com
Christian Howes
I want my kids to have an unfair musical advantage.
They shouldn’t need 20 years to figure out things I already spent 20 years figuring out.
Same with my students. If it took me a pile of embarrassing gigs and getting my ass kicked to understand something, maybe I can help you get it in ten minutes.
You don’t have to be related to inherit musical wealth.
A great teacher can hand you the essential idea in an afternoon.
Then you add to it.
Maybe you give it to somebody else.
That’s how musical knowledge compounds across generations.
1 day ago | [YT] | 16
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Christian Howes
If you want abundance—money, love, music, creativity—you need a foundation capable of holding it.
That’s less exciting than “ask and it will arrive,” but probably more useful.
As musicians, we try to build chops, vocabulary, speed, knowledge, and repertoire.
But the real foundation is our ability to listen, understand, move, and work with musical material in real time.
A foundation doesn’t limit musical freedom. It gives freedom somewhere to live.
That’s what we keep building inside Creative Strings Academy → hi.switchy.io/CSA_CommPost_2026
3 days ago | [YT] | 30
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Christian Howes
A student told me about the culture she found at women’s jazz jams.
Less proving-yourself energy.
More encouragement after somebody takes a risk.
Less hierarchy.
More sense that everyone is invested in everyone else’s playing.
It made me wonder: what else could we learn to celebrate?
How deeply somebody listened.
How beautifully they supported another musician.
How much space they left.
How vulnerable an idea was.
How they made everyone else sound better.
Those aren’t less sophisticated than shredding. They’re musicianship too.
Improvisation requires risk—and the room changes what we’re willing to reveal.
What kind of room helps YOU play your best?
5 days ago | [YT] | 23
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Christian Howes
The AltStrings Practice Summit starts today. 🎻
If you’ve been meaning to spend some time with your instrument, here’s an invitation.
Show up. Get curious. Find an idea you want to try.
Join me and nine fellow educators September 12–13 for practice strategies, performance psychology, and playing more comfortably. You can also watch experts work with adult students in live masterclasses.
It’s free to attend live. Especially for adult string players, with all instruments and levels welcome.
Register and see the schedule:
hi.switchy.io/AltStrings_Practice_Summit_Community
Want to revisit the sessions? An optional paid VIP pass includes lifetime access to the replays.
Hope to see you there.
1 week ago | [YT] | 6
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Christian Howes
Asheville friends: In the 11 years since I moved here, I’ve never led my own jazz show here.
That changes Saturday, October 3.
I’m bringing a world-class quartet to Hotel Eve Jazz for two full sets in an intimate 35-seat listening room.
Lovell Bradford — keys
Shannon Hoover — bass
Cedric Easton — drums
And me trying not to literally burn the place down.
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
Hotel Eve Jazz, downtown Asheville
Sets at 8:00 and 9:45 PM
The room is tiny and this should sell out. If you want a REAL date night, don’t wait until the last minute.
Reserve your seat → hi.switchy.io/Hotel_Eve_Oct3_Community
1 week ago | [YT] | 26
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Christian Howes
A reader asked me how I stay motivated to practice when it gets boring.
For me, music stays interesting when it connects to people and projects I care about.
Something new to try.
Someone to learn from.
A reason to pick up the instrument.
If your practice could use a little of that, join me at the AltStrings Practice Summit, starting tomorrow, September 12–13.
Ten educators will share ideas on practice strategy, performance psychology, and playing more comfortably. You’ll also see experts work with adult students in live masterclasses.
Free to attend live. All instruments and levels welcome.
Give yourself a reason to practice this weekend:
hi.switchy.io/AltStrings_Practice_Summit_Community
1 week ago | [YT] | 1
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Christian Howes
Less talking about practicing.
More practicing.
That’s how I described the free AltStrings Practice Summit in my email—and it’s coming up this weekend, September 12–13.
Ten teachers. Two days. Ideas you can take back to your instrument.
I’ll be there with Molly Gebrian, Gregg Goodhart, Jennifer Johnson, and other educators, sharing approaches to practice, performance psychology, and playing more comfortably.
You’ll also get to watch experts work with adult students in live masterclasses.
Free to attend live. Especially for adult string players, with all instruments and levels welcome.
Come practice with us:
hi.switchy.io/AltStrings_Practice_Summit_Community
1 week ago | [YT] | 1
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Christian Howes
Your musical life gets to keep growing. 🎻
Whether you’re returning to your instrument or have been playing for decades, there’s always something worth exploring.
A new way to learn a difficult passage.
A more comfortable way to play.
A little more confidence when someone is listening.
This weekend, September 12–13, I’m joining nine fellow educators at the AltStrings Practice Summit. We’ll explore practice strategy, performance psychology, and ergonomics, with live masterclasses featuring adult students.
It’s FREE to attend live. Designed especially for adult string players, with all instruments and levels welcome.
Save your spot:
hi.switchy.io/AltStrings_Practice_Summit_Community
What would make your practice more enjoyable right now?
1 week ago | [YT] | 3
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Christian Howes
“What’s the equivalent of math anxiety in music?”
Theory anxiety.
For many accomplished musicians, the brain says: “I don’t do that. My brain doesn’t work that way.”
But we often turn unfamiliarity into identity.
“I’m bad at theory” feels permanent.
“I haven’t spent enough time with—or found the right approach to—theory yet” is completely solvable.
Make the problem small. Take one tiny piece of material and give yourself more time than you think you should need. Let it become familiar. Apply it on your instrument.
Maybe the first goal isn’t to “get good at theory.”
Maybe it’s simply to stop being afraid of it.
Explore Creative Strings Academy → hi.switchy.io/CSA_CommPost_2026
1 week ago | [YT] | 22
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Christian Howes
Our neighbors just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
That feels especially amazing in a culture constantly selling us the next new phone, diet, person, or app.
There’s something right and beautiful about the opposite of the shiny object:
Something you keep coming back to.
And instead of becoming less interesting because you’ve known it for years, somehow it becomes more interesting.
Maybe that’s one of the best reasons to practice. It’s a relationship you’re choosing to continue.
You come back. And then you come back again.
Save your spot for the free AltStrings Practice Summit, Sept. 12–13 → hi.switchy.io/AltStrings_Practice_Summit_Community
1 week ago | [YT] | 23
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