Lifelong Music-Making for Passionate Amateurs
Tuning in Fifths is a place for curious violinists and violists, to find connection, encouragement, and real-world insights for lifelong learning on your instrument, whether you are an avid amateur or a new adult learner.
Whether you’re rediscovering the violin as an adult or deepening your craft, this site offers:
Practical Tips
Technique, practice routines, and strategies
Repertoire Guides
Discover music that inspires your playing
Baroque Violin & Viola
Learn about historically informed playing, from gear to gut strings
Guides for Amateur Musicians
Baroque Playing for Amateurs
How to get started playing baroque violin or viola
Dive into the world of historically informed performance with this beginner-friendly guide.
Viola for Violinists
Making the switch from violin to viola for curious amateurs
Thinking about exploring the rich voice of the viola? This guide is for violinists ready to try something new.
Practice Guide
Make practice consistent, intentional, and rewarding
Looking for strategies to make the most of your time in the practice room? This guide gathers tips, tools, and resources to help amateur violinists and violists build intentional, enjoyable practice habits.
Recent Posts
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Favorite Violin String Sets for Tone, Response, and Playability
Almost every violinist has a favorite violin string set, and it’s also not uncommon for violinists to do some experimentation to find the best strings for their personal instrument, as strings can behave wildly differently on different instruments. As an advanced amateur violinist I’ve done quite a bit of experimentation over the years and I…
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Baroque Music for Viola: Essential Pieces and Where to Start
I find Baroque music played on the viola to be exceptionally captivating. The range of the instrument is particularly suited to baroque sonorities. While it requires skill to master the art of playing baroque music, much of the repertoire is less technically demanding than music of later time periods, making it an excellent entry point…
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Recording Music Lessons: A Modern Way to Remember Your Lesson and Practice With Intention
How recordings, transcripts, and AI summaries support more intentional musical practice I’m in a violin lesson, I begin playing the piece I am currently working on and it doesn’t start off as I’d hoped. The first chord is out of tune, then, as I proceed to play, my spiccato feels unbalanced. There is a lot…
About the Author
Hi, I’m Rose, an amateur violinist and adult violin student exploring the world of modern and Baroque string playing. I’m not a professional, but music is a central part of my life. I started this site to share what I’ve learned and create a space for others walking a similar path.
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