Ben Lassiter
I help violinists learn to play improvised music! I also teach beginners the basics.
Private lessons - Ben Lassiter
Masters degree
$15
$15
/ 30 min
About your violin teacher
I am Ben Lassiter, a music-loving violin tutor with a Master's Degree in jazz. My first instrument was guitar, (which I still play regularly) but now my focus is teaching violinists how to improvise and make up music on the spot, not just read it off the page! Are you a classical violinists who's always wanted to improvise? Let's work together! I specialize in helping students understand music theory and harmony through learning jazz repertoire. I teach students improvisation, ear training,, swing rhythm, sight-reading and more! Study with me and you will learn the necessary scales, arpeggios and 'jazz language' needed to sound convincing on your instrument. I love listening to outstanding violinists like Stéphane Grappelli and Didier Lockwood (check them out!). Each of my students gets a personalized lesson plan to help overcome their specific weaknesses and achieve their goals. Let's do this!
Meet Ben
Lessons help with stage confidence
93% Students feel ready to perform for others
Helps students prepare for orchestra auditions
Many students have earned seats in school and regional ensembles
Real-time feedback from violin teacher
88% students say instant corrections improve accuracy
Violin lessons overview
No two people are exactly alike and therefore, no two teaching methods should be exactly alike. Through careful study of your strengths and weaknesses, I will develop a tailored learning plan to help you achieve your musical goals. If you are a complete beginner, we will spend time learning things such as bow hold, posture, etc. If you are a violinist who wants to branch out and 'play by ear' I can help you achieve this. Reading music is fundamental for the classical violinist, but not necessarily as important for the improvisor. In my lessons, I will teach you the necessary scales and arpeggios that make up the building blocks of improvisation. Often, classical violinists do not have to understand music theory to give an excellent performance. However, when it comes to improvisation, most classical violinists feel completely rudderless. I can help you overcome this situation and give you the skills and confidence necessary to play improvised music.
Your violin teacher specialities
Ear training
Scales and Arpeggios
Rhythm and Timing
Finger Placement and Scales
Music theory
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Violin concept taught by Ben
Ben Lassiter and Jen Thomas worked through initial audio difficulties before focusing on violin techniques. Jen practiced rhythms, string changes, and left-hand finger patterns. Ben provided feedback on her technique and emphasized the use of a metronome for practice, and Jen agreed to focus on specific rhythms and left-hand exercises for the next session.
16th Notes
Bow Placement
String Changes
Left Hand Finger Patterns
Staccato
Metronome Practice
Ben Lassiter guided a student through violin exercises, focusing on improving rhythm, bow control, and left-hand fingering technique. The individual, who resides in North End, practiced string changes, scales, and rhythms using a metronome, working on evenness and coordination between both hands. They reviewed finger patterns and discussed practicing variations of rhythms and finger placements for the next week, with a reminder about the upcoming change in lesson day.
Rhythmic Precision
Finger Patterns
Metronome Practice
Left-Hand Finger Placement
String Changes
Ben conducted a violin lesson with Uday, concentrating on rhythm exercises found on page 21 of the Suzuki book. Their practice involved various rhythms using sixteenth notes, eighth notes, and rests, specifically on the E and A strings. Ben offered corrections regarding Uday's bowing technique and tuning. As homework, Uday was tasked with practicing rhythm A and rhythm B throughout the week.
16th Notes
Eighth Notes
Down and Up Bows
Rests
Time Signatures & Measures
In this online violin lesson, Ben guided the learner, who resides in Miami, through tuning, posture, bow technique, and basic left-hand finger placement. The individual then practiced scales on the A string, focusing on intonation with the aid of a drone track. Ben assigned practice exercises and recommended using a mirror to monitor bow alignment, and they scheduled another lesson for the following week.
Bowing Technique
Importance of Relaxation
Tuning with Drone Tracks
Left Hand Position
Bow Hold
Finger Patterns and Intervals
Ben guided Shawn through CAGED system exercises, focusing on technique (thumb/wrist positioning, fingering, picking) and fretboard understanding. They worked on riffs using scale degrees and explored different chord voicings for songs like "Honeybee." Ben provides feedback, tracks progress via Google Doc, and assigns practice. Audio issues are also addressed.
CAGED System
Scale Degrees
Guitar Riffs
Picking Techniques
Thumb Position
Ben Lassiter worked with John (Betts Family) on violin, focusing on improving staccato, intonation, and finger technique through exercises and pieces like "Allegro" and "Perpetual Motion." Ben provided drone tracks and play-along videos to help John practice intonation and timing. John was assigned exercises using drone tracks to improve intonation and accuracy for the next lesson.
Staccato
Scales in Thirds
Drones for Practice
Fourth Finger Exercises
Dolce
Intonation
Types of violin lessons
Violin
Acoustic Violin
Student Violin
Free lesson slots
1 / 1
Teaching tools used in violin classes
PDF Sheet Music Libraries
Metronome Apps
Student types for violin lessons
Violin for advanced
Violin for kids
Violin for beginners
Violin for adults
Interactive violin lessons
Record lessons
Pets are welcomed
Mobile joining
Weekend lessons
Violin teachers on Wiingy are vetted for quality
Every tutor is interviewed and selected for subject expertise and teaching skill.