Christian Howes

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...

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