Electric Violin Labs
Electric Strings Workshops, Labs & PD — Electric Violin Labs
Electric Violin Labs — Workshops, Labs & PD

Electric Strings
Workshops, Labs,
and PD

Standards-aligned, STEM-integrated programs for K–12, colleges, community arts, and music retail.

Dr. Jess Ingrassellino, EdD — Teachers College, Columbia University

Download Full Catalog (PDF)
Dr. Jess Ingrassellino

Program formats

Four ways to bring
electric strings to your community

From a one-hour overview to a full-day intensive, every format is interactive, structured, and adaptable to your setting and goals.

Assembly

Large-Group Introduction

An engaging overview of electric bowed strings and modern sound design for broad audiences — no prior experience required.

60 minutes · ideal for 50–500 participants
Workshop

Hands-On Guided Experience

Structured small-group activities exploring electric strings, effects, and sound concepts in depth. Suitable for all experience levels.

90 minutes · 15–40 participants
Lab

Immersive Technical Lab

Deep technical engagement at customized stations aligned to your program goals. Participants work individually or in pairs.

Half day (3 hrs) or Full day (6 hrs)
Professional Development

Educator-Focused Training

Instructional strategies, technology integration, and implementation planning for arts educators and STEM/STEAM faculty.

Half day or Full day · for educators

Open to all ages and experience levels

For Everyone

No prior experience with electric instruments required. These programs work for mixed-age groups, general music audiences, and anyone curious about electric strings.

Electric Strings Sound Lab
Experience the science and creativity of electric strings — hands-on, from day one.
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  • Up to 4 hands-on rotation stations exploring signal flow, effects, and sound design
  • Genre showcase — classical, pop, rock — with optional repertoire requests
  • Electric violins, violas, cello, effects pedals, amps, and cabling provided
Format Time Base Price Notes
Assembly
60 min
$250
Large-group overview, up to 500 participants
Workshop
90 min
$400
Small-group hands-on, up to 40 participants
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$750
Station rotation, deep exploration
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All electric instruments & gear
  • Up to 40 participants
  • Structured curriculum
  • Take-home materials
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • Additional classroom repeats same day
  • Custom curriculum design
Own Your Tone: Intro Gear Lab
Take control of your gear and build the sound you actually hear in your head.
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  • Signal chain fundamentals — what goes where, and why it matters for bowed strings
  • Impedance, gain staging, and EQ shaping explained simply and practically
  • Pedal order logic, effect interaction, and troubleshooting common tone problems
Format Time Base Price Notes
Assembly
60 min
$250
Gear overview for large groups
Workshop
90 min
$400
Hands-on tone building, up to 40 participants
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All electric instruments & gear
  • Up to 40 participants
  • Structured curriculum
  • Take-home materials
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • Additional classroom repeats same day
  • Custom curriculum design

Student programs

For the Classroom

Curriculum-aligned programs designed to expand what's possible in your ensemble, general music, or STEAM setting.

Freedom In Sound: Improv Zone
Help musicians break through improvisation fear using guided frameworks and creative constraints.
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  • Beginner-friendly entry points — call-and-response frameworks for ensemble communication
  • Improvising within creative constraints: limited notes, rhythms, loops, and pedals
  • Develops musical risk-taking and listening in a supportive, mixed-ability environment
Format Time Base Price Notes
Workshop
90 min
$400
Great entry point; mixed-ability groups welcome
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$750
Deeper vocabulary development
Lab — Full Day
~6 hrs
$1,400
Includes composition-in-real-time intensive
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All electric instruments & gear
  • Up to 40 participants
  • Structured curriculum
  • Take-home improvisation framework
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • Additional classroom repeats same day
  • Custom curriculum design
Loop and Layer Jam
Create, loop, layer, improvise, and compose — perform confidently as a solo artist or ensemble member.
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  • Loop pedal signal flow and timing fundamentals; constructing layered arrangements from rhythm to melody
  • Creative looping techniques — reverse, half-speed, overdub control, smooth transitions
  • Full-day option extends into guided composition and arranging with original looped works
Format Time Base Price Notes
Workshop
90 min
$500
Loop fundamentals + layered performance
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$900
Composition and improvisation extension
Lab — Full Day
~6 hrs
$1,600
Full composition & arranging intensive
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • Electric instruments, loop pedals & amps
  • Up to 40 participants
  • Structured curriculum
  • Take-home looping framework
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • Additional classroom repeats same day
  • Custom curriculum design
Sound Design for Electric Strings
Intentionally craft your tone for contemporary performance — with clarity, control, and musical purpose.
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  • Signal chain order, gain staging, and tone sculpting fundamentals specific to bowed strings
  • Overdrive vs. distortion, EQ strategies, and managing dynamics in amplified settings
  • Genre-informed sound creation from clean foundations to expressive, contemporary tones
Format Time Base Price Notes
Workshop
90 min
$500
Tone fundamentals and signal chain
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$900
Tone development + performance labs
Lab — Full Day
~6 hrs
$1,600
Preset building, genre construction, live mix
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All electric instruments & gear
  • Up to 40 participants
  • Structured curriculum
  • Personalized tone-building framework
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • Additional classroom repeats same day
  • Custom curriculum design
Music Production and Recording
Modern studio and streaming skills for string players — from interface to DAW to live broadcast.
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  • Signal flow from instrument to recording platform; acoustic vs. electric capture strategies
  • Microphone placement, DI and interface fundamentals, gain staging, and DAW workflow basics (Mac & PC)
  • Live-stream setup essentials and creating balanced mixes for string instruments
Format Time Base Price Notes
Workshop
90 min
$600
Recording fundamentals and signal flow
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$1,000
Setup, testing, recording short performances
Lab — Full Day
~6 hrs
$1,800
Full production workflow + live-stream build
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All instruments & recording gear
  • Up to 40 participants
  • Structured curriculum
  • Home-recording workflow guide
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • Additional classroom repeats same day
  • Custom curriculum design

For music educators and faculty

Professional Development

Hands-on PD that gives educators the tools, strategies, and confidence to integrate electric strings into existing programs.

🎓 PD hours and CTLE credit available — ask about your state's requirements when you reach out.
Teaching Electric Strings in the Classroom
Integrate electric strings into your existing program — without overwhelming your budget or your schedule.
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  • Budget-conscious equipment strategies with $300+ entry points and grant language templates
  • Essential signal chain basics, classroom management for tech-based instruction, and standards alignment
  • Starter curriculum maps for ensemble or exploratory models; funding pathways included
Format Time Base Price Notes
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$750
Foundations + implementation planning
Lab — Full Day
~6 hrs
$1,400
Full curriculum mapping + equipment strategy
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All demonstration instruments & gear
  • Up to 30 educators
  • Curriculum framework documents
  • Grant language templates
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • CTLE / PD credit documentation (ask)
  • Custom district-specific curriculum design
Electric Strings Rock Band
Reimagine ensemble learning through collaboration, arrangement, and student-driven music-making.
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  • Educators experience the full ensemble process — song selection, role assignment, arranging, performing
  • Simplified arranging frameworks; balancing acoustic and electric instruments in rehearsal
  • Performance-ready ensemble structures you can replicate immediately with your own students
Format Time Base Price Notes
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$750
Ensemble model + rehearsal strategies
Lab — Full Day
~6 hrs
$1,400
Full arrangement + performance cycle
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All electric instruments & gear
  • Up to 30 educators
  • Arranging framework documents
  • Rehearsal strategy guides
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • CTLE / PD credit documentation (ask)
  • Custom district-specific curriculum design
Creative Assessment and Technology Integration
Build sustainable, standards-aligned electric strings pathways within your school or district.
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  • Assessment models and rubrics for improvisation, composition, sound design, and collaborative work
  • Project-based learning structures; cross-curricular STEAM connections; vertical program pathways
  • Budgeting strategies and language for communicating program value to administrators and boards
Format Time Base Price Notes
Lab — Half Day
~3 hrs
$750
Assessment frameworks + program design intro
Lab — Full Day
~6 hrs
$1,400
Full program design + board communication
What's included in every base price
Included
  • 1 instructor (Dr. Jess)
  • All demonstration instruments & gear
  • Up to 30 educators
  • Assessment rubrics and templates
  • Program design frameworks
Additional cost
  • Travel beyond 50 mi of Newburgh, NY ($0.70/mi)
  • Overnight lodging if required
  • CTLE / PD credit documentation (ask)
  • Custom district-specific curriculum design

Implementation settings

Who books these programs

Electric Violin Labs programs are designed to work across a wide range of educational and community settings.

🏫

K–12 Music & STEAM

Orchestra programs, general music, STEAM electives, and after-school ensembles.

🎓

Colleges & Universities

Music technology courses, string studios, and student-life enrichment programs.

🎨

Community Arts

Arts organizations, community schools, libraries, and public events.

🎸

Retail Music Stores

In-store clinics, demo events, and customer education programming.

🔬

Sound Labs

Acoustic science programs, maker spaces, and STEM learning environments.

🎪

Workshops & Festivals

Music workshops, youth arts festivals, and enrichment camp programs.

Currently booking fall 2026 and spring 2027 dates. Programs book 4–8 weeks in advance for standard formats; allow additional lead time for custom curriculum or multi-day engagements. Reach out early →

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Assembly, Workshop, and Lab?
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Assemblies (60 min) are large-group introductions — great for school-wide events or community showcases where the goal is an engaging first exposure to electric strings. Up to a few hundred participants.

Workshops (90 min) are hands-on small-group experiences where participants actually play instruments and work through structured activities. Best for class-sized groups of 15–40.

Labs (half or full day) are immersive, station-based experiences designed for deeper technical engagement. Participants work individually or in small groups through customized activities aligned to your program goals. These are the most intensive format and produce the deepest learning.

Do you travel? What's included in the base price vs. what's extra?
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Yes — programs can be delivered anywhere in the US. Base prices include: 1 instructor, all electric instruments and gear, up to 40 participants (30 for PD), structured curriculum, and take-home materials.

Additional costs apply for: travel beyond 50 miles of Newburgh, NY (billed at $0.70/mile), overnight lodging for engagements requiring it, additional same-day classroom repeats, and custom curriculum design. All of this is discussed transparently before any agreement is made — no surprises.

Can workshops be customized for our standards or program goals?
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Yes. Every program can be adapted to align with your state's music standards, your existing curriculum, or specific learning outcomes you're working toward. Standard programs are adaptable at no extra cost; fully custom-designed curriculum is available as an add-on. Ask about your needs when you reach out and we'll discuss the best approach.

Do you provide instruments and gear, or do we need our own?
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All programs include instruments and gear. Dr. Jess brings electric violins, violas, cello, effects pedals, loop pedals, amplifiers, and cabling. You don't need to own any equipment to run a program — that's intentional, so schools and organizations can experience electric strings without a procurement commitment.

If your school already has instruments or gear you'd like to incorporate, that can absolutely be arranged.

Can these be funded through Title IV, ESSER, arts grants, or other sources?
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Yes — many of these programs are a natural fit for Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment), arts education grants, STEAM-specific funding streams, and private foundation grants. The "Teaching Electric Strings in the Classroom" PD includes grant language templates specifically designed to support funding applications.

If you're working with a specific grant or funding source and need to confirm alignment, reach out and we can discuss how the program maps to your requirements.

How far in advance should we book?
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Standard workshops and assemblies book 4–6 weeks out for available dates. Full-day labs and custom curriculum engagements benefit from 8–12 weeks of lead time, particularly if documentation (PD hours, curriculum maps, or grant requirements) is needed. Fall 2026 and spring 2027 dates are currently available — reach out early to secure your preferred dates.

Do you offer PD credit or CTLE hours?
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PD hours are available and documented for all professional development programs. CTLE credit availability varies by state — ask about your state's specific requirements when you book. We're happy to work with your district's professional learning coordinator to ensure the documentation meets your needs.

What's the cancellation and rescheduling policy?
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Specific policy terms are outlined in the program agreement sent at booking. Generally: rescheduling with more than 3 weeks notice is accommodated without penalty; cancellations within 2 weeks of the event date may be subject to a partial fee to cover preparation and travel arrangements already made. We understand that school calendars shift — reasonable flexibility is built into the process. Questions? Ask when you reach out.

Let's discuss your program

Book a free 20-minute call to talk through your goals, your setting, and which format fits best.

Book a 20-Min Call