#violin technique

[your-funky-human-companion]

one thing i learned today about playing an instrument is that you can't force emotion with technique

i was having a problem with creating a dreamy texture on the violin while doing portato (for chopin's nocturne) and i was having such a hard time at the lesson cuz i knew i had to lighten up my bow. i knew my fingers had to stay strong. i knew i had to be relaxed. but my bow still shook like crazy and my portato was harsh and bumpy. but then i decided to listen to the piece and play it no matter what technique i had. i wanted to play it for the emotions chopin made it, and all of a sudden that dreamy portato section was a lot better.

so technique hints at and describes emotion, but knowing what the feeling and sound of the piece is what truly creates the emotion.

i suspect that if you have the emotion, you have the technique as well

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

An epic collaboration between TwoSetViolin and the brilliant Maxim Vengerov! Also watch Brett Yang and Eddy Chen’s effective and thoughtful advice to young violinists. 

Well worth the watch! 

[myviolaisprettierthanyou]

Summer Goal

(yes I’m aware I was supposed keep posting journal entries for the bach and/or any new rep, but I got distracted what can I say)

This concludes my first year at music school and I can say it has not been easy. I’ve learned so much and I want to take this summer to transform myself as a musician. Sure, two months can’t do too much, but I want to try and make the best of it.

My teacher pointed out that I’ve been playing with an incredible amount of pressure in my left hand. Since I’ve always played like that, I never noticed. So I’m going to be focusing on my left hand techique - making it lighter, better intonation, all that jazz- and my right hand. My teacher has said that my sound is pretty good, but there’s room for improvement. I want to try and have a better sound, more even tone, and just to feel more in control of my bow hand.

I’ll be sharing any exercises I find here and am open to suggestions :)

I’m also going to try to post daily about my practice sessions key word is try

hopefullythatmotivatesme

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

The secret behind Paganini's amazing technique

Generations of violinists have tried to discover what it was that made Paganini so legendary. In this article from 2014, the late great Ruggiero Ricci shared his thoughts with Strad readers

The late Ruggiero Ricci tried to uncover the secret to Niccolo Paganini’s outstanding violin technique, which he claimed was a secret. 

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

Lina Tur Bonet playing Crucifixion from Heinrich Biber’s marvellous Mystery Sonatas. These pieces, that use scordatura tuning, are a jewel in the repertoire for Baroque violin, and Lina Tur Bonet’s playing here really does them justice! 

[thatkjbell]

In case you missed it, here's my first teaching self-critique video. I played through Suzuki Book 2 for the first time in years, watched it back, and analyzed my own playing. See me go over my own mistakes, trying to do it the way I would with my students (sometimes difficult, because I am much nicer to students).

[thatkjbell]

Flashback Scale Post: The fourth post to my beginning upper string scale sequence. This covers the Green Pattern scales, which start on the second finger, and the first scales to have flats in them.

Primary Green Scales - Upper String Scale Series #4 — That KJ Teaches

The final set of primary major scales are the green pattern scales. These are the scales that begin on the second finger. They are also the

[thatkjbell]

Need some help changing your violin (or viola/cello) strings? I can help with that.