I think I want to start again Options

[Zecic]

I've only been playing for a few months, so I'm in no position to give specific comments. However, I admire you for what you wish to accomplish, and wish you the best of luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I hope one day I can play as well as you do in your videos! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[jojo]

I've only been playing for a few months, so I'm in no position to give specific comments. However, I admire you for what you wish to accomplish, and wish you the best of luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I hope one day I can play as well as you do in your videos! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

thank you Zecic that's extremely nice of you, I wish for you to achieve everything you want and that one day you can play MUCH MUCH better than me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I mean it with all my heart

[Roseau]

A few thoughts from a non-string player:

What do you need in order to improve further? Well, all of the above. You already have all the right ingredients. Just add time.

A few years ago my teacher organised a master class, in which I played. The masterclass teacher gave a recital at the end of the day and he was a very good player. At the end of the recital, he came to see me to tell me how impressed he was by my playing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) We had a long (and very interesting) talk and one of the things he said (which I have thought about a lot since and which has helped me through difficult times) was that he admired my patience. He said the biggest obstacle for adults who start a new instrument is patience. We know what the instrument is meant to sound like and are only too aware of the gap between our playing and our ideal but there is no short cut; you need to put in those thousands of hours. He said adults give up not because they have reached their limits but because they are too impatient.

Yup Miffy 'consolidate' is what I've been trying to do, but I think I 'miss' some basic building blocks as I keep falling onto the floor too often, otherwise why is my teacher telling me off just too much all of the time? I would have hoped his telling off would slow down just a tiny bit by now?

My impression is that the better you become the more critical teachers become. When I first started I could play a whole piece (all right often only a couple of lines but still a whole piece) before my teacher said anything. Now, I rarely manage more than a couple of bars and sometimes he stops me after just one note (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) I have made friends with an adult who is learning the flute and she was shocked once when a very good (ie diploma standard pupil) had a lesson after her. My friend admires this pupil's playing and she was very surprised that the teacher stopped the pupil every couple of notes, pointing out all the things that were "wrong".

A couple of years after I started, I had my lesson right after a young beginner. My teacher was always telling her how good she was and praising her for things like remembering how long a minim lasted for. One week, after she'd gone, he said to me "I never tell you anything you do is good, do I?" He went on to apologise saying that it wasn't because he didn't think I was good (because he assumed I knew I was) but also that for him it made a nice change to be able to spend a whole lesson teaching and not having to try and make sure the pupil stayed motivated by complimenting them every five minutes.

Sometimes I think we are not quite on the same wave length. At the end of the last academic year, I spent weeks struggling with one particular technical point, seemingly making no progress at all and with him repeating the same thing every week. Eventually, in dispair in one lesson, I said to him "this is hard," to which he replied "of course it is, I didn't ever tell you it was easy" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) When I objected that it was "too hard" because he was having to repeat himself every week, he claimed he could hear a difference from one week to the next and that I was actually mastering it faster than he had expected, I just needed to be more patient. Occasionally he will preface his criticism by saying "You might say I'm splitting hairs but I think you could..."

The other thing I have found helpful to put my own playing into perspective is when I have seen my teacher teach other pupils. I found it reassuring that some of the things he always repeats to me, he also always repeats to every other pupil which made me realise that these things are hard for everyone and it is not because I'm hopeless.

In other words, I would take your teacher's constant criticisms as a positive sign of the improvement in your playing.

And finally (and slightly tongue in cheek), what are the basics? I have discovered that the "basics" vary from one country to another. As I posted recently, my younger daughter had a few violin lessons when she was five and the beginner's book she was given started with 3rd position (and no open strings). 1st position was only introduced in volume 2.

[michael N]

Well here are my thoughts for what they are worth. I must from the outset state that I have 'effectively' (long story, returning Violin beginner) been playing for a few months. However I have played the Guitar for many years and being a maker I have heard many, many Violinists of all abilities.
Your intonation issues are apparent. I'm not going to pretend otherwise, that would be both foolish and unhelpful. So their lies the obvious weakness that needs addressing. Not that unusual in itself, pretty much every musician has areas of strengths and weaknesses. I doubt that this requires a wholesale move back to the beginning, just specific and targeted practice.
The bowing in the last Video (Birthday one) seems to be under better control and smoother.
BTW I knew an ex RCM Grad (ex Mordkovitch student) who told me he practiced long, slow bows on open strings for a few minutes each day. He had even done Post performance. There you go, a very advanced Violinist doing something that seems very basic on a regular basis.

[jod]

Right here's my tuppence worth.

The placing of your web cam allowed me to watch what you were doing with your fingers and your bow, so I could observe the nice and the not so nice.

How much rosin have you got on your bow? Your bowing its self looks good. There are times however that it looks as if it is bouncing on the strings as if there is not enough rosin on the bow. There has clearly been an improvement since your grade 5, so your desire to go back to the beginning is un-necessary, especially when you read what I say next.

Your intonation, as far as finding each position is extremely accurate. Your position of your fingers within each position however is more dubious.

It might be worthwhile practicing the intonation changes extremely slowly or even without pulse listening to each one until they are bang on. Also keep vib consistent. There are times you produce a very dry sound as there is no vib, then put a huge wobble in. If you are playing with vib its gentle vib then warm up the note gradually not all or nothing - this applies to all musicians who are varying vibrato rates.

As long as you can play the rhythm in time concentrating on pitch without rhythm to sort out tuning is OK. Keep it to short sections without any positional changes. really listen to the tuning allow no errors. Be very strict and disciplined with yourself.

The Gluck/Heifitz was better than the first piece. I also think your bowing would improve if you tried singing phrases through at which ever pitch is comfortable and running with the phrasing. Give the music some air.

However, I am only being this critical as you are wanting to improve so terribly much and that otherwise there is so much to commend about your playing.

Have faith in yourself Jo-Jo. You are definitely heading in the right direction.

I do hope that a constructive pair of eyes and ears have proven helpful

JoD.

[Zecic]

I've only been playing for a few months, so I'm in no position to give specific comments. However, I admire you for what you wish to accomplish, and wish you the best of luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I hope one day I can play as well as you do in your videos! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

thank you Zecic that's extremely nice of you, I wish for you to achieve everything you want and that one day you can play MUCH MUCH better than me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I mean it with all my heart

Thank you very much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I also hope you achieve everything you want.

[miffy]

Jod - re intonation in positions, I have just spent all morning saying to pupils "it's one thing getting to the position, but do you know exactly what happens next?'. It's very common, the plan has to continue beyond the actual shift so you are spot on there. Also with the singing of phrases, (even the saying of phrases if they won't sing), out loud or silently. It makes a HUGE difference to the music. Vibrato, yes, it should be an integral part of the development of the phrase/musical line, not just there for individual notes for the sake of it.

[mcm]

JoJo, I have also struggled for years (as an adult learner) with intonation. As well as the Sevcik op.8 I mentioned earlier I was taught this helpful drill. Put the first finger on Bb on the A string. As you play it s-l-o-w-l-y slide it up to B natural, then back. Then with second finger on C slide up to C# and back, and so on with all the fingers on all the strings in first position. You can also slide over a whole tone, if you like, so that your third finger covers D-Db-D-D# and your fourth Eb-E-F.

I'm not sure why it works but I found it made a big difference. Perhaps because it emphasises the different finger positions - contracted, square and extended - and also gets the fingers used to making adjustments on the string as you play. I notice that often you don't correct the intonation even when there is plenty of time to do so, as if once you play the note your finger is stuck there. Or maybe you need to train your ear a bit more.

Menuhin wrote somewhere that he didn't expect the young players arriving at his school to play in tune with all the notes at their fingertips, but that they were taught to adjust the finger very quickly. Soon they made the corrections before they actually played the note and landed first time in the right place.

Honestly, there is no point in going right back to grade 1. Explain to your teacher how frustrated you are and see if he can give you some specific exercises. And maybe you need to do some more ear training. I can't make any suggestions there as I have been blessed with a very good ear. By itself that doesn't make my fingers fall in the right place, though, and I have had to work very hard to train them.

Your playing is very promising - don't lose heart.

[miffy]

To add to mcm's exercises, the first page of the Ysaye exercises are really good for intonation and long notes/string crossing/bow control. An all-in-one package!
Slowly though.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[BadStrad]

Jojo, Just been watching your videos and I might have got this wrong, but I noticed that you seem to be looking at your fingers quite a lot. I probably only picked up on it as I got told off for it a week or two back. In fact only yesterday I was murdering a G major arpeggio - I know embarrassing, but my excuse was I felt a bit under the weather (not that that flies with teacher (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ), Anyway I had to play the arpeggio while watching teacher pick up objects of the table and wave them around. Once I stopped "thinking" about where my fingers were and couldn't watch them, surprise, surprise everything snapped into place.

So maybe that's something you could try - not looking at your hand?

[jod]

Jod - re intonation in positions, I have just spent all morning saying to pupils "it's one thing getting to the position, but do you know exactly what happens next?'. It's very common, the plan has to continue beyond the actual shift so you are spot on there. Also with the singing of phrases, (even the saying of phrases if they won't sing), out loud or silently. It makes a HUGE difference to the music. Vibrato, yes, it should be an integral part of the development of the phrase/musical line, not just there for individual notes for the sake of it.

Aha- the singer does know something. I used these things erm... ears and watched the video clip with my erm... eyes and just put two and two together.

[miffy]

Jod - re intonation in positions, I have just spent all morning saying to pupils "it's one thing getting to the position, but do you know exactly what happens next?'. It's very common, the plan has to continue beyond the actual shift so you are spot on there. Also with the singing of phrases, (even the saying of phrases if they won't sing), out loud or silently. It makes a HUGE difference to the music. Vibrato, yes, it should be an integral part of the development of the phrase/musical line, not just there for individual notes for the sake of it.

Aha- the singer does know something. I used these things erm... ears and watched the video clip with my erm... eyes and just put two and two together.

Ah..ears..must tell my pupils about those.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[jod]

Jod - re intonation in positions, I have just spent all morning saying to pupils "it's one thing getting to the position, but do you know exactly what happens next?'. It's very common, the plan has to continue beyond the actual shift so you are spot on there. Also with the singing of phrases, (even the saying of phrases if they won't sing), out loud or silently. It makes a HUGE difference to the music. Vibrato, yes, it should be an integral part of the development of the phrase/musical line, not just there for individual notes for the sake of it.

Aha- the singer does know something. I used these things erm... ears and watched the video clip with my erm... eyes and just put two and two together.

Ah..ears..must tell my pupils about those.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

mmm... I know exactly what you mean...

Especially when a lousy singer can spot things about you esoteric string types!

[Sunrise]

Hi Jojo, I agree with what Jod and Miffy have said...I have similar intonation issues (especially when nervous), and this is how my teacher addresses them...

He gets me to play it one note at a time. Place that finger quickly (as if playing at speed), pause, play. FEEL the sensation in the fingertip and your hand, listen for the ring of the note saying it's perfectly in tune. Correct if the intonation is not absolutely perfect. Take the finger off again. Repeat ad nauseum, a few mins on each problem note or to be really thorough, work through the piece note by note. It does work...in fact I need to do some tomorrow!

You can also think of you bow hand at the same time. The pause gives you time to make each bow the best bow you can.

My teacher tells me off for being impatient and says this is what needs to be done to secure intonation and the piece completely with LH and RH.

Best of luck tomorrow xx

[miffy]

Good advice from your teacher, Sunrise. Also very slowly slurring two notes together, listening and feeling, then repeat the last note and slurring it into the next, and so on. Good for intonation, tone and continuity of sound.