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Critique away, I need all the help I can get. I'm doing my daily practice, I'm doing scales, I'm doing arpeggios, I'm doing bowing exercises, and I still look and sound horrible.
I'm thinking I should have bought a harmonica. At least one of those I can toss in a drawer and forget about.
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One thing I notice is the rhythm is off. The notes are not being held for their proper beat counts.
Example:
First measure: 3 4& it sounds like 3 4, both quarter notes, when they should be quarter 8th 8th
Second measure: Q 8th 8th Q 8th 8th, etc through the song.
What I hear is all quarter notes, for the many parts. I could be wrong.
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@RDP You are sounding better—your bow is becoming more steady 
A couple of things:
Rhythm: You’re not following the noted rhythm of the notes—you’re giving quarter & eight notes the same timing.
This video has a slow practice version with metronome (this guy has lots of videos of the Suzuki stuff at various tempos—would recommend you check out more on his YouTube channel).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....paspEhN2dk
Also, your bow is spending a lot of time over the fingerboard. You should try to move it so that is more centered between the bridge & the fingerboard—you will get a better sound from it that way.
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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I thought it was really good and can tell you are improving. I don’t know the piece and I’m a beginner myself so can’t really say anything but I did wonder if your left wrist is straight - might be the camera angle but that’s a definite must I know that for sure. But I thought it was fab ! Definitely keep going with it .
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Thanks everyone. I know it's awful because I can hear that it's awful. I just can't seem to fix what's going wrong or advance with any of the skills I'm supposed to be learning. Worse, I think I'm going backward in my intonation, my fingers are turning into unresponsive lumps at the end of my arm, and I can't seem to relax my grip on the neck other than when I'm doing scales and arpeggios. Which means I've still got waaaaayyyyy too much tension in my hands/arms.
@SharonC - the playable portion of this violin is very narrow and really forward toward the fingerboard. If I try to bow aft of center the tone turns into the fingernails on the chalkboard screech that I've been fighting since day 1. I don't know why and I can't find a luthier to look at it. What I do know is that the correct length from the nut to the center of the bridge (32.7cm) puts the bridge placement too far forward by about 1/8". The rear of the bridge is even with the nicks instead of being centered between them.
I also STILL can't find an instructor. The last lead I had said she doesn't teach adults.
Oh well, back to practicing.
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For what its worth, I think you are doing ok, violin is hard, along with viola hardest instrument in the world, if it was easy everyone would play it.
With this instrument you normally improve when you think you are going backwards. What is happening is your ears are improving, and you are starting to hear things differently, takes time for your skill to catch up with your hearing, (mine hasnt;) I have said before to someone else on here, when you can hear how bad you are you are starting to improve, this is true.
If I were you, apart from the comments above I would concentrate on using your elbow more, there are lots of vids on you tube that explain this, the reason you get a scratchy sound is because your bow isnt straight. This is partly due to not bending your elbow and sawing when you bow.
when I saw violinists bending their wrists and arms I thought they were just being gracefull, lol, in reality these movements keep the bow straight and help in smooth bowing along with pressure and speed, really its all just a matter of practice, but you are getting there no doubt about it. we are all guilty of all these things and have to constantly think about them,
Not that I am qualified to give advice, just my thoughts.
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Great advice from everyone here.
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@ELCBK
I saw your post this morning before you edited it but I was on my phone burning mobile data minutes so couldn't reply.
For what it's worth, what you said is what I needed to hear. Yes it was hard to take, but I did need to hear it. My ego can just go chew rocks if it doesn't like it.
@stringy
I'm more than willing to take advice from a self-made violinist who managed to learn how to play as well as you do in only a couple of years.
Honestly I'm not sure what's going on with my bowing right now. There are times when I'm leaning into the chin rest and everything just works and other times when I have to check that I'm not holding a chainsaw instead of my bow.
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@RDP -
If you take time out now, to focus/work on just bowing for a week - and periodically check on it afterwards, I really believe you'll be happier with your progress and enjoy playing more! 😊
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ELCBK said
@RDP -If you take time out now, to focus/work on just bowing for a week - and periodically check on it afterwards, I really believe you'll be happier with your progress and enjoy playing more! 😊
The next few lessons (3 I think) are all on The Hunter's Chorus in Suzuki book 2. If I take 2 weeks (or more if necessary) on each lesson concentrating on my bowing as well as the lesson maybe I'll see improvement.
The first session with Hunter's Chorus (which is lesson 3 in the Suzuki tutorial I'm following) is about learning spiccato. That bowing technique is mixed with the usual legato so I can practice both at the same time, concentrating on keeping my bow under control.
I do believe I need a new bow which is better balanced than the one I have and isn't tone deaf. 
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@RDP ,
I hear your frustration. Here’s a suggestion that could truly help regardless of the genre of music you’d ultimately like to play.
I highly recommend joining http://www.fiddlehed.com with Jason. (No “a” in hed. You can get a free two-week trial membership before committing.) Start at Lesson 1 regardless of how long you’ve been playing and take your time working through every single step of the program.
Individual private real time Zoom lessons are now offered at his site. There are also regular real time group sessions where you can ask questions. He also conducts real time group lessons on special topics and has a vast library of effective recorded lessons as well. Jason integrates technique, intonation, theory, and learning tunes, plus fun and a sense of community.
The lessons include play along tracks that help so much with nailing proper intonation.
I joined when I just wasn’t getting the full tone I wanted out of my playing and I can vouch for the amazing effectiveness of his teaching. There are adult members of all levels of playing, diverse musical backgrounds, and residing all over the world.
Hope that helps!
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Unfretted said
@RDP ,I hear your frustration. Here’s a suggestion that could truly help regardless of the genre of music you’d ultimately like to play.
I highly recommend joining http://www.fiddlehed.com with Jason. (No “a” in hed. You can get a free two-week trial membership before committing.) Start at Lesson 1 regardless of how long you’ve been playing and take your time working through every single step of the program.
Individual private real time Zoom lessons are now offered at his site. There are also regular real time group sessions where you can ask questions. He also conducts real time group lessons on special topics and has a vast library of effective recorded lessons as well. Jason integrates technique, intonation, theory, and learning tunes, plus fun and a sense of community.
The lessons include play along tracks that help so much with nailing proper intonation.
I joined when I just wasn’t getting the full tone I wanted out of my playing and I can vouch for the amazing effectiveness of his teaching. There are adult members of all levels of playing, diverse musical backgrounds, and residing all over the world.
Hope that helps!
Thanks, I'll take a look at it. Right now things are fairly hectic (and it's not even the holiday season yet!) since I need to get caps on my front teeth because I cracked them both somehow, but once things calm down I'll take a look and see where that goes.
Note to self: Spicato may LOOK easy but appearances when it comes to playing the violin can be deceptive.
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