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I have been playing for over a year and a half and I slowly feel im not progressing at all. My sound is gettonng harsher, my bowing is getting worse, I cant seem to get the right melodies even when using cheat notes on the pentagram. Im starting to feel really depressed and im not sure how to improve. Do you have any tips for me? Im willing to even start Suzuki aall over again (Im stuck at suzuki vol 4
Many thanks!!!
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Is it possible you have focused on which volume of Suzuki you are on and not learning how to speak violin?
My Suzuki Teach who I had 6 lessons with over a 1 year period in her wisdom said something that I have taken to heart. It is not how quickly you conquer a volume or list of songs from the Suzuki books but that you conquer the violin!! I asked her how long a typical student works on Book 1. She said 1 year!! You are in Book 4 in 1 1/2 years?
It was on one of the Minuets that I decided I really enjoyed Bluegrass and Old-Time music. I closed the Suzuki book and opened up to the world of jamming. I am slowly but surely conquering the fiddle!!
What I need to conquer is my performance anxiety, but I am getting better. I have received tons of encouragement from fellow jammers.
GO BACK TO BOOK ONE!! Proceed slowly gaining each skill. Who cares if you can play some amazing piece of music and quickly if you are out of tune and screechy!?!
Hang in there!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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Performance anxiety is more common than you think. In my own experience, it came from telling myself, "That's not what I want them to hear, I want them to hear good music!" But then I had to ask myself: who am I doing this for? If I'm doing it for me, then an audience isn't necessary, and I can play perfectly for the air conditioner at home. If I'm doing it for them, then no matter how I play, all will go well. The audience doesn't want to hear perfection, they came to hear YOU. All you can do is your best, nothing more. Also, keep in mind that the general population has no clue what we're doing, because they haven't put the time into practicing, learning the technical aspects of the violin, etc. Just relax and enjoy yourself; it not only improves performance, but enjoyment is why we do what we do.
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I agree with @Schaick .. While everyone progresses at different speeds, it sounds like your frustration is coming from trying to move too quickly. Don't be so hard on yourself and be patient. And most importantly, make sure you are enjoying yourself!
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drakwen ,
Are you working with a teacher? I know some people do learn incredibly quickly, but I think that being in Suzuki Book 4 after only 1.5 years of playing is much faster than it takes most adult beginners. Is it possible that you went through some of the early material too quickly, without thoroughly learning the fundamental techniques and other skills?
My main recommendation would be to work with a good teacher if at all possible, at least for a few lessons. If that is not possible, then it might well be a good idea to go back to Book 1. Make sure that you can play each piece very well before you move to the next one. That is, well enough that you would be proud to play that piece for a large public performance, with confidence that you could play it with good intonation and feeling. It's easy enough to play through the notes of Go Tell Aunt Rhody, but it takes some time and effort to play that piece (or any piece) really well. Those early Suzuki pieces are beautiful when played well, and it could be a worthwhile investment to spend a few months really learning the fundamentals well.
If you can find a way to play with others, that would be great too. Perhaps there is a local jam session for Irish or other folk music. Or maybe you know another music student (not necessarily another violinist) whom you could play duets with once a week or once a month.
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I would say, Separate your learning and practice from your funtime and playing 1 or 2 tunes that mean the most to you.
It's always a challenge to sound good on practice tunes because we never really play them 500 times because we like them.
Choose one tune you love to play... find someone on youtube that plays it in the same key and fashion you love to hear. Save it and loop it on your computer and play with it over and over again. Forget the sheet music, play it from your mind and heart. Play it until you can play it perfectly with your youtube artist and play it so much you can play it in the dark without looking at the strings.
Then you'll know true progress.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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Thank you all for your inputs (sorry for typos im on mobile)
I went back to volume 1 and was amazed by how wrong I played some of the easiest sheets.it was pleasant to go back to basics again and after a couple tries match the recording perfectly.
I have started with a teacher since day 1 and thinking of it, he is the one who gets excites and makes me go on a rampage through the volumes. I really like him, maybe I should practice the volumes alone and keep with him for the techniques?
Another though, In playing with a cheap asian violin of 50 bucks, should I improve to something like the Kohr550 or the Fiddlermans Maestro? Any input on those?
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drakwen Perfect match to the recording, YAY!!! That is wonderful!!
I knew I was slow to grasp new concepts so I spread my lessons out to 1 every other month. Well I also knew that these old muscles would require some adjusting!! My Suzuki Teach was very accommodating in that respect!
Saves money too!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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cdennyb said
...Choose one tune you love to play... find someone on youtube that plays it in the same key and fashion you love to hear. Save it and loop it on your computer ...
How do you save it to your computer and loop it? Do you mean in your documents?
I have a series of tunes that I play at jam. I saved from cds that I play to and can loop. There are some though that I do not have copies to.
Hey by any chance do you know slow an easy blues as played by Bill Monroe? Someone plays it at jam at lightening speed on the banjo and it is amazing!! This is the only video I can find. It starts around 1:30
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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drakwen ,
I currently play a Johannes khor 550, and I love it. got it last summer, after playing a $50 violin for a few months. The sound is much better, and it is easier to play it and tune it.
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Basics are great and motivation can do a lot as well.
Also, it's not the hours that you put into learning that make you better, it's the quality of the time spent trying to perfect your trade.
Even if you spend just 10 minutes per session with intense focus on sound production and intonation, it's better than 1 hour of just playing.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Hey fiddlerman, which violin do you think I should buy? My wife will be in the States on May ans I asked her to bring me two violins (a Cecilio for practicing with headphones) and either a Maestro or August Kohr 550.
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Will she be in Florida?
We have the August Kohr K550 in stock but I can show her some better instruments for the same price. Holstein violins or course.
We don't have anything as inexpensive as the Cecilio though. Which Cecilio were you thinking of?
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Unfortunately she is going on May to Vegas (conference), Houston (base office) and New York (conference).
Below I have linked the ones that I have seen at your shop and can´t really decide. I have seen all your YouTube reviews, and they all sound great to me. What really scares me a bit is that you produce on them a great quality sound because of your great bowing skills, but I'm not sure I will be able to reproduce that same quality on an expensive violin.
This are the ones I have selected:
Playing when no one can complain:
Fiddlerman Concert Violin Outfit: http://fiddlershop.com/fiddler.....iolin.html
Fiddlerman Artist Violin Outfit: http://fiddlershop.com/instrum.....iolin.html
August F. Kohr violin K550: http://fiddlershop.com/instrum.....-k550.html
or perhaps, stretch a bit and buy:
Fiddlerman Master Violin Outfit: http://fiddlershop.com/fiddler.....iolin.html
Silent playing/practicing:
Cecilio Solidwood Ebony Electric Violin CEVN-1: http://fiddlershop.com/cecilio.....evn-1.html
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The Fiddlerman Concert is an excellent choice. If you can afford the Master, I would definitely go with that one.
Let me know if advance if you want the Cecilio CEVN-1. If we drop ship it as we usually do there will be no problem seeing that it ships from California but the Master will ship from here.
Feel free to call our shop at any time. 954-530-5999
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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