Woww. I been playing for two months now and i never thought about just reaching straight in front of me. Ahaha i didnt think that simple.i cant wait to try your tips and hope they make me bow more straight
I got my bow redhaired and found your videos on that, I wasn't originally looking for technical advice. I've been playing violin for about 8 years, and now that I've look at your page, I just realized that I have been playing the violin completelyyyy wrong this entire time! I actually just mastered how to make beginner crooked bowing and playing with straight fingers sound good hahaha. It's hilarious that since I'm starting to practice the correct way, I sound like an absolute beginner. Going from playing in college orchestras to *squeak* *errrkk* hahaha! Thanks so much! These videos are still inspiring, even after 10 years :)
I have been practicing just the upper half of the bow for the first 3-4 songs of Suzuki book 1, following your online program (Which is fantastic). I went to a teacher for a trial lesson the other day and she had me do the full bow for the Twinkles, Lightly Row, and Song of the Wind. I struggled to make a good sound! I was all over the place! Since we don't have many teachers around me, I am going to continue with her (I believe she is a good teacher despite the full bowing so early) but I am definitely keeping my subscription to your online classes! Will be buying a long mirror to help with those long bow strokes. I videotaped myself but by then it is too late and better to correct it as soon as you see it. Thank you for the tips!
Hi Kujon, Happyto know you found an "in person" teacher! Each teacher introduces certain skills at slightly different times. So, you are biting the bullet NOW instead of later. You'll be FINE! MANY of my online students also have private teachers. I have never had a conflict with it.....they work together in a complimentary way. Keep it up!
Your videos help out a lot. My current teacher is still a student of the teacher I was supposed to have, so there are a few holes here and there of what I'm supposed to do and how it should be done. Thanks for your videos, it clears up a lot of confusion and bad habits! (:
+Eloisa Eloisa, GOOD JOB to you for helping yourself and filing in the gaps left by your teacher! No teacher is perfect, so it's GREAT that you are taking it upon yourself to get more help. (I wish I had done that more when I was a student) However, if you need to find a better teacher, do it! There are tons of great teachers out there. Maybe you live somewhere that there are not that many to choose from....I hope not. Good luck to you, and keep up the great work!
I love this! You have great analogies and clear explanations to understand why you use the methods you do. I recently picked up my violin again after nearly and decade and I think your channel will be a great refresher. *subscribes*
So happy to hear from you, Linda. Glad also that you have picked up your dear old friend again! If you need good, affordable, flexible instruction, consider my online violin lessons! They'd be a great refresher! You can learn about them here: www.RedDesertViolin.com Good luck to you!
I think it should. depend on the student of what you teach in what about of time because I took lessons over the summer with a private teacher and by the time the school year started I could play as well as students the other students in eighth grade orchestra which is quite well.
Very nice! I really love your videos, your teaching is very interactive and funny as well! 😄 and by the way, I'd never thought that I had to first develop the upper half of the bow and then the lower half! Now I'm doing it 😉 LOL but practicing the straight bow, when the very upper part of the bow (almost the tip) is on the strings I feel like I'm breaking my wrist hahaha LOL I have long arms but I don't know if I am doing it good or I am doing it bad and that's why my wrist feels like it is breaking!
I love my mature students, Rudolf! There is NO BETTER TIME to start than TODAY, and you can get tons of skill and pleasure out of learning this isntrument. I would just ask you: Please be patient with the violin AND with yourself for the first year. Make a commitment to stick with it for 1 year. It's not like piano, where our first notes sound okay. It takes months before our first notes even sound tolerable! But once you get to that point, it starts to accelerate and the enjoyment really begins. Keep it up!
@@RedDesertViolin As a child, I was forced to take piano lessons (dad was in the piano business and he needed kids to pound on the action, pitch raising), accordion, guitar. I am hoping some of the old skills are still around. This is for FUN, not for anyone else. Working on getting it comfortable. If this goes reasonably well and I am not dead, I will get something better.
Holy woah....you made me laugh! :-) Oh yeah, if you didn't know about straight/crooked bow, you are in for a treat! That ONE THING will improve your playing so much! Good luck! (Practice in a mirror for like a month.....it will help ALOT until you build muscle memory)
This video really helped me rectify a bad habit, just today I got extremely frustrated in my practice because the tone was awful! Then this video,popped up in my recommended feed, lol..... The Gods were listening......and probably cringing,lol, I needed this advice . Thank you!
+Emanuel Torres Hi Emanuel, You don't have to do it my way, I just really like to teach the upper half separately from the lower half, because there are so many different, CONFLICTING issues in each half, it's easiest to separate them. Now, about your wrist feeling broken: that is not good at all! So something is wrong. First thing I would say is "Are you short", but you say you are not, so the only other thing that it can be is that your bow hand is too far BEHIND the bow. You need to rotate your hand so that your WRIST is the highest point of your bow arm. It's really hard to describe, but you are kinking your wrist unnecessarily. One thing: you might have a short pinky......and people with short arms or pinkies need to release their pinky from the bow when they are at the tip. Another thing: As you play a down bow, your hand must TILT, or "pronate" as if you are pouring out a glass of water....so hold your RIGHT hand as if you are holding a glass full of water. Then, move your hand in the direction of a down bow, and as you do it, pour out the water to your left, until the HEEL of your hand is the highest, and your thumb is toward the ground. THIS is the motion that I believe will fix your wrist. (in addition to releasing your pinky from the bow)
Do you have specific exercises for improving bow movement on the lower half? Upper half seems to be fine but when I play closer to the frog and particularly once I reach the mid point things become very bouncy and uneven.
YES, I do. I'll put link below. But it is important in my opinion to master the middle of the bow first, and then venture out to the tip, and then to the frog. So, here is my "Extreme Frog" video: th-cam.com/video/Z2t5Nrust9Y/w-d-xo.html and then I would also encourage you to watch my videos called "Two Bow Holds for Every Violinist".....it discusses how the bow hold changes from tip to frog. Keep up the good work! You are obviously paying attention to the right things!
I understand. It's a matter of perspective and understanding i think. Thank you for your teaching, you give much detailed explanations. It helped me a lot with keeping in mind that my hand is heading forward rather than sideways. What advice can you give when at both up bow/down bow the contact point of the bow with the string it's moving sideways equally low/high on the string, describing something like a sinusoid? I almost always do this.
Very nice, useful. After 4+ years I'm still fighting this issue, on viola. I use a camcorder too. Also, watching professional players re-enforces how important is the straight bow stroke, their bowing seems perfectly straight.
You are a lovely person who shares her years of experience on the violin with everyone and I'm so greatful of that, dear lady ...
Thank you! I am glad you are enjoying what I have to offer!
Woww. I been playing for two months now and i never thought about just reaching straight in front of me. Ahaha i didnt think that simple.i cant wait to try your tips and hope they make me bow more straight
I got my bow redhaired and found your videos on that, I wasn't originally looking for technical advice. I've been playing violin for about 8 years, and now that I've look at your page, I just realized that I have been playing the violin completelyyyy wrong this entire time! I actually just mastered how to make beginner crooked bowing and playing with straight fingers sound good hahaha. It's hilarious that since I'm starting to practice the correct way, I sound like an absolute beginner. Going from playing in college orchestras to *squeak* *errrkk* hahaha! Thanks so much! These videos are still inspiring, even after 10 years :)
That is so clear! Thank you. Can't wait to watch the sequels.
You are welcome! Keep it up!
Thank you. You are clear, succinct, and very, very helpful!!!!
Thanks, Karenlee! I appreciate your feedback!
I have been practicing just the upper half of the bow for the first 3-4 songs of Suzuki book 1, following your online program (Which is fantastic). I went to a teacher for a trial lesson the other day and she had me do the full bow for the Twinkles, Lightly Row, and Song of the Wind. I struggled to make a good sound! I was all over the place!
Since we don't have many teachers around me, I am going to continue with her (I believe she is a good teacher despite the full bowing so early) but I am definitely keeping my subscription to your online classes!
Will be buying a long mirror to help with those long bow strokes. I videotaped myself but by then it is too late and better to correct it as soon as you see it.
Thank you for the tips!
Hi Kujon, Happyto know you found an "in person" teacher! Each teacher introduces certain skills at slightly different times. So, you are biting the bullet NOW instead of later. You'll be FINE! MANY of my online students also have private teachers. I have never had a conflict with it.....they work together in a complimentary way. Keep it up!
Thank you for the fast feedback. :)
All good points! Thank you Lora.
Catching up! Thanks for watching, Terry!
thanks very much for this. so clear
Very helpful whenever I hit a rough patch in the music when i find the cause its usually crooked bow or sounding point thanks for the tips.
Kris Beus Glad it helped! Play anything and everything you possibly can IN THE MIRROR! That will fix it quicker than anything!
oh man! this reach out in front of you technique is AMAZING. thank you, thank you for posting this.
Glad you found it helpful, Anna. Thank you!
Wow. These are great tips!! Thank you!!
I remember the tip vs frog positions from when I was a beginner.
Thank you, Caitlyn. I'm glad you are getting the points I"m trying to make!
Your videos help out a lot. My current teacher is still a student of the teacher I was supposed to have, so there are a few holes here and there of what I'm supposed to do and how it should be done. Thanks for your videos, it clears up a lot of confusion and bad habits! (:
+Eloisa Eloisa, GOOD JOB to you for helping yourself and filing in the gaps left by your teacher! No teacher is perfect, so it's GREAT that you are taking it upon yourself to get more help. (I wish I had done that more when I was a student) However, if you need to find a better teacher, do it! There are tons of great teachers out there. Maybe you live somewhere that there are not that many to choose from....I hope not. Good luck to you, and keep up the great work!
I love this! You have great analogies and clear explanations to understand why you use the methods you do. I recently picked up my violin again after nearly and decade and I think your channel will be a great refresher. *subscribes*
So happy to hear from you, Linda. Glad also that you have picked up your dear old friend again! If you need good, affordable, flexible instruction, consider my online violin lessons! They'd be a great refresher! You can learn about them here: www.RedDesertViolin.com Good luck to you!
You are like an angel to me
Fantastic!
+Jon O'Neil Thanks, Jon.
Thank you!
I hope it helps!
Thank you so much for the video! It helped me so much~ Your videos deserve hundreds of thousands of views :(
Thank you, TIffany! YOur view counts toward that hundred thousand! :-)
I think it should. depend on the student of what you teach in what about of time because I took lessons over the summer with a private teacher and by the time the school year started I could play as well as students the other students in eighth grade orchestra which is quite well.
Wow just wow ❤❤❤❤👍
Very nice! I really love your videos, your teaching is very interactive and funny as well! 😄 and by the way, I'd never thought that I had to first develop the upper half of the bow and then the lower half! Now I'm doing it 😉 LOL but practicing the straight bow, when the very upper part of the bow (almost the tip) is on the strings I feel like I'm breaking my wrist hahaha LOL I have long arms but I don't know if I am doing it good or I am doing it bad and that's why my wrist feels like it is breaking!
Kinematics... love your stuff, I am old and decrepit and just starting.
I love my mature students, Rudolf! There is NO BETTER TIME to start than TODAY, and you can get tons of skill and pleasure out of learning this isntrument. I would just ask you: Please be patient with the violin AND with yourself for the first year. Make a commitment to stick with it for 1 year. It's not like piano, where our first notes sound okay. It takes months before our first notes even sound tolerable! But once you get to that point, it starts to accelerate and the enjoyment really begins. Keep it up!
@@RedDesertViolin As a child, I was forced to take piano lessons (dad was in the piano business and he needed kids to pound on the action, pitch raising), accordion, guitar. I am hoping some of the old skills are still around. This is for FUN, not for anyone else. Working on getting it comfortable. If this goes reasonably well and I am not dead, I will get something better.
Holy woah! I've been playing since 2004 and I've never heard this tip. You just blew my mind.
Holy woah....you made me laugh! :-)
Oh yeah, if you didn't know about straight/crooked bow, you are in for a treat! That ONE THING will improve your playing so much! Good luck! (Practice in a mirror for like a month.....it will help ALOT until you build muscle memory)
I knew it had to be straight. I was just never given a clue about how to achieve that.
I hope you are implementing your straight bow now!
Certainly am!
How helpful! Thanks!!!
Allyson Salazar Very glad to help! Keep it up!
This video really helped me rectify a bad habit, just today I got extremely frustrated in my practice because the tone was awful! Then this video,popped up in my recommended feed, lol..... The Gods were listening......and probably cringing,lol, I needed this advice . Thank you!
Thanks for the chuckle your comment gave me! I'm really glad the video helped!
Is there any video on your page that shows the position of your left hand fingers when we are doing "do re mi fa mi re do"? Thanks
Love it 😍.. cheers🥰
Keep up the good work, M!
+Emanuel Torres Hi Emanuel, You don't have to do it my way, I just really like to teach the upper half separately from the lower half, because there are so many different, CONFLICTING issues in each half, it's easiest to separate them.
Now, about your wrist feeling broken: that is not good at all! So something is wrong. First thing I would say is "Are you short", but you say you are not, so the only other thing that it can be is that your bow hand is too far BEHIND the bow. You need to rotate your hand so that your WRIST is the highest point of your bow arm. It's really hard to describe, but you are kinking your wrist unnecessarily.
One thing: you might have a short pinky......and people with short arms or pinkies need to release their pinky from the bow when they are at the tip.
Another thing: As you play a down bow, your hand must TILT, or "pronate" as if you are pouring out a glass of water....so hold your RIGHT hand as if you are holding a glass full of water. Then, move your hand in the direction of a down bow, and as you do it, pour out the water to your left, until the HEEL of your hand is the highest, and your thumb is toward the ground. THIS is the motion that I believe will fix your wrist. (in addition to releasing your pinky from the bow)
Do you have specific exercises for improving bow movement on the lower half? Upper half seems to be fine but when I play closer to the frog and particularly once I reach the mid point things become very bouncy and uneven.
YES, I do. I'll put link below. But it is important in my opinion to master the middle of the bow first, and then venture out to the tip, and then to the frog. So, here is my "Extreme Frog" video: th-cam.com/video/Z2t5Nrust9Y/w-d-xo.html and then I would also encourage you to watch my videos called "Two Bow Holds for Every Violinist".....it discusses how the bow hold changes from tip to frog. Keep up the good work! You are obviously paying attention to the right things!
@@RedDesertViolin Thank you very much!
Thank you so much!!!
Hope it helped! Keep up the good work!
THANK. YOU.
You are welcome! Hope it helps!
I am now going to put something to grab, a glass of beer perhaps, on my desk and reach for it ... what an easy to undersatand explanation
The glass of beer would TOTALLY do it for me! Good luck!
Legenda em português
Hi Lora...I am an online student and your website says it is GoDAddy.com Domain...What is going on?
Oh great. I'll get it straightened out. Thanks for the heads up!!!
that's why it's being said that one should give the bow a trust with the wrist and not with the fingers/palm
There are many ways to describe it....and they can really get confusing! It's better to see it demonstrated!
I understand. It's a matter of perspective and understanding i think.
Thank you for your teaching, you give much detailed explanations.
It helped me a lot with keeping in mind that my hand is heading forward rather than sideways.
What advice can you give when at both up bow/down bow the contact point of the bow with the string it's moving sideways equally low/high on the string, describing something like a sinusoid? I almost always do this.
Very nice, useful. After 4+ years I'm still fighting this issue, on viola. I use a camcorder too. Also, watching professional players re-enforces how important is the straight bow stroke, their bowing seems perfectly straight.
I like the camcorder idea! Keep up the good work!
👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
🌟🎻♥️