"Whatever you wouldn't do to a child probably shouldn't happen to a violin either". This is why my violin has to go to bed at 10PM every night. No, but actually, it's a very good rule.
The best advice I received from this is to have a sound expectation, and listen to the best. Don't aspire to be as good as your peers when you can aspire to be the best you can be.
I am helplessly and happily committed to playing the violin. I am not pressuring myself, if I don't feel like playing or practicing I give myself a break. I feel like if me playing is going to be a chore then I will not play. I am so committed though I will play often and a lot. I love the violin and it is wonderful to be playing on a violin that once belonged to my Papa Thorson, my mother's father. My grandfather also played the accordion but I didn't get that one.
How wonderful Piper that you are playing on the family violin. What a connection and how precious! I admire your dedication to violin playing and I wish you lots of great discoveries and much beautiful music making!
Thank you for your great videos. I like your english, too. When I started Violin at 27 years old, I didn't have enough money for Lessons and had to rely on videos, a book for adult learners, and my experience as a pianist. I knew I had to think in baby steps and therefore practiced often (nearly every day), but not very long (10 to 20 minutes). The consistency really worked well for me and anyone can make time for 10 minutes each day (*hint* practice mute). After 1 year I had the money to get lessons and was afraid.. would the teacher tell me to buy a better instrument? I only had a 100€ set (violin, bow, Case, rosin etc) with 40€ strings (Made an incredible difference in sound) and a better bow (100€, with authentic hair and made out of wood). My teacher had no problem at all with my low quality instrument. Other teachers and instrument retailer weren't nice at all about the instrument. My teacher corrected a few issues I had, but overall the posture was alright and I didn't need to start from the very basics again, which was my second fear. But the best about my teacher is: she challenges me. While self-teaching, I only made tiny advances in difficulty, afraid of doing something wrong and later having to relearn it. Now I get so many different etudes etc to practice and if I develop some strange habit, my teacher corrects that every other week. This way, I learned much faster in 6 months with lessons than I did in 1 year without. Tl;dr - get lessons, even If it's just one hour per month.
I hate it when luthiers or teachers try to talk bad about an instrument you love. It happened to the violin I chose myself, that is only worth half of the one I inherited. I mean, it's okay if people don't like it but why try to make me feel bad about it?!
Ah, yeah. Right in my wheelhouse. I am 57 years old, have played lead guitar all my life, 8 months in on the violin. I live in a rural resort town with no violin teachers around and the fiddle players I know aren't going to be interested in helping an old guy learn to walk so to speak. So thank you for your instruction. Posture: I like to sit on the bed against the headboard feel straight out and watch TV while I practice my electric unplugged violin. The only problem I have is banging the bow tip on the headboard sometimes. :-) My dog likes to lie on the bed and listen to me try to play well. Man's best friend for sure!
It's also good to listen to what the instrument wants. My viola doesn't want to have anything attached to it, and it wants to sit close to the middle instead of off to the side and be more horizontal. And I agree with it. Everything becomes easier when I let it settle where it wants to be, and play it how it wants to be played.
#4 is a great point to go into depth about because I hear far too many people tell others to not compare their craft to others because it's "demotivating". Comparison is necessary to develop past a mediocre level.
I have been watching You tube videos of Mr Heifetz as well as Maxim Vengerov, Hilary Hahn, Ivry Gitliss, Ida Haendal, Carl Flesch and TwoSetViolin, who are all brilliant violinists. I am an unpolished diamond at the moment but progress is happening. Thank you for your excellent videos Joy and all the best to you.
i play the guitar,so i know things about music,theory of music,scales,etc.I decided to teach myself the violin and now i ve been playing fpr six months ,im ok with my progress,i can play some tunes,but i d love to have someone check on me.Unfortunately,i tried a couple of times,both teachers tried to make me use a shoulder rest which i hate and cant play with it at all.Then they were annoyed when they saw i know most musical stuff and i just wanted specific violin instruction.They never came back foe another lesson.,they were interested in someone who would have lessons every week.THanks foryour advice which sounds very sensible.
Okay.. Don't know how I found this channel, never touched a Violin, don't know who this woman is but here I am at 7am on a beach 🌴 in Southern California watching and Listening to a intelligent Beautiful Strong Woman teaching some Violin knowledge..😕😄 She's explaining in such a nice way, being gentle in her presentation but you can tell not only is she very serious about her craft but turns into a tiger 🐅 when she focuses on her playing, even the husband would be second when this Warrior turns it up👏😂 The guy would still be blessed just to be in her life🌹😊👍
I just admire you so much, I can't even describe it in words you see, You're soooo amazing! Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOO much ma'am! I just want to thank you so sooooo MUCHHHHHHHH ❤❤❤❤
Buying a mandolin (same tuning as violin) rocketed my learning of tunes, plus it is physically much easier. The frets force your left hand to properly hit those notes.
@@DoTuskO I bought the cheap Hola! mandolin from Amazon for $80, but it sure doesn't seem like low quality. It's crazy how fast you can pick up a song with a mandolin, then shift and experiment with moving and repeating stuff. The muscle memory translates extremely well to the violin, so much so that I agree with others that a mandolin is a must-have training tool for violins.
The frets will prevent you from getting finger positions right for violin. They actually get in the way, although it is useful for learning finger patterns.
@@duncanandrew3307 That hasn't been true with other mandolin and violin players that I've met, because your exact finger position is dependent upon the note you hear. You will know very quickly if you're half a note above or below on the violin. Give it a try, then come back and tell me those mandolin players know something.
I have been trying to get the vibrato and it has not come yet. I have watch several videos on it but still trying. I play the guitar by the violin is truly hard but I love it.
Hello Joy, At first thank you very much for your videos, they helps so much!!! I am 29 and learn the violin for almost 2 years now (self-taught). I am happy that i never did or fixed 4 of this 5 things very quickly. I watch many professionals playing and saw them often move the violin to the bow, but never really thought about „a“ or „the“ reason. I watched this video yesterday and tried out move the violin to the bow when i come near to the frog and it is so much easier (especially in third position). I practice for a better 3rd position playing „arvo pärt- Spiegel im spiegel“ of course it will need so much more time to let sound it good, but that tip brought it already to a next level 🥰 Thank you!
How wonderful Ron!!! I am so happy to hear that my video was helpful to you. And thank you also for your kind words. I wish you lots of wonderful violin playing!
HI ,JOY! WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU, HAVE NOT BEEN ACTIVELY WATCHING YOUR CHANNEL FOR SOME TIME NOW. LET ME FILL YOU IN, I AM USING EVA PIRAZZI GREEN SET NOW! MUCH IMPROVED TONE AND PLAY ABILITY. HAVE DRILLED OUT MY SELF CARVED BRIDGE, WITH MUCH SUCCESS! I REMEMBER YOU SAID TO CURRY THE BOW WITH A TOOTHBRUSH, IVE BEEN NEEDING TO DO THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I HAVE ORDERED NEW BRAND OF ROSIN BUT WILL HAVE TO WAIT WHILE I. IAM RECIEVING IT. THE BEST ROSIN I AM USING IS POPS! IT IS VERY STICKY AND DESIGNED FOR BASS VIOL, BUT ILEARNED A TRICK A LONG TIME AGO THAT YOU CAN USE BASS ROSIN ON A VIOLIN. YOU DONT WANT TO RUB IT VERY HARD THOUGH. OTHERWISE YOU LOOSE BOW HAIRS. ROTATE BOW 45 DEGREES TWORDS SCROLL AND GENTLY PULL BOW THROUGH ROSIN. I HAVE FOUND THIS MAKES BEAUTIFUL ORCHESTRAL SQUELCH FROM BOW. FOR EXAMPLE AS GOOD AS NEW, BY ABBA, THE VIOLIN IN THAT SONG SOUNDS SIMILAR TO MINE. IM VERY HAPPY I LEARNED THIS TRICK FROM RITCHIE. RUBBING ROSIN ON STRINGS FROWNED UPON BY ELEMENTARY TEACHER. WAS NOT WORKING PARTICULARLY WELL ANYWAY! I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INSTRUCTION BY YOU, YOUVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL.😅😅😅😅😅
Thank you Joy Lee! You were a delight to listen to. Great advice! I am self taught. I'm an advanced piano player and I don't know if that is why I am picking up quickly on the violin or if I just have a gift. You are sooo right that violin is NOT easy to learn or play and I have a NEW respect for violin/string players! I haven't played 50 hours yet and I'm already playing ALL the 12 major scales and a number of songs! I'm doing the scales better than the songs but I'm getting there. I will soon be playing all the minor scales too. One thing that distresses me though is vibrato... UGH! I know I MUST learn to do that well to play beautifully.
Thank you for your such kind words Ellen and welcome to the violin world! And Bravo to you for working so well and achieving so much on your own!!! Do not worry for not having mastered vibrato fully yet. It is totally worth to spend quality time on vibrato practising without time pressure, as this will open many doors for you. A healthy vibrato requires a great control and relaxation on the left hand which is necessary basics of many difficult advanced LH techniques. You can do it Ellen! Happy practising!
Thanks, a very insightful video. My 2+ years hitting practice balls at the local golf practice tees yielded fractional benefits! Until the day resident "pro" offered a free lesson, in less than a minute he saw what I could not. I'd developed a bad habit of sliding forward with my lower body as do baseball batters! No wonder all my balls went right, problem solved. A skilled observation will easily spot errors.
Thank you so much Joy for all your help. I'm glad that I'm able to play pieces like Vivaldi Four seasons because of your videos. I might never reach a high level of violin playing , but I will take pride in the skills I've earned and strive to be even better. :)
+Alexandru Saulea I've been playing for three years, and I'm 18. I had a crappy violin that sounded horrible, but I thought it was my skills that needed work, so I practiced hard and efficiently. I then found a violin seller that sold handcrafted Stradivarius violin copies that sounded AMAZING. The violin I have now makes everything easier and I barely have to work for a good tone. :)
As always, Thank You so much for this video !!! Awesome tips that we all need to remind ourselves of . I'm progressing slower than I'd like to . I know that I'll never be a concert violinist or soloist but I'd like to play for myself and family . I try to follow all of your points ,,, except ,,,getting a lesson to get critiqued and be gauged on where I am in skills . im hoping to make that happen by March of 2019 . Hopefully, by then , I'll be able to make more than just sounds and happy birthday or simple 1 or 2 string Christmas tunes :) Thank You so much for your encouragement and tips to make All of us better players
Especially for self taught violinist I recommend Maia Bang's books, they have all necessary technical exercises and scales and have many little quotes as tips, like: Hold bow firmly in hand with a loose wrist (something like that).
@@Baroque-Handel don't worry, I have a teacher for many years now. It was a recommendation for those who don't 😁 and BTW I see more and more self taught people which are actually good, because there's so much material online..
Joy, that first tip about moving, and even moving the violin when it is convenient, is pretty wild. I like it though, and am going to try it. Having grown up self-teaching (except for class lessons in school) on piano and three wind instruments, one which took me to study in Vienna and I planned on entering an international competition in Geneva, the top competition in the world then on my instrument, until I changed career objectives out of music. This was all long, long ago. Ironically, as a kid I self taught on a piece of junk $3 violin when for a few months, played using arm vibrato from day one (vibrato was tight and fast), but quit and later tried violin in college, and took some lessons with a friend who was a student of Albert Markov, and one semester in college from a Juilliard graduate, a professor at the college, and then I quit, totally discouraged that I wasn't able to play the violin literature which I know quite well as I played it all on the flute. It was with both those teachers that I learned a bad habit that caused me pain and expense later on when I would try violin again as an old man, and that habit was using a shoulder rest. I could only play for like 20 minutes a day, it bothered my back and neck so much, and I tried four different shoulder rests, so it was expensive for me also. I saw a video online by Nathan Cole about how to play without a shoulder rest, and you probably know the Heifetz reply to a student who said they couldn't play without a shoulder rest -- "take up cello." Anyway, my neck is long and I had this idea that I couldn't play without one, but read that some people can. I was shocked at how natural it was for me, and more importantly, how painless! I have to put a little something over my collar bone where the violin sits if I'm not wearing a thick shirt, and that's it. My second favorite tip I learned from a free lesson online from William Fitzpatrick, to relax the left hand by not pressing the string all the way down so it touches the fingerboard when playing a note. Play all notes like that. He learned this as a student at Juilliard. He goes on and on telling stories about this, and of course he mentions all it can do for your playing, like faster technique, and for me anyway, much better vibrato because my hand is relaxed enough for the joints to do the proper movement. I think this tip would help beginners lose the tense death grip they tend to have in the left hand. Also, on the subject of vibrato, arm vibrato was natural but I learned wrist vibrato also and can use either or a mixture. One tip you mentioned, was in my first lesson with my friend, using full bow. Without using a full bow in most of your playing in the first two years, you will never reach the stage where bowing is natural. Pinchas Zuckerman said something to that effect. So it's about sound, but also very much about learning how to bow. You're totally right that anyone self-teaching, unless they know to make themselves use full bow, will use about a foot in the center of their bow and that's it. In conclusion, violin is soooo unnatural and I'm sure a few lessons with the right teacher can go a long way for many students who are teaching themselves, but those two tips were so important for me, and I don't think 90% of teachers would teach either of those things. So kids, or adults, watch about a million videos online, including all of Joy's videos, and you too may learn something that can change your whole experience of playing the violin and open up new possibilities for enjoying the instrument.
Dear Tim, thanks for sharing your stories and thoughts. Exploring different ways of holding the violin and the bow is always worth to try as our body changes every day and sometimes we find a solution. Happy music making!
Hi, my name is chaima and I'm a huge fan of violin, I started teaching my self violin. But I have a problem, I don't know how to start. So please I need a leader just to know how to start
I understand that intonation can be hard to master. Here is a video which could be helpful to you. Happy practising! ruclips.net/video/dXNTSVgqgJs/видео.html
After 5 months and I improved a lot , practice sevick , wolhfart , shinozaki method. Thanks your channel too, I always get some hits to from your video. They key to success is Listen, practice practice and practice….
Dear Richard, after the last book of any methods, either Suzuki or other books, one would work on individual scale books, etude books and concerto, sonata , show pieces. For example after Suzuki 10, one could work on all numbers/keys of Carl Flesch scale book, Rode Caprices as etude book and Bach Solo Sonatas and Mendelssohn/Tchaikovsky violin concerto pieces. There are much more pieces, but I hope this gave you an idea. Happy practising!
Thanks! There are already over 400 videos I made about techniques. I 'll keep posting, but for now you might be able to find many things you are looking for. Here is a video about how to Search for Specific Videos in my Channel: ruclips.net/video/4NPAg2qiuQE/видео.html
Thank you so much for the info! So far I am using RUclips for my information source but hope to get an in-person instructor when I have time. Do you know why some people twist the bow back and forth as they play?
We tilt ( twist) the bow to change the weight and the amount of bow hair which will result different dynamics and tome colour. The more hair, the louder it is. I hope this answers your question.
Hi Question My (sister in law ‘s ) violin I just started playin since Coronavirus is a 3/4 violin I feel comfortable with it is it ok to go forward with practicing it Thanks Mrs S
Hi Joy! Thanks for the video but can you please do a video on how to play paganini's 24 caprice? Please I beg you I'm practicing that in the moment and I'm struggling with it I would really appreciate it if you did a video of that amazing piece!! xx
Nikki Amouzadeh She’s made some videos on the Caprice on specific sections, like 10ths and left hand pizz. I could link them if you want? and Good luck.
@@guerrero4982 thank you but I'm struggling at the ending I've seen her other videos about the piece but the ending and the middle I mean the chords that's the problem I've got so I would love a video on that!
Hi Nikki, I made videos about Paganini caprice no. 24 Here are some of them. I hope these are helpful. ruclips.net/video/R5d0HoMtpLw/видео.html ruclips.net/video/-ez5oYthChw/видео.html
Thank you very much, dear Joy, very helpful tips, bless your heart, one question though, as regards to maintaining the violin in a good and healthy shape, do you loosen the strings after you are done for the day and let the strings loosen up over night or do you keep them in tune all the time? Thank you 🙏
You're most welcome Totoo. You don't need to loosen the strings after playing. However you do need to loosen the bow hair as this will affect on the condition of your bow. Happy violin playing!
Hi Joy! Happy New Year. Would you please do a video on deciding when to use the tip of the bow instead of the middle of the bow. Many times this is not marked, but the tone and colour can be dramatically altered by a sudden shift to 3rd position and the tip of the bow strokes. I just wonder if there are certain tones one may be trying to produce that the tip of the bow is really a must...ie: pianissimo
does anyone know what makes the video have that "VCR" wavy feel to it? look at the objects in motion, they acquire a wave-like distortion I also have a Sony 1080p camcorder that produces this default effect
"Whatever you wouldn't do to a child probably shouldn't happen to a violin either". This is why my violin has to go to bed at 10PM every night.
No, but actually, it's a very good rule.
:)
hahahahaaa
...and never leave it in a car while you have lunch at a diner!!!
I put my violin to bed by 9pm because the neighbors might have something to say if I don't! :-)
@oceanbound_22 Ha ha! I'm sure she appreciates it so much.
“Whatever you wouldn’t do to a child don’t do to your violin”
- 5:40
Words to live by
Thank you lady! As a clueless self-taught violinist, your videos really are a treasure!
Heyy how's it going?
The best advice I received from this is to have a sound expectation, and listen to the best. Don't aspire to be as good as your peers when you can aspire to be the best you can be.
I am helplessly and happily committed to playing the violin. I am not pressuring myself, if I don't feel like playing or practicing I give myself a break. I feel like if me playing is going to be a chore then I will not play. I am so committed though I will play often and a lot. I love the violin and it is wonderful to be playing on a violin that once belonged to my Papa Thorson, my mother's father. My grandfather also played the accordion but I didn't get that one.
How wonderful Piper that you are playing on the family violin. What a connection and how precious! I admire your dedication to violin playing and I wish you lots of great discoveries and much beautiful music making!
@@JoyLeeViolin thank you.
Thank you for your great videos. I like your english, too.
When I started Violin at 27 years old, I didn't have enough money for Lessons and had to rely on videos, a book for adult learners, and my experience as a pianist. I knew I had to think in baby steps and therefore practiced often (nearly every day), but not very long (10 to 20 minutes). The consistency really worked well for me and anyone can make time for 10 minutes each day (*hint* practice mute). After 1 year I had the money to get lessons and was afraid.. would the teacher tell me to buy a better instrument? I only had a 100€ set (violin, bow, Case, rosin etc) with 40€ strings (Made an incredible difference in sound) and a better bow (100€, with authentic hair and made out of wood). My teacher had no problem at all with my low quality instrument. Other teachers and instrument retailer weren't nice at all about the instrument. My teacher corrected a few issues I had, but overall the posture was alright and I didn't need to start from the very basics again, which was my second fear. But the best about my teacher is: she challenges me. While self-teaching, I only made tiny advances in difficulty, afraid of doing something wrong and later having to relearn it. Now I get so many different etudes etc to practice and if I develop some strange habit, my teacher corrects that every other week. This way, I learned much faster in 6 months with lessons than I did in 1 year without. Tl;dr - get lessons, even If it's just one hour per month.
I'm so happy for you Amelie! :)
Hi, it’s a year later now, how is it going?
I hate it when luthiers or teachers try to talk bad about an instrument you love. It happened to the violin I chose myself, that is only worth half of the one I inherited. I mean, it's okay if people don't like it but why try to make me feel bad about it?!
Fantastic advice, thank you
Everything you said here is 100% true and applicable
Thank you
You're welcome! Thanks also!
Ah, yeah. Right in my wheelhouse. I am 57 years old, have played lead guitar all my life, 8 months in on the violin. I live in a rural resort town with no violin teachers around and the fiddle players I know aren't going to be interested in helping an old guy learn to walk so to speak. So thank you for your instruction. Posture: I like to sit on the bed against the headboard feel straight out and watch TV while I practice my electric unplugged violin. The only problem I have is banging the bow tip on the headboard sometimes. :-) My dog likes to lie on the bed and listen to me try to play well. Man's best friend for sure!
Hope you’ve kept up!
Hi, how is it going?
@@TaartjeMetSlagroom Little by little. Discovery by discovery. better than I was, by no means good.
Ronald Anderson that’s really nice to hear! I hope you keep learning :)
I am 53 and learning 54 on my own. It took my puppy a while to stop barking at the viola,. But he's getting use to it 😂
It's also good to listen to what the instrument wants. My viola doesn't want to have anything attached to it, and it wants to sit close to the middle instead of off to the side and be more horizontal. And I agree with it. Everything becomes easier when I let it settle where it wants to be, and play it how it wants to be played.
#4 is a great point to go into depth about because I hear far too many people tell others to not compare their craft to others because it's "demotivating". Comparison is necessary to develop past a mediocre level.
I have been watching You tube videos of Mr Heifetz as well as Maxim Vengerov, Hilary Hahn, Ivry Gitliss, Ida Haendal, Carl Flesch and TwoSetViolin, who are all brilliant violinists.
I am an unpolished diamond at the moment but progress is happening. Thank you for your excellent videos Joy and all the best to you.
Dear Louise, you're most welcome and I wish you lots of wonderful violin playing with much positive experience.
i play the guitar,so i know things about music,theory of music,scales,etc.I decided to teach myself the violin and now i ve been playing fpr six months ,im ok with my progress,i can play some tunes,but i d love to have someone check on me.Unfortunately,i tried a couple of times,both teachers tried to make me use a shoulder rest which i hate and cant play with it at all.Then they were annoyed when they saw i know most musical stuff and i just wanted specific violin instruction.They never came back foe another lesson.,they were interested in someone who would have lessons every week.THanks foryour advice which sounds very sensible.
I use many internet tutors (such as yourself) but I also spend $25 per week for an in-person teacher and he is worth every penny!
Okay.. Don't know how I found this channel, never touched a Violin, don't know who this woman is but here I am at 7am on a beach 🌴 in Southern California watching and Listening to a intelligent Beautiful Strong Woman teaching some Violin knowledge..😕😄 She's explaining in such a nice way, being gentle in her presentation but you can tell not only is she very serious about her craft but turns into a tiger 🐅 when she focuses on her playing, even the husband would be second when this Warrior turns it up👏😂 The guy would still be blessed just to be in her life🌹😊👍
You are so funny Troy. Thanks for your kind comments and nice laugh:) Happy music making!
@@JoyLeeViolin Your Welcome continue being Strong and Beautiful the World needs more of it 😊💪👍🌹
I just admire you so much, I can't even describe it in words you see, You're soooo amazing! Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOO much ma'am! I just want to thank you so sooooo MUCHHHHHHHH ❤❤❤❤
Thank you so much for your great lessons, mam. You are also very pretty 🥰😍🙏
Thanks so much for this advice.
Thank you also Suellen
Thank you so much Joy , As a self taught violist , these things are so helpful !
💐💐💐
You're most welcome Pavithra!
hello.i am kenyan and and am teaching myself violin playing and really how you teach
Buying a mandolin (same tuning as violin) rocketed my learning of tunes, plus it is physically much easier. The frets force your left hand to properly hit those notes.
Just got a mandolin myself. What are you using to study?
@@DoTuskO I bought the cheap Hola! mandolin from Amazon for $80, but it sure doesn't seem like low quality.
It's crazy how fast you can pick up a song with a mandolin, then shift and experiment with moving and repeating stuff. The muscle memory translates extremely well to the violin, so much so that I agree with others that a mandolin is a must-have training tool for violins.
The frets will prevent you from getting finger positions right for violin. They actually get in the way, although it is useful for learning finger patterns.
@@duncanandrew3307 That hasn't been true with other mandolin and violin players that I've met, because your exact finger position is dependent upon the note you hear. You will know very quickly if you're half a note above or below on the violin.
Give it a try, then come back and tell me those mandolin players know something.
@@langhamp8912 No problem. I just know how it affects me. I went the other way, from fiddle to mandolin and found the frets annoying.
I have been trying to get the vibrato and it has not come yet. I have watch several videos on it but still trying. I play the guitar by the violin is truly hard but I love it.
I love you 💓
Hello Joy,
At first thank you very much for your videos, they helps so much!!!
I am 29 and learn the violin for almost 2 years now (self-taught).
I am happy that i never did or fixed 4 of this 5 things very quickly.
I watch many professionals playing and saw them often move the violin to the bow, but never really thought about „a“ or „the“ reason. I watched this video yesterday and tried out move the violin to the bow when i come near to the frog and it is so much easier (especially in third position).
I practice for a better 3rd position playing „arvo pärt- Spiegel im spiegel“ of course it will need so much more time to let sound it good, but that tip brought it already to a next level 🥰
Thank you!
How wonderful Ron!!! I am so happy to hear that my video was helpful to you. And thank you also for your kind words. I wish you lots of wonderful violin playing!
HI ,JOY! WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU, HAVE NOT BEEN ACTIVELY WATCHING YOUR CHANNEL FOR SOME TIME NOW. LET ME FILL YOU IN, I AM USING EVA PIRAZZI GREEN SET NOW! MUCH IMPROVED TONE AND PLAY ABILITY. HAVE DRILLED OUT MY SELF CARVED BRIDGE, WITH MUCH SUCCESS! I REMEMBER YOU SAID TO CURRY THE BOW WITH A TOOTHBRUSH, IVE BEEN NEEDING TO DO THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I HAVE ORDERED NEW BRAND OF ROSIN BUT WILL HAVE TO WAIT WHILE I. IAM RECIEVING IT. THE BEST ROSIN I AM USING IS POPS! IT IS VERY STICKY AND DESIGNED FOR BASS VIOL, BUT ILEARNED A TRICK A LONG TIME AGO THAT YOU CAN USE BASS ROSIN ON A VIOLIN. YOU DONT WANT TO RUB IT VERY HARD THOUGH. OTHERWISE YOU LOOSE BOW HAIRS. ROTATE BOW 45 DEGREES TWORDS SCROLL AND GENTLY PULL BOW THROUGH ROSIN. I HAVE FOUND THIS MAKES BEAUTIFUL ORCHESTRAL SQUELCH FROM BOW. FOR EXAMPLE AS GOOD AS NEW, BY ABBA, THE VIOLIN IN THAT SONG SOUNDS SIMILAR TO MINE. IM VERY HAPPY I LEARNED THIS TRICK FROM RITCHIE. RUBBING ROSIN ON STRINGS FROWNED UPON BY ELEMENTARY TEACHER. WAS NOT WORKING PARTICULARLY WELL ANYWAY! I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INSTRUCTION BY YOU, YOUVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL.😅😅😅😅😅
Dear Chris, Thanks for your kind words and sharing your discovery. I wish you lots of wonderful music making!
Thanks for the advice I only agree with the 5th advice the rest is no brainer. You will find loads of lessons on RUclips.
You are so right it takes time
Thanks for the video! I started two months ago to learn violin!
You're welcome Dieter and welcome to the violin world!! I wish you lots of wonderful music making!
@@JoyLeeViolin Thanks! Greetings from Germany!
This was perfect, thank you! I also just become a Patron on your Patreon. Thank you for being such a blessing to me!
Thank you so much Stacie! Your kind support means so much :)
Please what do you do as a patron
Thank you Joy Lee! You were a delight to listen to. Great advice! I am self taught. I'm an advanced piano player and I don't know if that is why I am picking up quickly on the violin or if I just have a gift. You are sooo right that violin is NOT easy to learn or play and I have a NEW respect for violin/string players! I haven't played 50 hours yet and I'm already playing ALL the 12 major scales and a number of songs! I'm doing the scales better than the songs but I'm getting there. I will soon be playing all the minor scales too. One thing that distresses me though is vibrato... UGH! I know I MUST learn to do that well to play beautifully.
Thank you for your such kind words Ellen and welcome to the violin world! And Bravo to you for working so well and achieving so much on your own!!! Do not worry for not having mastered vibrato fully yet. It is totally worth to spend quality time on vibrato practising without time pressure, as this will open many doors for you. A healthy vibrato requires a great control and relaxation on the left hand which is necessary basics of many difficult advanced LH techniques. You can do it Ellen! Happy practising!
I’m very glad I watched this video
True, true, true, true and true
I wish someone gave me this check list 3 years ago! And I wish that Joy could be my teacher :-)
Thank you so much for this very valuable advice! Also, you have presented this information in a nice clear, concise and caring way 😊🙏
You are so welcome! Thank you also Chatter :)
Thanks, a very insightful video. My 2+ years hitting practice balls at the local golf practice tees yielded fractional benefits! Until the day resident "pro" offered a free lesson, in less than a minute he saw what I could not. I'd developed a bad habit of sliding forward with my lower body as do baseball batters! No wonder all my balls went right, problem solved. A skilled observation will easily spot errors.
Thanks for these tips. I'm considering learning to play but on my own and just for myself.
Thank you so much Joy for all your help. I'm glad that I'm able to play pieces like Vivaldi Four seasons because of your videos. I might never reach a high level of violin playing , but I will take pride in the skills I've earned and strive to be even better. :)
For how long did u practice and how old are you?
+Alexandru Saulea I've been playing for three years, and I'm 18. I had a crappy violin that sounded horrible, but I thought it was my skills that needed work, so I practiced hard and efficiently. I then found a violin seller that sold handcrafted Stradivarius violin copies that sounded AMAZING. The violin I have now makes everything easier and I barely have to work for a good tone. :)
@@urieluy2025 heyy it's been 2 years! How are you doing with your violin playing? :)
As always, Thank You so much for this video !!! Awesome tips that we all need to remind ourselves of . I'm progressing slower than I'd like to . I know that I'll never be a concert violinist or soloist but I'd like to play for myself and family . I try to follow all of your points ,,, except ,,,getting a lesson to get critiqued and be gauged on where I am in skills . im hoping to make that happen by March of 2019 . Hopefully, by then , I'll be able to make more than just sounds and happy birthday or simple 1 or 2 string Christmas tunes :) Thank You so much for your encouragement and tips to make All of us better players
Hi. Will you do a basic maintenance for violin video? Thanks.
Hi PositivelyNice, here is a video which might be helpful to you. Happy violin playing! ruclips.net/video/9kaRj-9MlMw/видео.html
Especially for self taught violinist I recommend Maia Bang's books, they have all necessary technical exercises and scales and have many little quotes as tips, like: Hold bow firmly in hand with a loose wrist (something like that).
Thank you ! I will look it up!
@@Baroque-Handel don't worry, I have a teacher for many years now. It was a recommendation for those who don't 😁 and BTW I see more and more self taught people which are actually good, because there's so much material online..
Haha, was amazed by your comment beacuase I have been using it for months. Literally the best. Highly recommended.
Joy, that first tip about moving, and even moving the violin when it is convenient, is pretty wild. I like it though, and am going to try it. Having grown up self-teaching (except for class lessons in school) on piano and three wind instruments, one which took me to study in Vienna and I planned on entering an international competition in Geneva, the top competition in the world then on my instrument, until I changed career objectives out of music. This was all long, long ago.
Ironically, as a kid I self taught on a piece of junk $3 violin when for a few months, played using arm vibrato from day one (vibrato was tight and fast), but quit and later tried violin in college, and took some lessons with a friend who was a student of Albert Markov, and one semester in college from a Juilliard graduate, a professor at the college, and then I quit, totally discouraged that I wasn't able to play the violin literature which I know quite well as I played it all on the flute. It was with both those teachers that I learned a bad habit that caused me pain and expense later on when I would try violin again as an old man, and that habit was using a shoulder rest. I could only play for like 20 minutes a day, it bothered my back and neck so much, and I tried four different shoulder rests, so it was expensive for me also.
I saw a video online by Nathan Cole about how to play without a shoulder rest, and you probably know the Heifetz reply to a student who said they couldn't play without a shoulder rest -- "take up cello." Anyway, my neck is long and I had this idea that I couldn't play without one, but read that some people can. I was shocked at how natural it was for me, and more importantly, how painless! I have to put a little something over my collar bone where the violin sits if I'm not wearing a thick shirt, and that's it.
My second favorite tip I learned from a free lesson online from William Fitzpatrick, to relax the left hand by not pressing the string all the way down so it touches the fingerboard when playing a note. Play all notes like that. He learned this as a student at Juilliard. He goes on and on telling stories about this, and of course he mentions all it can do for your playing, like faster technique, and for me anyway, much better vibrato because my hand is relaxed enough for the joints to do the proper movement. I think this tip would help beginners lose the tense death grip they tend to have in the left hand. Also, on the subject of vibrato, arm vibrato was natural but I learned wrist vibrato also and can use either or a mixture. One tip you mentioned, was in my first lesson with my friend, using full bow. Without using a full bow in most of your playing in the first two years, you will never reach the stage where bowing is natural. Pinchas Zuckerman said something to that effect. So it's about sound, but also very much about learning how to bow. You're totally right that anyone self-teaching, unless they know to make themselves use full bow, will use about a foot in the center of their bow and that's it.
In conclusion, violin is soooo unnatural and I'm sure a few lessons with the right teacher can go a long way for many students who are teaching themselves, but those two tips were so important for me, and I don't think 90% of teachers would teach either of those things. So kids, or adults, watch about a million videos online, including all of Joy's videos, and you too may learn something that can change your whole experience of playing the violin and open up new possibilities for enjoying the instrument.
Dear Tim, thanks for sharing your stories and thoughts. Exploring different ways of holding the violin and the bow is always worth to try as our body changes every day and sometimes we find a solution. Happy music making!
Yes! Thank You! I dont sound half bad with no metronome, but the second I turn that bad boy on 👀. Reality kicks in lol 🤷🏻♀️😭😭😭😭😭....💜🎻💜
thank you :)
You're welcome!
I really need this. Thanks!!!
You are so welcome Eujan!
Amazing video as usual ...thank you
Very helpful! Thank you.
Hi, my name is chaima and I'm a huge fan of violin, I started teaching my self violin. But I have a problem, I don't know how to start. So please I need a leader just to know how to start
Yess, this video is very helpful, thank U so much 😊 👍👍
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!
Five point who make good violin playing like a five different letters of my beloved teacher name (JOY LEE)
Another great video Let's be a virtuoso.
And about the nots how can we identify them on the violin
Hi Chaima, here is a video which might answer your question. Happy practising! ruclips.net/video/llqTNdCzYxc/видео.html
@@JoyLeeViolin thank you so much. Love you 😊😊😊❤❤
A Teacher - seriously, I think getting someone to iron out basic mistakes one might be making after trying to teach oneself is probaby valuable.
Just purchased my first violin. I've never had a single lesson and am excited and nervous to self teach.
Welcome to the violin world! You made the first step! Congratulations!!
Seus vídeos são muito bons.🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🇧🇷
I just learn 1 month and now I m 41 yr old. I really fractured to play in tune…… how can I hit the correct note accurately?
I understand that intonation can be hard to master. Here is a video which could be helpful to you. Happy practising! ruclips.net/video/dXNTSVgqgJs/видео.html
After 5 months and I improved a lot , practice sevick , wolhfart , shinozaki method. Thanks your channel too, I always get some hits to from your video. They key to success is Listen, practice practice and practice….
Tribulations will come but GODS light will always sustain providing a metaphoric place for your soul to refuge. GOD is Good 🙏
Thank you for your great advice as always Joy! Happy New Year to you!! :)
Than you maam,which book I follow after Suzuki violin volume 10 ?
Dear Richard, after the last book of any methods, either Suzuki or other books, one would work on individual scale books, etude books and concerto, sonata , show pieces. For example after Suzuki 10, one could work on all numbers/keys of Carl Flesch scale book, Rode Caprices as etude book and Bach Solo Sonatas and Mendelssohn/Tchaikovsky violin concerto pieces. There are much more pieces, but I hope this gave you an idea. Happy practising!
@@JoyLeeViolin thank you maam🥰
hello joy happy new year have a great year ahead all your videos are excellent
please can you do some vedios about all techniques.many thanks
Thanks! There are already over 400 videos I made about techniques. I 'll keep posting, but for now you might be able to find many things you are looking for. Here is a video about how to Search for Specific Videos in my Channel:
ruclips.net/video/4NPAg2qiuQE/видео.html
Thank you so much for the info! So far I am using RUclips for my information source but hope to get an in-person instructor when I have time. Do you know why some people twist the bow back and forth as they play?
We tilt ( twist) the bow to change the weight and the amount of bow hair which will result different dynamics and tome colour. The more hair, the louder it is. I hope this answers your question.
@@JoyLeeViolin Thank you very much, that is what I needed to know.
Hi
Question
My (sister in law ‘s ) violin I just started playin since Coronavirus is a 3/4 violin
I feel comfortable with it is it ok to go forward with practicing it
Thanks
Mrs S
For an adult, a full size violin (4/4) is better, but 3/4 size can work too for people with small hands. Happy playing!
Thanks for the tips :)
Hi Joy! Thanks for the video but can you please do a video on how to play paganini's 24 caprice? Please I beg you I'm practicing that in the moment and I'm struggling with it I would really appreciate it if you did a video of that amazing piece!! xx
Nikki Amouzadeh She’s made some videos on the Caprice on specific sections, like 10ths and left hand pizz. I could link them if you want? and Good luck.
@@guerrero4982 thank you but I'm struggling at the ending I've seen her other videos about the piece but the ending and the middle I mean the chords that's the problem I've got so I would love a video on that!
Hi Nikki, I made videos about Paganini caprice no. 24 Here are some of them. I hope these are helpful. ruclips.net/video/R5d0HoMtpLw/видео.html ruclips.net/video/-ez5oYthChw/видео.html
Yeah! Playing violin is like playing 2 instruments at the same time with 2 hands, a chin and a foot. But I like it!!!!
We all feel like that sometimes. But keep going! It will become easier. You can do it David!!
Thank you very much, dear Joy, very helpful tips, bless your heart, one question though, as regards to maintaining the violin in a good and healthy shape, do you loosen the strings after you are done for the day and let the strings loosen up over night or do you keep them in tune all the time? Thank you 🙏
You're most welcome Totoo. You don't need to loosen the strings after playing. However you do need to loosen the bow hair as this will affect on the condition of your bow. Happy violin playing!
@@JoyLeeViolin I see, thank you very much for your kind reply and sorry to have taken so much of your precious time, bless your heart 🥂
Hi Joy! Happy New Year. Would you please do a video on deciding when to use the tip of the bow instead of the middle of the bow. Many times this is not marked, but the tone and colour can be dramatically altered by a sudden shift to 3rd position and the tip of the bow strokes. I just wonder if there are certain tones one may be trying to produce that the tip of the bow is really a must...ie: pianissimo
Thanks! Happy New Year to you as well Steven. I'll try to make a video about it :)
Joy, I noticed the watercolour paintings. Did you do those? One way or another you have the good sense to appreciate that kind of skill.
Thanks Rand. Glad to hear you like the paintings. Unfortunately I don't know how to paint, but i surely appreciate nice paintings :)
Oi linda tudo bem.
Thank for the video! Can we play violin if we live in a continually humid climate?
yes.
does anyone know what makes the video have that "VCR" wavy feel to it? look at the objects in motion, they acquire a wave-like distortion
I also have a Sony 1080p camcorder that produces this default effect
What do you do when your bow is not the same condition as you bought it, mine is turning darker
it's normal for the bow hair to be worn and to get a bit dark. As long as the bow hair produces decent sound, it should be ok. Happy playing!
Quick question. Is it OK to store the violin under the stove? Hey... just kidding. Thanks for the video.
:)))
Do you give 1st free trial lesson via video chat Joy?
Sorry Sean, there is no free trial lessons via Skype. But all the videos here in my Channel are free and there are many videos you can search.
Would like if you could close your videos by playing a short song to give us inspiration to keep trying.
Thanks for the lovely idea Phoenix. I'll certainly consider. Happy music making!
You're so cute miss Joy