hey! I've been playing since Feb. and I'm towards the end of the 2nd suzuki book. I was taking private lessons up until a few weeks ago, but I had to quit because I moved and I'm broke now. I'm worried about teaching myself some of the advanced techniques like shifting & vibrato. But, in Gavotte by Lully in the second book there is already shifting... I think- its a C on the E ? So, does anyone know any good books that will help me with these things? When am I supposed to learn vibrato (I was browsing the revised ed of book 3 & it had some part about vibrato in the back... is that when?). And I have tape on my violin still- when should I be taking it off? Thanks so much!
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OH, I forgot to say- I want to know when I should be learning vibrato because I want to find a teacher at that point to learn from- so I don't learn incorrectly. I know you can't say exactly when, but approximately- when did everyone else learn?
I'd suggest NOT trying to teach yourself vibrato.. its IMO one of the hardest things to learn, and i really do not think it would work out to well if you tried teaching it to yourself.
As to when.. I think I had been playing about 2 years when I first started vibrato, but I think most people started around after 3 years or so, but of course some earlier and some later depending on where they were.
I can't remember exactly when suzuki book wise.. but I think I started learning it when I was in the end of book 2/beginning of 3, but it takes several years to perfect it.
and I'm confused by the whole 'grade' system. What is it exactly?
Suzuki doesn't speed you ahead- I just moved through the books really fast since I already understood reading music & I had no problems with tone or squeaking with my violin. And, suzuki books are meant to be used with a registered suzuki teacher. I started with a teacher, but now I just work through the songs in the book to practice with since its not a teach yourself kind of book (there are basically no helps in the older versions of the books [there are 10 total], but the updated editions help you out a bit more I think).
I mean the ABRSM exam system. You have specific things to learn for each grade, then you take the exam for it. There are 8 in total, you have to pass a grade 5 theory test as well if you want to go beyond that level.. I believe you need a grade 8 to go into music college..
I can't say what exactly you have to learn for every grade, as I'm only on grade 1, but for mine I had to learn basic aural tests (repeating notes, recognising the pulse of a rhythm etc), basic sight-reading, scales (A Major, D Major and G Major in 2 octaves both seperate and slurred) and you have to choose 3 pieces of music from a list to play with the piano.
Basically you have to know note ranges from semibreve to quaver, accents, slurs, pizzicato, staccato, dynamics, sfz etc.
I don't think the suzuki books put much emphasis on theory or scales for that matter. But, thats probably the only difference. And, you just work through the books & go on to the next one- there aren't exams. If you youtube 'suzuki violin' there are a couple of people who have gone through most of the books & made a video for every song- so you can see the difficulty of each book (if that makes sense)
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