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The Art of Clean Violin Playing

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While there are many wonderful violinists in the world, the thing that separates the good from the greatest is most often how cleanly they play or, in more common violin terms: ARTICULATION
In this video I will be going through why articulation is so important, the various types of articulation, and how to practice each one.
0:00 - Why do they sound so good
1:06 - Understanding Articulation
2:05 - Finger Articulation
8:16 - Bowing Articulation
12:08 - String Crossings
13:16 - Shifting Articulation

Пікірлер: 60

  • @מימוןבןאברהם
    @מימוןבןאברהםАй бұрын

    I recently noticed that precision is a huge deal on a violin. Even the simplest songs can sound so beautiful when played with clean precision.

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Absolutely. No matter what you're playing, easy or difficult, always strive for this

  • @hamwhacker

    @hamwhacker

    Ай бұрын

    I am a firm believer that anyone can make one single note on the violin sound like the best in the world. But the real problem is how to make lots of notes sound good!

  • @jackburgess8579

    @jackburgess8579

    29 күн бұрын

    @@hamwhacker >>"I am a firm believer that anyone can make one single note on the violin sound like the best in the world." That really isn't true. A great violinist can show their greatness by performing a single note with a beauty and profundity that mere mortals cannot get anywhere near..

  • @hamwhacker

    @hamwhacker

    28 күн бұрын

    @@jackburgess8579 Thanks - I perfectly understand and accept your point! Please however - I wasn’t saying all single notes could be compared between a beginner and world class soloist…of course they nearly always sound better and demonstrate perfection on the simplest of phrases... Just I was hoping that everyone could aspire to great things when we pick one note and play it as beautifully as we can. That’s all I was saying :-) Since playing the violin well is about controlling about what you are doing on every note as we through the music, with technical accuracy and expression which can and should be destiny of any individual. Cheers

  • @mellissadalby1402
    @mellissadalby1402Ай бұрын

    Chloe Chua is so young and so good. Very clean, very precise, plenty of expression. I hope she keeps it up.

  • @illtemperedklavier-ir9fy
    @illtemperedklavier-ir9fyАй бұрын

    Fascinating, I'm low-key obsessed with finding the difference between a great player playing a beginner piece, and an advanced student playing that easy piece.

  • @jackwarwar723
    @jackwarwar723Ай бұрын

    I’m currently working on Mozart 5 and just using the concept of having the fingers make a heavy drop onto the string immediately made my playing sound substantially cleaner. Incredible!

  • @user-mt3rg2yi5g
    @user-mt3rg2yi5g29 күн бұрын

    I laid my violin down for 25 years. Had I known how much I'd loose and trying to relearn holding the bow with arthritis and other problems..Don't do it..Go for it..keep trying it's a gift

  • @RubsViolin
    @RubsViolinАй бұрын

    I feel like I am doing a pretty good job at being a test subject haha. Very good video btw

  • @IsabellaD.7063
    @IsabellaD.7063Ай бұрын

    Thank you for this great lesson 🫶 I was already in bed and stood up to grab my violin 😆 especially the thumb exercises are very helpful to me, same as shifting. This is vital knowledge, thank you so much 👍👍👍

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Glad to hear!

  • @iggyzorro2406
    @iggyzorro2406Ай бұрын

    hey - just as prior to entering the pool, I always shower before playing the violin.

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Interesting. . .Does it help??

  • @iggyzorro2406

    @iggyzorro2406

    Ай бұрын

    @@MurphyMusicAcademy sometimes I think my violin playing is beyond help. but I do learn from you -so thank you.

  • @arfyf6314
    @arfyf6314Күн бұрын

    This is a really good explanation of the key components. Grateful. Thank you.

  • @Faithhg310
    @Faithhg31023 күн бұрын

    Currently struggling through the slurs in Air on the G string- glad I came across your video. Thanks for the lesson!

  • @thecatofnineswords
    @thecatofnineswordsАй бұрын

    I have access to a gentleman who has a truly incredible level of bow control (Daniel Rohn), and I have learned so much just by watching him closely. These subtleties have such an incredible effect on the quality of tone. So good!

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    I'd not heard of him but I'll definitely check him out!

  • @thecatofnineswords

    @thecatofnineswords

    Ай бұрын

    @@MurphyMusicAcademy Watching him play this Moto Perpetuo (kzread.info/dash/bejne/mqJ1y8-yosmehNI.html) always has me in awe.

  • @andrewzhang8512

    @andrewzhang8512

    Ай бұрын

    @@thecatofnineswords holy... that's clean

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Oh wow, that is some beautiful articulation! Interesting how his bow bounces in the upper half. I know some bows do that, but I've never played on one that does.

  • @kamikan22
    @kamikan22Ай бұрын

    there's an easier way to understand and instantly use catch & release, just put some pressure on the string with the index as showed here, but before even moving the bow release it (take the pressure off the index) and only then move the bow, it will sound perfect at the beginning even if you wait some time because the string is "catched" by the bow already, if you start moving the bow while "releasing" you get more and more articulated (you hear a click at the start) and if you start the bow before releasing you get martele I teach cello and double bass, making people do this is instant amazing sound to any beginner.

  • @mjozhou6920
    @mjozhou6920Ай бұрын

    very inspiring! understanding more about how these noisy sounds produced helps me to avoid making mistakes during practicing.

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Glad to hear!

  • @Jen-KJV1611
    @Jen-KJV1611Ай бұрын

    Fantastic teaching and advice!

  • @estrellas24
    @estrellas24Ай бұрын

    Awesome!! What a great video!! and a reminder to do my Sevcik exercises even though I can't stand them 😂

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    They are a slog but trust me, even if you do a little every day, it will make a big difference

  • @royalexxanderquinnniall4227
    @royalexxanderquinnniall4227Ай бұрын

    Wow. Thank you! You helped me a lot...

  • @Winuska
    @Winuska5 күн бұрын

    I found out by myself that I landing your fingers harshly on the strings made it sound better. I thought I was crazy. 😅

  • @KimberlyOurlian
    @KimberlyOurlianАй бұрын

    also like when playing arpeggio runs like in the lalo symphony espagnole to practice in short staccato sequences and various rhythms to get that crisp brilliant sound. also swing your arm slightly to the right so your hitting the strings with the side tip of your fingers instead of square on with the fingers

  • @ShahFareed-y3k
    @ShahFareed-y3kАй бұрын

    Refreshing and enjoyable - this would appeal to accomplished players and beginners alike. It's not that all the content is new, but the way it has been put together. Chua,s clip was an eye-opener , beautiful and so were the others - no place for Kavakos? Articulation takes performance to another level, but to achieve this, setup has to be near perfect. Along with articulation , if there is poetry , drama , beautiful tone , you get Accardo playing Perpetuela and so on. By playing creatively most things fall into place and the possibilities are endless. Even mundane exercises have a better outcome if done imaginatively. A friend who started violin a couple of years ago , said he was helped by your video on left hand technique. He's not very good at English, so he asked me to thank you on his behalf. Thanks.

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Well tell your friend he is very welcome and I'm glad he's enjoyed my videos. I love Kavakos and would definitely include him at that top level, but I can only make the video so long before people lose interest, so I stuck with the 3 violinists I had in the video. Thanks for your thoughtful words!

  • @simon0yeung
    @simon0yeungАй бұрын

    Hmm... I thought articulation != total cleanliness ? I would personally prefer a bit "messy" but spirited and emotional play versus clean but sterile play

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    I prefer that as well, actually, but what makes someone like Hadelich so special is he can do both!

  • @silvanotoffolon854
    @silvanotoffolon854Ай бұрын

    You are phenomenal

  • @adlezink
    @adlezinkАй бұрын

    Interesting "translation" of Kalinovsky on Tonebase there in the Finger articulation part! I did feel intrigued when you on one hand said that he is a great teacher and on the other hand said that you didn't want to teach your student some aspect of his teaching. To tell the truth, I tried Kalinovsky's way but have difficulty in getting the finger articulation going on. But this is an interesting "translation" from your side. You tell the key things that haven't been said out clearly and I get immediate realization when trying. It's kind of like "Aha! That's how he did it!". You are really generous to give us lesson on youtube!

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    I studied with Kalinovsky for a summer over a decade ago, and it was one of the best experiences I ever had. He not only taught me technique, but how to THINK about technique. Of course, it's normal for two different violinists to come to slightly different conclusions about technique, so where I divert from Kalinovsky I respectfully do so.

  • @adlezink

    @adlezink

    29 күн бұрын

    @@MurphyMusicAcademy Yes, I see your diversion there, hence I said "translation" - from his view to your view. I must admit that I was very confused when started to dig into various violin's "school of thought" or way of thinking. There are so many different ways, even clearly opposing each other, and there's not many who said "why". Utilizing your body, your muscle and your mind is also something that cannot be transfered completly by words, I guess. Two people doing the same thing on the surface might be utilizing different muscles and comprehend/sense the matter very differently.

  • @Elena-bw5vv
    @Elena-bw5vvАй бұрын

    Thank you, very good content. I like your videos.

  • @johncraven4539
    @johncraven4539Ай бұрын

    Very useful advice here! Remark: collé = stuck (by any means); coller = to stick, colle (without accent) = glue.

  • @JuJu-iq4ze

    @JuJu-iq4ze

    Ай бұрын

    I would even say collé=glued might be more accurate?

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Interesting! I don't speak French, so I've always just known it as "Glue" The idea is he same either way, of course

  • @JuJu-iq4ze

    @JuJu-iq4ze

    Ай бұрын

    @@MurphyMusicAcademy for sure!

  • @jerrydavis1475
    @jerrydavis1475Ай бұрын

    I think you learned the slapping technique from Kalinovsky !

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    @@jerrydavis1475 yes! I studied with him for a summer more than a decade ago and learned many things from him

  • @arfyf6314

    @arfyf6314

    Күн бұрын

    Daniel Kurganov has a similar vid and says the fingers should be like dampers on the piano. Have always thought that was a very clear image.

  • @devyysk
    @devyyskАй бұрын

    tobiah my goat

  • @andrewzhang8512

    @andrewzhang8512

    Ай бұрын

    LOL

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Haha

  • @jackburgess8579
    @jackburgess857929 күн бұрын

    The Soviet violinist Zoria Shikhmurzaeva (b. 1933), who is almost unknown in the West, is another one for your "Greatest violinists you have never heard of" series. This performance of a relatively simple miniature by Bizet that has been arranged for violin and piano is one of the most beautiful cameos that I have ever heard. kzread.info/dash/bejne/gaBksaSym7HadNY.htmlsi=o6L9e6yl8l0Kh6zl

  • @JessicaDugard-sg4ox
    @JessicaDugard-sg4oxАй бұрын

    what are the books in the background?

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    Ivan Galamian: Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching Leopold Auer: Violin Playing as I Teach it Leopold Mozart: A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing As well as 2 CD box sets: the complete RCA victor recordings of Jascha Heifetz and the complete recordings of the Alban Berg String Quartet And I have a clock with the circle of fifths

  • @JessicaDugard-sg4ox

    @JessicaDugard-sg4ox

    Ай бұрын

    @@MurphyMusicAcademy brilliant collection

  • @altolows7635
    @altolows7635Ай бұрын

    Would this work exactly the same on the viola? Which violists should I listen to for the cleanest articulation?

  • @louiscornell8637

    @louiscornell8637

    Ай бұрын

    So many great violists on KZread, but for articulation you could do worse than Paul Neubauer and Richard O'Neill playing Frank Bridge's great Lament for two violas.

  • @MurphyMusicAcademy

    @MurphyMusicAcademy

    Ай бұрын

    I'm sure there are aspects of this that are applicable to viola, though I'd imagine you'd have to do even more as the viola responds more slowly. But I'm not a violist so don't quote me. At the very least you can try it out and see if it helps you

  • @louiscornell8637

    @louiscornell8637

    Ай бұрын

    @@MurphyMusicAcademy Yes, you do have to allow for the viola's slower response time, and there are differences among the response times of the individual strings that you have to take into account. That said, your comments provide some excellent advice for violists. Thanks, as always!

  • @oxoelfoxo
    @oxoelfoxoАй бұрын

    !

  • @WillTreaty50
    @WillTreaty5028 күн бұрын

    STOP HITTING YOUR VIOLIN !!!!!!!!! 🤬😭😭🤬🤬😡😭