Music
Instruments
Violin
5 Power Moves for Better Violin Technique
4.9 (5 ratings)
Course Ratings are calculated from individual students’ ratings and a variety of other signals, like age of rating and reliability, to ensure that they reflect course quality fairly and accurately.
2,641 students enrolled

5 Power Moves for Better Violin Technique

Practice these for a solid fundemental technique
New
4.9 (5 ratings)
Course Ratings are calculated from individual students’ ratings and a variety of other signals, like age of rating and reliability, to ensure that they reflect course quality fairly and accurately.
2,641 students enrolled
Created by Chuck Gunsaullus
Last updated 7/2020
English
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5 Power Moves for Better Violin Technique
Current price: $41.99 Original price: $59.99 Discount: 30% off
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This course includes
  • 1.5 hours on-demand video
  • 3 downloadable resources
  • Full lifetime access
  • Access on mobile and TV
  • Assignments
  • Certificate of Completion
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What you'll learn
  • Left and Right Hand Moves for Better Violin Technique
  • How to Practice These Moves
  • Downloadable Exercises for Further Study
Requirements
  • A violin, bow, and a non-mechanical pencil
  • The desire to learn to play the violin better
  • Reading music is highly encouraged but not required
Description

Welcome!

Enrolling in this course is your first step toward a better fundamental violin technique.  These five power moves are the foundation of your violin mastery.  This course is not meant to replace your existing violin teacher or study.  It won't give you Violin Mastery in Two Weeks, or any nonsense like that.  You will learn five basic moves that will serve as a foundation for a very solid violin technique that will help you get better and stronger the right way.  Ultimately, these moves will help you improve more quickly, but you will still need to practice.  Sorry. ;)

This is a deep course with over 90 minutes of lectures.  There are three right hand (bow hand) lectures and two left hand lectures, each with accompanying exercises or music via PDF download.  You can practice this music and then move on to whatever you want to learn next.

Both beginners and experienced players can benefit from this course.  For beginners, the first few power moves will get you started on your way to solid technique.  For intermediate and advanced players, the last two power moves will help you develop more advanced techniques, but don't ignore the beginner moves.  Everyone can benefit from reviewing the basics.

Who this course is for:
  • Beginner to advanced violin students
  • Anyone who wants to learn to play the violin at a high level
Course content
Expand all 16 lectures 01:35:14
+ – Introduction and Overview
1 lecture 05:08

Watch this video first to learn about your instructor and what to expect from this course.

Here's What You're In For
Preview 05:08
+ – Move 1: Beginner, Right Hand - Pinkie Pushups
3 lectures 13:55

Before we can do our pinkie pushups, we need to go over just what a perfect bow stroke looks like.

Anatomy of a Bow Stroke
03:33

These are pinkie pushups.  The "up" and the "down" correspond with your right hand position at the frog and at the tip.

Pinkie Pushups - How to Get Started
05:15

Here are two exercises to practice your pinkie pushups while playing.

More Excerises for Your Pinkie
05:07
Take a few minutes to practice the pinkie pushups.
Work on Those Pushups!
2 questions
+ – Move 2: Beginner, Left Hand - Prepare the 4th Finger
3 lectures 18:57

Before we work on the move itself, let's talk about the perfect left hand position.

Anatomy of a Perfect Left Hand
04:26

This move helps you get your forth finger ready which helps with intonation and dexterity.  You can play notes a lot faster when your fingers are ready.

Get Your 4th Finger Ready!
06:05

Here is one of the best etudes every written for left hand technique.  Yes, practicing it is sort of like eating vegetables, but like veggies, it's so good for you.

Kreutzer Etude #9
08:26
Download the excerpt of the etude and learn the first two bars.
Practice Kreutzer Etude #9 - The First Two Bars
1 question
+ – Move 3: Beginner/Iintermediate, Right Hand - Elbow Levels
3 lectures 18:55

There will always be movement when you play the violin, but don't overdo it.  More moving parts means more things that can break down and get in the way of good playing.

Bonus Lesson - Movement While Playing the Violin
Preview 06:10

A good bow stroke on one string is explained in the first section of this course.  Now we introduce the power move of changing strings by using the right elbow.

Anatomy of a Bow Stroke II
04:38

Let's practice that move.  Here are a few exercises that will help.  They are written out on the attached PDF.  There is also a PDF of the cadenza from the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto that uses this exact technique (for advanced players).

Practice Moveing Your Elbow
08:07
Learn the bracketed part of the cadenza from the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto to practice your elbow transitions.
For Advanced Students - Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Cadenza
1 question
+ – Move 4: Intermediate/Advanced, Left Hand - The "Turn" for higher positions
3 lectures 19:58

What does your left hand look like when  you change positions?  Let's see.

Anatomy of Shifting
05:09

Here's the move that you need to do to get to the higher positions. 

The "Turn"
06:58

Here's how to practice the fourth move.  Big surprise, we use scales!

Practicing the "Turn"
07:51
This scale starts in first position and goes up to 6th. Do the fingering in the excerpt and make sure to do the turn when you shift to the C-sharp.
For Advanced Students - Brahms Violin Concerto
1 question
+ – Move 5: Intermediate/Advanced, Right Hand - Playing Chords
2 lectures 17:02

Keep that elbow lower than usual when playing chords.

Playing Chords: Lower that Elbow!
08:38
Practice - Kreisler, Corelli Variations & Brahms Violin Concerto
08:24
+ – Next Steps & Conclusion
1 lecture 01:19

Where do we go from here?

Final Thoughts
01:19