To pre-answer the obvious question about vibrato: Vibrato is NOT tantamount to having "unstable" fingers. The level of stability happens at a much smaller locus on the fingertip than vibrato. So, you can have unstable fingers and be doing vibrato - this just means that at every point of the oscillation of the finger during the vibrato motion, the finger is wobbling and unstable, thus producing an unfocused sound throughout the vibrato. Fix your stability on a note without vibrato, and then take that into consideration when you add vibrato. You'll be shocked at how much better your vibrato sound also is. So, to summarize: 1. Learn absolute stability in your fingers (best to practice with a dial tuner) BEFORE you ever mess around with "piano" or light fingers. You'll gain a lot in your playing just from doing this, and you can do this no matter what level you are at. 2. Mess around with finding a lighter pressure, but remember it isn't about absolutely calculating exactly how much "PSI" you need - it's about getting to where you just feel like all you have to do is bring the finger to the fingerboard, and that is all. When you finally get this, then pressure doesn't even factor into your thoughts while playing. The issue of stability comes in because the REASON this works is that you have stable fingers without pressure. But the goal is ultimately not to have to think about pressure or stability at all while you play 3. Lead with the bow. I don't know why this makes such a big difference, but 99% of my students play better when they think of the bow leading as opposed to the left hand.

Hi there, Ken here. I am a 64 year old retired professional concert level violist who was also a principle in several groups. I have also taught hundreds of kids and adults. I am also a composer, and at one time a cathedral choirmaster and organist. Yes, I was that busy! Anyway, in my life, I discovered that starting out on simple double-stops first, then scales makes a whole lot more sense. Why? Because double-stops train your ear and muscle memory to play IN TUNE! Otherwise, practicing scales (out of tune) is a waste of valuable time. One should practice the octave (0 - 3) first, then add the 4th finger (4 - 0) with above open string, then the 4 - 1 octave - string below. This "sets" the left hand for other double-stops. Next comes 1 - 4 in third position. Why? Because you can then check your first finger against the below open string. Then next comes the 1 - 4 in fourth position checking your first finger against the open string above. Understand the logic? In this way the player (violin and viola) leans not only to play in tune, but becomes familiar with four positions. Later the player should tackle the half-step octaves above the first finger in first position and below the first finger in third position. Then comes the scale in octaves! By now, the player has trained their ear to play scales IN TUNE! SIMPLE DOUBLE-STOPS SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST BEFORE SCALES. I am amazed that all these great teachers didn't start things off this way. Instead they stressed checking notes in double-stops as you play scales. Scales are for three things: 1 - velocity, 2 - for learning to play passages and patterns in a position and 3 - for shifting. I studied with MANY great teachers, conductors and musician from all over the world. Well Ken, what about finger independence? Both double-stop and scales cover that.

No need to ask that one 'like' the video, Tobiah!.... One couldn't not!! Fabulous content! Thank you! G Ire (Adult student).

Hello Murphy, Thank you so much for your videos! I learn SOOO much from them each time. Please, keep on bringing them to us. The only thing I do when I watch your videos is that I lower the reading speed to 75% on KZfaq and I put the subtitles on. No kidding! I do that, so it helps me focus on what you are saying, there is so much advice concentration per minute, LOL😂❤

❤ GOD BLESS YOU , ❤

Brilliant stuff - one of the most insightful and useful technique videos on KZfaq! You really are a very original and inspiring teacher. Here's another idea to put into the mix for anyone looking to lighten up their left hand action. When I played cello there was increasing concern that stopping heavy strings from above was a source of injury So teachers who were interested in ergonomics and safety began to experiment with stopping the strings from the lower side with much less pressure. And it turns out that this works very well, as well as being a more economical movement. So I've been trying it on the fiddle, with good results. If you think about it, we are vibrating the string from side-to-side, so it's more efficient to stop if from the side than from above, where more pressure is required. There's obviously less payoff than you'd get on the cello or bass, but it does make for lighter and more agile finger drop. (It can also help to get your finger out of the way if you are double-stopping on a lower position on the strings above.) I'm very much an amateur, so you'd have to run your own experiments to judge whether it has any value. But on another forum a professor of violin at a prestigious school came back and said he was finding it useful, so I don't think I'm entirely deluded...

When I was younger, I was always hungry to get better and better with my viola because I loved it so much.

Thanks!

I love how you love the violin! I love playing the violin and the continual study it entails.

I like your approach to teaching violin playing! You are sowing seeds to become my full potential violinist!

Hi murphy , thank you for all your great youtube clases, i have been playing for 2 years now with a great violin teacher , i am practicing 16th notes with the left hand sevcik and one of my worst problems is bringing my second finger close to my first finger for half step to get it intune.

Very good video. I'm just beginning the violin but your advices are very usefull. This "presure stuff" is working quite similarily with the guitar. In fact, there is a thing you didn't say (or maybe I didn't get it): speed comes with coordination too. I mean, when the left and the right hands are exactely making the note at the same time. It's very obvious at the guitar, especially in "fingerpicking mode". Being too slow with the right hand make the speed of the left hand unusefull. _Oh, I'm so tired: I can't manage to explain it_ . Anyway: I love your videos. Thank you for sharing these "tips". I'm sure you're a great teacher! Have a nice day. Annaëlle from France.

Extremely valuable video... in F Major😂. Jokes aside, your content is extremely good, I have no idea how is your content programming but I find myself using everything you post literally the same week (working on octaves and hand frames for different positions right now).

I am by no means advanced but I find that I have to constantly rediscover this concept! Every so often I get very frustrated and despondent because playing starts feeling way more cumbersome than the days before. After stewing for a while, I almost always I discover that my hand is too tense and my fingerpressure is too much. It's a constant struggle to play violin as naturally as I pick up objects. My hand is never tense and I never squeez when I go grab something. The fingers just open up exactly enough to grab the object and at exactly the right time. The issue is the very wrong semi-subconscious conviction that tensing my hand to do something difficult gives me more control. Because I guess it's just somehow baffling that a relaxed hand and mind means better expression and intonation. I suppose I just dont trust myself enough and tensing the hand + pressing gives me the illusion that I'm really trying. After all, violin is difficult and I should try hard, right?! I guess not! :) Great video, sorry if the stream of consciousness is a bit incomprehensible

A lot of alliterations from anxious anchors placed in powerful posts.

I have a question about how can I avoid touching other strings that are on the neck of the violin with my fingers. I hope you answer me Thank you

Great video! Would love to discuss a few things some time! Miss playing in a quartet with yourself! I often think with the left hand, it’s a percussive motion, of truly feeling the tension and release of the string and using the and dont quote me on it, the kinetic energy of the string propelling each finger forward, making the “hard stuff” easier to playing using the natural resistance the strings provide.

this video is great i don't even play violin thank you

What kind of tuner would one use to check for better intonation?

SLOW SLOW SLOW practice makes perfect. Slowly with a metronome!!! The brain truly learns in slow motion. Secondly, learn to play a tone on a crystal glass. Why? This teaches finger / bow pressure and speed in relation to each. AND PRACTICE ALL THINGS IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PRESSURE AND EXTREMELY "SOTO VOCE" - EXTREMELY SOFTLY. Any idiot can play fast and loud. The true artists learns how to play softly, delicately, slowly and with musicality. Playing loud and fast wears you and your ear out and numb dumbs you. MAKES YOU LESS SENSITIVE. LOL