Those who had/have great teachers - who THEMSELVES were taught by great teachers - sound this way because we have the skill set. I dare say, the kind of teacher who trains students to be orchestra section players, and not soloists, don't focus on any of these things hardly, mainly because they don't even know them themselves. And it's not just three or four things, it's like 20 or 30 things really. A complete discussion of them all would be impossible to do in a small comment box like this and there is no way to learn them all in a single lesson or with just one piece. It's developed over a period of years, not in an instructional video. I'll just hit on a few, as these were what I had drummed into me for years. 1. The bow has to move with a plan. Being able to employ your bow not only as your paintbrush, but to develop a tonal palette using it, is - obviously - quite, quite important. Knowing the correct and incorrect ways of using the bow or even literally how you move the bow - is imperative. 2. Knowing the fingerboard and knowing the positions (learned from scales and some of the more useful etudes/caprices). Sounds corny, but a lot of people don't. Each note has to be deliberately placed under your fingers. Which brings me to... 3. Fingering. You have to know how to develop your own fingerings that work for you, but also those that are appropriate for a particular piece (i.e., you would not finger Bach in the same way you would Shostakovich.) 3a. If you want a dynamite left hand, you have to study some hard stuff, like Paganini. You'll learn the fine art of fingering if you have learned some of the Caprices. The more, the better...if not all 24, then at least 12 or 13 of them. 4. Vibrato must mirror the soul. You have to be able to modulate your vibrato 'ad hoc'. Same thing - Bach vibrato should be almost instinctive, and usually, very sparingly. It's baroque music. They barely used vibrato then. Tchaikovsky? Different vibrato. Mozart? Different vibrato. 5. (Last one, I have to draw the line somewhere, but this is the most important...) You have to know your own playing. You have to be the best assessor of your own work. And that involves one organ - your ears. Know how to listen to yourself. Be able to identify your own bad intonation, and know how to fix it. Know how to read a score, and do what's in the score (before you play a note.) Obey the composer's instructions, especially with dynamics and articulation. Don't let yourself get away with playing out of tune. Don't let yourself play sharp or flat except for expressive purposes, and even then, know when to use expressive intonation. People who play in tune tend to have a bigger sound, and have a larger tonal palette than those who didn't pay enough, or any, attention to intonation. BIG, BEAUTIFUL TONE = IN TUNE. Once you know these basic things, you work on developing them. The reason it takes a "real pro" to pull off a beautiful, convincing, existential, spellbinding performance of something like the Violin Concerto by Alban Berg is because they are real musicians who have mastered the art of tonality on their (stringed) instrument. They learned how to create that ideal sonic atmosphere - literally, one that "sells" (sells concert tickets and record albums...well, until posting recordings for free listening on KZfaq came along and copyright kinda went down the drain for the most part.) Thanks for reading, if you didn't TLDR this already!

“…and you don’t” hurt 😭

When I was younger I played violin, and it took me 10 years to discover the biggest secret to sounding better at violin... and no-one seems to teach it. I used to think I was terrible at playing, as everyone sounded so much better than me! But then I discovered playing in the bathroom improved my sound massively! Turns out a violin always sounds worse if you are within about 50cm of it... and sounds so much better if you are further away... which just happens to be how you hear everyone else play except yourself. Playing in a room with high sound reflections like a bathroom (rather than a bedroom or lounge) allows you to hear more of that mellow smooth sound reflected back to you. You should totally try it! More than that, to prove distance is important, you can also try playing your violin like a mini cello, but at fully stretched arms length in front of you, in a normal room (not bathroom). Even though your bow control will be far inferior playing like that, you'll still hear that smoother tone! Crazy! Most violinists I know were paranoid that everyone else played better than them... turns out everyone else hears you play better than you hear yourself too. So practice in the bathroom sometimes, to get a confidence boost... and then you can work on the techniques in this video to actually get even better, but knowing you don't need to be paranoid!

Practicing 40hrs a day is the key😊😊

I think the easiest way to create tone is the extreme exercises because 1) you need to hear it to believe it and 2) your hands need to have examples. Close to bridge with pressure and a very slow bow. Move a half centimeter away and do the same thing. Etc. Your ears will naturally figure out what sounds best on your instrument. Be mindful to listen to the overtones. Do it on each string. Afterward, play the piece you are working on -- all of the sudden, you realize there are more possibilities in your tone production in every section of your piece.

As someone who has played the violin since I was 6, I know how to use my bow, but it feels natural to me, and thus I have to research how to teach my students to use the bow in the same way. This video was very helpful for giving me the words needed to help my students express themselves better.

Just picked up a violin a few days ago and just practicing running up and down the entire bow keeping my bow square with the violin strings I've noticed that each string requires a different pressure to make a solid sound. I think some of these things become apparent naturally if you spend enough time with each aspect. It's nice to hear you speak about this and confirm my findings.

Thanks for the class . Very informative

You’ve blown my mind. I learned more about bowing in these 9 minutes 51 seconds than I’ve learned in my entire fiddling life. Thanks!

I'm 16 and I've been playing for 10 years. I have no problems with my left hand, but I have always had trouble with getting clear and a smooth sound. This has helped an awful lot! Thanks so much, the video is easy to follow. Got yourself another subscriber

Great video! Thanks for posting. I've always known a lot of what you taught here but never heard described like you did. Great Job!

thank you so much! I'm working on Lalo 1st movement (and also Bach partitar no. 3 gavotte en rondeau) and this truly helps a lot, even my violin teacher told me i tend to use a lot of pressure but i didn't realize how less prioritized pressure is in getting the sound i want. i'm definitely going to experiment more with it!!

Thank you for sharing this 3 rules! They are very useful and helpful ❤

Fantastic! Instant bookmark! Thanks for putting this out there!

That was very informative. Thank you!

Loved it, thanks❤ Hoping you would have more subscribers this year🎉

Thanks! Great information.

After playing the violin for 10 years and having no progress in the last 4… This is what I needed It totally makes sense now! 🤯 Thank you! ❤

omg you're right, this for me sounds much better now. once again you've helped me feel not only like i can apply rules given to me, but understand why those principles exist in the first place. thank you

Very well explained. All of this is exactly what I'm always telling my students! It's all easier said than done of course - getting to a point where you can precisely control your bow speed, bow placement, and bow pressure simultaneously takes years of practice. Being aware of the basic principles is a good start though.

Learned many things! Much appreciated, you're a big help!

There are also really small thing that give you better tone quality, Like good posture and having a good bow hold. Having a good bow hold gives you more control over the bow, and most bow techniques require a good bow hold. Ex: Wrist movement. Good posture should make you more in tune, raising your. violin/viola high makes gravity force your bow into the best point for sound quality.

I appreciate these thoughts. I’ll be thinking about this next time I play. Especially the sounding point.

Thank you! Very instructive and straight to the point!

Yes, very helpful to this viola newbie :) Thank you for all your great vids. Tim O

i'm a cellist so that might change things but I doubt it. Your hierarchy is out of order, its: Contact point (sounding point), bow speed, and then arm weight (not pressure). Your bow speed is entirely dictated by where you place your bow in regards to the distance from the bridge. As this is much more critical process for cello (since it's harder produce a tone, because the strings need more energy and therefore more coordination) so i'm inclined to believe you're incorrect here. I could go into the physics of why smaller string movement width (from side to side) at the bridge, means smaller spaced contacts with the bow as it moves across, this of course dictates a slower bow speed as there are more contacts with the string over the length of the bow. I think you know what i mean, you shouldn't be messing up the fundamentals if you're going to be an 'expert' on youtube. you see people not everyone who can play really well, can also explain what they're doing really well. This is a well known dynamic in the classical world. mastering the 3 fundamentals is important, but the other side of that especially for cellists is learning to control your arm from the shoulder down, not the fingers up. this makes the biggest difference for cellists as it gives you the ability to efficiently apply force in a horizontal direction, the fingers up approach will leave you stuck with only the ability to control a vertical force, which will give you a terrible and pressed sound.

I really like this guy's videos. He gives real practical advice on many violin topics.

So helpful- Thank you!!

Thank you so much. This was news to me and I´m sure will help me a lot. Blessings.

I appreciate what this man is telling people. It is valuable information. And it is also a reminder for some of us that already know it and are failing to practice it.

I love your video! Great explaination❤

Yes, it helped immensely. Thank you.

Thank you so much for explaining pressure on the bow; and bow speed. Very helpful. I subscribed!

Thank you so much this really helped

Love the ground rules. I’ve heard the sounding point, pressure, speed explanation many times… but the ground rules help a lot. Also getting real about the fact that most of us could get more bow speed if we improve our technique.

Thanks, very useful information!

Awesome lesson with great reminders of how to create natural resonance from our string instruments. Thank you for sharing your instructional ideas with us. I found them helpful.

WOW! That was a great video! I have always wanted to know that.

Thanks, great video!

Wonderful information, even for someone who does not play the violin, but who is fascinated by the acoustics of all musical instruments. Thanks !

Thanks for the video very helpful

Thank you so much it’s very helpful

After wanting a violin for almost 3 years, im finally going to get one this december! your video helps me so much in understanding the instrument better since im completely a beginner on the violin.🎉

That is easily the best violin lesson that I have seen on KZfaq!

Gonna experiment wth these tips ❤ . THANK YOU.

Thank you Sir for sharing your expertise

Makes sense, thank you!😃

You're an amazing violinist and teacher!

Finally, I lessened the creaking sounds that I get everytime I play my violin. Thank you for this video :)

I had hand surgery two years ago on my left hand. My orthopedic surgeon plays cello and really did a fantastic job of transferring the extension tendon from my index finger to my thumb. Playing violin went out the window till I saw a couple your videos. This is going to be messy but I gained some inspiration to start over from scratch. Wish me luck. And thanks 🙏

I don't even play the violin, but I loved your explanation. It will help me to listen to violin players better and how to hear the quality of a player. Thanks!

Oh yes! This lesson helped me! My playing sounds much better already! Thanks!

Great tips! Thx

Thank you for this

😎Thanks a lot for this video! ☕️I’m at that stage where I need to be reminded of this stuff !! 👍👨🏻 🎻🥳

very good advices , thanks a lot Murphy . Greetings from Brazil

Will most definitely make use of this...will get back to you 🙏

Beautiful practical high level explanation!! Many thanks!!!

Loved this video. You explain things very easily and quickly. Sometimes I will hear dreadful sounds coming from my violin, and I’m sure it’s because my bow arm isn’t as good as my left hand.

Thank you!!

I can’t tell you how much this video has helped in the matter of an hour of watching this. Thank you

Awesome thank you!!

Beautiful sharing. Really like this clip. A violinist from Paris. 😊

I can't stress enough the use of a well balanced practice. Some teachers only use Suzuki repertoire. Students must be guided into major, minor and modal scales too. Arpeggios and useful etude studies. I love for my students to study the Wolfhart foundation Studies, Mazas, and like repertoire. So many tried and true. In retrospect my biggest lack as a student ( back in the day) was double stop playing. It haunts me to this day. My teachers barely had me study double stops. 😢 Do it and listen listen listen.

This is fantastic. 😍

Thank You so much for your teaching it realy help me to improve my sound on my violín 🎻

Many thanks for the tips.

Amazing. Shall practice. Thank you.

Great ! thank you!

I was about to give up on violin but you helped me out so much! Thank you

Thank you for this basic, helpful information. I have never been successful in balancing these 3 factors for tone production. Now I have some tools for improvement! I suspect I have been using too much pressure in my effort to "play into the string."

Well done! I feel like I have been given the tools to produce the results I am wanting. Thank you so much for sharing your skills as a teacher and musician.

Thank you for this very basic, helpful information. I believe I have been using too much pressure in my effort to "play into the string."

Brilliant!

Thanks, good advises.

💥 Thanks. So good. Jeff

me, a clarinet player: ah yes this will be very useful for my violin which is definitely in my possession

Thanks again 😮

Things my violin teacher never taught me. Thanks so much for this informative video. I am putting it into practice now.

I enjoy learning more about the refinement of the classical approach to playing the violin. I am not playing to be or sound like anybody else, but rather to be able to express myself through this instrument. I am a composer on a journey. Thank you for your willingness to share these gems of experience and information for those of us who may be searching. I resonate with your purpose and wish you success in your endeavors.

I've never been told to prioritize this way. I've been using pressure first then bow speed. I'll try using speed first. Thanks. Not many instructors get into the details of techniques. I look forward to watching more of your videos. Especially videos about how to do the different bow strokes.

Thank you🤗

Having a well set up quality instrument, together with good quality fresh strings and a decent bow, are additional factors that shouldn't be overlooked when thinking about the quality of tone production.

thanks! subscribed.

Excellent lesson...excellent comments...

Perfect ❤

Thank you Tobias for this wonderful lesson I just discovered you today on KZfaq I live far away from you on the West Coast ALAMEDA I am an old man of 78 I am a violinist and I play every Sunday at my church My sound is okay but I realize that I need work I now realize that you can help me with my playing Unfortunately with such a busy life and family I get depressed because I know that in order to master my violin 🎻 must practice many hours 🎼🎼🎻🎻👍😞

You play beautifully. I am going on 5 yrs. Playing. I love it!! ❤️😃👌🌺

Wow. I'm 62 and just picking the violin back up. I started when I was 6 and took lessons for around 9 years... then being the 70's and it wasn't "cool", I found pot and a guitar, and that was it. It is about my only life-long regret, but at least I am starting back up, yes? Anyway, I was never taught vibrato, anything beyond first-position, or ANYTHING remotely close to what is explained in this video, and it's opened my eyes. (fingers?) I have a long, LONG way to go. In any case... yeah I suck... but this is really helpful, so will add it to my process, thanks!

my second attempt on wqtching yhe video fully and It took me almosy two years to finally get the gist or message of what this video is all about

You're a genius! Thanks for explaining so clearly. It makes it so much easier to understand how these three things interact with each other and how it affects your sound. Thank you!

Thank u !

Wowww! I wish I found this video earlier!! I've been playing violin since I was about 7, so that's 8 years, and I think tone is something I've always struggled with more than other areas. I've been trying to find ways to really improve and this video helped me so much. literally, the moment I finished this, I went to my violin and recorded the difference between applying your tips and doing it how I normally would and the difference is tremendous. Even my mom, who doesn't play an instrument, noticed that I sounded a lot better. so THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 😊

I have picked up a violin this week, after playing guitar for 45 years. Your video has just lifted the lid, on the mystery of violin sound - master vs student. Wow. Subscription clicked instantly. And you play beautifully. I may not be able to play the violin yet, but have 45 years of ear training, for pitch. You sound absolutely superb. If I ever come even fractionally close to your sound, i will drop to my knees and thank the universe....and you.

Great video very detailed keep it up 👍

Sounds like good advice ... will try.

Absolutely relevant advice, for an example of extracting phonons from the appropriate Instrumentation, Violin and Bow density-intensity positioning. Quantization cause-effect of energy put back into the phase integration of audible sounds, another version of Bonding (String tension and resonances) Clarified through Quantum Mechanics. So the Violinist son and daughter in law will get a lot from this lesson, thank you..

Great video i will be going to violin 🎻 classes very soon

There’s 4 factors. The tilt of the bow is also important. That controls the amount of hair that comes in contact with the string.

Good advice, except please substitute the word “pressure “ for “natural weight of the arm”. The natural weight of the arm will produce all the depth of sound and volume anyone could ever want. All the other aspects are applications used to refine that basic sound. Good listening skills and keeping as relaxed as possible are essential. Also, breathing with the bowing and phrasing of the music has an almost magical effect allowing all the technical minutiae to slip into place producing the desired result.